Sam left her with a promise to keep in touch with her and her roommates about the investigation. The woman who’d interrupted them waited at the hostess stand. As they approached, she held up her hand to stop them.

“I don’t care who you are, you can’t come into my place of business and interrupt one of my waitresses like that.”

“Detective Cruz, am I allowed to come in here to interview a material witness in a murder investigation?”

“Yes, you are, Lieutenant.”

“And will I arrest anyone who gets in my way?”

“You often do, ma’am.”

The woman glared at her. “You think you’re so cool.”

“I don’t think it. I know it. Now get out of my way before I have no choice but to arrest you. And if you hassle that young woman, whose roommate was brutally murdered, I’ll come back and arrest you myself.”

Sam pushed past her and headed for the door, feeling pretty good about herself for the first time since she’d fallen on ice and broken her hip.

“That was awesome,” Freddie said when they’d stepped into the cold.

“In case I forget to tell you, I appreciate how you always have the lines memorized.”

“I do what I can for the people.”

She shot a look over her shoulder. “Your lines. Not mine.”

When they were in the car, she turned to him. “Tell me Ramsey doesn’t have a son named Shane.”

He did some poking around on his phone and then glanced at her. “Wish I could.”

“Son of a bitch.”

“Son of an asshole, you mean.”

“Why, young Freddie, you said a swear!”

“In this case, it’s warranted. What’s the plan?”

Sam pulled out her phone and put through a call to Malone. “This is above my pay grade,” she said as he picked up the call.

“What is?” Malone asked.

“The fact that my investigation has led me to Ramsey’s son Shane.”

“Stop it. Are you for real right now?”

“Real as it gets.”

“Fill me in.”

Sam told him what they’d learned from Ling Woo’s roommates.

“And we’re sure the guy’s name is Shane Ramsey?”

“We’re sure. They mentioned he lives with his parents in Columbia Heights. Is that where Ramsey lives?”

“Hang on.”

Sam heard him doing some clicking around on his computer. “Yes,” he said with a sigh.

“How do we play this?”

“I don’t want you anywhere near Ramsey’s house or his kid. Come back in, and we’ll figure out next steps. And P.S., what’re you even doing in the field?”

“Detective Cruz needed some assistance.”

Freddie glared at her.

She shrugged and smiled. “We’ll be back shortly.” After she flipped the phone closed, she stared out the window, thinking about how they should play this unlikely turn in the investigation.

“Thanks for tossing me under the bus.”