Free Something Wicked: HarperImpulse Romantic Suspense by Angela Campbell

Collins. Person insists you’ll want to talk to him about the Christopher case. He refuses to leave a message. You want to take it, or—?”
    “I’ll take it. Transfer it to my desk.” He told Alexandra, “Excuse me for a minute.” And then he left her alone.
    ***
    Dylan made it to his desk before the first ring. Snatching up the receiver, he barked, “Detective Collins. I understand you have some information about a case I’m working on?”
    Heavy breathing was the only response.
    “Hello?” Sinking into his chair, Dylan lifted his hand and rubbed at his forehead. He was tired. Damn tired. He was grateful it was almost six o’clock, and that Alexandra would be leaving soon for the day. He hoped. The woman was a major distraction on multiple levels, and he could use some distance right about now. Distance to regroup and think. And sleep. Man, he hoped he could sneak in a nap after a quick bite to eat. “Hello? Anyone there?”
    “I’m here,” a raspy voice responded softly. A man’s voice. Distorted.
    Dylan waited for more, but the heavy breathing was all he got. “Look, I’m pretty busy at the moment. Do you have information to share, or can I transfer you back to our front desk so you can be redirected to the right person?”
    “I’m calling you about the Grim Reaper.”
    Every cell in Dylan’s body snapped to alert. The Grim Reaper info hadn’t been released to the public. “I’m listening.”
    “Are you, Detective Collins? Or are you too busy playing with your new girlfriend to appreciate my offerings?”
    “Who is this?”
    A sinister laugh trickled down the line. “None other than the Reaper himself, of course. I wanted to let you know how pleased I am that you brought in Alexandra King so soon. It pleases me very much.”
    Dylan looked around and spotted Reedus. He lifted his arm and snapped his fingers, then gestured to the phone. When Reedus got close enough, Dylan wrote on a piece of paper,
This might be our killer. Get me a trace.
He leaned closer to the phone and said, “Who?”
    “I recognized her last night, when you met in the bar. Tell me, detective, is that how you pay your consultants? By sleeping with them?”
    Dylan stifled a curse. Whoever this guy was, he knew a lot of information.
    “Who says she’s a consultant?”
    “I don’t have time for games. I have one demand to make, and then I have to hang up.”
    “Okay. I’ll bite. What?”
    “Release my name to the media. I want to see my name on the news by tomorrow. If I don’t, you won’t be pleased with the results.”
    A click preceded a dial tone, and Dylan swore. “Did we get a trace?” He directed the comment at no one in particular, but Reedus lowered the phone receiver in his hand and shook his head from across the room. He slammed his phone down.
    “He was using an unregistered mobile, one of those prepaid ones.” Reedus coughed as he hurried over. “We didn’t have him on long enough to triangulate the call.”
    This guy was smart. Too smart.
    How the devil had the caller known so much about Alexandra? Was she an accomplice to this whole thing? How else had the caller known who she was?
    He swore again.
    His gut told him she wasn’t involved, but he’d have to run a more thorough background check after this. Where had she been at the time of the first murder? And if she wasn’t an accomplice, then she was a potential target.
    And neither scenario pleased him.

Chapter Five
    Alexandra heard the buzz of her phone vibrating against the table and pulled her purse close to find it. Oh, man. Probably Hannah. She’d forgotten to check in with Hannah that morning, but when she glanced at the caller ID and saw a photo of Dylan’s older brother on the screen instead, she immediately jerked her wide eyes toward the door.
    What the heck was Zach calling her for? Now?
    “Hey, boss,” she answered and paced toward the other end of the room, never mind she was alone, the door was closed, and no one could hear