Page 31 of Sentinel's Kiss
“What the fuck are you talking about?” Warden snarled.
“And Ryder has been brought in for questioning because they caught her on the security cameras doing the deed.”
“That’s bullshit.”
“I know that. And you know that. But I’m sitting out front of SCPD waiting for Ashley to interview her when she comes out.”
“I’ll call Evil and see what he can dig up.”
“Fuck,” Josh snarled, and tossed his phone on the seat.
He knew three things: Ryder didn’t get seen on camera unless she wanted to, and she wouldn’t have taken out Bryce Fallon without checking with Warden first. And even if she did cut the waste of breath’s brake line, she knew how to make it look like a freaking accident.
He saw Lucy and Ryder come out of the station with Evil in front of them like a wall. Jumping out of the Jeep, he pushed his way through the crowd and shoulder-checked Harry.
“Hey,” Ashley cried out, lunging to keep Harry from dropping the camera.
Sentinel elbowed his way to his friends and discouraged anyone else from getting too close. “I’ve got my Jeep,” he said.
Evil and Lucy looked tense at the situation, but Ryder was smiling, amused by all the attention she was getting. Ashley pushed to the front of the throng of reporters. “Ryder, do you remember me? We went to NYU together. Global Inequality class with Attorney Randall?”
“Hey, Ashley. Of course I remember you.”
“Let’s go,” Sentinel said, trying to move Ryder on, but she had planted her feet and wouldn’t move. Short of him making a scene and bodily carrying her down the stairs, they weren’t going anywhere.
“What happened?” Ashley said.
“My client—” Lucy started, but Ryder interrupted her.
“It’s okay. I got this.” Ryder turned full on to the camera. “It was just a case of mistaken identity. A fuzzy video showed a girl with black hair who kinda looked like me and I was asked to come in to answer some questions.” Ryder looked over her shoulder and waved at the man coming out of the station. “Hey, Travis.”
Detective Travis Munson scowled at her but halted at the top of the stairs.
Sentinel took a step to confront the cop, but Ryder tugged him back. “Anyway, it wasn’t me on the tape. I was at the Blue Line all night behind the bar.”
“Isn’t that your bar, Josh?” Ashley asked.
“No comment,” he barked, still giving Munson the evil eye, which the dumb fuck returned.
Ryder shrugged. “Yeah, the funny thing is I was buying shots for a few detectives from this precinct. So you could say that I have a pretty good alibi.”
“So why did they bring you in?” Ashley asked.
Ryder looked over at Munson again. “Couldn’t tell you.” She leaned in closer to Ashley. “But he might.” Ryder angled her head toward the top of the stairs. “His name is Detective Travis Munson and he’s in Internal Affairs. I’m not so sure why he’s involved in a vice case. Maybe he knew the rapist and this is personal?”
“Thanks,” Ashley said, and broke off to chase Munson.
Ryder blew him a kiss over Ashley’s head and the throng of reporters followed Ashley when she shouted, “Detective Munson, can you tell us why you’re involved in this case?”
“My car,” Sentinel said, hauling Ryder by the arm.
“Meet you back at the bar,” Evil said, taking Lucy the other way.
“Well, that was fun,” Ryder said as they peeled out of the parking lot. “Sorry to cock-block you like that.”
“What the fuck is going on?”
Ryder sighed. “Beatrice Callahan.”