“Why are my children being questioned?”
“We received a report of two juveniles possibly taking exterior decorations from this residence.”
Camille looked at the lights on the lawn.
Then at the open garage.
Then at the half-inflated snowman.
“They are putting decorations on the house.”
Hollis shifted his weight. “The caller described suspicious activity.”
“What specifically was suspicious?”
He hesitated.
“They were handling property around the residence.”
“Because they live at the residence.”
Hollis nodded once.
Camille asked whether the girls had already told him that.
“Yes.”
“Did you believe them?”
He said nothing.
That silence gave her more information than an explanation probably would have.
Camille looked toward Evelyn.
Evelyn’s posture had changed since the SUV arrived. The satisfied expression she had worn while the deputy questioned the girls was gone. She looked irritated now, almost inconvenienced.
Then Hollis removed his sunglasses.
His expression shifted.
“Dr. Bennett?”
Camille did not move. “Yes.”
“You’re Camille Bennett?”
“Yes.”
He straightened.
“The county executive administrator.”
“I am.”
His hand moved away from his equipment belt.
Amaya noticed.
So did Nia.
Hollis started to say, “I didn’t realize—”
Camille interrupted quietly.
“You didn’t need to.”
He stopped.
“My daughters told you they lived here before I arrived.”
“Yes.”
“Were they detained?”
“Not formally.”
“Were they suspected of a crime?”
“We were verifying a possible theft report.”
Camille looked toward the girls.
“Are we free to go inside?”
Hollis answered immediately.
“Yes, ma’am.”
The speed of the answer seemed to hurt Amaya more than the earlier questioning.
Camille thanked him and turned toward the house.
Then she stopped.
“Mrs. Cross.”
Evelyn crossed her arms.
Camille looked directly at her. “Did you make the call?”
“I reported suspicious behavior.”
“Did you watch my daughters come out of the house?”
Evelyn did not answer.
Camille waited.
Evelyn finally said, “I saw two unsupervised girls carrying property.”
Nia spoke before Camille could.
“She watched us come through the front door.”
Evelyn’s face changed.
Amaya added, “She said girls like us don’t live in houses like this.”
Hollis turned toward Evelyn.
For the first time, he looked genuinely surprised.
“They’re twisting what I said.”
Camille became completely still.
“We’ll discuss this later.”