The other, a woman with her hair pulled back. Bennett. Sir, Officer Davis said gently. Can you step aside for a moment? Malik froze, heart pounding in his throat.
He glanced down at the velvet pouch in his hand, the deposit receipt peeking out like a surrender flag. Me? He croaked. Officer Bennett clicked open a notebook. We got a call about suspicious behavior.
You okay to answer a few questions? He swallowed. Yeah. Name? Davis prompted.
Malik. Malik Johnson. Davis nodded and crouched slightly. What brings you here today? He lifted the pouch.
I'm buying this for my mom's birthday. I left a deposit. Bennett glanced at the associate who nodded. No complaints, no hint of wrongdoing. But outside, Laura Whitmore lingered by the fountain, phone pressed to her ear, describing every detail.
The hoodie. The way he looked at the jewelry. Officer Davis flipped through his report. You came alone. She doesn't know.