Page 161 of Triggered By Love
“You’re so restless,” Avery said after he’d checked the windows for the third time.
“It’s been a wild twenty-four hours,” he said. “Even crazier forty-eight.”
“For me, it’s been a year of torture.” She touched his forearm. “I’m so wound up I can’t believe I was paralyzed last night. It’s like every nerve in my body is making up for being numb. I even passed on the cappuccino, and I’m still wired.”
“I feel the same way,” Jason admitted, although the electricity arcing through his body had nothing to do with caffeine and everything to do with Avery—and the damn fact he’d fallen utterly and helplessly and irrevocably in love with her.
“The same way as me? Tortured?”
“Wound up, but in a good way.” He rubbed the hand she had on him. “Frustrated, of course, that we haven’t a clue on the killer.”
“I’m sorry to say, but I think it’s Trent. You never really know a person behind the mask. He always seemed so upbeat and friendly—maybe overly so. But I got the feeling he was always watching. I had no idea he was friends with Saul and at the same time, Blade knew him well enough to ask him to back him up.”
“They met at dance class. That’s what Trent told me when I questioned him. I was surprised, too. We specifically removed him and Tatiana from the lineup because they had been at the show last year.”
“Tatiana is another problem. Did you catch up with her?”
“Nope.”
She wrapped her arms around his waist and gave him a squeeze. “I get what you were doing at the show. You were making things unpredictable for the killer. Moving the location, and then confiscating the sharp objects. Did you have anything to do with the fireworks being replaced by a laser show?”
He kissed the top of her head. “Yeah, I can claim credit for that too, although Alida made it happen. The manager at The Edge is a big fan of Matt Swanson.”
“You trusted Alida?”
He nodded, thinking back. “Yes, because she was the intended victim of the pranks. She also has no motive to screw up her clients, and she fired Ivanna’s sister when it looked like Ivanna was leading a model rebellion at her agency. Plus, Matt’s campaign is top of her list, even more than whatever loyalties she might have for the congressmen.”
“Congressmen?” Avery’s hackles seemed to rise. “Which ones?”
“She works with bundlers who handle fundraisers. Larry’s one of them, and so is Richie. I don’t think she works directly with the congressmen, and she’s willing to work both sides, your dad as well as Overton and any others who require introductions.”
Avery’s eyes widened, and a shudder traveled through her body, shaking her like a leaf. “Both sides.”
Jason wondered. “Although, I heard Ivanna’s sister worked event planning for Overton. Now she’s gone overseas.”
“I just can’t wrap my head around Ivanna and Saul wanting to do me in. It’s like suspecting Mrs. Bonet.”
Jason wasn’t going to mention that thought had crossed his mind. Had Saul or Ivanna taken a quill out of Mrs. Bonet’s purse? Could they have worked together to get rid of Avery, who Mrs. Bonet blamed for Brando’s death?
Although that wouldn’t explain Brando’s killing or the deaths of the male models. Maybe Finn was right, the killings weren’t connected and he was the only person who saw a conspiracy.
“Don’t tell me you suspect Joan?” Avery’s voice cut his mental fog.
“Huh? Oh, I was thinking,” Jason recovered. “If all of the killings are not connected, then we have to deal only with what’s in front of us—the poisoned quill, which means you are the target. Who’s threatened by you?”
“Other than you?” She flashed him a playful smirk that fell flat. “Okay, not funny.”
“Don’t forget. I was there at the professor’s penthouse. He directly threatened you with exposure, and he’s blackmailing you.”
“What are you thinking? That it has to do with me?”
“Keeping secrets, Avery. As long as you keep the secret, you’re safe.”
“I never told a soul,” she insisted.
He had to be careful before asking the next question. It could shatter Avery and put her back to the night Brando died.
He tugged her into his arms and moved her to the bedroom. “You should be sitting or lying down for this.”
