the nightstand.

“I cleaned your suite this morning,” I said. “There was no ring there.”

Richard spoke quietly.

“Vanessa, maybe we should check the luggage again.”

“I already checked everything.”

She didn’t even look at him.

Then she turned back to me.

“You were in the room. Now the ring is gone. It isn’t complicated.”

Employees behind the front desk were pretending not to listen.

My face burned.

“I did not take your ring.”

Vanessa gave me a thin smile.

“Then you shouldn’t mind being searched.”

So they searched.

My housekeeping cart was emptied in the lobby.

Supply shelves were checked.

Mr. Bennett personally went upstairs and searched the suite.

Nothing.

Of course there was nothing.

And at first, I kept telling myself this would end the moment they realized they couldn’t find anything.

I was innocent.

Surely that mattered.

Then hotel security pulled the electronic door records.

Vanessa and