A crowd of thirty shoppers had formed a tight circle around the fountain. Among them stood three college-aged girls in denim jackets, their eyes fixed on Cricket with cold, judgmental stares as they recorded the altercation on their phones.
Cricket looked up, her heart pounding against her ribs like a trapped bird. "Please! I was cleaning the water filter! The child dropped it, and I was retrieving it to return it to his mother!"
"Where is the mother then?!" Victoria demanded, stepping closer until her sharp cream heels were inches from Cricket’s knees. "You're a liar and a thief!"
Chapter 2: The Security Escort
Before Cricket could offer another word of defense, two heavy, leather-clad footsteps clattered across the travertine floor.
Mall Security Officers Vance and Miller arrived, their dark blue uniforms and heavy utility belts adding a sinister weight to the scene. Officer Vance—a broad-shouldered man with a thick mustache—immediately stepped between Cricket and Victoria, his hand resting casually near his holster.
"What seems to be the problem here, ma'am?" Officer Vance asked, addressing Victoria with immediate, deferential respect.