“I’m afraid handling is limited to confirmed buyers and invited collectors.”
Victoria looked toward the necklace again.
“Confirmed how?”
Claire frowned.
“Excuse me?”
“How do you confirm a buyer?”
Claire smiled.
“Purchase history.”
“Financial relationship.”
“Private-client status.”
“Referral.”
“Existing account.”
Victoria nodded.
“And first-time buyers?”
“They’re assessed individually.”
There it was.
“Assessed.”
Claire heard herself.
Added quickly, “For security.”
Victoria smiled.
“Of course.”
Several feet away, the young associate from earlier was watching.
Her badge read:
MAYA CHEN
Victoria recognized the name from performance reports.
Top three in client satisfaction.
Middle of the pack in sales.
No complaints.
Interesting.
Victoria looked toward her.
“Maya?”
The young woman startled.
“Yes?”
Claire’s eyes narrowed slightly.
Victoria asked, “Would you mind telling me whether the Solstice necklace uses claw prongs or partial bezel support around the center stone?”
Maya looked toward Claire.
Permission.
Victoria saw it clearly.
Claire answered for her.
“Partial claw configuration.”
Victoria knew that was wrong.
The final production model used a concealed split-prong architecture.
She turned toward the manager.
“No.”
Claire blinked.
“No?”
“The production setting was changed after the Geneva prototype.”
Silence.
Maya’s eyes widened.
Claire’s expression chilled.
“You seem unusually familiar with the piece.”
“I am.”
“How?”
Victoria smiled slightly.
“I pay attention.”
Claire stared.
The atmosphere shifted.
Not yet confrontation.
But the room had changed.
A salesman near the men’s collection slowed what he was doing.
Another employee looked toward them.
Victoria had spent years in rooms where people sensed conflict before words acknowledged it.
Claire stepped closer.
“May I see your invitation?”
“I told you, I don’t have one.”
“Then how do you know confidential product details?”
Victoria’s eyebrows lifted.
“Confidential?”
“The revised setting was not publicly announced.”
“True.”
Claire looked toward the handbag again.
That was the moment suspicion hardened into narrative.
Victoria could almost watch it happen.
Woman alone.
No appointment.
Knowledge she should not have.
Standing near private inventory.
Claire was no longer collecting facts.
She was arranging facts around a conclusion.
Victoria asked, “What exactly are you implying?”
Claire lowered her voice.
“I haven’t implied anything.”
“Not verbally.”
Claire’s smile disappeared.
“I’m simply responsible for protecting this store.”
“So protect it.”
“I intend to.”
Victoria held her gaze.
Several seconds.
Then Claire’s attention moved to the black handbag resting lightly against Victoria’s hip.
“Would you mind opening your bag?”
The room seemed to become quieter.
Victoria looked down.
Then back.
“Yes.”
Claire blinked.
“Yes, you’ll open it?”
“No.”
Claire’s jaw tightened.
Victoria continued, “Yes, I mind.”
Maya looked alarmed.
A security employee near the entrance straightened.
Claire said, “Ma’am, we have inventory controls.”
“Then use them.”
“I am.”
“No.”
Victoria’s voice remained calm.
“You’re asking to search my personal property without telling me what item you believe is missing.”
Claire paused.
Victoria continued.
“Is something missing?”
Claire did not answer immediately.