Love's Cruel Redemption (The Ghost Bird #12)(90)

He walked in, going to the desk. Nathan was the last to enter, and he closed the door behind himself. The room was dark, with wood paneling and leather chairs with a couch along one wall.

“Have a seat,” Mr. Ramirez said.

Silas and Nathan took the couch. Victor took the chair that was positioned in front of the desk.

Mr. Ramirez remained standing and leaned against the front of his desk, crossing his arms over his chest. “So, what’s this about?”

“We need you to talk to some people for us,” Victor said. “We’d do it, but they know our faces. And we need someone who can do this discretely.”

“And you don’t have anyone else who can do this?” he asked. “I thought that’s what you all did? Isn’t this your whole operation? Finding out information?”

“Who we’re talking about might be monitored by police as well,” Victor said. “We’re a little too close. And we need to stay out at this point.” If he knew about the Academy, he knew anything involved in the police or investigations was a delicate area. The Academy didn’t usually get involved. They chose to deal with things just beyond the laws’ reach, things the police ignored or didn’t have the ability to fix. Sometimes that line crossed, the police needed the Academy and the Academy relied on the police often. But usually once the police became involved, they disappeared.

That’s when a contractor was needed. They went in where the Academy couldn’t. Check in on crime scenes or talk to people. Pass along some information that might be vital to an Academy operation.

Mr. Ramirez bobbed his head shortly once. “Sure. Who am I going to be talking to?”

Victor took out his messenger bag, presenting a couple of dossiers in files he’d put together before they left Nathan’s. He pointed to the top file. “One is this guy. Morris. A teacher at a high school we’re in.”

Mr. Ramirez opened up his file, checking out a photo and details organized across a few pages. He flipped through it. “No criminal history. Looks clean.” He picked his head up and tilted his head curiously. “You say he might be monitored by police? What for?”

“The whole school is in the middle of a...complication. An investigation but nothing too serious yet. And we don’t know how much the police know or if he is monitored. But it’s possible. They are searching for the principal now.”

“And you don’t want me to find this principal?”

“We’re happy to let proper authorities take care of him for now. We just need information. From two people. It’s about something else outside of what the police are looking in on.”

Mr. Ramirez smirked and waved the files at him. “You just don’t want your names mixed in. I see. What do you want to know?”

“Mr. Morris left the school last night in a car with someone else.” Victor pulled his phone out of his pocket. He stood up, showing a bit more confidence in Mr. Ramirez, probably because it sounded like he was being taken seriously. He showed him the video Nathan had seen earlier. “He was there late a couple of days ago. The car you see here, that’s registered to Mr. Morris. We don’t know who the driver is.”

“That’s all you need?” he asked. “The driver?”

“Yes,” Victor said. “The other person in the second file, Mr. McCoy. He may know as well. He arrived at the school a few minutes earlier in a separate car, but we have a feeling he knows who it is inside. Either one of them might give you more information.”

“That’s all you need?” he asked. “A name?”

“Yes,” Victor said. “That’s all.”

“This might take time. How soon do you need it?”

“Sooner is better,” Victor said. “But no one’s dying.”

“Yet,” Nathan mumbled. He surprised himself with his own muttering.

They turned their attention onto him. Mr. Ramirez cocked his eyebrow again. “What’s this?”

Nathan made a face. “Sorry. I got ran off the road the other day. Long story. It wasn’t Mr. Morris and this person.”

“It’s part of this,” Victor said in a softer tone. “I should probably mention that. Two other people were in a black Jeep stolen from us. Mr. Morris arrived at the school driving it. The police are holding on to it for now. We don’t know if the two sets of people in the vehicles are connected, but we’re trying to find out who picked up Mr. Morris, and also...how he got the Jeep.”

Diego focused his attention on Nathan, slid his gaze to Silas and then to Victor. “Sounds like you’re all in something deep. You’ve got proof he stole your car? Why aren’t you showing the police this?”

“Because we can’t show them.” Victor’s tone darkened. “This is unofficial.”

“Ah,” Mr. Ramirez said. He dropped the files onto his desk and turned to them, crossing his arms over his chest again. “I see. I know I’m not supposed to ask too many questions of you, but this is pretty far out of what I’ve done for you before.”

“We’re ready to help you,” Victor said. “If you ever need something...”

“Yes, I know,” he said. “Sure. But I’m going to need more. If it’s dangerous enough that they are running teenagers off the road, I need to know what I’m risking my life over.”