Page 25 of Investigate Away
“I’ll try not to blow anything up,” she mumbled, still squeezing his forearms. “This isn’t happening. He’s not back. This is some asshole fucking with you. Or me. Or both of us. But it’s not the Trinket Killer.”
“I hope for both our sanity that you’re right.”
But something told him that his worst nightmare was about to come true.
* * *
Callie sprawled out her research across Jag’s kitchen table. Twisting her hair, she pooled it in a messy bun on top of her head and shoved her glasses up on her nose.
The Trinket Killer changed from gold to silver at the sixth victim.
Stephanie was number twelve.
If he were following a pattern, he should have changed the color of the trinket. But her sister’s death seemed less organized than all the rest. It just always felt different to her.
Maybe Stephanie wasn’t supposed to be number twelve.
Callie attached the images of the raven pendants and sent them in an email to Kara. They might mean something to her.
The other issue had been the cooling-off period. The Trinket Killer had been a patient killer and his twelve murders spanned over five years.
But Stephanie happened two weeks after the last one and that didn’t make sense.
Her editor’s number flashed across her cell screen.
“Hi, Jennifer,” she said. Jennifer Ruley was a hard-ass editor, but Callie loved her, even when she didn’t agree with her suggestions.
“I’ve good news. The publisher likes the new title, and they want to go with that.”
Callie let out a sigh of a relief. Jagar wouldn’t be thrilled the book was still being published, but this might ease his frustration with her a little. “Thank you for pushing that for me.”
“My pleasure, but they really want a chapter about Detective Bowie whether it’s authorized or not,” Jennifer said.
Callie took off her glasses and tossed them on a stack of papers. She and Jag had been getting along so well. This would completely destroy what little trust and understanding they’d regained with each other.
Maybe he would change his mind and give her an official statement. If not, at least she wouldn’t have to tell him until after the book was turned in and she hightailed it out of Seattle. She never had any intention of staying here more than a month anyway.
“I’m working on it,” Callie said. She clicked on the folder that had her notes for Jag’s chapter. “I’ll be able to shoot this all back to you in two weeks.”
“Why can’t all my authors be like you and turn things in on time or early,” Jennifer said. “Let me know if you need anything.”
“Will do.”
As soon as she ended the call, another one came through.
Kara.
“Hey there,” she said. “How’s Oregon?”
“It was great until I opened your email a second ago,” Kara said. “What the hell? I leave you alone for five minutes, and you’ve got a stalker already?”
Callie let out a nervous laugh. “Jag has me going through all the weirdos who send me stuff at the station while he’s going through all the people who hate him, but it comes down to the one thing that ties us together.”
“His dick?”
“Don’t be gross,” Callie said. “I’ve never understood why you didn’t like him.”
“I like him. He’s a good guy. He’s just not for you.”
