Page 25 of Win a Date with a Detective

He laughs. Right in my face.

I smack his arm. “This isn’t funny!”

“I’m sorry.”

“No, you’re not.”

“Not even a little.”

I glare at him. He grins. And despite everything, I find myself laughing too.

Which is precisely when the other detective approaches us.

“Bronson. We’ve got a problem.”

My laughter dies. Oh, shit.

The detective looks at me. “Rachel, would you mind coming with us?”

I blink. “And go where?”

He exchanges a glance with Bronson. “Downtown.”

Silence. Absolute silence.

Then I turn toward Bronson. “Downtown?”

He looks like he’d rather be anywhere else. “Rachel⁠—”

“As in... The police station?”

He sighs. “Yes.”

My heart starts pounding.

Because suddenly, this isn’t nearly as entertaining as it was thirty minutes ago. “What happened?”

The other detective hesitates.

“We reviewed the restaurant’s security footage.”

“And?”

“There’s a problem with the timeline.”

I swallow. “What kind of problem?”

He looks at Bronson. Then back at me.

“According to the footage, you were the last person seen handling the ring.”

My mouth falls open. “But I gave it back!”

“I know you did,” Bronson says immediately. “I saw you give it back.”

The detective continues. “Unfortunately, the camera angle doesn’t clearly show that.”

I stare at him. Then at Bronson. Then back at him.