Her face changed.
She reached toward the tablet.
“Turn that off.”
Thomas pulled it back.
One of the security officers stepped closer.
Rebecca noticed.
“I said stop recording me.”
“The recording already happened.”
“You cannot use that without my permission.”
Thomas kept his voice steady.
“We need you to remain here while we verify several products in your cart.”
Nearby customers went quiet.
Rebecca looked toward the cart.
For the first time, genuine fear passed across her face.
Then outrage covered it.
“You are not going through my groceries.”
“They have not been purchased.”
“I was going to pay.”
“Then verification should be straightforward.”
Rebecca grabbed the cart.
“I’m leaving.”
Andre moved toward the end of the aisle.
He did not touch her.
He simply stood in the exit path.
“We are asking you not to leave with unpaid merchandise while we clarify the pricing issue.”
Rebecca stared at him.
“You’re detaining me?”
Thomas chose his words carefully.
“We are asking you to stay while loss prevention resolves suspected altered pricing.”
Rebecca looked around.
More customers had noticed.
Then she realized something.
The children had become quiet.
Too quiet.
“Connor?”
No answer.
“Connor!”
A tremendous crash came from the next aisle.
Everyone flinched.
Rebecca closed her eyes.
Thomas looked toward a guard.
“Go.”
They rounded the corner seconds later.
A seasonal pasta display had collapsed.
Nearly twenty glass jars lay broken across white tile.
Red sauce spread beneath the shelving.
Connor stood beside the wreckage.
Sophie stood opposite him.
Mason had begun crying again.
Connor pointed at his sister.
“She pushed it!”
“I did not!”
“You did!”
“You were climbing it!”
Rebecca hurried forward.
“Oh my God.”
A security guard raised his hand.
“Please keep everyone away from the glass.”
Rebecca spun toward Thomas.
“This is your fault.”
Thomas blinked.
“My fault?”
“You distracted me.”
Paul had followed just far enough to hear that.
“Are you serious?”
Rebecca wheeled around.
“Stay out of this!”
Thomas stepped between them.
He looked toward Connor.
“Were you climbing on the display?”
“No.”
Thomas glanced up.
A security camera sat directly overhead.
Connor followed his eyes.
The boy’s face changed.
Thomas nodded toward the camera.
“We can check.”
Connor immediately looked at his mother.
Rebecca’s jaw tightened.
“Enough.”
She grabbed Mason’s hand.
“We’re leaving.”
Thomas stayed where he was.
“We still need to resolve the merchandise.”
“Keep it.”