Wicked Beginning: An Ivy Morgan Mystery Books 1-3 (27 page)

With those words, Jack Harker raced to his truck and climbed in. He cast one more look at Ivy, his heart rolling at the crestfallen look on her face, and then he fired up his engine and pulled out of her driveway.

He had no idea what to do with this information. Every time he called Ivy “magic,” he’d meant it in a flirty way. Now it turned out she really was magic, and he had no idea what to do with the revelation.

“How come Jack left without saying goodbye?” Kelly asked, helping Ivy fix up the couch before bed a few hours later.

“He had someplace to be.”

“He looked upset,” Kelly said.

“He was just … distracted.” There was no way Ivy could explain Jack’s mood without telling Kelly why he was so thrown. She didn’t want to scare the girl, especially when she had no way of knowing how she was walking in Jack’s dreams.

“Did I do something? Is he mad at me? That’s it, isn’t it? He doesn’t like me.” Kelly’s lower lip quivered.

“That’s not it,” Ivy said, faltering. She had to constantly remind herself that Kelly was fragile. “He’s mad at me. It has nothing to do with you.”

“I don’t believe you,” Kelly said. “He likes you. You can tell that every time he looks at you.”

“Kelly, I swear, he’s angry at me,” Ivy said. “I did something to him.”

“What?”

Ivy licked her lips, unsure how to answer. “I … invaded his privacy in a way that upset him,” she said. “I didn’t mean to. It was an accident.”

“Why doesn’t he understand that it’s an accident?”

“It’s hard for him to wrap his mind around,” Ivy said. “He’s a good man. He just needs some time to think.”

“But … how did you invade his privacy?”

“It’s not easy to explain,” Ivy said. “Jack is a private person. He’s had a … rough time of it. Like you. He doesn’t want to talk about it.”

“Like me,” Kelly said.

“Yes,” Ivy said. “I said something I shouldn’t have said. He’s not mad at you. I can promise you that. He’s mad at me.”

“Will he forgive you?”

“I don’t know,” Ivy said. The truth was, if their positions were reversed, she wasn’t sure she could forgive him. “He’ll be okay. He’ll still want to talk to you. Don’t worry about that. Jack isn’t the type of man who just abandons someone.”

“He abandoned you,” Kelly pointed out.

“No, he didn’t. He got angry and needed some time to himself,” Ivy said. “No matter what you think about Jack, never doubt that he’s a good man. He’s one of the best men I’ve ever met, in fact. If I needed Jack, he would drop everything and come running.”

“Even though he’s upset?”

“Even though,” Ivy said, nodding. “Are you ready for bed? Do you need anything before you go to sleep?”

“No,” Kelly said, hopping onto the couch and watching as Ivy pulled the blanket over her. Nicodemus jumped up onto the couch, turned three times, and then planted himself on Kelly’s feet. It was as if he was watching over her. Even though Ivy missed him in her bed, she knew the cat understood that Kelly needed him more right now.

“I’ll see you in the morning,” Ivy said. “How about I make pancakes?”

“Sure,” Kelly said. “That sounds nice.”

Ivy started moving toward the hallway. “I’ll be right down here in my bedroom if you need me. My door will be open.”

“Thank you for letting me stay here.”

“You’re more than welcome. Trust me. I like having the company.”

IVY
was in Jack’s dream again. She knew it the second she “woke up” on the gritty city streets. Most dreams have a filmy quality, but since this dream was actually a memory, Jack saw it with acute clarity. That meant Ivy did, too.

“Oh, no,” Ivy said, glancing around worriedly. “This is not going to prove I’m trustworthy. I don’t want to be here. I want to wake up.”

“You can’t wake up. That would be too easy for both of us.” Jack’s voice was hollow as he moved up beside her, his eyes lifeless. “You’re here again. Why?”

“I don’t know,” Ivy said. “I don’t want to be here. I’m so sorry.”

“What happens now?”

“It’s your dream, Jack. I’m just a visitor.”

“You think I somehow brought you here, don’t you?”

Jack looked tired, and despite her worry that he would pull away, Ivy reached out and touched his cheek. He felt real. If she didn’t know she was in a dream, she would think he was standing beside her.

Jack pressed his eyes shut and leaned into her touch for a moment. “Why can I feel you?”

“I don’t know.”

“Something is happening here, Ivy. I can’t … I don’t … please, tell me what is going on. Tell me how to get you out of my head.”

“I don’t know how to stop this,” Ivy said, her voice plaintive. “You’re calling to me. That’s all I know.”

“Why are you coming?”

“Because I don’t know how to stop myself from coming to you,” Ivy said. “I’m so sorry.”

“I know,” Jack said. “I just … I can’t deal with this. It’s too much. This is my nightmare. You shouldn’t be here. You shouldn’t … see.”

“I’ll stay here. I … won’t follow you. When you wake up, I should be catapulted out of the dream.”

“I can’t leave you here,” Jack said. “It’s not safe.”

Ivy chuckled darkly. “Jack, this is your dream. I know it feels real, but it’s not. I can’t die in your dream.”

“I … I guess I never thought of that.”

“You can’t die either,” Ivy whispered. “You’ve already survived this.”

“Have I?”

“Jack … .” Ivy’s heart was breaking. “I don’t know what to do for you. I feel like I’m intruding, and yet I can’t walk away because it’s your dream. You’re keeping me here for a reason. Why?”

“I obviously want you to see,” Jack said. “This is what this is all about, right?”

“Maybe,” Ivy conceded. “Maybe you want someone to understand what you’ve gone through. Maybe you want to share your pain.”

“I don’t want you to see,” Jack said. “I … you don’t deserve it. This is my nightmare.”

“I’m stronger than I look, Jack. I can stay here and wait for you to wake up, or I can go with you. It’s up to you.”

Jack instinctively reached out and clasped Ivy’s hand. “I won’t let anything happen to you.”

Ivy wished she could give him the same reassurance. “I have faith in you. You should know that just because something bad happened to you, that doesn’t mean it should define you.”

“Are you going to get philosophical on me in my dream?”

“Are you going to pick a fight in your dream?” Ivy shot back.

“You’re a piece of work,” Jack said, gripping her hand and leading her down the sidewalk.

“Where are we?”

“Detroit.”

“Duh.” Ivy made a face. “Where in Detroit?”

“Mack Avenue, close to Gratiot.”

“Is this a bad area?”

“It depends on your definition of ‘bad.’ From your point of view, I’m guessing this whole city is a bad area.”

“I try not to be judgmental,” Ivy said.

Jack snorted. “Since when?”

“I don’t think I like your attitude.”

The sound of footsteps on the pavement cut the hot retort on Jack’s lips short, and when Ivy stiffened, he gripped her hand tighter. “It’s okay, Ivy. I never hear him until he’s already on me. If you hear something, it’s not danger.”

“I don’t want to watch you being shot,” Ivy said.

“I don’t know how to save you from that. Can’t you wake yourself up?”

“Can’t you?”

“I try every night,” Jack said. “It hasn’t worked so far.”

“Why do you keep coming back to this dream, Jack? Do you blame yourself for what happened?”

“I don’t know,” Jack said. “I think I blame myself for not seeing what was going to happen. Does that make sense?”

“I still don’t know exactly what happened,” Ivy reminded him. “I … know you were shot twice. I know someone close to you betrayed you. I know you almost died.”

“How do you know all of that?” Jack asked. “Can you read my mind?”

“I’m not magic, Jack.”

“You’re magic. I knew it from the second I saw you,” Jack said. “I just didn’t know you were this … magical.”

“I’m not magical,” Ivy said.

“You believe in magic. You have your own fairy ring. Your aunt claims she can see auras. I’m starting to think you’re more than you let on. I’m starting to think you’re more than even you believe.”

“You’re dreaming, so I’m going to let that go,” Ivy said. “You sound like a fortune cookie, though.”

Jack shot her a small smile. “See, that right there proves you’re magic. You can make me laugh right before someone comes to kill me.”

“Jack … .” Ivy was lost. She didn’t know what to do. “You can change this. It’s your dream.” She clutched at his hand desperately. “Think of someplace else. Think of the happiest place on Earth. You can make yourself go there right now. This doesn’t have to happen again.”

“It’s too late, Ivy,” Jack said, staring down at her soulfully. “He’s already here.”

Terror gripped Ivy’s heart. Intellectually, she knew she was safe. The fear was real all the same. “Don’t turn around.”

“I have no choice,” Jack said. “We have to have a conversation. I’ve had it hundreds of times now. It never changes. I always want answers to the same question. The funny thing is, I know he’s not going to tell me what I want to hear.”

“What do you want to hear?”

“I want to know why he’s doing it. I want to know why he did … what he did.”

“What did he do?” Ivy was curious, even though she’d promised never to press Jack on the subject.

“He betrayed his family. He betrayed the city. He betrayed … his badge. He betrayed me.”

“You were shot by another police officer?”

“Jack!”

Ivy cringed when she heard the voice. She knew what was coming and she was desperate not to see it. Jack cupped the back of Ivy’s head and brushed a quick kiss against her forehead. “You need to move over there now.”

“I’m not leaving you.” Ivy’s voice was firm.

“You can’t stop this, Ivy,” Jack said. “You said it yourself. It’s already happened.”

“No,” Ivy said, shaking her head vehemently. “We can stop this together. Stay with me. Don’t engage him. If you try, we can go to another place.”

“Stay here, honey,” Jack said, his smile wan. “It won’t take long.”

“No,” Ivy said. “I … oh … .”

“What’s going on?” Jack asked, surprised to see her face draining of color.

“I’m waking up,” Ivy said. “I … .”

“Good,” Jack said. “This is my nightmare.” He let go of her hand. “It will be okay. I know what to expect.”

IVY
bolted to a sitting position, her heart pounding and her breath coming out in raspy gasps. “I have to get back to Jack,” she said.

Kelly’s hand was icy as it gripped her arm.

“What’s wrong?” Ivy asked, shifting her gaze to Kelly as she tried to clear the muddled mess that was her mind. She longed to be back with Jack, and yet she knew he wasn’t really where she left him. Kelly was here now, and if her face was any indication, she was terrified.

“There’s someone at the front door,” Kelly whispered, sobs choking her. “Someone’s trying to get in.”

“Are you sure?” Ivy asked, tossing the covers from her body.

“He’s here,” Kelly said.

“Who?”

“He’s going to kill me. He told me he would.” Kelly was openly sobbing now.

“No one is going to kill you,” Ivy said, grabbing Kelly by the shoulders. “I promise you that.” She grabbed her cell phone off the nightstand and punched in Brian Nixon’s number without hesitation. She pressed the phone into Kelly’s hand and directed her toward the closet. “Tell him what’s going on. Tell him to come.”

“What about you?”

“Don’t worry about me,” Ivy said. “I can take care of myself.”

Ivy closed the closet door behind Kelly and then turned in the direction of her dark hallway. This was her home, and there was no way she was going to let anyone take Kelly from it.

No matter what.

“You look like hell,” Brian said, glancing up from his computer as Jack settled at his desk in the detectives’ office the next morning. “Late night?”

“Something like that,” Jack muttered.

“With Ivy?”

“I was not with Ivy last night,” Jack said. Technically, that wasn’t a lie. Sure, she’d walked in his dreams and almost bore witness to the worst moment of his life, but that all happened in his head. It didn’t count.

“I know you weren’t,” Brian said, nonplussed.

“I see your spies are still on top of their game.”

“Nope. I know you weren’t with Ivy last night because I was with Ivy last night.”

Jack stilled, surprised and confused. “What? Why?”

“Someone tried to break into her house,” Brian said.

“What!”

“Kelly called from the closet in Ivy’s bedroom,” Brian said. “Ivy locked her in before she went to investigate the noise herself.”

“I’m going to kill her,” Jack seethed. “Wait … is she okay?”

“You should probably have expressed those sentiments in the opposite order,” Brian said. “She’s fine. I went out there. It looked like someone tried to jimmy the lock on her front door and the bedroom window, though.”

“Sonovabitch,” Jack swore. “Were they looking for Kelly?”

“That’s the assumption I’m working on,” Brian said. “I don’t think Ivy has ticked off anyone in the past few days – other than you, that is – so that means it has to be because of Kelly.”

“Who knows she’s out there?”

“Besides you and me? Just her family.”

“Someone else has to know,” Jack pressed. “What about the state? When you reported the Gideons, who did you talk to?”

“I reported the situation to the state police.”

“Did they ask where Kelly was?”

“They did. I told them she was in a safe foster care environment until we could get answers from her.”

“And they were okay with that answer?”

“They didn’t put up a fight,” Brian said.

“That means someone either followed Kelly to Ivy’s property or managed to find out some other way,” Jack said.

“It does.”

Jack turned and stalked toward the door.

“Where are you going?” Brian asked, already knowing the answer.

“You know where.”

“Try not to kill her,” Brian said. “I’d hate to have to arrest you.”

“No promises.”

JACK
worked to keep his temper in check as he hopped out of his truck and moved up Ivy’s driveway. Movement drew his attention to the side of her house, and when he strode to the area in question, he found Max busily studying the outside of Ivy’s window.

“What are you doing?” Jack asked.

“Trying to figure out how to beef up the security here,” Max said. “Any suggestions?”

“I have a few ideas,” Jack said. “I need to talk to your sister first. Where is she?”

Max’s face was unreadable as he looked Jack up and down. “You don’t look well, man. Have you been sleeping?”

That was a thorny question, and one Jack had no intention of answering. “Where is Ivy?”

“She’s on the back patio with Kelly,” Max said. “Be forewarned, she’s in a bad mood. I don’t think she slept either.”

“I don’t doubt that,” Jack said. “I’m going to send Kelly over here to help you, so don’t be surprised when she shows up.” Jack moved around Max and walked in the direction of Ivy’s back yard.

“Are you and my sister going to scream at each other?”

“No.”

“Do you want to scream at her?” Max asked.

“You have no idea,” Jack said.

He found Kelly and Ivy drinking iced tea on the patio a few moments later, and Kelly was on her feet and heading in his direction before he had a chance to register her exuberance. She threw her arms around his neck. “Ivy told me you wouldn’t just abandon us.”

Jack patted Kelly’s back awkwardly. “I wouldn’t do that.” His somber eyes landed on Ivy. She looked as uncomfortable as he felt. “I’ll always come when you’re in trouble, Kelly. Don’t worry about that.”

“That’s what Ivy said.”

“Ivy is smarter than she looks sometimes,” Jack said, forcing a grin. “Can you go and help Max with the window? He’s just on the side of the house over here.”

“Do you want to talk to Ivy alone?” Kelly teased, obviously missing the fraught look on Jack’s face.

“I do,” Jack said.

“Are you going to make up?”

“We’re not fighting.”

“Ivy said you left without saying goodbye yesterday because she did something to upset you,” Kelly said.

“I … I wasn’t upset,” Jack said. “I was … sick.”

“Sick?”

“I had a stomachache from eating too much pizza.”

“You’re lying,” Kelly said, not missing a beat. “I’m not going to invade your privacy and ask why, though. Ivy says you don’t like that.” She turned to Ivy. “Is it okay if I go and help Max?”

Ivy nodded. “Do me a favor and make sure he’s not doing anything goofy.”

“I can’t do the impossible,” Kelly said, excitedly moving around the side of the house.

Jack remained where he was until he saw Max greet Kelly and then he moved over to the patio with Ivy. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” Ivy said, exhaling wearily as she leaned back in her chair. “How are you?”

“I’m not here to talk about me,” Jack said. “I’m here to talk about you. Did you see anyone?”

“No,” Ivy said, shaking her head. “I was asleep … .” Her cheeks colored as she met Jack’s even gaze. “Then I woke up to Kelly shaking me. She was terrified. I put her in the closet and handed her the phone so I could check on it for myself. I didn’t see anyone when I opened the door.”

“You opened the door?” Jack was already edgy for most of her story, but he practically exploded at this tidbit. “What were you thinking?”

Ivy shrank back, surprised. “I … .”

“I didn’t mean to scare you,” Jack said, holding up his hands. “I’m sorry I yelled that loudly. I just … why didn’t you climb into the closet with Kelly? Why did you go looking for trouble?”

“I wasn’t looking for trouble, you … butthead,” Ivy said, making a face. “I didn’t know if she imagined it. Besides that, I didn’t have anything to protect us in that bedroom. If someone was trying to get in, I needed a knife from the kitchen.”

“That’s not what you were doing, and don’t call me a butthead, by the way,” Jack said. “You were going to sacrifice yourself to protect Kelly. Don’t even bother denying it.”

“You are a butthead,” Ivy said, jumping to her feet. “I was trying to do what I thought was right.”

“Stop calling me that!”

“Then stop acting like it!”

Jack crossed his arms over his chest, exhaling heavily through his nose. He sounded like a bull readying to charge, and the thought wasn’t completely out of the realm of possibility. He just wasn’t going to charge and gore her. No, he was going to charge at her, grab her by the shoulders, and kiss her senseless.
No, wait, where did that come from?

“I didn’t come here to fight with you,” Jack said, choosing his words carefully.

“You always come here to fight with me,” Ivy said, her voice softening. “I think you like it.”

Jack was starting to think he liked it, too. “I … about last night … .”

“You don’t have to say anything,” Ivy said, waving him off. “I don’t need an apology.”

Jack made a face. “Who said I was going to apologize? You’re the one who invaded my dreams.”

“You’re the one who keeps calling me into them.”

“That’s what you say. How do I know you’re telling the truth?” Jack knew he was being purposely bratty, but he needed to put the crumbling wall to his heart back in place. She was making inroads at a disturbingly high rate of speed, and he was starting to panic.

Ivy reared back as if she’d been slapped, and Jack immediately regretted his words. “This is why I don’t get involved with anyone,” she said. “I’m weird. Weird things happen to me. It’s all fun and games when men see something different about a woman. It’s something else entirely when they have to deal with it.”

“Don’t even go there,” Jack said. “That’s not what I was saying.”

“What were you saying?”

“Just that … Ivy … I … .” Jack was at a complete loss. He had no idea how to deal with this situation. It was crippling him.

“I’m sorry you keep calling me into your dreams,” Ivy said, her blue eyes nothing more than dangerous slits. “I don’t know why you’re doing it. You might want to look inside yourself for that answer. I’m not the one doing it.”

“I’m not magical.”

“Neither am I.”

Jack couldn’t put a name to what was going on, but knew that wasn’t the truth. “I think you are.”

“I think you’re crazy,” Ivy said. “I think you want someone to blame for every crappy thing that’s happening, and I’m just a convenient target.”

“That is not true!”

“Whatever,” Ivy said, placing her hands on her hips. “I am truly sorry you feel I’ve … betrayed you. I know that’s a hot-button issue for you. I am not doing it on purpose. I would never consciously betray you.” Her eyes were glistening with tears, and even as she fought them, Jack’s knees almost buckled. He couldn’t bear to see her cry. “I’m sorry this is happening. I really am. I don’t know how to fix it, though.”

“Ivy, I’m sorry,” Jack said. “I know this isn’t your fault. I just … I don’t know how to deal with this.”

“That makes two of us.”

Jack pressed his lips together and turned to the horizon, where the sun was high in the sky and yet shadows still shrouded his heart. “Why didn’t you call me?” He hadn’t meant for the question to come out like an accusation, but the look on Ivy’s face told him that’s exactly how she was taking it.

“Excuse me?”

“You were in trouble last night,” Jack said. “You called Brian. Why didn’t you call me?”

“I … .” Now Ivy was the one at a loss for words. “You stormed off. You were angry with me. I didn’t know how you would feel about me calling. I just … reacted.”

“You saw me after I left, though,” Jack said. “I still don’t know how, but you were in my dream. You told me you were waking up. I was relieved at the time. I don’t understand why you didn’t call me when you were in trouble.”

“Maybe because I don’t want you to feel you have to save me,” Ivy said. “You’ve been very clear about how you feel. You don’t … want me. I can’t keep calling you because then you’ll think I’m trying to force a situation that I’m not.”

“I wouldn’t think that.”

“I don’t believe you.”

They were at a crossroads. This was Jack’s chance to walk away. “When you’re in trouble, you need to call me. I don’t care whatever cockamamie girl-power idea you have swimming through that crazy head of yours. I can’t bear it if something happens to you. When something bad happens, you damned well better call me from here on out.”

“Don’t tell me what to do,” Ivy warned, irritably tapping her bare foot on the patio. “You’re not the boss of me.”

“Oh, stuff it,” Jack said.

Ivy’s face was murderous. “Excuse me?”

“You heard what I said.”

“I don’t have to stand here and take this,” Ivy said.

“So, why are you?”

“Because … well … this is my property. If anyone should leave, it’s you.”

“I’m not leaving,” Jack said. “In fact, I’m going to go help Max make sure this house is secure. How do you like them apples?”

“You’re a butthead.”

“I’ve heard.” Jack couldn’t help but enjoy watching the hot flush creeping up her neck. He knew it was more than anger fueling her. He wondered if she realized it, too.

“I don’t need you to keep my house safe,” Ivy said. “I don’t want you here.”

“I don’t remember asking what you wanted,” Jack said.

“I … you … we … you’re a butthead!” Ivy had nothing else to do now but make a dramatic exit. Jack watched her storm into the house with a small smile. When he turned his head back to the side of Ivy’s house, he found Max and Kelly staring at him.

“That sounds like it went well,” Max said.

“Your sister is a lunatic.”

“She is,” Max agreed. “I’m starting to think you’re one, too.”

“I am perfectly sane.”

“That’s why you’re smiling because you sent her over the edge,” Max said.

“I’m doing no such thing,” Jack said. “She needed a good talking to. She has to know going after a possible intruder in the middle of the night is not allowed.”

“Hmm,” Max said, his tongue in his cheek. “Is that why you were upset? I thought it had more to do with the fact that she called Brian instead of you.”

“I … how long were you listening?”

“You guys don’t do anything quietly,” Max said. “We heard most of it.”

“How much is that?”

“Some of it we didn’t understand,” Max conceded. “I’m not sure what the dream stuff is, but it sounds like you two have quite a bit going on these days.”