“Excuse me, son,” Clara said gently, her voice carrying clearly across the narrow gap between the rows.

“You ought to leave the lady alone.”

Evan didn’t budge in seat 12B.

He turned his head halfway around and snorted loudly enough for three rows of passengers to hear.

“Mind your own business, ma’am,” Evan said.

“We’re just having a friendly professional chat about military standards.”

Clara didn’t back down.

She reached into the side pocket of her travel bag, took out an unopened bottle of water, and held it out over the armrest.