Page 60 of Triggered By Love
Chapter Twenty-One
Jason kepthis voice down while glancing out the small bathroom window.
“What did you find?” he asked his partner, Blade.
Last evening, before leaving the orchard, he’d texted a photo of the black sedan to run a check on the license plate.
“Registered to Congressman Overton’s son, Richard,” Blade said. “He has a couple of arrests but no convictions. Shoplifting, drug possession, driving under the influence.”
“Bet his daddy got him off. Why would he be skulking around the Cockburn mansion?”
“You mean Avery didn’t tell you?” Blade’s voice was both amused and grave. “He used to be her boyfriend. After checking his priors, I went on his FacePlant page.”
“Used to be or still is?” Jason wished he’d brought his laptop into the bathroom. Why had he let Avery distract him? He should have run the license number himself, but at the time, he was more interested in keeping Avery safe and not letting the moment get away from him. She was so receptive to him at dinner, and he’d let his feelings get away from him.
“The photos are from her modeling days,” Blade replied. “The latest photo of them together was from five years back.”
“When she was twenty-one,” Jason said. “She wiped her FacePlant page clean of everything before Brando.”
“Richie’s worth checking out,” Blade noted. “Why don’t you ask Avery about him while I dig up his business contacts?”
“I can do that.”
“You have your hands full. Don’t know if you checked the news this morning.”
“Just got up.”
“This late? Long night, huh?” Blade’s voice was full of snark. “Did you let her get her beauty rest?”
“Tell me what’s on the news.” Jason cut to the chase.
“Matt Swanson got a threatening note.”
“Did he produce the note?”
“He posted it to his FacePlant page. You can check it out for yourself. Apparently, someone is upset that he’s dating Avery Cockburn. Told him to back off. That they won’t be missing next time.”
“Do we believe the note is genuine?”
“I’m going to pay Mr. Swanson a visit since he hasn’t returned my call.”
“Avery might be able to help,” Jason volunteered. “She’s supposed to be his fake girlfriend.”
“No. That would be falling into the trap. The note threatens both of them, although Matt is making light of it on social media and milking it for all he can. They’re proclaiming him a hero for saving Avery from the taxicab.”
Jason didn’t care if Matt got the credit. “I’ve been investigating Congressman Overton. Richie is a bundler for his father’s political contributions. Remember that case of the male model found dead at a fundraiser?”
“Chief concluded they were accidental overdoses,” Blade said, still spewing the party line. “By the way, he’s asking why you turned off your phone.”
“It’s my day off. What did he want?”
“Said you were off duty, and you’re not assigned to the attempted hit and run.”
“I was there on the scene.”
“Right, tailing Avery Cockburn when he told you to stand down.”
“Did you tell him I’m dating her?”
