After some small talk, Mom suggested dinner at Valentino’s. “If you’re hungry for spaghetti, Ry, we can go there. Valentino’s has vegan options.”
“All right, if you want. Let me change.” He ducked into his room for jeans, a white button-down, and a pair of black leather sneakers. Valentino’s was upscale Italian, where pro football players like Sam Hardy hung out when they were in town. “Ready?” he said, exiting his room.
He wasn’t hungry for just spaghetti. He was hungry for Isobel’s sauce and a taste of his childhood. Funny, though, how his parents showed up when he was feeling a bit nostalgic. It was good to see them. Also, Earth-n-Treasures was around the corner from Valentino’s.
“I’ll drive,” Dad said, always in charge.
“I’ll take my truck. You won’t have to bring me back.” Ryder grabbed his keys, jerking around at a knock on the door. This was the moment. The police had arrived.
But it was Elizabeth. Smiling. Hands twisted together. “Hey,” she said.
“You’re back.” He gave her a slightly reserved hug. But when she hugged him back, he wrapped her tight in his arms. “How was it?”
“Ryder?” Mom’s voice floated over his shoulder. “Who’s this?”
Elizabeth released him, jerking backward. “Hello,” she said.
“This is Elizabeth Dorsey. Elizabeth, meet my parents. Graham and Cherry Donovan.”
She glanced between Ryder and his parents as if assessing the situation, then smiled and shook their hands, saying how nice it was to meet them.
“She’s been visiting Wharton, checking out the campus.”
“Impressive,” Dad said. “We’d have liked Ryder to take a more traditional path, but?—”
“Ryder didn’t want to, did he?” Ryder said. Then to Elizabeth, “We’re going to Valentino’s. Come with us.”
“No, no, I, um, can’t.” She was still twisting her hands together. “I just came by to—” Ryder leaned close. To what? “It was nice to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Donovan.” She exited the deck in a hurry.
“Beth?” Ryder chased after her down the steps and across the driveway to where she’d parked her Bug. “You okay? What’s going on?”
She turned to him. “Nothing.” Her wide, white smile hid her lie. Something was wrong. “I should go. I told Tina I’d cover for her tonight. She’s got a chance to do some granny duty.” She patted his chest. “We’ll catch up later.”
“And Wharton?”
“Absolutely fantastic.” Her tone didn’t match her words. “I chatted with Ben Franklin.”
As she drove off, Dad walked by with Mom, saying they’d meet Ryder at the restaurant. Back at the house, he released the dogs from his room, tossed them a treat, shoved the browning meat into the fridge, grabbed the white box with the red ribbon, and locked up.
He parked on Blossom Street in the shade of the historic Wedding Shop, then cut through a couple of yards and parking lots to Earth-n-Treasures.
On approach, he could see the windows white with light. The bell rang when he opened the door. A man came from the back.
“Can I help you? We’re about to close.”
“Is Jewell here?” Ryder set the box on the glass counter.
“Jewell? We have jewels…” He chuckled at his comment, then sobered. “Sorry, there’s no one named Jewell here.”
“She showed me this ring yesterday.” Ryder pushed the box toward the man, who opened it and examined the ring under a loupe.
“It’s a nice piece. The shank is antique, the stone nearly flawless.” He handed the ring back to Ryder. “We didn’t have that ring in our inventory. I’d remember.”
“What? It was in this case right here.” Ryder tapped on the glass. “Are you seriously telling me you don’t know this ring?”
“You say you bought it here?”
“I didn’t buy it. I just looked at it.”
