Inspector Rames

Chapter 29

After we'd dealt with Clyde, I sent Laney and some PRBs to find Ronan Lewis. I was desperate to talk to him myself, but I wanted to get a few things in place first. So Alex and I went to the penthouse above The Diamond Hotel.

Brady Haywood was at the other end of the corridor when we stepped out the lift, his shirt half unbuttoned. He pinned us with his unnerving golden-eyed stare, then opened the only other door and ducked through it.

Jasper let us into the penthouse himself.

"Evan Archer was murdered this morning," I said without preamble as we entered the study. "He was a student from Bright Light University. I don't suppose you recognise the name?"

"Clyde Edwards published an Xplora article about him five minutes ago." Jasper sat down behind his desk. "It said a train hit him? Poor boy."

I ground my jaw. Fuck you, Clyde.

"Where were you between half nine and ten this morning?"

Jasper looked affronted. "Up here, working."

"With Brady?" I nodded towards the door. "He looked a little undressed when we saw him."

Jasper flushed crimson.

"I'm only asking so that we can alibi you," I said. "What you choose to do with your staff is no concern of mine."

"Yes, Brady was in here." He looked away.

"Brady knew Evan Archer. They met at the train station a few days ago. They both got off a train returning from Rosek."

Alex rounded the desk and showed Jasper two freeze frames from the security footage: a clear picture of Evan on the floor, and a shot of Brady and Niko helping him to stand up.

"What was Brady doing in Rosek?" Alex asked.

"He was meeting potential business partners for The Diamond on my behalf," Jasper said. "Another hotel called The Rose and Thorn -- you can find them on Xplora. We were considering promoting each other and offering shared deals: something I've discussed many times with other places. Brady often weeds people out, shall we say, before I meet them myself."

"How acquainted are you with Clyde Edwards?" I asked.

"We're not acquainted at all. I just know he writes these articles about the murder in my hotel." Jasper frowned at his tablet, hovering on his desk. "A lot of guests have left early or cancelled their rooms because of the frenzy he's creating."

"But you're very well-acquainted with everyone else who's of interest to us," I said. "You were all friends at university. Tell me, really, why don't you blame Kristina for Ripley's death?"

Jasper arched an eyebrow. "Am I supposed to blame Kristina?"

"You tell me."

"Rumours are rumours, Inspector. Ripley was not murdered."

He turned his chair away, his face pained.

***

We knocked on Brady's door, but there was no answer, and it was locked when we tried turning the handle. I confirmed both alibis with the receptionist on duty instead, who was standing awkwardly behind the desk in the lobby, her back against the old job advertisement poster. She told us that neither Jasper nor Brady had left the building near the time of the murder. I checked the CCTV to be certain. She was right.

Afterwards, we stepped outside and were hit with a cold February wind. I tugged my jacket tight around me, missing the bloody layers I'd shed. "We're going to the university now. I'd like to know just how skilled Evan was -- and there's an easy way for us to check."