Page 48 of State of Retribution (First Family #9)

“Ramsey has been frustrated by his failure to be promoted beyond the rank of sergeant, which happened because he cut corners on the job. He did the bare minimum. He came at me because for every win I achieved, he seemed to notch another loss. He blamed me and others for the death of his son, who’d assaulted and brutalized numerous women and had taken another hostage in Rock Creek Park.

When a department sniper took out Shane Ramsey and saved the life of his hostage, somehow his father determined that it was my fault his murdering, raping son had been killed.

I understand needing someone to blame when you’ve raised a monster, but Shane Ramsey’s sins were his and his alone.

“Ramsey told me I’d gotten what I deserved when Stahl wrapped me in razor wire and threatened to set me on fire.

We got into an altercation, and he fell backward down a flight of stairs, suffering several injuries.

He was outraged when the now-late U.S. Attorney Tom Forrester took the case to a grand jury, which declined to prosecute me for assault.

He chalked that up to another favor being done for me because of my pedigree or my higher-than-average profile or my husband or whatever else he came up with, looking for someone to blame.

He went on to threaten me numerous other times, witnessed by others, and to ransack my office.

He ramped up his attacks, crashing his car into my Secret Service vehicle and interrupting Tom Forrester’s funeral with his vitriol.

He was out on bail, awaiting trial on numerous charges, when he apparently partnered up with Dylan Offenbach—ironically the same sharpshooter who killed Ramsey’s son—to embark on a retribution tour.

“Offenbach is another case study in misogyny gone wild. A talented sharpshooting sergeant on his way to a big career in the department, he checked out of work last year to attend a law enforcement conference in Philadelphia at the same time that a series of sniper shootings terrified District residents and visitors. As we worked our way through the list of people qualified to perpetrate these heinous crimes, we looked inside our own house at the team of officers who’d been trained to shoot with devastating accuracy.

That’s when we discovered Offenbach was not at a conference as his boss believed.

He was having a rendezvous with his mistress in Atlantic City as his wife was about to give birth to their sixth child.

He was busted down to Patrol officer. His wife filed for divorce as well as full custody of their children.

Offenbach was outraged that we’d investigate a fellow officer and promised to make me pay for the consequences of his actions.

Another man looking for someone to blame.

“At this juncture, I want to note that despite these high-profile cases and the ones involving Stahl, Conklin and Hernandez, ninety-nine percent of the people who work in this building are dedicated public servants who have the best interests of this city and its citizens at heart when they come to work every day.

They put their lives on the line by wearing the uniform and the badge, and they do so willingly in service to the public.

They should not be lumped in with this band of losers who screwed up their own lives and careers and then went looking for people to blame.

“My heart is broken over the innocent loss of life associated with their reign of terror and for the woman who was kidnapped and brutally assaulted, simply because her friend aided in the investigation that determined Offenbach wasn’t where he was supposed to be.

These men are depraved criminals and should be treated as such.

The FBI, the Secret Service and other federal organizations are leading the investigation.

They’ll find these pathetic cowards and ensure they spend the rest of their miserable lives in prison. ”

After a beat to catch her breath, she said, “I’ll take a few questions.”

“Lieutenant, you’re saying that four people were murdered by these men as part of their revenge against you?”

“We suspect they conducted a series of seemingly random murders knowing I’d do exactly what I did the second I returned to work from my family’s Easter break.

I went to each victim’s home, I met with their families, I investigated the places where the murders took place and dug into their lives, looking for commonalities that didn’t exist because these victims were chosen randomly.

They were murdered because they were walking at night in poorly lit places where our cameras wouldn’t catch the perpetrators red-handed.

“We have a witness to the second homicide who was able to identify the vehicle that was used in the crime, the same make and model as the vehicle owned by someone in Ramsey’s family.

They even capitalized on a terrible mistake I made two years ago when I let my emotions get the best of me while interrogating a suspect after my partner was shot.

I don’t deny that I stepped out of line with Hector Reese.

I vehemently deny that the incident was in any way racially motivated.

I desperately wanted information from Reese, and that was the only motivation for my behavior that night.

“As for the drones sent to the White House... Federal law enforcement has been stymied by the lack of elements that could be traced to a manufacturer or source.”

“Officer Offenbach is known to be a drone aficionado. He was described by someone who knows him well as ‘obsessed’ with drones. We believe we’ll find that he’s the source of the drones that were sent with the intention of killing me, my husband, our children and possibly hundreds of other innocent people who were enjoying an annual event at the White House. ”

“In light of these events, Lieutenant, do you plan to remain on the job?” her friend Darren Tabor from The Washington Star asked.

“I do. I’ve done nothing other than the job I’m paid to do by District citizens.

I come here every day and put forth my best effort in investigating the worst crimes imaginable.

I seek justice for everyone touched by these crimes, going so far as to run a grief group for those impacted by violent crime.

I’m good at this job. It’s who I am and who I’ll continue to be for as long as my superior officers are pleased with my performance. That’s all I’ve got to say.”

She turned toward her friends, who escorted her into the building and then hugged her one by one. “Thank you for that show of support. It means everything to me.”

“We’ve got to stick together,” Lindsey said. “We all know what you bring to the table here, Sam, and we won’t let you go without a fight.”

“Working with you has made my career,” Neveah said.

“I thought we’d talked about the sucking up.”

Neveah smiled as she shrugged. “I speak only the truth.”

“And we agree with her,” Carlucci said as Dominguez nodded.

“As do I,” Jeannie said. “I wouldn’t be deputy chief without your support and encouragement.”

“And you’re thanking me for that?” Sam asked with a grin.

Jeannie patted her expanding belly. “It’s working out for the best.” She’d be going on maternity leave soon. “Despite the frivolity, Lieutenant, I’m outraged over that video of two thugs playing at being tough guys. They wish they could be half the officer and person you are.”

“They’ve certainly got my attention. I can’t stop seeing those red crosshairs on Nick’s forehead.” She shuddered. “That’s my greatest fear, as everyone certainly knows.”

“Nothing will happen to him with the Secret Service watching his every move,” Lindsey said. “I know that doesn’t help the fear, but he’s very well protected.”

“I know, and the reminder helps.” She turned toward Malone and the chief, who’d hung back to let her talk to her female colleagues. “What’re we hearing from Hill on the raid of Offenbach’s place?”

“It’s imminent,” Malone said.