Heat pools in my chest. Stay calm, Rae. More bees with honey and all. “I was hoping you’d cooled down so we could chat like civilized human beings.” I rub my wrist as a warning. A small threat of blackmail never hurt anybody.

His cocky façade fades. He gestures to the chair in front of his desk. “Have a seat.”

Point for me. I lower myself into the chair and cross my legs. “I have to ask: What happened to give you the impression that I stole something from you?”

Anger flashes in his eyes but his voice is even when he speaks. “The night you came to my apartment, I had my grandmother’s ring in a box on my dresser.” He shifts in his seat. “She passed recently.”

“I’m sorry for your loss.” I search my memory for any recollection of seeing something on his dresser. I’d left in such a hurry that morning, I didn’t stop to take inventory of his bedroom. I didn’t even stay long enough to retrieve my shoe. “I remember what your dresser looks like, but I can’t remember seeing anything on it before I left that day.”

He smirks. “How convenient. You don’t remember.”

Breathe. Don’t let his attitude fluster you. “Was the ring there when I got to your apartment that night?”

“Of course it was there. I put it there.”

“But you’re sure it was there when we came back from the bar?”

“Where else would it be? It’s not like it could’ve gotten up and moved. Not until you swiped it and ran out.”

My hands ball into fists. “I did not take your grandmother’s ring. You know, I couldn’t find my shoe that morning either. Maybe your ring is somewhere with my shoe. Did you check under the bed, or behind the dresser?”

He pinches the bridge of his nose. “Yes, Nancy Drew. I checked every square inch of that apartment and the ring is nowhere to be found.”

His snarky comment reminds me of Andrew. Acid trickles into my stomach. I might’ve felt bad for the fact that this guy lost his late grandmother’s ring, but I’m done playing nice. This stops here.

“So, you don’t know if the ring was actually there at the same time I was. You have no proof of what you’re accusing me of. And you put your hands on a staff member.” I stand and cross my arms over my chest. “Sounds like a closed case to me, Mr. Waters.”

His nostrils flare as he pushes out of his seat. “That ring has been passed down in my family for generations. It means something to us. So I hope you can sleep at night knowing you stole something so precious from me.”