Page 22 of If She Remembered
Diana pushed through the automatic doors and into the morning sunlight.The parking lot was moderately busy with other shoppers, providing enough activity to make their collision appear natural while offering witnesses who might remember seeing them together.Perfect cover for what she was about to do.
She positioned herself near the shopping cart return area, knowing that Melissa would have to pass this spot to reach her usual parking section.Diana began the final stage of her preparation, deliberately overfilling the bags so they hung precariously from her arms.The weight distribution was designed to fail at exactly the right moment.
Melissa emerged from the store two minutes later, pushing a cart filled with groceries and talking on her phone.Even better than Diana had hoped.The phone conversation would provide additional distraction, making Melissa less likely to notice any suspicious behavior during their staged encounter.
Diana stepped away from the cart return area and began walking directly toward Melissa's path, carrying four overstuffed bags in her arms instead of using a cart.The bags were heavy and awkward, requiring genuine effort to maintain her grip.She could feel the plastic handles stretching under the weight, threatening to give way at any moment.
"I know, Terry," Melissa was saying into her phone as she approached."I picked up the cilantro, and I remembered to get those crackers Michelle likes."
Perfect.Melissa was completely absorbed in her conversation and pushing her cart without paying attention to other pedestrians.Diana adjusted her angle slightly, ensuring they would collide just as Melissa passed between two parked cars.
At the crucial moment, Diana pretended to stumble slightly, shifting her weight forward and allowing the overloaded bags to slip from her grasp.The collision was gentle but effective.Melissa's cart bumped into Diana's hip just as the bags were falling, creating the perfect illusion of an accidental encounter.
Cans of soup rolled across the asphalt in multiple directions.Glass jars hit the pavement with sharp cracks, sending pickle juice spreading in small puddles.Boxes of cereal slid and tumbled.The chaos was even more dramatic than Diana had anticipated.It was almost funny…
"Oh no!"Diana exclaimed, dropping to her knees immediately."I'm so sorry!
Melissa ended her phone call quickly."Are you okay?Oh my goodness, look at this mess."
“AmIokay?”Melissa said, clearly petrified.“This is completely my fault!"
“No… not completely,” Diana said.“I think we might both be at blame here.”
“And you’re okay?”
“Better than the pickles, anyway.”Diana said, already beginning to gather the scattered items."I was trying to carry too much at once instead of using a cart like a sensible person."
Melissa set her phone down on the edge of her cart and knelt down to help."Don't worry about it.These things happen.I've done the exact same thing before."
Diana felt a surge of satisfaction as she watched Melissa place her phone within easy reach, just beside the carton of lemonade in the plastic jug.The positioning was perfect, exactly what Diana had hoped for.While Melissa focused on gathering the rolling cans of soup, Diana would have clear access to the phone without appearing suspicious.
"I can't believe I made such a mess," Diana continued, maintaining her embarrassed tone while scanning the area for the phone's exact location."I was running late for work and trying to rush through everything."
"I'm just glad you didn't get hurt when we bumped into each other."
The moment Diana had been waiting for arrived when Melissa turned away to chase down a can of tomato sauce that had rolled several feet away.Diana smoothly reached for Melissa's phone, palming it with the fluid motion she'd practiced countless times.In one continuous movement, she slipped the device into her own purse while appearing to gather more scattered groceries.
"Here, let me help you with some of these heavier items," Diana offered, standing up with an armload of rescued cans."It's the least I can do after creating this disaster."
Melissa smiled gratefully."Thank you.You really don't have to do that."
"I insist.I feel terrible about this whole thing."Diana carried several items toward Melissa's cart, using the movement to create additional distance from the phone's original location and to establish herself as helpful rather than suspicious.
They worked together for several more minutes, gathering the scattered groceries and sorting out which items belonged to whom.Diana made a point of being especially apologetic and helpful, creating a positive impression that would make Melissa less likely to suspect any ulterior motives.
"I think that's most of everything," Melissa said, standing up and brushing dust off her knees."Some of the glass jars are broken, though.I'm really sorry about that."
"Please don't apologize," Diana said."Like I said… I was trying to be Super Woman, trying to carry so much.I'll need to learn to use a shopping cart like everyone else."
Melissa laughed."I've been there.Sometimes you think you can manage more than you actually can."
Diana felt the weight of the stolen phone in her purse, a small but significant victory in her larger plan.The theft had been executed perfectly, with Melissa showing no signs of noticing that anything was missing.The chaotic scene had provided ideal cover for the deception.
"Well, I should probably get going," Diana said, gathering the remaining intact items from her shopping trip."I'm already running late, and I still need to stop by the pharmacy before work."
"Of course.Thanks for helping clean up, even though it was an accident."Melissa began pushing her cart toward her usual parking area."Have a good day."
"You too," Diana called back, heading in the opposite direction toward her own car.
