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“What the hell is she doing here?”
Cassie followed the detective’s gaze and saw Ms. Campbell, the reporter, pulling up the driveway in a news van. Her cameraman was driving, and Campbell’s blonde curls bounced every time the vehicle hit a bump.
A police officer emerged from the house and ran over to the vehicle before it even stopped and approached the reporter’s window.
“Hey, I recognize that guy,” Cassie tried to keep up with the long strides of David and Harris.
“Who, Ramirez?”
“I don’t remember his name, but he’s the one who took my statement,” she said. “He was also at the crime scene.”
Harris pulled up short. “What crime scene?”
“The one where she showed up,” Cassie pointed to Ms. Campbell. “Sage’s crime scene. They had words when your back was turned, and he gave her a death glare the entire time she was there.”
Harris didn’t say anything. She resumed her march across the lawn, and David and Cassie struggled to keep pace. When Officer Ramirez saw her coming, he backed off and tried to return to the house.
“Ramirez, hang on a minute.” Harris pointed to the cameraman about to get out of his car. “You stay there. Don’t you dare move.”
“Detective Harris, the people have a right to—”
Harris cut him off. “You’re on private property,” Harris interrupted. “And you’re interrupting an active police investigation.”
“Is the owner of this house a suspect?”
Harris ignored the reporter and turned to Ramirez. “How do you know Ms. Campbell?”
The man stuttered over his words and nothing came out. The reporter was quiet.
“I will find out one way or another, so you might as well come clean and save some of your dignity in the process.”
“We’re dating.” Ramirez turned to Ms. Campbell and gave her a withering look. “Were dating.”
The reporter looked scandalized. “Are you serious?”
It was Ramirez’s turn to ignore her. “Detective Harris, I swear I didn’t do any of this on purpose. I was worried about her. She’s always going out on her own trying to get a story and I wanted to scare her.”
“What did you tell her?” Harris placed herself in front of Campbell so Ramirez couldn’t look to her for suggestions.
Ramirez ran a hand down his face. “I told her the killer was cutting women open and pulling their hearts out of their chests. She promised not to say anything.”
“She lied.”
“I was trying to keep her safe.” Ramirez looked back over at his girlfriend with a pained look on his face. “And she used me.”
Ms. Campbell reached for him. “Charlie—"
Ramirez turned his back on her. “I think she’s been using the Find My Phone feature to track where I’m going during the day. That’s why she showed up to the last crime scene before anyone else. And how she figured out where I was today.” Ramirez took a huge gulp of air. His face darkened. “I swear, I had no idea until today.”
“David, do you mind checking Ramirez’s phone? Send one of the other officers back to the precinct with him. Let the Chief know. We’ll see how she wants to handle it.”
Ramirez hung his head and followed David back to the house, handing his phone over in the process.
Harris turned her attention back to the reporter. Her cameraman was still half out of the van, but he kept a steady gaze on the detective. He didn’t dare move until she gave him permission.
“Is all of that true?” Harris asked.
“More or less.” Campbell didn’t sound remorseful. “It’s not a crime to do my job.”
