Page 111 of Sing You Home (Nashville Star 1)

With a sneer, Jasper nips his scotch. “Then talk.”

“You took the photo of Luke and Alabama.”

“I did. And damn if it wasn’t a perfect photo. Should’ve been nominated for a Pulitzer.”

Seth rolls his eyes. “And why’s that?”

“You’re already here. You know the answer.” Pausing for effect, Jasper says, “It was set up. That’s why.”

Seth starts. This. This is what he’s been waiting for.

“And you sent it to Sal.”

Jasper shakes his head, adamant. “No. I did a job. I deal in photos. Someone hired me to take that photo. That someone sent it to Sal.”

“Who?”

Jasper’s expression turns evasive. “No one could’ve known how that night would’ve shook out. She wasn’t supposed to get hurt.”

Seth growls. “But she did get hurt. That baby she was carryin’ died.” He drills a finger on the tabletop. He keeps his voice calm, trying to chase away some of the old anger that’s blurred his vision. “Sal could’ve died.”

Unmoved, Jasper says, “I get paid a lot of money to keep quiet.”

“Is it worth it? Hell, we’re poised to become one of the biggest acts again and you can’t even get a good picture. My brother hates your fuckin’ guts. You think he’ll let you get close to Sal, you got another thing comin’.”

Jasper looks like he’s ready to leave, but Seth keeps talking. “Let me break it down for you. Give this person up, and I might, in good faith, think about tellin’ Luke. And my brother can be mighty generous to the people he likes.”

Seth lets the offer hang in the whiskey-drenched air between them. He has no idea what it’ll entail, probably more like Luke’s boot in Jasper’s ass instead of a photo exclusive, but Jasper doesn’t have to know that.

Intrigued, Jasper nods slow. Even a shyster like him can’t resist the dangle of a good deal.

Seth eyes Jasper. “What happened that night? Who told you to take the photo? Why?”

“I don’t know the why.” Clive’s voice drops, but he looks back up at Seth. “But I know the who.”

“Tell me.”

“Mort Stein.”

Seth curses as blood thunders in his ears. He didn’t want to believe, didn’t think it possible, but it’s true.

It was Mort.

Jasper licks chapped lips. “Mort hired me to take that photo. He set the whole thing up. Alabama was in on it. She owed him a favor for representing her. After I took the photo, I sent it to him. And he sent it to Sal from a blocked number.”

“Sal knew it was Mort, too. Was that you?”

“No.” Jasper scoffs as if human decency’s beneath him. “Alabama. She reached out to Sal. Told her the truth. Guilty conscience, I guess.”

“Oh, you guess. Who else has the photo?” he asks impatiently.

“Mort. Probably.” Jasper smirks, proud of himself. “I’m not stupid. I got it too. And then some. All of Mort’s original texts backed up and archived. Like I said, I’m in it for the money.”

Seth grins. “Jasper, that’s some fuckin’ handy information right there.”

“What’re you gonna do with it?”

“None of your goddamn business.”

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