Then to Claire.
The world seemed to contract around those three points.
Gary whispered:
“Oh, God.”
Claire heard him.
That was the first truly useful thing he had said all afternoon.
Chief Reed stopped several feet away.
“Take those off.”
Claire’s hands moved automatically.
Denise spoke first.
“No.”
Thomas looked at his wife.
“Denise.”
“Not yet.”
His expression sharpened.
“You are in handcuffs.”
“I noticed.”
“I said take them off.”
Denise turned toward Claire.
“Is your camera still recording?”
Claire swallowed.
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Then leave them until your supervisor arrives.”
Thomas stared at her.
“What are you doing?”
“Making sure nobody later says the scene changed because my husband walked in.”
Thomas looked ready to argue.
Denise gave him the look of someone who had been married to him long enough to know exactly how to stop him.
“Thomas.”
He went quiet.
The detectives exchanged a glance.
Claire stood frozen.
Her heart hammered so hard she could feel it in her throat.
Gary took one step backward.
The assistant district attorney noticed.
“Mr. Mills?”
Gary stopped.
Thomas turned toward him.
For one moment Gary looked relieved to have the chief’s attention diverted.
Then Thomas said:
“Don’t go anywhere.”
Gary’s face lost color.
Claire looked between them.
Her confusion deepened.
Thomas had not simply come because Denise was his wife.
Claire looked at the two detectives.
They were not staring at Denise.
They were looking at Gary.
One held a folded document.
The other was watching the locked jewelry cabinet behind the manager.
Claire’s stomach dropped.
The assistant district attorney approached.
“Mr. Mills, I’m Assistant District Attorney Nora Patel.”
She removed several papers from the hard case.
“We have a warrant authorizing search and seizure of specified financial records, electronic devices, transaction ledgers, security archives, and inventory materials connected to Bellamy & Hart’s charitable procurement accounts.”
Gary stared.
“What?”
Denise closed her eyes briefly.
Thomas looked toward Claire.
The anger in his face remained, but something else joined it.
Disbelief.
He had arrived expecting one problem.
He had found two.
Gary said:
“This is ridiculous.”
Patel continued:
“You have the right to contact counsel. You are not under arrest at this time.”
“What charitable procurement accounts?”
Denise finally looked toward him.
“My charitable procurement accounts.”
Gary’s gaze snapped toward her.
Claire felt the entire story beneath her feet collapse.
Denise continued:
“You recognized me, didn’t you?”
Gary said nothing.
“You knew exactly why I was here.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“You called police twelve minutes after I asked accounting for invoices connected to the Bright Harbor Foundation.”
Gary’s mouth opened.
Nothing came out.
Claire looked toward the cream shopping bag.
Then the locked jewelry case.
Then Denise.
Her body camera felt suddenly enormous on her chest.
Denise turned toward her.
“Now open the bag.”
Thomas stepped forward.
“Denise—”
She looked at him.
“Let her.”