But this particular alert was being created for a different reason.
The supervisor selected a category labeled possible stolen payment instrument.
He entered the judge's appearance.
He included her vehicle.
Then he attached a photograph taken from the store's security feed.
The system requested an explanation.
He typed that the woman had made a high-value purchase using a questionable credit card.
The statement was false.
He had no evidence the card was stolen.
He had no information showing a declined or disputed transaction.
And the purchase amount was ordinary for someone buying groceries for a family dinner.
The supervisor paused before submitting the alert.
For a brief moment, he considered refusing.
He knew the transaction had been approved.
He knew the cashier could verify it.
But he also knew the private security contractor had considerable influence over his employer's corporate loss-prevention program.
The contractor's senior representatives had instructed him to handle certain priority alerts without questioning the source.
He convinced himself that he was merely following an investigative procedure.
If the card was legitimate, the police could determine that.
He pressed submit.
The alert entered the shared reporting system.
From there, it was forwarded to a law-enforcement contact.
Officer Cole received the information while sitting inside his patrol vehicle several blocks away.
The notification described a possible fraudulent purchase involving a Black woman leaving an upscale supermarket in a white designer dress.
It included the black Mercedes-Benz SUV.
It also contained a short note indicating that the subject might attempt to challenge police authority.
Cole frowned at the screen.
He had worked several off-duty assignments for companies associated with the retail-security partnership.
He knew that its representatives frequently complained about expensive stores losing merchandise.
He also knew some of the officers in his unit disliked the way private security employees expected police to treat every report as an emergency.
But Cole enjoyed the assignments.
He liked working in wealthy commercial districts.
He liked the sense of importance that came with responding to high-priority calls.
And he had grown accustomed to interpreting confidence from a person being questioned as a challenge to his authority.
The note about possible resistance irritated him before he even reached the store.
He imagined a wealthy customer who believed her expensive clothing would protect her from consequences.
He accelerated toward the shopping center.
As he entered the parking lot, he saw the woman immediately.
White dress.
Long black hair.
Black Mercedes.
Two large grocery bags.