“Officer, perhaps we don’t need…”
Victoria snapped:
“Why are you backing down now?”
Gregory stopped.
Naomi looked from him to Victoria.
Interesting.
Victoria had influence here.
Not formal authority.
Social authority.
She was a known customer.
Maybe top tier.
Naomi decided to test it.
She looked at Gregory.
“Does Mrs. Langley shop here often?”
Victoria frowned.
Gregory said carefully:
“She is one of our premier clients.”
There it was.
Naomi already knew the answer from the customer database.
Victoria Langley had spent approximately $187,000 with the company over six years.
High-value.
Difficult.
Three formal service complaints.
Two against junior employees.
One refunded transaction after a dispute over a private fitting appointment.
Naomi knew those details because she had reviewed customer escalation patterns during the company’s acquisition.
Victoria did not know any of that.
She only knew the store often accommodated her.
That accommodation had apparently become authority in her mind.
Officer Mercer reached toward the dresses.
Naomi stepped back before he touched them.
His expression hardened immediately.
“Do not step away from me.”
Naomi stopped.
Hands visible.
Voice calm.
“I moved because you reached for property in my possession without explaining why.”
“Property that belongs to the store.”
“Yes.”
“Then hand it over.”
Naomi looked toward the cameras mounted in the ceiling.
Then back.
“Officer, I am asking you again to identify the factual basis for believing I committed theft.”
Mercer’s patience snapped.
“You don’t get to control this investigation.”
Naomi said:
“No.”
“But you do have to have one.”
Several people murmured.
Mercer stared at her.
Victoria stepped closer.
“Just arrest her.”
The officer looked toward Victoria.
She pointed aggressively.
“She’s obviously trying to intimidate everyone with legal nonsense.”
Naomi’s eyes moved toward her.
Victoria continued:
“I called because somebody had to protect this store.”
Naomi asked:
“From me?”
“Yes.”
Victoria hesitated.
Then doubled down.
“Yes.”
Naomi smiled faintly.
“Interesting.”
Victoria crossed her arms.
“What is?”
“You still think you're the person protecting this business.”
“I am a customer who spends more here in one year than people like you probably…”
She stopped.
Too late.
The silence sharpened.
Naomi asked:
“Probably what?”
Victoria looked away.
“Nothing.”
“No.”
Naomi’s voice became colder.
“Finish the sentence.”
Officer Mercer raised one hand.
“All right. That’s enough.”
Naomi looked at him.
“I agree.”
He stepped forward again.
“Identification.”
Naomi sighed.
Then reached slowly toward the inside pocket of her jacket.
Mercer’s hand moved instinctively toward his belt.
Naomi stopped instantly.
“Wallet.”
He nodded.
“Slowly.”
She removed a slim black cardholder.
Inside sat her driver’s license.
Two corporate cards.
A building access card.
And a matte-black identification credential bearing the logo of Carter Vale Group.
She deliberately removed only the driver’s license.
Handed it over.
Mercer read.
“Naomi Carter.”