NATALIE: "Ms. Blake asked to purchase a handbag that was reserved for another customer. I explained the reservation policy and offered to check our other locations for the same model. She became upset when I told her I couldn't release the reserved item without authorization."
VICTORIA: "That's not what happened!"
DAVID: "Please let her finish."
Natalie continued.
NATALIE: "She said she expected me to make an exception because she was willing to pay immediately. I explained that I couldn't disregard another customer's reservation. Then she began raising her voice. When I repeated the policy, she struck me."
The officers listened carefully.
David's expression grew more serious.
DAVID: "Did anyone else hear the conversation?"
NATALIE: "Several customers were nearby. The cameras should also cover the counter and the display area."
DAVID: "We'll preserve the footage and make it available through the appropriate process."
Victoria gave a sharp laugh.
VICTORIA: "This is absurd. I came here to buy a handbag, not to be treated like a criminal."
OFFICER REED: "Nobody has said that, ma'am. We're establishing what happened."
VICTORIA: "Then stop making me stand here while everyone stares at me."
DAVID: "I understand that you're upset. But we still need to address the fact that an employee was struck inside my store."
Victoria turned toward David, clearly expecting him to soften his position.
Instead, he maintained his composure.
For the first time that afternoon, she was surrounded by people who refused to accept her version of events without asking questions.
She had arrived believing that a complaint, a familiar surname, and an expensive outfit would be enough to control the situation.
Now the officers were listening to the employee, the witnesses were speaking up, and the store manager was asking for evidence.
Victoria's fingers tightened around the handle of her handbag.
She had no intention of apologizing.
And she certainly had no intention of admitting that she might have been wrong.
But as David turned toward the officers to discuss the next steps, Victoria began to realize that the afternoon was moving in a direction she had never expected.
She had called the police because she believed they would force Natalie to answer for the supposed insult.
Instead, the questions were turning toward her.
And the people standing around her were beginning to see a very different picture of what had happened inside the boutique.
David Collins turned back toward the officers, his hands resting calmly at his sides.
DAVID: "We have security cameras covering the main sales floor, the entrance, and the display counters. I'll make sure the relevant footage is preserved."
OFFICER REED: "That would be helpful. We also need to speak with the witnesses who were present when the incident occurred."
DAVID: "Of course. I'll ask my assistant to identify the employees who were working nearby."
VICTORIA: "You are all making this far more complicated than it needs to be."
David looked at her without changing his expression.
DAVID: "An employee has been struck, Ms. Blake. We have two officers investigating, several witnesses, and a possible recording of the incident. I don't think it would be appropriate to dismiss the situation without understanding it."
VICTORIA: "I didn't come here to be lectured."
DAVID: "And I didn't come out here expecting to deal with an assault in my store."
The words landed harder than Victoria expected.
She pushed her sunglasses higher on her nose and looked around the boutique. Several customers were pretending to examine handbags, but their attention remained fixed on the confrontation.
A woman near the entrance whispered something to her companion.
Victoria caught the movement from the corner of her eye.
VICTORIA: "If anyone here thinks they can stand around judging me, they should remember that they don't know anything about my life."
No one answered.
Natalie stood quietly beside the counter. The redness on her cheek had become more pronounced, and she could feel the skin beginning to swell slightly. Nevertheless, she kept her shoulders straight and her expression controlled.
David noticed that she had not moved far from the counter since the incident.
DAVID: "Natalie, are you feeling all right? Would you like to sit down for a moment?"
NATALIE: "I'm all right, David. My cheek hurts, but I can continue explaining what happened."
DAVID: "You don't have to stand here if you need a break."
NATALIE: "Thank you. I'd prefer to finish speaking with the officers first."
Officer Reed nodded.
OFFICER REED: "We can arrange for you to provide a full statement. For now, I'd like to establish the sequence of events."
Natalie briefly glanced toward Victoria before looking back at him.
NATALIE: "She asked me to release a reserved handbag. I explained that the item had already been allocated to another customer. I offered to check availability at another location, but she became angry."