“You were at the hotel,” Amy muttered as a chill raced across her skin. “Exactly how long were you in my room before you woke me up? Is that when you took it?” She faced Ryan front on, squaring her shoulders, her heart thumping harder. “It’s a simple question.”

“I don’t understand why you’re asking me this.”

“Then why aren’t you answering me? What were you even doing at the hotel?”

“This is crazy.”

She studied him for a long moment, her eyes locked on his in a cold and distrustful glare. “You live in Seabrook. Why did you need to be there? Were you stalking me? Did you see me out by the lighthouse and follow me back?”

Ryan didn’t even pause to consider the question. His lips started moving fast. “What ? No, Amy, I was not stalking you. I was at the hotel because I needed a drink. I went in there because I had just seen Tom, because he had just told me about the foreclosure, and because I needed a moment to myself before—”

“But you weren’t in the bar. You were upstairs.”

“Yes, I know, I was in the bar, but then—”

“And then . . . and then you were in my room.”

“Because water was coming out into the hall, for Pete’s sake! You left the bathtub running! You flooded the room! Don’t you remember? Amy, where is this all coming from? Why are you acting like this?”

Amy launched herself to her feet. “How else should I be acting? You have my pendant, Ryan. Mom gave me this pendant. It’s my most precious thing in the world. And now I find it up here, up in your attic!”

“I promise that I had nothing to do with it.” He jumped to his feet too, pitching his hands together as he spoke, begging her to listen. “Amy, please, hand on heart, this hasn’t got anything to do with me!”

Amy could feel her legs beginning to shake. Her breathing was getting shallow, her doubt growing deeper by the minute. Despite Ryan’s impassioned denials and protests of innocence, she couldn’t bring herself to believe him. She couldn’t put her finger on it, couldn’t rationalize it in her head, but deep in her gut she knew there was something wrong, knew there was something he wasn’t telling her. She suddenly felt very alone and uncomfortable—even a little afraid.

“I want to go, Ryan. I need to go.” She grabbed her phone and clothes.

“Hold up, stop for a second, okay? There’s no need for you to go anywhere. Just stay calm.”

“I am calm, and I want to go.”

“But where?” He waved his hands at the window. “Look, it’s pouring out!”

“Back to town,” she declared, and she started for the staircase.