Wrong Way Renee (8 page)

A hand grasped her arm. She turned to see where Becky had been, but it wasn't
her
. It was a large
Hispanic
woman holding a Jordan's bag.

“Jordan's Security,
”
the woman said in a deep commanding voice, as she held up a plastic identification card.
“Come with me please, miss,
”

Renee's
jaw dropped
.
“What did I do?”

“Come with me, please, miss,
”
she said again.
“Let's not make a fuss out here. We can discus
s this in the security office.”

“But I was looking for my friend. She was right behind me. Then she was gone. I saw her hair, so I ran after it.
”
Her heart raced and her mouth was suddenly dry.

“Ma'am, please come with me back in the store. We can disc
uss it in the security office.”

“But what did I do?
”
H
er heart hammered against her chest.

“You've taken merchandise you didn't pay for from the store.
”
She pointed to Renee's ear.

She touched her earlobe and
looked
down
at her wrist.

Oh my God.
“This is a mistake.
”

The woman led her into the store.

“I need to find Becky. She'll explain it. She walked away. I was just looking for her. I forgot I had the jewelry on. I didn't steal anything, please
…
”

But the woman wasn't listening. She dragged her past the cosmetic counter onto the escalator. All eyes were upon her. Her fellow shoppers thought she was a shoplifter. How could this be happening? The mall was her comfort zone, her big hot water bottle. Then she saw her. Becky was paying for something at the Estee Lauder counter.
“Becky!
”
she shouted.

Please, hear me, see me.

“Ma'am
, please keep your voice down.”

“But there she is. Sh
e'll tell you. Becky! Help me!”

Suddenly Becky's head jerked up. Renee blanched when she saw the look of horror on her friend's face.

Becky took off running toward the escalator. She jumped over the threshold, sprinting up the moving steps as Renee and the security officer got off at the top.

“What's
…
going
…
on?
”
Becky caught up to them, panting from the exertion.

“You may follow us to the security office if you wish,
”
the
guard
said.
“Your friend left the store with unpaid merchandise.
”
She walked so fast, Renee practically had to run to keep up.

Becky lumbered behind.
“There's been a mistake, I can vouch for her.
”

“No mistake.
”
She marched on, as if on a top priority mission.
“She exited the store with costume jewelry she didn't pay for.
”

Renee tried to jerk her arm away, but the woman's grasp tightened.
“I was looking for you, Becky. You disappeared.
”
Tears spilled onto her cheeks.
There
went her
terrific makeover.

The security officer showed both women into a small room with a desk and two chairs. Everything in the tiny space was gray, from the walls to the floor to the cheap furniture. She sat down, then told Renee to sit as well. Becky stood in the corner. The woman started typing on a keyboard as she watched the computer screen in front of her.
“Let me see
your identification, please.”

Renee rifled in her purse for her wallet, then pulled out her license and with shaking hands, passed it to the woman. The officer typed more as she studied the screen.

“Purse,
”
the security guard said, holding out her hand.

Gingerly, Renee set it on the desk and watched in horror as the woman dumped out its contents, then sifted through everything.

“There's no stolen merchandise in my purse.
”
She sniffled. She didn't like this woman.
“I told you, it was a mistake.
”

The guard stared at the computer screen.
“Okay. No previous history. A deputy will be by shortly to arrest you. Let's fill out
these forms in the meanwhile.”

“
What?
Arrest me?
Oh my God.
”
The room started spinning, a cyclone whirling around Renee's head.
“
Becky, help me. Call my father. No, don't call my father. Call Gary. No, don't call Gary. Then my parents will find out. Oh God, Becky, do something.
”

Stars swam before her eyes, then everything went black.

Chapter Three

A cool hand brushed Renee's cheek. She opened her eyes to see Becky staring down at her.

“Can you hear me?
Renee, are you all right?
”

“I
…
I'm okay. What happened?”

Becky heaved out a breath.
“You passed out. Do you know where you are?
”

“I'm
…
Oh God, I'm in the security office at Jordan's.
”
H
er stomach lurched
and for a moment she thought her lunch might come up
.

“Calm down. There's a deputy on his way up. We'll explain to him what happened. It'll all be okay.
”
Becky smoothed back a lock of hair matted with tears from her friend's face and helped her sit up.

When someone knocked on the door, the security guard said,
“Come in.
”
She had her arms folded
and a big, sour frown on her face. She stood when a uniformed officer entered.
“Here's your paperwork, Joe. Says she went looking for her friend here and accidentally left the store with the merchandise.
”
She handed him a few sheets of paper, then shrugged and left the room.

“Officer, you've got to believe me,
”
Renee p
leaded as she looked up at him and familiarity
hit her.
It was the cop from the bank.
“Hey, I know you.” She allowed herself a tiny measure of relief.

He had a smirk on his face.
“And I kno
w you. Cat named Apple, right?”

“Law and Order,
”
she said, suddenly aware of the tension in her back. She took a deep breath, trying to relax.

“Am I missing something?
”
Becky asked.

“This is Officer Morton, the nice policeman who intervie
wed me after the bank robbery.”

“Joe.
”
He offered his
hand to Becky.

They shook a
nd he sat down opposite Renee.
“So
…
h
ere we are again, Miss Wright.”

“Call me Renee. I can explain this. Becky was standing behind me while I was trying on some jewelry. I turned around to show her but she was gone.
”

“A pretty perfume bottle caught my eye so I had to go see if it smelled as good as it looked,
”
Becky said.
“Sorry. Go on Renee.
”

“Anyway, I thought I saw
her
, but it was someone else with her hair. I called after her, but she walked out of the store, so I followed her. Next thing I know, Attila the Hun is pulling me back into the store, dragging me up here like a common criminal. I had to go right past all the shoppers and the salespeople and all.
”
She covered her face with her hands, then dropped them to her lap.
“They know me here, this is my favorite store. It was awful
.”

He had the slightest trace of a smile on his face.
“And how did you find her?
”
he asked Becky.

“I was at the Estee Lauder counter when I hear
d
my name, like really loud. So I look
ed
up and I s
aw
her. I ran afte
r her and caught up with them. That woman must do some serious exercise.”

“I see.
”
He rubbed
his chin.

“So you see it was all a mistake, right?
”
Renee pushed out her lower lip and wondered if she could still make herself cry on demand
like she had when she was a kid
.

“I'll have to speak to
Benita
, that nice
lady who brought you up here.”

“You won't arrest me though, will you?
”
She swallowed hard
.

“On one condition.”

“What?
”
She squeezed the arms of her chair.

“You let me call you.”

Heat
spread through her body.
She wanted to scream, ‘Hell yes.’
“Officer, isn't that a crime?
”

“Now we both can be arrested,
”
he
teased.

Becky marched to the door.
“I think I'll
wait outside so you can do your…police stuff.”

When the door closed, Renee leaned back in her chair
and folded
her arms.
“Sha
ll I give you my phone number?”

“I still have it from last week. I guess I lucked out, meeting you again so I could ask if it was okay to call. I don't like to phone a lady if she
doesn't know I'll be calling.”

“Well, now I know. So you'd better call.
”
She fluffed her hair, suddenly aware of that fluttery feeling in her gut.
“What if I have anoth
er emergency and I need a cop?”

“We're never around when you need us.
”
He winked and flashed those adorable dimples.
“Let me go speak to the store detective to smooth this out. She's not as mean as you think. She has a daughter your age. I'll play
that card with her. Wait here.”

“Don't you want to handcuff me or something?
”
Renee held her hands together in front
of her and grinned at him. The heat
intensified.

“I don't think that'll be necessary, ma'am. Not just yet, at least.
”
He stepped outside, closing the door behind him.

Sh
e silently prayed all would be forgiven and she would be allowed to walk out of the store a free woman.
And with the prospect of a date with the hottie cop.

Five minutes later, he came back.
“Come on,
”
he said, waiting for her to pass.

“I can go? Thank you, Joe. I owe you big time.
”
She squeezed her eyes shut, silently counting her blessings.
She’d have loved to throw her arms around his neck and show him just how grateful she was, but that might raise a flag with the security people.

“May I walk you to your car?”

Damn, he filled out that uniform nicely.

“Sure. Let me grab my friend. She rode with me.
”

Becky was waiting outside the security office. The three of them strode silent
ly out of the store
. When they arrived at her Jeep, Renee opened the pass
enger door to let Becky inside.
“I can't thank you enough, Joe.
”
She
stood on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek.
“I'll be waiting for your call.
”

He looked left, then right.
“Can't do
that stuff in uniform, ma'am.”

“Would you do me a favor?”

“Anything.”
Those sable eyes shone with amusement.

“Stop calling m
e ma'am. It makes me feel old.”

“Oka
y, girlie. I'll call you soon.” He set his hand on the small of her back and all sorts of delicious sensations raced through her.

“How soon?”

“Very soon. Now get in there before I’m forced to handcuff you right here.”

Oh Lord. Her panties were going to be damp before long if she didn’t get away from him.
She went around to the driver's side.