"Hands where I can see them! Don't you dare move!" The harsh bark of a uniformed officer shattered the quiet elegance of the luxury department store,

I smiled, stepping around the desk until I was standing two feet from Victor Dubois.

"Out of my jurisdiction?" I repeated softly. "Mr. Dubois, six months ago, the Governor appointed me head of the Regional Organized Crime and Financial Fraud Task Force. My jurisdiction covers eight counties—including this store, your corporate headquarters, and your private estate in the hills."

Victor’s lawyer shifted uncomfortably, leaning in to whisper something into his client’s ear. Victor brushed him off angrily.

"This is absurd," Victor snapped. "My daughter is a customer. She had nothing to do with whatever administrative errors Ms. Corbo committed."

"Is that right?" I looked at Selena. "Ms. Dubois, would you mind opening your coat?"

Selena pulled her coat tighter around herself. "I don't have to listen to you. You don't have a warrant."

"Actually, she doesn't need one right now," Sergeant Miller chimed in, catching on quickly. "Under state retail code, officers responding to an active, witnessed larceny can conduct an immediate field search of a suspect identified by eye-witness testimony. And we have two witnesses—Chief Vance and Mia Jenkins."

Thorne and Stone stepped forward, blocking the elevator doors so Selena and her father couldn't leave.

"Don't touch her!" Victor roared, stepping between his daughter and the officers. "If any of you lay a finger on my daughter, I will destroy your careers!"

"Officer Thorne," I commanded sharply. "Search the suspect's coat."

Thorne hesitated for a split second, looking at Victor, then back at me. He remembered my Chief shield, realized where the real power lay, and reached directly for Selena’s coat pocket.

"Get off me!" Selena shrieked, backing away.

Thorne reached into her left lining pocket and pulled out a glittering, fifteen-thousand-dollar diamond bracelet, along with a pair of velvet-lined jewelry pliers used to remove security tags.

The room fell completely silent.

Thorne held up the bracelet in the bright halogen light. "Recovered stolen property, Chief."

Victor Dubois stood frozen, his face turning from red to an ashen grey. He looked at his daughter, whose smug expression had completely vanished into pure panic.

"Dad..." Selena whined, her voice cracking. "Do something! Tell them to put it away!"

"She's under arrest," I said, pointing at Selena. "Grand larceny, possession of stolen property, and obstruction."

"Wait!" Isabelle Corbo screamed from her chair, realizing she was about to take the entire fall alone. "I have proof! Victor threatened me! He said if I didn't hide his daughter's thefts, he would terminate the store's lease and have me fired! He directed the wire transfers!"