“Did he give her an engagement ring?” I wondered how normal my voice sounded, trying to keep my cool as the foundation of my world was crumbling beneath me.

“No. He said they would shop for one once they got back to Miami. He said it was something she’d wear for the rest of her life, so he wanted to make sure he got her a ring she’d really love. But later, when we were at the grocery store, they had one of those candy machines—the ones that dispense plastic rings for a quarter. James got her one as a joke, and said it would be a placeholder until he could get her a real ring.” Diana shook her head. “I’m sorry. This can’t be easy for you to hear.”

“No, I asked. And I’m glad you told me.”

Was I? The image of James’s spontaneous proposal to Hannah would be burned into my memory for the rest of my life. When James proposed to me, it hadn’t been impromptu. He’d asked me to marry him at the same restaurant he’d taken me to on our first date and had prearranged for the waiter to bring a bottle of champagne to our table. I glanced down at the engagement ring James had used to propose to me, and its matching wedding band. I wondered why the second time around, he’d purchased the rings beforehand. Maybe he thought it was a romantic gesture. Or maybe he hadn’t wanted to risk another fiancée disappearing before he could slide a real ring onto her finger.

Chapter Ten

I was curled up on the living room couch, sipping a cup of herbal tea, when James got home from work that evening. I’d considered having a glass of wine, but decided against it. I needed to keep a clear head. Stella was nestled beside me, her round head resting heavily on my knee.

Diana had confirmed what Parker and Nico had already told me—she hadn’t seen anyone suspicious that weekend. She remembered a man at the Tipsy Parrot offering to buy Hannah a drink, but Hannah had refused, and he’d left her alone without further incident. Once they’d made camp, Diana hadn’t seen anyone outside their small group for the rest of the trip. Or at least, not until the police showed up.

I wasn’t any closer to figuring out what had happened to Hannah on the night she disappeared. However, I had learned that the man I’d been married to for over two decades had kept a secret from me.

It was absolutely devastating.