Page 134 of Dead Man's List

Ramsey just stared at her.

His attorney, a well-dressed woman about half Ramsey’s age, frowned. “I’ve advised my client to say nothing.”

Kit smiled indulgently. “So did all the other attorneys. But their clients were convinced to say many things.” She turned to Ramsey. “You’re the CEO of a privately held insurance company. You specialize in healthcare.”

“Get on with it, Detective,” the attorney said in a frigid voice.

Kit ignored her, her attention still on Ramsey. “You hold people’s lives in your hands. That must make you feel powerful. Do you give them money for treatment or not? Do you allow them to live or let them die?”

“It’s not that simple,” Ramsey said, but there was a light in his eyes. One that said that yes, he did hold people’s lives in his hands and that, yes, that made him feel powerful.

“Sir,” the attorney murmured. “Please.”

Ramsey looked at the woman as if she too were a bug. “I know what I can and cannot say, Miss Fremont.”

The attorney’s frown deepened, but she didn’t say another word.

“Why do they even bring attorneys?” Sam asked. “They never listen to them.”

Navarro chuckled. “Neither did you, when you were sitting where they are.”

Sam scowled. “Not a good memory, Lieutenant.”

Navarro abruptly sobered. “I’m sorry, Dr.Reeves. That was uncalled for.”

Mollified, Sam grunted. It had been uncalled for.

It had also been true. When Sam had been a suspect for murder, he’d naively trusted that the system wouldn’t let him down because he was innocent.

It hadn’t, but that was because he’d been investigated by Kit McKittrick. She’d kept an open mind, determined to find the realkiller and not throw Sam under the bus for her convenience. Kit’s partner at the time had been prepared—and happy—to arrest him, though.

Sam had forgiven Baz, mostly because the man had a passion for getting justice. Now they were friends, but Sam no longer believed that the justice system was fair to everyone.

Bert Ramsey was flicking invisible lint from his five-thousand-dollar suit. He had not looked at Kit since basically dismissing his attorney.

Kit and Connor remained silent, waiting for something. Sam wasn’t sure what.

Until Ramsey finally glanced at Kit before setting his gaze on Connor. “Am I being arrested, Detective?”

“Probably,” Connor said with a genuine smile. “Sorry, Bert. I know this is inconvenient. But that’s kind of what happens when you decide to participate in a murder-for-hire scheme.”

Ramsey’s only reaction was a slight twitch of his eye. There and gone before Sam could blink. He wondered if Kit and Connor had seen it.

He shouldn’t have wondered.

Kit set her elbow on the table, resting her chin on her fist. “We have corroborating statements placing you in the middle of negotiations for murder for hire, Mr.Ramsey. So, yes, we will be arresting you. Charges will follow after we’ve finished searching your home.”

One side of Ramsey’s mouth quirked up in a smirk similar to Munro’s. “I imagine you have a search warrant.”

“Of course,” Kit said. “So, why did you go to Hugh Smith’s home, Mr.Ramsey?”

Ramsey stiffened. “I was invited. I had no idea why. When I found out, I left.”

“Sir,” his attorney whispered.

Ramsey didn’t even look at the woman. “His security cameras will show that I was there, Miss Fremont.”

“They did,” Kit said. “We got the footage while processing the scene of his murder.”

---