WE MET IN AN ELEVATOR DURING A BLACKOUT. THE LIGHTS CAME ON TOO SOON part- 4

The police station smelled like burnt coffee and bad decisions.

I slumped on the sticky bench outside Ethan's interrogation room, watching Daniel pace in his now-rumpled shirt, phone pressed to his ear.

"Yes, Counselor," he said through gritted teeth. "I'm aware Tiffany's has surveillance footage." A pause. "No, I don't care that your yacht vacation is—"

The phone slammed onto the linoleum.

I winced. "That sounded expensive."

Daniel raked a hand through his hair. "My uncle's sending his lawyer." He eyed my death grip on my purse. "What's in there that you won't let go of?"

Before I could answer, the interrogation room door flew open.

Ethan emerged—pale, shaking, and trailed by a silver-haired man in a $3000 suit.

"Ms. Whittaker," the lawyer said, "your brother claims this was his first offense." He adjusted his cufflinks. "The eight prior misdemeanors at Cornell suggest otherwise."

Ethan's gaze dropped to his shoes.

I stood slowly, my purse swinging between us. "Why Tiffany's?"

A tear plopped onto the linoleum. "L-Lexi's engagement ring."

My breath caught. Lexi—his high school sweetheart—had dumped him last month.

Daniel's phone buzzed. He glanced at it, then stiffened. "They found the getaway driver. Some frat kid named—"

"Tyler Bancroft?" Ethan whispered.

Daniel's eyes narrowed. "How did you—"

I unzipped my purse with trembling fingers. The glittering contents spilled onto the bench:

A tube of lipstick

My apartment keys

The Tiffany's engagement ring Ethan had tried to steal

Silence.

Daniel picked up the ring, holding it to the fluorescent light. "You took this during the blackout."

"Tripped and grabbed it," I corrected weakly.

The lawyer sighed. "That's still larceny."

Ethan made a choked sound. "I just wanted Lexi back."

Daniel studied me for a long moment—my smudged mascara, my grass-stained knees, the stolen diamond winking between his fingers. Then he did something unexpected.

He pocketed the ring.

"First," he told the lawyer, "get Ethan into rehab, not jail." A glance at me. "Second... we're returning this."

The lawyer blinked. "That's highly—"

"Third," Daniel continued, steering me toward the exit, "I'm taking my client to breakfast." His thumb brushed my wrist. "We have a wedding ring to return."

Ethan called after us: "Does this mean you're not gonna fire her?"

Daniel didn't answer.

Outside, dawn painted the sky in bruised purples. I hugged myself. "I should've stopped him."

"You tried." Daniel flagged a cab. "Besides..." He pulled the ring from his pocket with a sly smile. "Now we have an excuse for a second date."

The cab pulled up.

I hesitated. "Where to, counselor?"

His smile deepened. "Tiffany's opens at ten."

[To Be Continued...]

New Twists:

Why is Daniel really helping them?

What's the lawyer hiding?

That ring's engraving: "To Lexi, Love Always"... in Ethan's handwriting?

Vocal Hook:

"Would YOU return a stolen ring for love? (Comment your wildest heist idea!)"

Want Part 5: The Tiffany's Redemption? Let me know! 💍