Character Coffee Chat with Brad Dawson

Welcome to the next installment of the Character Coffee Chat series!

Readers immerse themselves in books they enjoy, especially when they can relate to the characters as if they are real people. Friends you can turn to, family you spend special moments with and even those characters you love to hate. Character Coffee Chats offer a little extra time with some of the characters readers have enjoyed meeting or getting to know in the Jorja Matthew mystery series. For those who haven’t yet read the series, be warned some coffee chats might offer spoilers.

For those who have kept up with the series since the beginning, here’s your chance to spend extra time with each character, gain insight about recent events in the novels and learn more details about their backstory. Now, grab a cup of coffee or other hot drink of your choice and let’s get started!

Today’s coffee chat will be with Brad Dawson from the Jorja Matthews mystery series.

We’ll begin with Brad telling us a little about himself and how he knows Jorja…

Hi, well, my name is Brad Dawson and I’m the football coach at the high school. I also teach health and physical education and I have family local to the area. I’ve actually known Jorja since we were kids and we were in school together until I moved away in the 12th grade.

You moved away from the area and then moved back?

Yeah, my parents had to move out of state because my dad’s business wasn’t doing well here and he was offered a job he couldn’t refuse. It wasn’t the best time for me to move, since I had to start my senior year at a new school, but I did okay. When I was in college, my parents decided to move back to this area when my dad was able to financially afford to restart his construction business. I stayed where I was, graduated and took on a teaching position but I always hoped to move back here. Eventually I learned about the opening for a football coach and teacher at the high school. I applied for the job and moved here shortly after I was hired.

Were you and Jorja just friends, or was there more to your relationship?

Oh, we were more than friends in school, we were high school sweethearts. It was another reason I was upset with my parents for quite a while after we moved. Not only did I have to start my senior year at a new school in a new state, they took me from Jorja. We tried to keep in touch, but long-distance relationships are never easy. Especially when you’re a kid with limited means and a new life with lot of new distractions.

Did you have any other sweethearts in high school? What about Lydia Myers?

I don’t know what Lydia has said, but we definitely weren’t high school sweethearts. I can’t even say we were friends, really. We were friendly acquaintances through high school, I guess is how I would describe it. I was told by some of my buddies that Lydia had a crush on me, but I wasn’t interested and I never tried to give her the wrong impression. I know Jorja and Lydia weren’t friends in high school and even now, they have their issues, but I’m not really sure why. Now that I’ve talked my way through it, I have to say I wonder whether I might be the issue. That’s a curious thought that I would usually find humor in, except that I don’t want to be the reason Jorja doesn’t have a good relationship with someone else.

What’s your relationship like with Jorja now?

We’re friends. Really good friends, but we’re not involved romantically. Not that I’d say no if she ever wanted to be. But I’m willing to give her time to figure things out. I know I have some competition, so in the meantime, I’m happy if we can still be close friends.

And your competition is?

None other than one of our local men in blue, Officer Fritz. The one good thing about being friends with Jorja is that I can be there for her, but I’ll admit if she wants to talk about Fritz, I prefer to be there for her when she’s upset with him. I mean, don’t get me wrong. I like the guy. But it gives me hope that maybe she’ll come around someday and realize I don’t irritate her like he does.

What do you think about Jorja’s work as a private investigator?

I think it’s pretty cool and she’s awesome at it. Ever since I’ve known her, she’s been nothing but curious. She can’t help but try to solve a puzzle and she’s always had a soft spot for anyone who needs help. Sometimes I don’t like the people she’s helping, especially once I learn what they’ve been accused of, but she’s shown me more than once that not everyone is guilty of the crime they’re accused of and that the truth is usually somewhere in the middle.

Have you been involved with any of the cases Jorja has investigated?

Well, there was the one time Ryan and I helped Jorja by catching someone who broke into her house. The guy was a piece of work. Assaulted his wife and then tracked her down here after she ran from him and tried to ruin her life even more. The trap we set for him didn’t go exactly as planned, because Ryan and I ended up going through Jorja’s sliding glass door when we tackled the perp, but at least we caught him. We got a few cuts and scrapes for our time but it was worth it.

And another time, I helped dig up a body out in the woods. I used to work for my dad’s business and I still help him during the summer months when I have time. Due to my experience, I’m good with a backhoe so I was asked to help out at the site where the remains of a body was found. At the time, it was just a job but later it turned into a cold case that Jorja got involved with.

Now that was an interesting case and a little sad, too. I mean, an abusive dad who’s also a drunk goes missing and everyone just assumed he took off because he didn’t care enough about his family to stick around. It’s sad when you realize there are people out there who can go missing, and who have been killed in one fashion or another, and no one has any reason to wonder where they are or to report them as missing.

Even though you probably didn’t expect to take part in catching bad guys or digging up bodies, are you happy you moved back to your home town?

That stuff doesn’t bother me. Every town has issues with the criminal element and if I can help in any way, especially for my friends, then I’m all in. And yes, I’m really happy to be back. I love my job as a coach. I enjoy teaching the kids on the field and in the classroom. The community is nice and it’s small, but close enough to larger cities if I feel the need to visit them. I enjoy living in the Pacific Northwest. Even with all the rain we get, it rewards us with beautiful forests and mountains where I can hike spring through fall and go skiing in the winter.

I’m also happy to be close to my parents so that I can help them when I’m able. I have some good friends here, including Jorja’s brother, Ryan. And it was a stroke of luck, for me anyway, that Jorja moved back here not long after I did. Like I said, we’re good friends and whether or not it moves into anything more serious, I like spending time with her and I enjoy our friendship. Plus, every chance I get to hang out with her gives me the opportunity to remind her just how great guy I am.

The question about whether the relationship between Brad and Jorja will remain as platonic or morph into something more serious is where we’ll end with this chat today. Brad may come back another time, but it could be awhile so if you have a question specifically for him, please note it down in the comments and he’ll reply to best of his ability.

I hope you enjoyed this Character Coffee Chat and that you’ll check back next month for the next chat with another character from the Jorja Matthew mystery series!