Page 93 of Triggered By Love
“Eh, an artist’s model. Could be anyone.”
“Too bad your eyes aren’t very sharp and neither’s your memory.” Jason made a motion of putting the bill back in his pocket.
The super’s eyes narrowed. “There’s a resemblance, but it’s hard to tell without the dark glasses.”
“What kind?” Jason barked.
“Aviators, mirrored. Weird because it’s so out of style, and you know, the guys she hangs with are model types. Wouldn’t be caught dead with aviators.”
“Aviators. Really?” Jason dangled the bill just out of reach of the super’s grubby hands. “How about shoes?”
“I don’t exercise much, but that dude always has running shoes on. I couldn’t tell you the brand.”
Jason made like he was handing over the bill, but instead, he pulled out his phone and flicked to the image of Larry Leach’s shoes. “Like these?”
“Maybe. They all look the same to me.”
“Too bad.” Jason folded the fifty in half and then into a quarter. “But since I’m such a nice guy, I’ll tell you what. If you see this guy hanging around. Do me a favor. Take a picture and text it to me. On second thought. If you see anyone come looking for Miss Chu, send me a snapshot.”
He pressed the folded bill into the super’s pudgy palm along with his card.
“I sure will.” The super looked at the card. “Detective Burnett. I will be in touch. My name’s Roland. Call me anytime.”
He rattled off his phone number, and Jason entered it into his phone.
“You two done here?” Roland flicked off the light. “Because I gotta get back to the fight. And if Ivanna’s sister comes over, I have to let her in.”
“She doesn’t have a key?” Avery asked.
“Never thought of that, but it does seem strange,” Roland said.
“Not if she has secrets she’s hiding,” Jason mused aloud. “Ave, you done?”
He noticed Avery taking a picture of the painting before replacing the cloth covering it.
“Yeah, let’s go.”
“Your place or mine?” Jason guided Avery into the hallway.
“Lame line.” She rolled her eyes. “But if you come to my place, I’ll tell you who I think the man in the painting is.”
Chapter Thirty-Two
Damon was waitingfor Avery when she and Jason reappeared at the Melbourne Building. Talk about jumping from the frying pan and into the fire. She wasn’t looking forward to the song and dance she had to lead Jason through. At least Damon would buy her minutes from revealing who the man in the painting was.
Jason hadn’t grilled her on the ride home, which was uncharacteristic. But then there was no way Avery could hide the fact that she knew who Ivanna was working with.
He was harmless, and she couldn’t picture the social gadfly hurting anyone—other than spreading false gossip and fake rumors. But if he had any information leading to Ivanna’s attacker, it would be worth sifting through them.
“Looks like the cavalry is here,” Jason grumbled when they approached her doorway.
“Where the hell did you go after the hospital?” Damon demanded. “Chase is out on the streets looking for you. Why did you block the tracking app on your phone?”
“Don’t you care how Safire’s sister is doing?” she shot back. “Besides, I’m safe, as you can see, and I have a lot of work to do.”
“Safire updated me, no thanks to you, and you’re not safe. Not when there’s a maniac beating up your assistant.” Damon’s brows lowered to a glower. “You’re staying with me tonight.”
“Agreed.” Avery unlocked her door. “But I have to pull an all-nighter here. With Ivanna out of commission, I have to do her work in addition to my own prep for the show.”
