abnegation

noun

1. the action of renouncing or rejecting something

I pulled out my phone and dialed a number while quietly followed the guy as he moved across the ballroom, trying to look like I wasn't actually following him. Denault was on security for the night and was either watching the guests at either end of the vast ballroom, or he was in the security room, monitoring the whole event with a birds-eye-view.

"Denault speaking," he answered my call to him.

"Hi Mr Denault, I'm in the ballroom walking past the main bar on the west wall. I've just come across a pickpocket dressed as waiting staff. He has brown hair, dark eyes, taller than me, slim build. He's carrying an empty tray, ah, no he's just collected a few flute glasses and is making his way towards the service door on the north-west corner."

"Don't follow him," he ordered. "I'll have a guy inside that door detain him. Wait until he's been apprehended."

"Oh, OK." I watched at the thief went through the door and waited. Denault didn't hang up, so I stayed on the line with him. I strained to hear anything from his end of the call.

"He's in custody. Do you need anything else, Ms Twice?" Denault's voice came back on the line.

"He has a bracelet that I'd like to give back to the lady he stole it from, please."

"Yes, it was found on his person. I'll have my team take photos and bring it out to you shortly."

"Are you sure? Do you need anything else from me?"

"No, Miss. That will be all." He hung up.

"Oh, OK." It felt weird that he wasn't interested in my formal statement, but then this thief might not be going into police custody and I didn't really want to think about where they might take him instead.

Party goers moved around me, beautiful gowns, handsome tuxedos. I dropped my empty glass off at the main bar on my way pass and found Grant near the settees where I'd left him.

"What was that all about?" He asked, concerned.

"I had to drop off my glass..." I coughed into my hand. That sounded like a really lame excuse, even to my ears. I pulled out my phone and sent him a text.

[A pickpocket stole a bracelet from the lady wearing diamonds and emeralds.]

Grant read the message on his phone after it binged and we both looked at each other. Then Grant was ferociously texting me back.

[Are you for real? Did they get him? Was he caught?]

[Yes, yes and yes. Denault has him in custody.] I put my phone away in my purse.

"Woah, crazy." Grant commented. Then a very serious Mr Denault arrived and handed me a cloth pouch and stayed nearby. I carefully opened it up and found the diamond and emerald sparkling cuff bracelet inside. Woah, that has got to cost a mint!

I walked over to the group of elder ladies and cleared my throat. They carefully turned to me, curious to who I was and what I was interrupting their conversations for.

"Hi ladies. I do hope you are enjoying your evening." I used my cheesiest smile to charm them all, then turned to the woman with dark grey curly hair done in an elegant up-do.

"Ma'am, a member of staff found a bracelet and turned it into the security team. It was mentioned to me as having diamonds and emeralds and I remembered you had something similar, diamonds and emeralds on your necklace. Is this, by any chance, your bracelet?" Even before I'd finished my description, the older woman was clutching her empty wrist and her face was awash with fright. I opened the cloth pouch and laid the bracelet out for her to see.

"Oh my, oh yes, that is mine." She clasp her hands to her chest, then took the bracelet back. Before she could say anything further, she was rudely interrupted.

"Where did you say you got it?" A sharp voice called out nearby, suspicion tracing through their words. "How do we know that you didn't just take it yourself and bring it back as a show of good faith to earn Mrs Hamilton's favour?" A perfectly honest question, if somewhat crudely presented.

"I received this from the head of security." I smiled again, keeping my face friendly and open.

"Oh, tha-thank you, dear." The older lady who was just reunited with her jewellery didn't look too happy with me now that someone suggested that I might have stolen it in the first place. Meh. No skin off my back.

"Alright then. I will take my leave." I couldn't be bothered with these closed minded people, smiled and walked away. I sat back down on the settee with Grant and proceeded to ignore the group of older guests I'd just spoken to. I didn't care if they believed me or not.

It didn't go unnoticed that Denault had a word with the ladies after I'd left them. He spoke something to the owner of the jewellery, answered a few of her questions then reassured her. She placed a hand on his arm and said something but he shook his head and pointed my direction. That hand ended up on her chest again as the whole group turned to look at me with a mix of emotions on their faces.

Pity, regret, gratefulness, curiosity. I spoke with Grant about nothing and everything, then asked if we should move on away from the area. I didn't like the attention I was receiving.

We got up, but before we could leave, the curly haired older lady approached me. I pasted on a patient smile, one used for customers or weird older cousins.

"Ms Twice. Mr Denault said that you found my bracelet? I'd like to properly thank you." You could tell just by looking at her that she was sorry for believing something wrong about me, but she didn't want to admit that that was what she'd done.

"No, Ma'am. I didn't find it. One of the security team found it." I didn't want to admit to anything as I didn't want anything further with these ladies. I hated being accused of anything. I'd spent my whole last 'lifetime' being accused of everything wrong in this world. I didn't have to put up with that this timeline. I was a personal 'bottom line' for me. Those who crossed that line do not deserve my favour.

"Mr Denault said it was stolen and you found it." She tried again.

"No, Ma'am, as I said, it was one of the security team who found it. If that is all?" I denied again, smiled and walked away.