Page 159 of Triggered By Love
“No, but do us a favor.” Her gaze took in both the doctor and the nurse. “Please don’t let the cops know we’re leaving. Tell them I’m being taken for X-rays or something and let me change in the bathroom.”
“I’m sorry. I can’t lie to the police.” The doctor gestured to the nurse. “However, if they don’t ask, we won’t tell.”
After Avery signed for her discharge, she put her overnighter bag on the back of the wheelchair. Still wearing her hospital gown, she asked the nurse to wheel her toward the elevator.
One of the police officers nodded and asked if she was okay.
“Just getting some tests,” she chirped. “See you in a bit.”
Chapter Fifty-Two
Avery lefther cell phone off, and once again, she was riding in Jason’s rental car toward his hunting cabin. This time, however, she had proper clothes. Kerry had packed an overnight bag with toiletries, makeup, underwear, casual clothes, shoes, and even a swimsuit.
She decided to wear a summery sundress and strap on a pair of flat sandals. Adding a sunhat and a pair of sunglasses made her feel like she was on her way to the beach.
Except she kept raising her fingernails to her teeth and lowering them unbitten. Every time she did that, Jason would give her a close-mouthed smile. He was waiting for her to talk first, quite unlike the usual barrage of questions and theories.
She wanted to know, and yet, she grabbed at this tiny moment of tranquility, of normalcy, as if being poisoned by a porcupine quill was normal, but deep inside, the dread was beginning to gel.
Her actions had caused Brando’s death, and now they were coming for her—possibly with the assistance of crooked cops.
“Okay, spill what you know,” she said to Jason. “Which guys in the police are you worried about?”
“My chief, primarily,” Jason said. “He’s determined not to investigate Brando’s case and those of Garm and Hugh. I think he’s protecting a much bigger fish.”
“Those are heavy charges.”
“Right, but someone tried to kill you inside that elevator. It had to be someone with knowledge of Brando’s case or was directed by someone who knew. I know you trust Saul and Ivanna, but they are high on the list of suspects. So is Trent. I’m going to put Mrs. Bonet as unlikely and also lower Kerry’s possibility since she arrived recently.”
“Are you suspecting your partner, Blade?” Avery’s breath caught in her throat. “Wasn’t he on the phone with you when it happened?”
“I can’t eliminate Blade, but I can’t imagine he would have known about the porcupine quills or the pufferfish poison,” Jason said. “He only found out about the poison on the quill headdress a few minutes before you guys got on the elevator.”
“That was what I wanted to ask,” Avery said. “How did you know about the poison?”
It was the one place she refused to visit—that Jason was evil enough to befriend her, pretend that he cared about her, maybe even said he loved her, and then be working with the people who wanted to not only bring her down, but her entire family.
Her heart resisted that sentiment and lurched inside her chest. Was she so weak that she wanted Jason even if he turned out bad?
“There were quills stuck in Garm’s body,” Jason explained, oblivious to her consternation. He was in his element now, a true investigator with his nose on the ground. “Saul told me he took them out while waiting for the police to arrive. He didn’t get them all. I saw at least one threaded through Garm’s skin at his neckline. I have the photos if you want to look at them.”
“I do want to look,” Avery replied, relieved he had a reasonable explanation. “When we get to your place, I want to look at every photo to see if Ivanna was involved somehow.”
“I know you don’t want to suspect Ivanna, but she’s definitely a link. That’s why I commandeered all the accessories and had them shipped to the crime scene lab. I have a friend there who does me a few favors.”
“You were the one who derailed my animalistic effects?” She pointed an accusing finger at him, although inside, she admired his ability to be a step ahead. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“No time. You were busy having dinner with Matt and Mrs. Bonet. I simply told the Secret Service that the accessories could pose a danger to Diamante Steele. They went through all the boxes backstage before you arrived and confiscated everything that looked dangerous. I asked them to leave Matt’s feathers and Svetlana’s butterfly wings. They were soft and unlikely to cause harm.”
“I could be very angry with you.” She pouted to show her displeasure and keep him off-balance. “I could even spank you for being so bad.”
“Please do, but not while I’m driving.” He smirked and turned from city streets onto the Henry Hudson Parkway. “I didn’t want to wear the porcupine Mohawk anyway.”
“It would have been dangerous. You could have bumped into people or got stuck yourself.”
He took his eyes off the road and fixed a meaningful stare at her. “Exactly. This is getting personal, and I think the killer made a mistake. He or she is not only gunning for you, but wants to frame me for it, or if that doesn’t work, take me out in the process.”
“How would they get away with framing you? You’re a police officer.” Avery blinked and pointed at the windshield. “Watch where you’re going.”
