Page 122 of Triggered By Love
“Ave, it’s going to be okay.” He put his hand over her trembling ones. They were so cold. “Do you want to pray before going in there?”
She snorted. “Oh, Jason, I’m so far from God it isn’t funny. If he’d even listen to me, I just want all of this to be over.”
“We can end it. You tell Orson this is your last show. I’m sure he can find others who are willing to do a private strip show. Why is he fixated on you, especially since you’re not stripping?”
“You won’t understand.”
“Try me.”
She shook her head and sighed, looking resigned.
He’d never seen her so dispirited, and he made a decision then and there. No matter what he had to do, he would put an end to it.
Except going into a man’s house put all the benefits of self-defense on Orson’s side. The castle doctrine, while weaker in New York than other states, still entitled a homeowner immunity from prosecution if he used deadly force to defend himself within his home.
Jason kissed the top of Avery’s head and gave her a cuddle. “No matter what. I’ll be with you. I promise.”
Her eyes were watery when she looked up at him, as if she were seeing him for the last time.
It had occurred to him that she was using him as bait. The obvious suspect for Brando’s killing, the one he didn’t want to discuss with Avery, was Professor Orson Leach.
He was an old man in love with Avery. His fascination with the male models was not so much a homosexual attraction as one where he imagined himself in the place of the man stripping for Avery. That was why he’d told Avery to bring a man she didn’t care for. He’d been fueled with jealousy at the light of love in Avery’s eyes when she’d reacted to Brando.
Instead of the private show being satisfying to the professor, it had been singularly distasteful to watch the woman he loved admiring the firefighter she loved more than life. To know that the glow of love in her gaze was reserved for another man—that it would never shine on him.
It would be a bitter pill for any man to swallow. The rejection was so final and sharp. And yet, Avery hadn’t cared for Garm or Longshanks, the models she brought before.
They had also turned up dead, but not shot to death. There was a difference, and Jason was determined to figure it out. Would the professor put a contract on his head after tonight’s show? If so, how would the hitmen get by the security he’d set up at The Edge?
Where there was hate, there would be a way. Jason could not console himself that no one would leak the location. He knew. Avery knew. Alida knew, and Matt knew, as well as the Secret Service agents. He was betting the president knew.
Taking a deep breath, he gave Avery’s shoulder a reassuring squeeze and exited the car.
Chapter Forty
The professor'stownhouse was located on a tree-lined street. The brick-lined facade was covered with ivy, and the windows were trimmed with ornate cast-iron crowns and scroll edgework. It was a charming historical building with outside fire escapes that were tastefully painted to match the building’s façade.
The marble entry hall was overhung by an enormous golden chandelier full of glittering crystals, and the corridor was festooned with gilded mirrors sporting curlicues of vines and rays of sunburst crowns. Gold-threaded tapestries were hung over richly upholstered wooden furniture that sported animal legs with delicately curved feet.
While Jason gawked at the luxurious furnishings, Avery wanted to jump out of her skin.All this will be over in three hours max. He’ll chat with us first. Have tea and pretend this is a social call. He’ll look over my sketchbook, make coaching remarks, and critique my ideas.
“This way, please.” The butler gestured to the carved double doors of the library. “Professor Leach requests your company for tea.”
Avery curtseyed to the professor upon entering and took her seat on a wingback chair next to his wheelchair. He was parked in front of his tank of exotic fish and tapping on the glass to tease his pufferfish, a large bulbous one named Leo. He barely glanced at her and whispered something to the butler.
The butler made a motion toward Avery, but the professor said, “That won’t be necessary. See to it we’re not disturbed. I’ll ring you when it’s time to go to the greenhouse.”
The greenhouse.
Since Orson Leach lived on the top floor, he was naturally able to indulge his orchid growing hobby. Avery had never done the greenhouse before. Last year, the professor had them up at his country home up in Westchester County, and the year before, they were on his yacht sailing down the East River.
She barely sipped her tea and went through the motions of showing Orson her ideas for the following season. “I’ve decided to go with the man is an animal theme. I’m worried that other designers will steal the trend.”
She and Kerry had been working around the clock to recreate the special effects that Ivanna had started, but she didn’t have all the materials. Luckily, her order of hawk feathers arrived last minute.
“It’s too theatrical,” Orson complained. “Memorable, yes, but once everyone’s doing it, what will you do next?”
“I’ll let everyone do it next year, but I’ll be the talk of the show this year. Only a few of the models will premiere the look because my assistant was injured in a mugging.”
