Suits and elevators

Chapter 1. A Little Pearl Necklace

Salespeople, ugh.

A thief's worst nightmare really, always there behind you as if you would pick the clothes off the rack in the wrong order. Or decide to their absolute shock that you didn't need that dress after all.

I've been doing this for years now and these people never lose their need to follow you around. Ask anyone as revolted by shopping as me if they'd want to have someone around them pushing them to make a decision and they'll tell you with eyebrows raised and smiles politely fixed on their faces, "No, they're quite useless aren't they."

I make my way over to the jewelry stand after looking at the price tag of a pretty little black number, and dear Lord! What I wouldn't do to be rich.

Bingo!

They have a rack. Little things like earrings and cheap necklaces hang on it. The things the shop deems unworthy of being in the pretty glass box where the "important" stuff are.

"Can I help you with anything?"

She's been watching me for 5 minutes now, I can feel her starting to worry over my lack of a response. Just 5 more seconds. Let's make her wait.

I look up at her slowly, smile politely. Just your everyday socially inept brunette. Nothing to worry about. Nothing interesting happening here.

"I want that one," I say pointing at the biggest diamond in the pretty pretty glass box.

She looks at the necklace I've chosen then back up at me. I can see her mind working to see whether I'm the type to go for something like that. Her salesman etiquette kicks in though. Mustn't judge the customers, her mind warns.

"Of course."

She doesn't seem to understand what to do next.

"I'd like to see it outside please," I smile.

She does too.

"Of course."

She hurries away then as if remembering the client at the counter turns around and says, "I just need to get the key."

I smile like what I assume any normal person would and say "Oh," as if finally understanding her need to leave.

She's just around the corner and my eyes are already feeling up the rack. The little pearl necklace is in my hands before I know it and in my pocket before anyone suspects it being missing.

The saleswoman returns. Key in hand and sale almost in her grasp. I stop her before she opens the cabinet, "I don't want it after all, it would clash with my eyes."

"Oh," she nods. She's disappointed but she hides it well. She understands. She wants me to know she understands.

"Well was there anything else you were interested in?" 

"That dress over there," I point at it like I want her to help me find the quickest route to the aisle where it hangs.

This she can believe. She saw me looking at it. There's no reason to think that I don't really want the dress when I spent most of my time in this shop staring at it.

We move to it and I choose one that's my size, "Where are the fitting rooms?"

"Over there, behind the shoe section," she points and let's me walk off towards it.

I'm almost there.

Almost there.

There.

In the little room the necklace pops out of my pocket and a little brooch I found on the way with it. I need to remove the tag if I'm gonna make it out of this shop without a security escort.

I struggle a while before it finally comes off. Now all I need to do is drop off the dress and leave.

I leave the dress at a nearby rack and walk past the counter. Past the sensors and out the door, and into the next elevator down.

There a man with a ginger beard in a suit and three other people, a man and a woman and a boy who can't be more than sixteen.

Typical awkward elevator ride.

Suddenly Ginger Beard says, "So, I bet you're all  wondering why I've gathered you here."

The four of us look at each other to see if anyone knows what he's talking about. Nothing. The boy starts opening his mouth just as Ginger hits the emergency stop button.