When Naomi finished, he leaned back.
“I want to clarify something.”
“Go ahead.”
“When I arrived, I was told there was possible retail theft.”
“By whom?”
“Caller information indicated the reporting party.”
“Victoria.”
“Yes.”
“Did store management independently tell you merchandise was missing?”
“No.”
“Did you ask?”
Mercer paused.
“I asked whether the items had been purchased.”
Naomi looked at him.
“That isn't the same question.”
“No.”
He admitted it quickly.
That surprised her.
She continued:
“Did you ask whether I had attempted to leave?”
“No.”
“Did you ask whether I concealed merchandise?”
“No.”
Mercer looked increasingly uncomfortable.
Naomi said:
“You started from her conclusion.”
He stared at his notebook.
“Yes.”
Michael shifted slightly.
Mercer looked up.
“I should have separated her allegation from observable facts sooner.”
Naomi nodded.
“Yes.”
No triumph.
Just agreement.
The officer continued.
“When you challenged the basis, I interpreted it as resistance.”
Naomi said nothing.
He looked toward his body camera.
“I can see that.”
“Good.”
Mercer sighed.
“This isn't an excuse.”
Naomi waited.
“Retail calls are usually quick.”
“Employee identifies suspect.”
“Management wants removal.”
“Sometimes we arrive after concealment or attempted exit.”
He rubbed his forehead.
“I treated this like that kind of call.”
Naomi answered:
“Before determining whether it was.”
“Yes.”
He looked at her.
“Yes.”
Naomi respected the answer more than she expected.
Mercer asked:
“Are you filing a complaint?”
“Yes.”
He nodded.
“I figured.”
“You threatened detention without establishing a crime.”
“I understand.”
“You allowed a private customer to drive the interaction.”
“Yes.”
“And after my ID came back clean, you still treated verification of identity as though it answered a theft question.”
Mercer stopped writing.
“That’s fair.”
Naomi looked at him.
“Your report should say that too.”
He nodded.
“I'll document it.”
After the officer left, Michael closed the office door.
Naomi turned toward the window.
Below them, the boutique looked beautiful.
Cream walls.
Glass.
Gold trim.
Expensive simplicity.
Everything designed to communicate control.
Inside, the culture had just exposed chaos.
Michael stood behind her.
“How bad?”
Naomi did not turn.
“You tell me.”
He exhaled.
“Bad.”
“Why did Gregory hesitate?”
“I don't know.”
“Find out.”
Michael nodded.
Naomi turned.
“Actually, no.”
He looked confused.
“Don't ask him first.”
“Why?”
“Because I want the system before the explanation.”
She pointed toward his laptop.
“Pull all customer complaints from this location for three years.”
“All?”
“All.”
“Employee incident reports.”