People have made plans to attend.”

“Those plans do not complete the review.”

His mouth tightened, but his voice remained level.

“You are treating an ordinary administrative shortcut as if someone has done something wrong.”

“I am asking you to wait until the required check is documented.”

“And I am telling you the matter has been handled.”

He opened the car door and lifted the seating cards from the passenger seat.

One card had slipped beneath the others.