Too late.
The room seemed to contract around her unfinished sentence.
Simone’s voice became very quiet.
“Probably what?”
Meredith looked away.
“I didn’t mean anything.”
“No.”
Simone held her gaze.
“Finish it.”
Keller raised one hand.
“That’s enough.”
Simone looked at him.
“I agree.”
The officer pointed toward her jacket.
“Identification. Now.”
Simone sighed.
Then slowly reached toward an interior pocket.
Keller’s hand moved instinctively toward his belt.
She froze.
“Wallet.”
He nodded.
“Slow.”
Simone removed a slim black card case.
Inside were several cards.
A driver’s license.
Two corporate cards.
An executive building credential.
And a black identification card bearing the silver logo of Bennett Hart Holdings.
She removed only the driver’s license.
Keller read the name.
“Simone Bennett.”
“Yes.”
He looked at the address.
A luxury condominium several blocks away.
Something in his expression shifted.
Simone noticed and disliked it immediately.
The address changed nothing about whether she had stolen anything.
Yet somehow it had made her more believable.
Keller entered the information into his device.
“No warrants.”
Simone stared at him.
“I would have been surprised.”
He looked up.
The sarcasm landed.
Patrick stepped closer.
“Officer, maybe we can finish this without—”
A voice came from the staircase.
“What is going on down here?”
Employees turned almost simultaneously.
A tall man in a navy suit stood halfway down the curved staircase leading from the upper administrative floor. His tie was missing, and he looked as if somebody had pulled him out of a meeting.
His name was Andrew Walsh.
Regional president for Bennett Hart’s Northeast division.
At first, his expression showed irritation.
Then he saw Simone.
The color left his face.
“Oh, God.”
Patrick looked confused.
Meredith looked annoyed.
Keller turned toward him.
Andrew came down the remaining stairs quickly.
“Ms. Bennett?”
Simone said nothing.
His eyes moved over the scene.
The dresses.
The police officer.
The phones.
Patrick.
Meredith.
“What happened?”
Meredith answered immediately.
“This woman was behaving suspiciously.”
Andrew looked at her.
Then toward Simone.
“You called police?”
“She was wandering around with unpaid merchandise.”
Andrew stared at Meredith.
“That is called shopping.”
A few people laughed.
Keller looked between them.
“You know her?”
Andrew turned slowly.
“Yes.”
The officer waited.
Andrew swallowed.
“She owns the company.”
Nobody moved.
Meredith actually laughed once.
A strange little sound.
“What?”
Andrew looked toward the boutique around them.
“Simone Bennett founded Bennett Hart Retail.”
He pointed upward.
“This location.”
Then toward the windows.
“The brand.”