“Not who. What.”
Ramsey frowned. She was absurdly reminded of a classic Abbot and Costello comedy routine that she’d seen on YouTube. “Who’s on first,” she said under her breath.
“Hmm?”
“Nothing. An odd thought. Tell me about the what, Jay.” But before he could respond, the answer came to her. She sat back in her chair; her eyes widened. “Willow Garden. That’s it, isn’t it? The what. You were playing with money you embezzled from Willow Garden.” When he said nothing, she knew she was at least on the right track. Her short chuckle was humorless. “It probably isn’t even the first time you’ve done it.” Again, the silence was telling. “Oh, Jay. You really stepped into it, didn’t you?”
Jay idly turned the beer bottle with his fingertips. “Borrowed,” he said finally. “I borrowed the funds.”
“It’s only borrowed if you asked for it and agreed to pay it back.”
“Too late to ask, but I can repay it.”
“If I give you the money.”
“Is there still a question in your mind that you’re going to?”
Ramsey bristled at the nuance of arrogance in his voice, the hint of smug in his slim smile. “You know what, Jay?”
“What’s that?”
“Go to hell.”
37
Paul Shippensmith lookedup from the surveillance monitors when he saw Ramsey had come to stand in the open doorway of his office. He sat back in his chair and gave her the once over. “You feeling okay? You look like hell.”
“Good to know. I’m going there directly.”
He frowned but didn’t ask her to clarify. “What’s up?”
“I need the afternoon off. Personal business. I would have put in for it, but it came up quickly.”
“When do you need to leave?”
“One. I get off at three today, so I’m asking for two hours.”
“Yeah. All right. I’ll see if Jerry can come in a little early and cover for you.”
Jerry Bowser couldn’t cover a bed if he were a blanket, Ramsey almost said, but she needed the time off so she stayed quiet. “Thank you.”
“Sure thing.” He returned his attention to the monitors. “Did you call in a report?” he asked as Ramsey started to go.
She backed up, looked over her shoulder. “No. Why?”
“Just saw that cop you’re friendly with come in. Sullivan Day. He’s in uniform. You know anything about that? I don’t like it when they shop here in uniform. Makes the customers nervous.”
Ramsey thought it was more likely it set Paul’s teeth on edge. “You want me to find out why he’s here?”
Paul’s response was casual. “Couldn’t hurt. You’ll let me know if it’s anything?”
“Absolutely.” Then she was gone.
Paul picked her up on the camera outside the interview room and followed her progress on the monitors as she moved through the store. It was interesting to him that she seemed to know the precise direction to take. She hadn’t asked where Officer Day was headed, but she met up with him in Aisle Fourteen without a single wrong turn or pausing to look up and down adjacent aisles. Maybe they were a lot friendlier than he thought. That was worth a trip to the deli to ask the gossips in meat and cheese what they knew about it.
“Paul asked me to find out why you’re here,” Ramsey said when she sidled up to Sullivan. “More specifically, why you’re here in uniform.”
“Light bulb emergency,” he said gravely. “The men’s restroom has gone dark.”
