“If you leave, you'll be placed on paid administrative leave immediately and counsel will contact you.”
Celeste sat.
“Fine.”
Nia looked at her.
“What did Meredith say?”
“She said there was a suspicious customer walking around with high-value merchandise.”
“And what did you do?”
“I observed.”
“For how long?”
“A minute.”
“Did you speak to Maya?”
“Yes.”
“What did she tell you?”
Celeste was silent.
Nia already knew.
“Celeste.”
“She said the customer had a fitting room.”
“So you knew.”
“Yes.”
“Did you tell Meredith?”
“I told her we were handling it.”
Maya looked down.
Nia caught the phrase.
“We were handling it.”
“What did that mean?”
Celeste sighed.
“It meant I was watching the situation.”
“Why?”
“Because Mrs. Langford was concerned.”
“She is a customer.”
“A very significant one.”
Nia smiled without warmth.
“So?”
Celeste looked toward Daniel.
Daniel finally spoke.
“Nia.”
“What?”
“VIP relationships at flagship level are more complicated than normal customer interactions.”
Nia stared at him.
“That sentence sounded better in your head.”
He exhaled.
“A single client can generate hundreds of thousands in annual spend.”
“I know the numbers.”
“I know you do.”
“Then don't use numbers to explain values.”
He leaned back.
“No one is saying Meredith should dictate security.”
“She called police after your store manager told her a legitimate customer was being ‘handled.’”
Celeste said:
“I never told her to call police.”
Nia turned.
“Did you tell her not to?”
Silence.
That was enough.
Maya whispered:
“I did.”
Everyone turned.
Nia looked at her.
“What?”
Maya’s voice was barely audible.
“I told Mrs. Langford not to call.”
“Why didn't you mention that downstairs?”
“Ms. Harmon told me to stop escalating.”
Celeste’s head snapped toward her.
“Maya.”
Nia raised one hand.
“Do not.”
Celeste went silent.
Nia asked:
“When did she tell you that?”
“Before police arrived.”
“What exactly did you say?”
“I told Mrs. Langford you were a customer and that calling police was unnecessary.”
“Ms. Harmon said I shouldn't argue with VIP clients.”
Nia leaned back.
That was no longer one rich woman behaving badly.
That was a system.
A knock came.
Daniel opened the door.
Anthony Bell, director of flagship security, entered.
Black man.
Forty-five.
Former hotel security executive.
He looked from Nia to Celeste.
“Ms. Caldwell.”
“Sit.”
He did.
Nia asked:
“Were you called about me?”
Anthony nodded.
“By Ms. Harmon.”
“When?”
“Approximately one minute before police arrived.”
“What were you told?”
“That a VIP client had concerns regarding a customer carrying unpurchased merchandise.”
“Did you review camera?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“I was on fifth floor.”
“I was coming down when NYPD arrived.”
Nia nodded.
“Would your team normally call police before verifying a theft?”
“No.”
“Could a customer call directly?”
“Anyone can call police.”
“Would you represent that store security had caught someone?”
“No.”
Nia showed him the incident note Officer Blake had allowed her to photograph.
Anthony read.