Page 185 of Triggered By Love
“On what?” he barked.
“You saw the reward my father offered? Turn in the murderer and you’ll have a shot.” She ended the call.
One mystery solved.
“Richie was the one who sent the box of chocolates,” she told Jason.
Her phone rang again, and it was from Larry.
“You got my note. Have you chosen?Eenie, meenie, miney, moe.”
“Sorry, but you didn’t give me a ring. Why should I choose you?” she asked, perplexed, since it seemed Richie was the one who sent the box.
“Because I’m the tiger king,” he said. “I can guarantee your father wins the election. I have the goods to force Overton to resign.”
“So do I,” she said and hung up. Turning to Jason, she said, “Weird. Larry just called and quoted from the catch a tiger by the toe message.”
“I heard your end of the conversation,” Jason said. “Maybe he touched the box when putting in his chocolate.”
“You mean someone held a collection?” Her phone rang again, and after a lot of throat clearing, Professor Leach spoke.
“Avery, my girl. Flee at once—all is lost.” He coughed and sputtered. “I guess you didn’t take my poison pill, but your shameful secret is about to be exposed. Goodbye, my little pet. Let’s take the pill together. All is lost. Flee with me.”
“Wait, Professor—” The call ended.
Avery tapped Jason. “I have to get off the plane. The professor’s about to commit suicide.”
“You can’t. They just shut the door,” Jason said. “There’s nothing you can do to stop him if that’s what he’s going to do.”
Her phone rang once more, and she was surprised by the voice on the line. “Tatiana?”
Jason’s eyebrows shot up to his hairline at that. He bent over to listen in.
“You go, girl,” Tatiana said. “I can’t tell you how I got it, but you have everything Orson collected. You can take him down.”
“The memory card? That was yours?” Avery gasped. “What’s in it for you?”
“Let’s just say I was also a pretty girl growing up in a pretty house in a pretty town. Good luck, Avery and Jason.”
“Wait, who collected the chocolates?”
“Someone who enjoys drama and is a grifter,” Tatiana said. “Even though it was a joint gift, I’m sure everyone paid full price. Then he combined everyone’s gift into a single box.”
“Wow, that’s cheap. Does he wear snazzy cross-trainers?”
“Yes, that’s him. Good luck, I have to disappear,” she said.
“Thank you. I hope we meet again.”
“I hope not,” she replied. “All the best.”
It was time to turn off all electronics. Avery’s stomach soured. How was she going to keep track of the rest of the perps? The ones who sent the quill, the cyanide, and even filled one of the truffles with chicken shit?
“Let it go,” Jason said. “We’ll know more when we get to LA.”
“Who do you think it is?” Avery asked. “She says someone who likes drama.”
“And wears cross-trainers. Agile enough to climb walls and outrun me.”
