Page 92 of Triggered By Love
“Keep looking,” Avery said. “I think she carried a notebook.”
“That’s what a woman who wears sports bras and plain thongs would do,” Jason said. “Nothing fancy. No leather-bound diary or electronic tablet.”
Her plain clothes seemed incongruous to the flashy and unusual accessories she made for her models, but possibly, Ivanna was a behind-the-scenes person. Such people often saw too much, and with her organized brain, she knew too much.
“Do you think the attacker took it?” Avery asked.
“No one searched the apartment before us, so it’s likely still here. She’d have it where she could refer to it.” Jason opened the drawer of her sewing table. “Got it.”
He held up a black and white composition notebook usually used for lab notes.
“What exactly are we looking for?” Avery asked. “Do you think one of the models attacked her?”
“It’s a start, right? She works with them. It’s likely she knew the guy. Maybe she was finished fitting his accessory and walked down with him on the way out.”
“Didn’t the supervisor see anyone?”
“No. His nose is embedded in the TV.” Jason flipped through the notebook. “This isn’t her design notebook. Look at this. Names, emails, and dollar amounts. You know any of these guys?”
“First name only.” Avery shook her head. “What is this?”
“I’m going to take it as evidence. She’s either hooking or blackmailing.”
“Or taking orders for her cosplay masks,” Avery pointed out. “She mentions materials.”
“Could be code for drugs. Did she come across as a user?”
Avery pursed her lips. “A joint or two, maybe. But I didn’t get the impression she was on anything else. Adderall is possible, though. She pulls all-nighters. Hyperfocused.”
“I don’t think these are drug deals,” Jason said. “Too many different names. Internet dating, maybe?”
“You don’t use a notebook for that,” Avery said. “The app would keep track of your contact list, likes and dislikes, every interaction.”
He almost asked her how she’d know, but this wasn’t a time for distraction. Instead, he thumbed through the notebook.
“Why write it down when she could keep it on her phone or in an app?”
“I know. Why generate a paper trail?”
“Unless, it’s because she doesn’t want to have an electronic trail,” Jason said. “That’s it. These days, an electronic trail is more dangerous. Someone could hack an app or intercept email or text messages. Once something’s online, it’s there forever. This has got to be something illegal.”
“Blackmail?”
“More likely than hooking.” Jason picked up a sports bra.
A heavy thudding step jerked both of their faces toward the door.
“You two done in here?” the supervisor asked. “It wouldn’t look good if Miss Chu came by and saw the light on. Or if her sister came over to get her makeup and caught me letting you in.”
“Police investigation.” Jason put the notebook into an evidence bag. “We think Ivanna was attacked by someone she knew or had met here.”
“Beats me.” The super shrugged and made a wry face. “She’s young and attractive. Lots of friends. Who am I to spy on her?”
Jason reached into his pocket and extracted a fifty-dollar bill. He dangled it as he removed the cloth over the easel in the corner of the room. “Let’s start with this guy. Who is he?”
He heard Avery gasp, but he kept his focus on the super.
The man’s eyes darted from the half-painted nude man to the fifty-dollar bill and back again.
