Page 141 of Triggered By Love
“I appreciate you for helping me with the animal effects,” Avery continued. “Really. No one is blaming you. I was so worried about you after I heard you were assaulted. We just need to know if you saw anyone.”
“It was a chauffeur,” Ivanna said. “He was coming toward your apartment as I was leaving.”
“Was he wearing gloves?” Jason asked.
“Driving gloves, and he was carrying a box of fancy chocolates.”
“Did he recognize you?” Jason asked.
“How would I know?” Ivanna shrugged. “I had a lot of accessories to do. I came over to take pictures of your sketches so I could work on them.”
“Thanks, it’s within the scope of your job.” Avery shot a glare at Jason in case he would accuse Ivanna further and she’d clam up. She made her voice as gentle as she could. “Ivanna, I’m worried about all of our safety. Which one of my designs caused Saul to realize you were in danger?”
“He saw the porcupine crest picture.” She pointed at Jason. “He said his brother was wearing pierced quills when he died, and he pulled out the quills before the police got there.”
“I asked Ivanna if she were the one who dressed Garm for the party,” Saul added. “She said Harvey Leach told her to thread the quills into his skin.”
“Harvey Leach stole my designs?” Avery sat upright, slapping the cushion behind her. “Or did you show them to him when you were painting him?”
“He was a friend,” Ivanna said, blushing. “I didn’t know he would request your design.”
“Did you do Joselito’s bearded dragon collar?” Jason asked.
Ivanna nodded and put her hands over her face. “I didn’t know what kind of fetish the partygoers had with these guys. I was happy with the artistic side of it. I didn’t know they’d die.”
“I won’t go so far to say it’s your fault they overdosed,” Jason conceded. “But I can see why you’d be in danger if the Leaches got wind you suspect them. You could be a material witness in connecting them if their deaths were murders.”
“That’s why I hit Ivanna on the head, not hard enough to put her in a coma, but enough so she could get in an ambulance and get checked out,” Saul said. “I didn’t want her backstage with any of the models, especially since she says Avery wanted her to do the animalistic effects on Matt Swanson. She was supposed to make him a falcon or hawk.”
“Is that why my hawk feathers went missing?” Avery asked.
“I threw them away.”
“In the trash,” Jason said. “I went through the dumpster and found them. They’re in the evidence room at the precinct.”
“I’m sorry I chickened out,” Ivanna said. “But I redid them. I can help you at the show.”
“What made you change your mind and do them again?” Jason’s eyes narrowed. “You two went into hiding, and now, the day of the show, you turn up?”
Avery gaped at Jason and then Ivanna and Saul. Should she believe them or stay suspicious? Jason wasn’t going to buy their story hook, line, and sinker.
“Your partner, Blade, assured us we would be safe,” Saul answered for Ivanna. “He said he would be backing you up. He also said the Secret Service were briefed and are ready. Ivanna knew how important it is to Avery and Cocky Heroes.”
“It’s true,” Ivanna said. “I felt so bad running off.”
“It’s okay, but it’s kind of late. Kerry and I redid Matt’s feathers and Svetlana’s butterfly wings, but we didn’t get to the porcupine Mohawk and the snakeskin arms.”
“I already got those done,” Ivanna said. “I hope I’m not in trouble.”
“Both of you are in a heap of trouble,” Jason said, clearly impatient with the fashion talk. “Unless you can help us land bigger fish. We need you to land Brando’s real killer. If what you said about Ernesto were true, that he had a toy gun, then someone switched it in the aftermath of the shooting.”
Avery sat up as a thought hit her. “Jason, did you check all the photos and videos taken at the scene? Someone might have captured Ernesto and his toy gun.”
“I don’t recall seeing anything like that,” Jason replied. “Blade was the officer in charge of the investigation. I’ll ask him to let me into the system to look at them again.”
Finn, who had been sitting quietly observing, cleared his throat. His attention was on Saul. “Since I’m going to be security this evening, is there anything specific I should be looking for?”
Saul shook his head, looking toward Ivanna who also shrugged.
