Page 180 of Triggered By Love
“Their sons or daughters might, or someone who has a vested interest in their reputation,” Jason said. “I don’t know about all the others, but in my book, it’s Larry Leach, Harvey Leach, and Richie Overton. Larry and Harvey have a motive to do away with you because Orson has you in the will. Plus, they don’t want Orson’s reputation ruined. Richie has to protect his father’s presidential ambitions.”
“All I have to do to shut everyone up is to agree to marry one of them,” Avery said. “But who? No one’s asked me but you.”
Jason tipped her chin up to look at him. “You’re not still thinking I’m the bad guy, are you?”
“No, you’re just the badass.” She flicked him on the nose.
His smile was both wolfish and devious. “We’re going to have to trap the killer somehow. Catch a tiger by the toe.”
“I bet it’s Richie,” Avery said. “As for why Larry’s fingerprints are on the box, I have no clue. Maybe he was trying to confuse me.”
“He doesn’t seem the type to play with riddles,” Jason said. “He drops by with flowers, chocolates, tickets. Why send mystery games now?”
“I don’t know, but I have an idea. I’ll ask my father to put up a reward for information leading to the arrest of the man behind Brando’s death. Meanwhile, we’ll go through Ivanna’s notebook and send an anonymous email blast to all of the men she’s blackmailing and tell them we have the video compilation. It’ll be mutually assured destruction. Richie will think the Leaches are behind it, and the Leaches will think it’s the Overtons. Not to mention all the other families involved.”
“Throw a rock in a pack of dogs and see who yelps.”
“Right, and they will all turn on the blackmailer. Meanwhile, the blackmailer will be trying to collect the reward. We set up the tipline and nab him.”
“I like the way you think,” Jason said. “But wouldn’t Ivanna be in danger?”
“Put her in protective custody. Or let her know she has to cooperate with us or her ass is grass.” Avery clenched her fists and huffed, feeling suddenly invigorated. “We’re going to get them. Meanwhile, we’re going to Hawaii when the shit hits the fan.”
“What’s the reward?” He raised his hand for a high five, and Avery slapped it hard.
“A cool hundred thousand dollars and my hand in marriage.” Avery slinked a smile and wiggled her shoulders.
A determined expression crossed Jason’s face, and he pointed to himself with his thumb. “I’m going to win.”
“I know you will,” Avery said as she closed in for another kiss. “I’ll let you monitor the tipline.”
“You are diabolical,” he muttered in between long, slurpy kisses while the hand that wasn’t in the sling lazily fondled her breasts. “And I can’t wait to catch you by the toe.”
* * *
Even though Jasontold Avery they’d screwed up the evidence, he still handed the remnants of the box of chocolates to Riley and asked her to analyze them. He didn’t include the microSD with the lurid photos and videos and neither did he include the ring which turned out to be a perfectly cut five-carat diamond worth a cool hundred thousand dollars—the same as his wrecked Hellcat Challenger.
Whoever had sent Avery the box would want it back or want him dead or both.
He hunted down Ivanna and Saul and booked them for attempted poisoning. Chief Grimes didn’t seem to mind because as far as he was concerned, if Ivanna and Saul took the fall, his bigwig clients were safe.
He questioned Ivanna first. The poor woman had bags underneath her red-rimmed eyes, and she shuddered with abject terror.
“I swear I’m not the one doing the blackmailing,” she said. “I don’t even know what the book is for.”
“It has nicknames, emails, and amounts.” Jason slapped it on the table of the interrogation room. “Do you deny it’s your handwriting?”
“I’m just the idiot who keeps the records. He gives me a cut. A very small cut. I have no clue who they are or what they’ve done.” She wiped tears from her eyes. “Please believe me.”
“Who is he?” Jason thundered, leaning forward in an aggressive posture.
“I can’t say. He’ll kill me. Even in here.” She glanced at the walls of the room as if they had ears—which they did.
“Is it Saul Guillory?”
“Heavens no!” She blinked. “He’s the one who told me I’m in deep shit. He says I’m mixed up with the guys who killed his brother.”
“Who does he think killed his brother?”
