Richard turned toward him.
"You were responsible for the maintenance department."
"I was responsible for reporting the discrepancies."
"You were supposed to resolve them."
"I couldn't resolve something I hadn't been authorized to inspect."
The argument became louder.
Naomi raised one hand.
"Stop."
Both men fell silent.
She examined the documents again.
"Who instructed the maintenance team to use temporary records?"
Nobody answered.
Then Robert spoke.
"Richard."
Richard turned toward him.
"Careful."
Robert's face was pale, but he continued.
"You told us to make the aircraft appear ready for the transaction."
Richard stepped toward him.
"You're making accusations you can't support."
"I have the emails."
The hangar went completely silent.
Naomi looked at Robert.
"Do you have copies?"
Robert nodded.
"Yes."
"Where?"
"At home. I didn't want to keep everything on the company server."
Naomi exchanged a glance with Daniel's security contact, who had arrived at the hangar entrance after being summoned by the operations team.
"Mr. Lang, I suggest you preserve every document."
Richard laughed nervously.
"Are we really going to turn a routine commercial disagreement into a criminal investigation?"
Naomi looked directly at him.
"That depends on what the documents show."
By eleven o'clock, the situation had changed completely.
The executives were no longer laughing.
The security guard had moved away from Naomi.
Martin was sitting on a metal chair near the tool cart, looking as though he had not slept in days.
Peter Caldwell had begun making phone calls.
Richard remained standing.
He was furious.
But beneath the anger was fear.
He knew that the seven-hundred-and-seventy-million-dollar transaction was no longer secure.
He also knew that Northstar's compliance team would not simply walk away without investigating the discrepancies.
Naomi was reviewing the original documents when Richard approached her again.
"Ms. Brooks."
She did not look up.
"I need to speak with you privately."
"About what?"
"The transaction."
"We've already discussed it."
"Not in front of everyone."
Naomi closed the folder.
"Go ahead."
Richard glanced around.
"Some matters are confidential."
"Then speak to my attorney."
"I would rather speak directly with you."
"Why?"
"Because I believe we can find a solution."
Naomi looked at him.
"To what?"
"The documentation issue."
"There's more than one."
"Yes, but nothing that can't be corrected."
"How?"
"We can amend the disclosure schedule."
Naomi stared at him.
"You want to amend the disclosure schedule after the buyer has discovered that the original records may be inaccurate?"
"That's not how I would describe it."
"How would you describe it?"
Richard lowered his voice.
"An administrative correction."
Naomi almost smiled.
"An administrative correction."
"Yes."
"To records that determine whether fourteen aircraft are safe and legally transferable."
Richard sighed.
"Look, I understand that you're upset about this morning."
"This has nothing to do with my feelings."
"Of course it does."
"No. It has to do with the assets you're selling."
Richard looked toward the aircraft.
"Those planes are operational."
"Prove it."
"We can."
"Then do so."
He hesitated.
Naomi stood.
"Mr. Voss, I have no intention of purchasing a fleet based on incomplete records, altered documents, or verbal assurances."
Richard's expression hardened.
"You know what happens if this transaction fails?"
"Yes."
"Sterling could lose its financing."
"That's possible."
"Several hundred employees could be affected."
Naomi looked at him.
"Then you should have thought about them before putting their jobs at risk."
Richard's voice dropped.
"You have no idea what it takes to keep a company like this alive."
Naomi held his gaze.
"You're right. I don't know what it takes to run your company."
She paused.
"But I know what it takes to build one without lying to the people who trust it."
At 11:24 a.m., Naomi received another call.
This time it was Elizabeth Carter.
"Naomi, I've reviewed the incident report."
"Go ahead."
"The security footage should be preserved immediately."
"Agreed."
"We've also found something in the transaction documents."
"What?"
"The escrow instructions were modified yesterday."
Naomi frowned.
"Modified how?"
"Sterling requested an amendment allowing an early partial release of funds after the buyer's initial confirmation."
"Was it approved?"
"No. Our legal department rejected it."
"Why wasn't I told?"
"Because the request was rejected before it reached your approval stage."
Naomi looked toward Richard.
He was standing near Peter, speaking quietly.
"Who requested it?"
"Richard Voss."
Naomi's expression hardened.
"Send me the document."
"It's already in your secure inbox."
Naomi opened the file.
The amendment requested the release of $125 million before the final technical verification.
The justification was described as an operational liquidity requirement.
Naomi read the supporting statement.
Then she read it again.
"Elizabeth?"
"Yes?"
"Have we verified Sterling's current debt position?"
"We're checking."
"Do that immediately."
"Why?"
"Because this request suggests they're under more financial pressure than they've disclosed."
Elizabeth paused.
"Understood."
Naomi lowered her phone.
The transaction was becoming more complicated by the minute.
She had initially believed the maintenance discrepancies might be the result of poor administration.
Now she suspected something larger.
If Sterling had knowingly misrepresented the aircraft, and if it had attempted to obtain an early release of funds, then the company might be facing a serious liquidity crisis.