“Yes.”
He looked at the address.
Upper East Side.
His expression changed slightly.
Not because the address proved innocence.
Because it disrupted whatever socioeconomic story had begun forming.
Naomi noticed.
She disliked that.
Mercer keyed information into his handheld device.
“No warrants.”
Naomi stared.
“I assumed as much.”
He looked up.
The sarcasm was not lost.
Gregory took one small step closer.
“Officer, perhaps we can resolve this without…”
A voice came from the staircase.
“What is happening?”
Every employee in the boutique turned.
The regional director, Michael Trent, stood halfway down the sweeping staircase leading from the executive offices.
Tall.
Gray suit.
No tie.
He had clearly been moving quickly.
His face showed irritation first.
Then he saw Naomi.
The irritation vanished.
His skin went pale.
“Oh my God.”
Naomi looked at him.
Michael descended the remaining stairs almost too fast.
Gregory looked confused.
Victoria looked annoyed.
Officer Mercer turned.
Michael reached the bottom.
“Ms. Carter?”
Naomi said nothing.
Michael looked at the dresses.
The officer.
Victoria.
Gregory.
Then the crowd filming.
“What happened?”
Victoria spoke immediately.
“This woman was caught behaving suspiciously.”
Michael’s eyes moved toward her.
Then back to Naomi.
“You called police on her?”
Victoria pointed.
“She was walking around with unpaid merchandise.”
Michael stared.
“That is what customers do.”
Naomi almost smiled.
Exactly.
Officer Mercer looked between them.
“You know her?”
Michael turned.
The question seemed absurd to him.
“Yes.”
The officer waited.
Michael swallowed.
“She owns the company.”
Nobody moved.
Not even Victoria.
The boutique seemed to lose all sound.
Mercer looked at Naomi.
Then at the identification still in his hand.
Then toward Gregory.
Gregory’s face drained.
Victoria laughed once.
It came out strangely.
“What?”
Michael said:
“Ms. Carter is founder and chairwoman of Carter Vale Retail Group.”
He looked toward the walls.
“This store.”
“The company.”
“The building.”
“She owns all of it.”
Victoria’s expression collapsed.
Naomi watched carefully.
Not with pleasure.
With curiosity.
This was the moment people often revealed what they believed respect was for.
Victoria looked at Naomi and immediately changed.
Her shoulders softened.
Her face rearranged into embarrassment.
“Oh.”
Naomi said nothing.
Victoria tried again.
“Well…”
A nervous laugh.
“If I had known…”
Naomi lifted one hand.
“Stop.”
Victoria froze.
Naomi stepped closer.
“That sentence is exactly why we are still standing here.”
Victoria stared.
“I didn't mean…”
“You did.”
Naomi looked directly into her eyes.