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I looked at the ring. Surely it was expensive: probably at least $10,000 dollars.
“I can’t keep this,” I said. “It’s not mine.”
“Well, state law requires that we don’t confiscate a found item unless it’s been reported missing or we suspect foul play,” said the officer. He looked away at the computer screen behind his desk.
I shrugged. “Okay,” I said.
On the ride back from the police station I held onto the ring. It was strange and awkward, holding something that must have meant so much to someone. And yet there it had been, abandoned in the garden behind the cabin.
“Probably some rich tourists left it behind,” said Alex. His phone had been pinging and ringing with missed calls and messages since he got back to the island. He opened it up and looked through it. I watched his face in profile as we rounded a corner in the road. In the distance, I could see the Continental. I wasn’t really paying attention.
I was looking at Alex’s face, at his strong features, high cheekbones, and prominent jaw. I was thinking about how handsome he was, and about how our journey had come to an end. Pretty soon we’d be saying goodbye.
“Oh lord,” said Alex.
“What is it?” I said.
“Apparently we’re in the news,” he said, grinning.
“What?” I said.
“That photographer who snapped us earlier? He’s already posted it on the web.Hawaii Hot Gossip, you know that one?”
“No,” I said. “Oh, wait. Krista reads it.”
I opened up my phone and saw a text from Krista.
“CONGRATULATIONS XXX!” it said.
“What?” I murmured.
“Let me see,” said Alex. “Hopefully it’s nothing too bad.”
He typed in the website’s URL on his phone browser and peered at the screen.
“Oh no,” he said.
“What?”
“Look,” murmured Alex, and showed me the photo.
There, on the gaudy pink background of the website, was a photo.
The photo that had been taken of me and Alex at the jetty.
In it, we were walking towards the car. Alex’s arm was around me.
And in my hand, I held the ring. The headline read: “Celebrity Entrepreneur Alex Alson Engaged to Mysterious Woman?”
“You’re kidding me,” I said. My heart began to pound. The press had taken the photo of us together, and no doubt inferred from the diamond ring in my hand that we were engaged!
“This is crazy,” said Alex.
“No,” I moaned. “No, no no. Alex, what the hell?”
“It’s okay,” he said and patted my arm. “I’ll call my lawyer. It’s false information: we should be able to issue a takedown notice.”
When we returned to the hotel, I knew something was wrong. And it was too late.
