Then toward the floors beneath them.
“This building is owned through one of her holding companies.”
Meredith’s expression collapsed.
Keller looked at Simone.
Then at the driver’s license still in his hand.
Patrick’s face went pale.
Meredith’s shoulders softened almost instantly.
“Oh.”
Simone watched her carefully.
“Well, if I had known—”
Simone raised one hand.
“Stop.”
Meredith froze.
“That sentence is the problem.”
“I was only saying—”
“If you had known who I was, you would have treated me differently.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
Simone’s voice stayed level.
“You just said so.”
Meredith looked around at the phones.
“I didn’t mean it that way.”
Simone nodded.
“Most people don’t.”
Keller handed back her license.
His tone had changed too.
“Ms. Bennett, obviously there has been a misunderstanding.”
Simone looked at him.
“Obviously.”
“We were responding to a citizen complaint.”
“Yes.”
“And trying to determine what happened.”
Simone tucked the license away.
“Would your explanation sound this careful if Andrew had never come downstairs?”
Keller stopped.
Simone glanced at his body camera.
“Keep recording.”
His jaw tightened.
Patrick stepped forward.
“Ms. Bennett, I can explain.”
Simone looked at him.
“You had several chances to explain before you knew my name.”
Patrick closed his mouth.
Andrew started to speak.
“Simone—”
She looked at him.
He corrected himself.
“Ms. Bennett.”
Simone turned toward the employees.
“Who called Andrew?”
A young sales associate near the jewelry display slowly raised her hand.
Her name was Maya Chen.
Twenty-five years old.
Nine months with the company.
“I did.”
Simone nodded.
“Why?”
Maya swallowed.
“Because this felt wrong.”
A pause.
“And because I recognized you from the leadership webcast.”
Patrick turned sharply.
“You knew who she was?”
Maya flinched.
Simone immediately looked at him.
“No.”
Patrick stopped.
“Do not make this her responsibility.”
Silence.
Simone faced Maya again.
“Thank you for calling.”
Maya nodded.
Then Simone looked toward Andrew.
“Preserve every security angle covering this floor.”
“Yes.”
“Audio?”
“Some zones.”
“Preserve it.”
“Yes.”
“Employee schedule.”
Andrew nodded.
“Register logs.”
“Yes.”
“Customer-service records involving Mrs. Sloan.”
Meredith’s eyes widened.
“Excuse me?”
Simone turned.
“You called police on another customer.”
“I reported suspicious behavior.”
“You made an accusation unsupported by anything the store observed.”
Meredith crossed her arms.
“I made a mistake.”
“Yes.”
“So why make this bigger?”
Simone studied her.