Chapter 2 - THE RING
Ethan read the message again, as if the words might change.
“Who sent it?” I asked.
“George.”
Outside, the first guests were gathering near the patio doors. Vanessa stood at the center of them, holding up her bare left hand.
“That ring was on my finger ten minutes ago!” she cried.
Ethan opened the door before I could stop him.
“You told my mother it was a misunderstanding,” he said. “Now you’re accusing her of theft?”
Vanessa turned toward us. Her eyes were wet, but her voice was steady.
“I didn’t want to upset you. Then I realized it was gone.”
Patricia crossed her arms. “She was clutching that bag the whole time.”
“So was I,” I said. “It contains my phone.”
George spoke to the security guard. “Search it.”
The guard looked to Ethan. Ethan looked to me.
“No,” I said. “If there’s a search, we’ll do it with the police present.”
Vanessa let out a sharp laugh. “Listen to her. She shows up looking homeless, ruins our party, and now she’s giving orders.”
Ethan turned. “This is my house.”
“And I’m your fiancée.”
“For the moment,” he said.
The crowd went quiet.
I wished he hadn’t said it in front of everyone. Ethan was angry, and anger made people reckless. I had come for answers, not a spectacle.
A police car pulled into the driveway. The guard had already called.
An officer introduced herself as Officer Reed. She separated us, took names, and asked Vanessa when she had last seen the ring.
“When I was getting ready,” Vanessa said.
“That was before your guests arrived?” Reed asked.
Vanessa paused. “I think so.”
Patricia stepped forward. “She had it on during the photographs.”
“Then we’ll ask the photographer,” Reed said.
The photographer hurried over and scrolled through his camera. He found a close-up of Vanessa lifting a champagne glass at 4:12 p.m. The ring was on her finger.
“When did you spray Mrs. Carter?” Reed asked.
“About 4:30,” Ethan said.
Vanessa folded her arms. “I don’t know the exact time.”
Neither did I. My recording did.
I took my phone from the pouch and showed Reed the video. She watched without comment as Vanessa raised the hose. Then she watched George instruct the guard to search my bag.
A woman behind Reed cleared her throat.
“I found something,” she said.
She was one of the servers. In her palm lay a large diamond ring.
“Where?” Reed asked.
“In the pocket of the linen cart.”
Vanessa’s relief came too quickly. “There! It must have slipped off.”
The server shook her head. “Miss Mitchell put it there.”
Vanessa’s face hardened. “You’re lying.”
“I saw you,” the server said. “Right after Mr. Carter took his mother inside.”
“Why didn’t you say anything?”
Patricia asked it like an accusation. The server looked down at her uniform.
“Because I need this job.”
That answer left the guests staring at their shoes.
Officer Reed took the ring and asked the server to come inside for a statement. Vanessa followed, protesting. Ethan remained beside me.
“I’m sorry,” he said.
“I know you are.”
“No. I’m sorry I brought her into our lives.”
Through the open door, I saw Patricia grab George’s arm. Her voice was low, but I was close enough to hear.
“Call Nashville,” she said. “Tell them to move the closing up.”
George’s eyes darted toward me.
“What closing?” I asked.
He walked away without answering.
May you like
Then my own phone buzzed. It was a message from my attorney, Nora Ellis.
Call me now. Someone submitted a signature in your name.
