That fact still occasionally irritated her.
She stood at the head of the table but did not sit.
Daniel closed the door.
Celeste immediately began.
“Nia, I need to explain.”
“No.”
Celeste stopped.
Nia looked toward Daniel.
“Head of security.”
“On his way.”
“VIP director?”
“Rachel is in Paris.”
“Who covers New York?”
Celeste hesitated.
“I do.”
Nia nodded.
“Of course.”
Maya stood near the door holding the dresses.
Nia pointed toward a chair.
“Sit.”
Maya sat.
Celeste remained standing.
Daniel sat slowly.
Nia looked at Maya.
“You are not in trouble.”
Maya nodded.
Still nervous.
“I know.”
“No, you don't.”
Nia pulled out a chair beside her.
“Now you do.”
Maya's eyes filled unexpectedly.
She blinked quickly.
Nia waited until she had control.
Then:
“Start from when I entered.”
Maya looked toward Celeste.
Nia noticed.
“Look at me.”
Maya did.
“What happened?”
“You came in around twelve-forty.”
“Yes.”
“I greeted you.”
“You asked for the new Levant collection.”
“Yes.”
“I showed you five pieces.”
“You chose three.”
“Yes.”
“I brought them to fitting room four.”
“Yes.”
“You tried them.”
Nia nodded.
“You asked if you could compare the ivory dress and the patterned one near natural light.”
“And the blue.”
“Right.”
“I brought hangers.”
“Then Mrs. Langford saw you.”
Maya paused.
“She asked if I knew you.”
“What exactly did she say?”
Maya swallowed.
“She said, ‘Do we know her?’”
Nia said nothing.
Maya continued:
“I said you were shopping.”
“She asked whether you had an appointment.”
“I said no.”
“You didn't.”
Nia nodded.
“I don't require one.”
“I know.”
“What happened next?”
“She asked why I was letting you carry three dresses.”
Celeste interrupted:
“This is being framed—”
Nia looked at her.
Celeste stopped.
Maya continued.
“I told her customers carry items around the store all the time.”
Nia nodded.
“And?”
“She said you had been looking at tags.”
Daniel frowned.
Nia almost laughed.
Of course she had been looking at tags.
That was why she was there.
Maya continued.
“I said you were comparing style numbers.”
“Then Mrs. Langford asked me to call security.”
“Did you?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because you hadn't done anything.”
Nia looked at Daniel.
He did not meet her eyes.
Maya continued.
“She went to Ms. Harmon.”
Nia turned toward Celeste.
Celeste’s mouth tightened.
“What did she say to you?”
Maya asked.
Celeste responded:
“This is becoming an interrogation.”
Nia said:
“It is an internal fact-finding interview.”
“You may leave.”
Celeste stared.
Nia continued: