Consider it done, babe.

Thanks.

Another pause. Then the words, You okay? appeared on my screen.

I took a deep breath. Yeah.

Good. Hey…Knock knock.

I grinned. Who’s there?

Willis.

Willis who?

Willis corny joke make you smile?

I snorted out loud.

Funny.

I try. Same time tomorrow?

Wouldn’t miss it.

’Night, babe.

’Night, Black.

He signed off, and the screen went dark, bringing with it the vaguely lonely feeling that always hit me when his “online now” icon disappeared. Which was ridiculous, because, as I reminded myself, he was just a name on a screen. A fantasy. Black wasn’t any more real than Pamela Anderson’s boobs.

I shook off the feeling and returned to my inbox.

While I’d been chatting with Black, a new message had popped in. It had come in through the Informer website, the subject line, “Breaking News.”

Immediately, I opened it, leaning closer to the screen.

The note read:

“Breaking News—one stubborn reporter doesn’t listen to warnings. Now, she’s got a target on her back. Sleep well, Tina Bender. Because tonight may be your last.”

Chapter Five

“That’s it, I’m calling the police.”

“No!” I wailed, lunging at Felix before he could reach his phone.

“Tina, this is serious. This is not some adolescent prankster.”

“It was an email. No one got hurt.”

“Yet.” He gave me a pointed look.

I glanced at the open laptop on Felix’s desk. After a sleepless night littered with visions of faceless men threatening me in mechanical voices, I’d reluctantly shown the email to Felix as soon as I’d got into the offices that morning.

He hadn’t been any more thrilled about it than I had. And, I had to admit, he was right about one thing. This was looking less and less like some random prankster. In fact, I was beginning to think this really was someone with a grudge against me.

On the other hand, no way was I going to let Felix bring in the cops over this. “You can’t call the police. What will my informants say?”

“Informants?” Cal piped up from the corner. He’d insisted on following me to work in his I’m-clearly-over-compensating-for-something mobile and had been my shadow ever since. Though, to be honest, I didn’t mind quite so much today.

“Yes, informants,” I repeated. “Look, no one’s going to trust me with their dirt if it comes out I’ve been talking to cops. Who wants that kind of scrutiny? Most of these people are ratting on their friends.”

“Nice group you hang out with,” Cal mumbled.

I shot him a look.

“Alright, that’s enough.” Felix held up his hands. “Look, I know you don’t like this, Tina. And I know you’re scared—”