Remember Ramsey by Cynthia Eden

Chapter Sixteen

Observation notes: The cops have never been able to make any cases stick against Ramsey. There are plenty of suspicions about him…stories to make him into a legend. But as far as I can tell, he’s never spent more than a handful of nights in jail before being released.

Does that mean the stories are wrong? And he’s a good guy after all? Or…does it just mean that Ramsey is very, very good at hiding his sins?

***

“So you want to explain to me why a man was nearly murdered on your property tonight?”

Ramsey glanced up at the detective. “What do you mean, my property?” He frowned. “Are you talking about the warehouse? If so, I don’t own that place. You must be mistaken.”

“I received a tip—”

“Oh, wait, is that like one of those anonymous things? You know, the calls that turn out to be bullshit?” Ramsey smiled at her. “You can’t believe those.”

Melissa straightened her shoulders. “The PD received a tip tonight that an illegal fight was happening at a warehouse owned by Ramsey Hyde.”

“Not my warehouse. You should check the property records on that place. See who really owns it.” He knew with one hundred percent certainty that his name couldn’t be officially tied to the warehouse.

“The tipster said one of the fighters involved was the man who’d recently torched the home of Whitney Augustine.”

His fingers tapped against the side of the table. “What a helpful anonymous tipster you have.”

Her eyelashes flickered. “We rushed to the scene. Caught half the crowd leaving…”

“Yes, but can you charge those people with anything? I think most of them believe they were at a rave of some sort. That is actually what I thought I was doing…”

Her eyes burned with fury as she leaned forward in the interrogation room. “Excuse me?”

“Heard it was a hot party scene. You know, one of those trendy spots where cool parties pop up randomly in abandoned buildings. I went there because I do like to party.”

Beside him, Aspen let out a slow exhale.

“You went to the warehouse to party,” Melissa said flatly.

“Um.” Hadn’t he just said so? “Imagine my surprise when I realized there was much more happening at the scene than just the good time I expected. It was chaos I tell you, chaos.”

Her nostrils flared. “When we found you, you were in a cage and the man with you had been stabbed.”

He nodded. “I was bravely trying to save his life. Because, as you discovered in our last chat—in this very room—I am a Good Samaritan. When I saw him in that terrible condition, what else could I have done?”

“You mean you weren’t the one to stab him?”

Aspen touched his arm before he could speak. “Did any of those people at the scene say that Ramsey stabbed him?” she inquired ever so sweetly.

Ramsey knew there had been no recordings of his fight with Axel. No quick pics on a camera. One of the rules for admission—no phones or cameras were ever allowed. You violated that policy, and you’d be paying in blood. Attendees were searched before they went inside.

Just as the fighters were searched before they entered the cage. Yet, somehow, Axel had gotten a knife.

Instead of answering Aspen’s question, Melissa lifted one eyebrow. “When we check the knife, are we going to find your fingerprints on the weapon?”

“Yes,” he answered immediately.

Aspen’s nails dug into his arm.

“I shoved the knife out of my way in my desperation to help the victim,” he explained.

“You’re bullshitting me,” Melissa snapped.

Was he? Oh, yes, he was. Ramsey shrugged.

“Your knuckles are bruised and bloody, you’ve got bruises all over you—it’s obvious you just went several rounds in that cage nightmare crap. You are the one who beat Axel Porter until he was flat on the mat.”

He stared back at her. “I think I hit another wall.”

Her lips thinned.

“Though, of course, you will find my DNA all over the scene because I was trying—”

“So desperately to save Axel. Yeah, yeah, I got it the first time.” Her gaze cut to Aspen. “Does your client understand the seriousness of this situation?”

“I think my client understands pretty much everything.”

He did. “When your victim wakes up, he can tell you that I wasn’t the one who stabbed him. Thanks to my quick intervention, he gets to live another day.”

Confusion flew over Melissa’s face. “You really want him to be okay?”

“That man torched Whitney’s house. He stole War Channing’s car. I also believe he is the individual who murdered Ronald Rudolph.”

“What?” Melissa’s voice notched up several octaves. She caught herself and cleared her throat. “How do you know all that?”

“Because I know Axel Porter’s MO. I’m sure you’ve pulled his rap sheets by now, so you realize that his past crimes make him fit the bill nicely for this situation. But the guy isn’t what I’d call an idea man. I think he was hired for the jobs, and I intend to find out exactly who was pulling his strings.”

Melissa pointed at him. “You’re lucky.”

Why did people keep saying—

“You have a war hero backing up your account. Actually, you have a few of them.”

What in the hell was she talking about?

But Melissa motioned toward the one-way mirror on the right. Like he hadn’t realized he was being watched by people behind that glass. A few moments later, the door to the interrogation room opened.

Jinx walked in.

He was followed by Odin.

Then War.

“What in the hell is this?” Ramsey demanded as he straightened in his chair. “A parade?”

War lifted his hand and scratched his right cheek…with his middle finger.

Yeah, fuck you, too, buddy.

“They are here to alibi you,” Melissa said, and it sounded as if she choked on the words.

“Absolutely, we are.” Jinx nodded. “I was with Ramsey when that Axel guy was being stabbed. We were outside together. I’d just seen him leave Axel—very much alive—even after the creep tried to stab him. Ramsey defended himself and left the guy behind.”

So that was the truth. And Ramsey was glad that Jinx had exhibited the good sense to leave Whitney out of the story. But what BS were Odin and War about to share?

“I tracked down the man who stole my ride. It was Axel Porter,” War announced. “I got word that he was at the warehouse, so Odin and I snuck in to see what was happening.”

Odin nodded.

“When the cops arrived, everyone fled. Ramsey and Jinx left, and we figured that we needed to go out front and see if the cops wanted any help. That was when you ran into us,” he added with a nod toward Melissa.

“You were on your damn phone,” she snapped. “Didn’t see you helping much.”

“I’m the one who called with the tip about the warehouse,” War drawled. “Figured that was helping plenty.”

Of course, the sonofabitch would have been the one to rat him out.

Jinx shifted his stance. “Ramsey didn’t stab that man. You’ve got the three of us telling you he didn’t do it. I also know that Darius Addams told you he found the vic and that Ramsey arrived back to the scene after he did.”

Aspen rose. “This has been such incredibly helpful information. I’m so glad that you are here to stand up for my client. He tries to help others and in return, he’s just treated like a common criminal by the authorities.”

Melissa laughed. A mocking sound. “We all know there is nothing common about him.”

Ramsey had to smile at her. “Good of you to think I’m special.”

A rap sounded at the door. A uniformed officer poked his head inside. “Chief wants to see you, Detective Wright.”

Her expression tightened. “No one leaves this room until I get back.” She jabbed her hand toward the uniform. “Guard the door.”

He gulped and nodded—and side-eyed Ramsey.

Ramsey fought the urge to say, “Boo.”

The uniform stayed in the room with them. Melissa marched out.

The silence and tension grew thick.

Aspen cleared her throat. “Don’t think we’ve been formally introduced.” She stood and offered her hand to War. “I’m Aspen Gray.”

“I know who you are.” He shook her hand. “War.”

She pulled her hand back. Offered it to Odin.

The big blond’s grip seemed to swallow her hand as he introduced himself.

Then she glanced at Jinx. Then back at Ramsey. There was a whole lot of speculation in her eyes. Before she’d turned to law, Aspen had been an artist. The woman always saw things a little too deeply for Ramsey’s liking. He had the uncomfortable feeling she was studying bone structure or some shit like that and reaching some telling conclusions.

He tuned her and Jinx out as they made BS small talk. He was trying to hold onto his control, but he needed a phone. He needed to call and make absolutely certain that Whitney was—

“Relax.” War sidled closer and offered him a smile. “We stopped to talk with the police chief on our way inside.”

Great. So he was supposed to owe War for this scene? The guy thought he was saving the day?

“Took on a new client,” War continued as if they were besties and Ramsey gave a fuck about what he had to say. “Though, technically, we were already involved with this particular client, so when we got her phone call, we sprang into action.”

“More like leapt,” Odin corrected. He’d closed in, too.

Ramsey’s eyelids flickered. He got the message they were delivering. “Your client is doing well?” Tell me she’s safe. Tell me that she got home and—

“Fantastic. Even now, our client is enjoying a quiet night at home.”

Some of the tension left his body. “Thank you.”

War inclined his head.

Shit. I will owe the bastard now.

The door swung open again. “What in the hell do you have on the chief?” Melissa demanded.

Ramsey shook his head. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Bull.” She strode right up to him. “You must have some porn video of him with a dozen prostitutes.”

Jinx whistled. “That is a lot of—”

Ramsey cut him a glance.

Jinx stopped talking.

“Or you must know where he buried bodies because this is some bullshit. Bullshit. He tells me I’m supposed to let you walk?”

Aspen cleared her throat. “The chief—a man well-respected in this town—probably just realizes that my client is a hero tonight. Not some thug. He saved a life. He didn’t take one.”

Ramsey flexed his fingers and felt the tightness near his knuckles. “It appears that our time together has ended again, hmm, detective?”

She motioned toward War, Odin, and Jinx. “I don’t care how many new friends you get.”

“We are not friends,” War corrected. “More like acquaintances.”

“You can’t hide behind them forever,” Melissa snarled.

“I don’t hide from anyone.” He was done with this place. “If your chief said to release me, then I’ll be on my way. Have a lovely night, Detective.” He stood and took his time heading for the door. Aspen was at his side. “Oh,” he called back just before he exited. “When Axel wakes, and he tells you who hired him to commit those jobs…” Ramsey glanced over his shoulder. “I will be very interested in learning that information.”

“Why? So you can kill the guy?”

Yes. He feigned shock. “Is that what a hero would do?”

Her glare would have burned a lesser man.

No, it’s not what a hero would do. But it is exactly what I plan to do.