Richard straightened his jacket.
"Ms. Brooks, we are a major aviation company. We maintain hundreds of aircraft. Small administrative discrepancies happen."
"Small discrepancies?"
"Yes."
"An unverified engine replacement is not a small discrepancy."
"We have technicians who can explain it."
"Then bring them."
Richard glanced toward Martin.
Martin looked increasingly uncomfortable.
Naomi noticed.
"Is there something you want to tell me?"
Martin shook his head.
"No."
"Are you sure?"
Richard interrupted.
"Martin, don't."
Naomi looked between them.
Something was wrong.
She had seen that expression before.
It was the expression of someone who knew more than he was willing to admit.
At 9:47 a.m., Robert Lang arrived.
He was a fifty-two-year-old chief maintenance engineer with twenty-six years of aviation experience.
Unlike Richard, Robert did not wear an expensive suit.
He wore a navy maintenance uniform with the company logo embroidered over the chest.
He looked tired.
"Mr. Voss, you wanted me?"
Richard gestured toward Naomi.
"This is Ms. Brooks from Northstar. She's asking about some discrepancies in the maintenance records."
Robert looked at her.
"Ms. Brooks."
"Mr. Lang."
She opened the technical report.
"Can you confirm that the engine replacement on aircraft N724SG was performed at Atlantic Turbine Services?"
Robert glanced at the document.
His expression became difficult to read.
"I'd need to check."
"The report says it was completed twenty-three months ago."
"I understand."
"Can you confirm it?"
Robert looked toward Richard.
Richard gave him a warning glance.
Naomi noticed.
"Please answer the question independently."
Robert took a breath.
"No."
The hangar became silent.
Richard stepped forward.
"What do you mean, no?"
Robert looked down.
"I don't have a record of that replacement."
Richard's face reddened.
"Robert, we discussed this."
"We discussed the documentation issue."
"Exactly."
"But the replacement itself isn't in our maintenance database."
Richard lowered his voice.
"Not here."
Naomi closed the tablet.
"Why not?"
Robert looked at her.
"Because I was instructed to use a temporary component entry until the paperwork was finalized."
"By whom?"
Robert hesitated.
Richard stepped between them.
"That's enough. We can discuss this internally."
Naomi looked at Robert.
"Did you personally inspect the aircraft after the replacement?"
"No."
"Did you sign the final maintenance release?"
"No."
"Then who did?"
Robert's eyes moved toward the floor.
"Martin Hale."
Martin's face changed.
Richard turned sharply.
"That isn't relevant."
Naomi looked at Martin.
"Did you sign a maintenance release?"
Martin shook his head.
"I signed an administrative acknowledgment."
"That's not what I asked."
"I didn't perform the maintenance."
"Then why did your name appear on the release?"
Martin said nothing.
Naomi looked at Robert.
"Do you have the original records?"
Robert nodded slowly.
"I have copies of some of the work orders."
"Where?"
"In my office."
"Can you retrieve them?"
Richard raised his voice.
"Nobody is going anywhere until this meeting is finished."
Naomi looked at him.
"You don't control my investigation."
Richard stepped closer.
"This is my facility."
"And I am the person considering whether to purchase the aircraft sitting inside it."
She paused.
"That gives me a rather significant reason to ask questions."
Richard's jaw tightened.
For the first time that morning, he appeared genuinely worried.
At 10:05 a.m., Naomi received a message from Daniel Mercer.
The message contained a single sentence.
THE AUDIT TEAM HAS CONFIRMED AN ADDITIONAL DISCREPANCY. CALL ME.
Naomi stepped several feet away and called him.
"Go ahead."
Daniel spoke immediately.
"We've identified an issue with the spare-parts inventory."
"What kind?"
"According to Sterling's asset schedule, they have more than thirty million dollars in certified replacement components."
"Okay."
"Several serial numbers appear in the inventory system, but the original purchase invoices are missing."
"How many?"
"Twenty-seven."
Naomi looked toward the executives.
"Have you checked the suppliers?"
"Yes. Three suppliers say they never sold those components to Sterling."
Naomi closed her eyes briefly.
"Could it be a database error?"
"That's what we initially thought."
"And now?"
"Two of the serial numbers appear on components registered to another aircraft operator."
Naomi's expression hardened.
"Meaning?"
"Meaning someone may have copied the serial numbers into Sterling's inventory records."
She looked at the white jet.
"Do we know whether those components are installed?"
"Not yet."
"Then nobody moves those aircraft."
"Understood."
"Daniel, freeze the escrow instructions."
"We already initiated the precautionary hold."
"Good."
"Naomi, there's something else."
"What?"
"Richard Voss called our bank this morning."
"Why?"
"He wanted confirmation that the transfer was scheduled for Friday."
Naomi stared at the hangar floor.
"Did they confirm it?"
"They confirmed that the escrow arrangement existed. They did not release any confidential information."
"Good."
Daniel paused.
"Are you still proceeding?"
Naomi looked toward Richard.
He was speaking urgently with Peter near the aircraft.
Martin stood several feet away, staring at the floor.
Robert Lang had disappeared.
"No," Naomi said. "Not until we understand what's happening."
"Do you want me to terminate the transaction?"
"Not yet."
"Why?"
"Because I want the original maintenance documents. And I want to know who authorized the entries."
Daniel understood.
"All right."
"Also, send Elizabeth the incident report from this morning."
"The security incident?"