Wicked Beginning: An Ivy Morgan Mystery Books 1-3 (34 page)

“Oh, really? Where are you going to go?” Marcus asked.

“Heaven,” Jack replied, and as he clasped Ivy’s hand so tightly she could almost swear he was cutting off the blood supply, the street tableau fell away and Ivy found herself standing in front of a river.

“Where are we?”

“This is the river by my house,” Jack said.

“This is your happy place?”

“No,” Jack said, shaking his head. “Although I do like the sound of the river. My happy place is here,” he said, pressing his finger to the spot above Ivy’s heart.

“Oh,” Ivy said, her cheeks coloring.

Jack didn’t give Ivy a chance to argue, or fret, or think of a reason for them both to wake up. He grabbed her, his hands snaking around the back of her head, and pressed her face against his.

This time no one interrupted their kiss, and in the real world, Ivy sighed as she snuggled closer to Jack on the couch, while he pulled her as tight as he could without smothering her.

The dream had changed, but the reality was still the same. Jack knew he wasn’t going to let her go in either world. It was too late for that.

“Good morning, honey,” Jack murmured, brushing his lips against Ivy’s neck as she stirred beside him the next morning.

“Good morning,” Ivy said, giving herself permission to relish his warmth for a few moments before the day beckoned.

“How did you sleep?”

“Wonderfully. How did you sleep?”

“I’ve never slept better,” Jack said, and he was telling the truth. “I … thank you.”

“I didn’t do anything,” Ivy said. “You changed the dream.”

“I couldn’t have done it if you didn’t force me into a position where I had to,” Jack said. “You put yourself in danger to free me.”

“I was never in danger, Jack.”

“Stop arguing with me,” Jack said, grabbing her chin and kissing her softly.

When they parted, Ivy fixed him with a hard look. “You need to stop doing that.”

“No,” Jack said, pushing himself to a sitting position and running his hand through his hair.

“No?” Ivy arched a challenging eyebrow.

“No,” Jack repeated.

“But … you said … .”

“I know what I said,” Jack said. “I’m not saying it again, so you can stop bringing it up. I changed my mind.”

“You changed your mind?” Ivy was flustered, and when she was flustered she lashed out the only way she knew how: by fighting.

“I told you last night that we’re not going to talk about this until Kelly is taken care of,” Jack said, turning his attention to the quiet kitchen. “Once that’s finished, once it’s just the two of us, then we’re going to have a long talk.”

“You can’t make decisions for the both of us,” Ivy said.

“I just did,” Jack replied, unruffled. “Now, I expect you to sit there and stew for five minutes. Then I expect you to pick a fight. I’m going to cook breakfast and leave for work without engaging in said fight. By the time I get back later today, I’m hoping you’ll have wrapped your head around this so we don’t have to fight. If you still want to fight, though, I’ll be ready then.”

“You can’t dictate terms in my house,” Ivy said.

“Huh, and yet I’m going to do just that,” Jack said, leaning over and giving her another short kiss. “And look at that, it seems to be working in my favor.”

“WHY
are you so … glowy … today?” Brian asked, glancing at his partner as they drove toward Gaylord. After searching through Kelly’s records, Jack finally found mention of her brother. Several data scans revealed his location, and he wasn’t too far away, so Jack and Brian were going to see him in person.

“I’m in a good mood,” Jack said. “I slept like a rock last night.”

“Did you sleep alone?” Brian was teasing, but when Jack turned to him and shook his head, he instantly sobered. “You two did it while Kelly was under the same roof?”

“We didn’t do anything,” Jack said. “We just slept on the couch together.”

“Seriously? I thought you were anti-relationship?”

“So did I,” Jack said. “It turns out, I’m full of crap when I want to be.”

“So, wait, are you and Ivy officially a couple?”

“Nope,” Jack replied. “We’re not going to officially be anything until Kelly is safe and settled in her new home.”

“Ah, that’s why you’re so gung-ho to find her brother, isn’t it? I wondered.”

“I want to find her brother because I’m hoping that he’ll be willing to see Kelly,” Jack said. “Something has to make her talk. I’m hoping he’s going to be the one to do it.”

“He hasn’t seen her in eight years,” Brian said. “He was in the system, too. You realize he might be just as much of a mess as she is, don’t you?”

“I do,” Jack said. “His record is clean, though. He’s got a good job at the lumber yard out there. I’m not expecting him to come in and instantly erase all of the bad feelings Kelly has about family. I am hoping he’ll be able to help, though.”

“What if he doesn’t want to help?”

“Then we’ll figure something else out.”

“When did you become a glass-half-full guy?” Brian asked, smirking. “Was it about the time you cuddled up on the couch with Ivy?”

“Maybe,” Jack said. “If you’re trying to rile me up about that, it isn’t possible. I’m in too good of a mood.”

“Because of Ivy?”

“She’s part of it,” Jack said. “I’m not embarrassed, so tease away.”

“I have no intention of teasing you,” Brian said. “Well, I probably will down the line. I don’t plan on doing it now, though. I think this is great. You and Ivy have been sparking around each other since the moment you met. I have to ask, though, why now?”

“I can’t fight her,” Jack replied honestly. “I’ve tried so hard to pretend I don’t have feelings for her that I’ve lost sight of the bigger picture.”

“Which is?”

“Some things are destined,” Jack said.

Brian pressed his lips together, fighting hard not to laugh. “Are you saying Ivy Morgan is your destiny?”

“I’m saying I’m done trying to live my life without Ivy in it,” Jack said. “I can’t do it.”

“My wife is going to be so disappointed,” Brian said, chuckling. “She’s convinced herself she’s going to find you a mate. She was crushed when I told her you were adamant about not dating.”

“Your wife will survive,” Jack said. “I’m not dating anyone but Ivy. Period.”

“How does Ivy feel about this?” Brian asked. “She was dead set against dating, too.”

“She’ll come around.”

“She’ll come around?”

Jack sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “She’s mad because I’m dictating terms without letting her talk about the elephant in the room,” he said. “We can’t talk about it until Kelly is taken care of, so she’s … frustrated.”

“That means she’s feisty,” Brian said. “You know she’s going to pick a big fight, right?”

“Actually, I’m looking forward to it,” Jack said, shooting his partner a cheeky grin. “Fighting with her turns me on.”

“Oh boy,” Brian said. “I can’t wait to watch this play out.”

JORDAN SISTO
eyed Brian and Jack dubiously as they approached him in the lumber yard. He was tall, almost the same height as Jack, and steady hours of manual labor had turned his body into a mass of toned muscle.

“Can I help you?”

“Are you Jordan Sisto?” Jack asked, flashing his badge.

“I am. Is something wrong?”

Brian and Jack exchanged a look.

“We’re here to talk to you about Kelly,” Brian said, watching the man roll the idea around in his head. “Is there somewhere we can talk?”

Jordan’s gaze bounced between the two men as he tried to make up his mind about what to do. Finally, he nodded and gestured for them to follow. He led them to a small clearing on the far side of the lumber yard and then turned back to them. “Is she … dead?”

“No,” Jack said hurriedly. “I’m sorry. We should’ve led with that. I didn’t mean to scare you.”

Jordan exhaled heavily, relief washing over him. “I thought for sure you guys were here to tell me that she’d been killed.”

“She’s alive,” Jack said.

“Does that mean she’s been hurt?” Jordan asked.

“She has been hurt, although she’s on her feet and walking around,” Jack said. He explained about the past few days, watching Jordan’s face as he told the story. When he was done, the younger man was hard to read. “I know that’s a lot to take in.”

“Can I ask when the last time you saw your sister was?” Brian asked.

“I was fifteen when my parents died,” Jordan said. “I was almost sixteen actually. When I first heard about the accident, I kept trying to figure out how I was going to take care of Kelly. It never even occurred to me that we’d be separated.

“I was older than her, but I think that made it easier when my parents were still alive,” he continued. “I’m sure I was jealous when they brought her home from the hospital, but I always liked her. I was her big brother, and I took my job seriously.”

“That’s nice,” Brian said.

“When I realized the state wasn’t going to let us stay in our house, I thought they would try to place us somewhere together,” Jordan said. “No one wanted a teenager, though. I guess I can’t blame them. I was sent to a halfway house for teenage boys until I graduated, and I thought Kelly was being adopted by a family.”

“They kept her for nine months,” Jack said. “Then … um … the couple got a baby and they decided they didn’t want to keep Kelly.”

Jordan swore under his breath. “Well, that’s just great,” he said. “What a stand up couple, huh? Dammit! The only reason I stayed away from her after I was released from the system was because I thought she was better off. I didn’t want to disrupt her happy family life. I didn’t think that was fair.”

“Would you have tried to get custody of her had you known?” Brian asked.

Jordan faltered. “I don’t know,” he admitted. “I was eighteen, and I doubt the state would’ve given her to me. I can’t say if I would’ve tried or not, though. I just … I don’t know. I know I wouldn’t have been a good guardian then. It took me some time to get on my feet.

“I found a good job, though,” he said. “I’m happy here. I’m never going to be rich, but the owner took a chance on me. Now I go to his house every Sunday for family dinner. I’m working my way up through the ranks here. He’s teaching me about the business end. He says … he says he wants to sell the business to me when he’s ready to retire.”

“That’s amazing,” Jack said. “You’ve done well for yourself. Most kids in your situation would’ve had trouble surviving, let alone thriving. You should proud of yourself. I’m sure your parents would be.”

“Would they?” Jordan asked, his face serious. “I can’t help but think they’d be disappointed because of what I let happen to Kelly.”

“You can’t think that way, son,” Brian said. “You had no way of knowing.”

“What happened to her?” Jordan asked.

“We don’t know yet,” Jack said. “She’s not talking about it, and that’s actually why we came looking for you.”

“You want me to talk to her, don’t you?”

“Do you think you’re up for that?” Brian asked.

“She’s my sister,” Jordan said. “I’m willing to do what it takes to make sure she’s okay.”

“You’re a good kid,” Jack said. “Man, I mean. You’re a good man.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Jordan said. “I still feel like a kid. When do you want me to talk to her?”

Jack and Brian exchanged a look.

“Can you come over to Shadow Lake tonight?” Jack asked. “I’d like you to have dinner with Kelly. I’ll be there, too, as will the woman Kelly is staying with. We can make sure to give you some time alone. If that goes well, I’d like you two to spend some more time together, too.”

“What if she doesn’t want to see me?” Jordan asked.

“Kelly is desperate for family,” Jack said. “I don’t know a lot, but I do know that. She might be difficult at first. I’m not going to lie. She’s got a lot of resentment built up.”

“I guess she’s earned that,” Jordan said. “I’ll talk to my boss. When I explain what’s going on, he’ll give me whatever time I need off. Give me directions.”

Jack clapped him on the shoulder. “Thank you.”

“You’re going out of your way to protect my sister,” Jordan said. “I’m the one who should be thanking you.”

“I don’t know about this,” Kelly said, eyeing the horse suspiciously as Ivy showed her how to get in the saddle. “What if it bites me?”

“Horses don’t bite.”

“I … do you know all horses?” Kelly narrowed her eyes, and Ivy had to suck her cheeks in to keep from laughing out loud.

“These are gentle horses,” Ivy said. “I’ve ridden them hundreds of times. They know the paths. They can’t get lost. They won’t break into a run without prodding – and I’m guessing you’re not going to prod this one.”

“Can’t we just go for a walk?” Kelly pleaded.

Ivy tilted her head to the side, considering. “We can go for a walk instead if you tell me what’s going on.”

Kelly made a face. “You’re blackmailing me?”

“I like to consider it aggressive negotiations,” Ivy countered.

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Then get on the horse.”

“But … .”

Ivy shook her head, the look on her face no-nonsense and firm. “Get on the horse, Kelly.”

Once the teenager was settled with the reins in her hands, Ivy climbed up on her own horse and led the way out of the barn. The horses in question knew the paths to take, and Ivy let her steed lead the way as Kelly’s kept pace next to her.

“See, it’s not trying to bite you,” Ivy said.

“It could be thinking about it.”

Ivy chuckled despite herself. “Is this your first time on a horse?”

“The Gideons weren’t big on spending money on things that didn’t benefit them,” Kelly said, not bothering to hide the bitterness in her voice.

“I’m sorry you had to live with them,” Ivy said. “I … there are no words for how sorry I am.”

“It’s not your fault,” Kelly said. “You don’t have to apologize.”

“You’re never going to have to see them again,” Ivy said. “Don’t worry about it. In fact, Brian left me a message. He had someone drive over to the house and pick all your stuff up. He’s going to send it with Jack tonight.”

“Jack is spending the night again?” Kelly asked, lifting her eyebrows suggestively. “Did you two do it last night?”

“You’re obsessed with us
doing it
,” Ivy said, making a face. “I think you need to let it go.”

“I’m taking that as a no.”

“What makes you say that?”

“Because you would be in a better mood if it was a yes,” Kelly teased.

Ivy couldn’t help herself from smirking. “Jack and I are … in limbo right now.”

Kelly sobered. “Because of me?”

“Because of a lot of things,” Ivy said. “I don’t want you to worry about that. Jack and I have issues of our own. We have a few things to talk about.”

“I don’t think Jack wants to talk,” Kelly said. “I think Jack wants to kiss you.”

“Jack has very busy lips,” Ivy said. “He wants to flap them just as much as he wants to use them for kissing.”

“Whatever,” Kelly said, rolling her eyes. “I saw you two at the fairy ring last night. It didn’t look like talking was on his mind.”

“Let’s talk about something else,” Ivy suggested.

“Like what?” Kelly asked.

“Do you know what Jack is doing today?”

“Daydreaming about kissing you?”

Ivy made a face. “No more talking about that,” she ordered. “I don’t want to even think about Jack’s lips for the rest of the day.”

“You’re the one who brought up Jack,” Kelly reminded her.

“That’s because he’s on a special errand today,” Ivy said.

“Oh, yeah? What errand? Is he riding a horse, too?”

“He’s in Gaylord,” Ivy said. “He found your brother.”

Kelly’s shoulders stiffened, and her eyes were full of trepidation when she shifted them to Ivy. “He did? He found Jordan?”

“I don’t know a lot yet,” Ivy cautioned. “I do know Jordan has done well for himself. He works at the lumber yard out there, and he wants to see you.”

“I don’t want to see him.”

“He’s coming for dinner tonight,” Ivy said, Jack’s words about not backing down playing through the back of her mind. “You’re going to be civil.”

“He abandoned me.”

“He was sixteen years old,” Ivy argued. “He didn’t abandon you. Jack didn’t have a lot of time to talk on the phone, but he did tell me that Jordan tried to keep you, but the state wouldn’t let him.”

“He could’ve kept me if he wanted to.” Kelly wasn’t giving up on the scenario she’d built in her mind over the past eight years.

“The state wouldn’t allow that,” Ivy said.

“What about after he was eighteen?”

“Jordan thought you were adopted,” Ivy said, choosing her words carefully. “He thought the couple you first went to live with kept you this whole time. Now, I know that’s a sore subject, and I don’t want to make it worse, but he thought he was doing the right thing.”

“How does forgetting I existed equate to ‘the best thing’?” Kelly challenged.

“He thought he would be doing more harm than good by interrupting your life,” Ivy said. “Jack said he was really upset when he found out the truth.”

“He was?” Despite her belligerence, Ivy couldn’t help but notice the touch of hope in Kelly’s voice.

“He’s coming to see you tonight, isn’t he?”

“Jack probably made him,” Kelly grumbled.

“Jack wouldn’t do something like that,” Ivy said. “You need to give Jack a break.”

“Because you’re kissing him?”

“Because he’s trying to help you,” Ivy shot back. “Now … ride your horse. If you don’t stop talking about Jack and kissing, I’m going to tell that horse to bite you.”

“You don’t have the power,” Kelly scoffed.

“MAKE
sure you brush him down,” Ivy instructed, glancing over Kelly’s shoulder as she watched the teenager work.

“I don’t understand why we have to do this,” Kelly complained. “Isn’t that what the stable hands are for?”

“You’re going to bond with that horse or spend the night here,” Ivy said.

“Whatever,” Kelly said, rolling her eyes.

Ivy shuffled across the barn, not stopping until she was next to Millie Nixon. “I forgot how obnoxious teenagers were.”

Millie, who also happened to be Brian’s wife, snorted. “I remember some particularly obnoxious days with Sean and Simon when they were that age,” she said, referring to her sons. “Sometimes you and Max joined in and made it a free-for-all.”

“How many days are you working here now?”

“Just once a week,” Millie said. “I volunteer my time because I love the horses. Brian says we’re too busy to have any out at the farm, and I agree with him, but I miss having them around.”

“I kind of wish you guys still had horses, too,” Ivy said. “I would’ve brought her out there instead of here if I had the chance.”

Millie lowered her voice. “Are you worried about someone seeing her? Brian says someone broke into your house the other night.”

Ivy shrugged. “Whoever wants her knows where she’s staying,” she said. “I’m more concerned with answering hard questions from well-meaning people. How do I explain who she is?”

“Just leave that to me if it comes up,” Millie said.

“Why you?”

“I’m a better liar than you are.”

Ivy snorted. “I’ll have you know, I’m a world-class liar when I want to be.”

“Sweetie, you’re the worst liar ever,” Millie said. “Every time you tried to lie when you were a teenager the tops of your ears turned red. That’s how I always caught you and Max when you were up to no good.”

“And then you called and told our parents,” Ivy reminded her.

“That’s what friends do in a town this small,” Millie replied, nonplussed. “Speaking of Max, when do you think he’s going to settle down?”

“Not any time soon,” Ivy said. “Aunt Felicity called him a hound dog yesterday, and I’m starting to think that should be his new nickname. Spread the word.”

Millie chuckled. “Your brother has a mile-long streak of charm, that’s for sure,” she said. “Still, I think someone is going to tame him one day, and when they do, he’s going to make a fine husband and father. Don’t worry about it. He still has plenty of time.”

“I’m not worried about it,” Ivy said. “I think my mother would like a few grandkids, though.”

“Maybe you and Jack will give her some.”

Ivy turned swiftly, fixing Millie with a hard look as the woman pretended to study Kelly and the horse. “What did you just say?”

“I said that your hair is very pretty,” Millie lied.

“No, what did you say about Jack? Who told you that?”

Millie sighed. “Sweetie, let it go. Everyone in this town knows about you and Jack. All the single female hearts are breaking, and all the male egos are taking a pounding.”

“What has Brian told you?” Ivy asked, narrowing her eyes.

“Brian told me to mind my own business,” Millie said. “I’ve had my eye on Jack for some random fix-ups ever since I heard he was coming to town. Brian said the minute you two laid eyes on each other fireworks started going off, though, so I decided to take a step back and hedge my bets.”

“I don’t know what that means.”

“I’ve always wanted you to find someone to tame that wild streak,” Millie said. “You weren’t ready, though. I didn’t even consider you for Jack when I heard he was coming to town because I didn’t think you would be ready for a long while. It looks like I was wrong on that front.”

“Jack and I are … not together.”

“Oh, please,” Millie said, waving off Ivy’s argument. “You and Jack can keep telling people you’re not together, but everyone knows it’s only a matter of time. People saw you playing basketball at the high school together.”

“How does that equate to being a couple?”

“People know he’s been staying out at your house the past two nights.”

“On the couch,” Ivy said, refusing to own up to the fact that she’d been on the couch with him. “He’s staying to make sure Kelly is safe.”

“Keep telling yourself that,” Millie said. “You’re going to have to find another excuse when Kelly is gone, though.”

“I … .” Ivy broke off, frustrated. “Everyone in this town thinks this is so funny. It’s not going to be funny when Jack breaks my heart.”

Millie shifted her eyes to Ivy. “What do you mean?”

“He doesn’t want a relationship,” Ivy said. “Even if I did want one … which I don’t, mind you … he doesn’t want to be tied down.”

Millie pursed her lips. “Everyone says that until they find the one they’re supposed to be with,” she said. “You’re tying yourself up in knots because you’re terrified he is the one for you. Don’t make yourself sick over this. Things will work out how they’re supposed to.”

“And you think they’re going to work out in a way that lets Jack and I be together?”

“I don’t think that,” Millie said, and despite herself, Ivy’s heart sank at the words. “I
know
you’re going to be together.”

Ivy faltered. “How?”

“Some things are destiny,” Millie said. “I have faith you and Jack are destiny.”

“I wish I had your faith,” Ivy said.

“Don’t worry. You will.”

“I … .”

“Who is that?” Millie asked, cutting Ivy off and pointing toward the far end of the barn. “That guy has been standing there for ten minutes, and he’s been staring at Kelly the whole time. I don’t recognize him.”

Ivy swiveled, fixing her eyes on the dark figure in question. The barn wasn’t well lit, and even though the sun was still relatively high in the sky, she couldn’t make out his features. All she could see was that he looked to be of average height and weight, and Millie was right, he was focused on Kelly.

“I don’t know,” Ivy said. “Watch Kelly.”

“What are you going to do?” Millie asked.

“Find out who he is,” Ivy said. “I’d like to do it without freaking Kelly out if I can.”

“You be careful,” Millie warned. “Don’t do anything stupid.”

“I never do stupid things,” Ivy said, striding off in the direction of the stranger. She kept her pace even, but purposeful, and after a few moments, the stranger shifted his eyes from Kelly to Ivy. Ivy still couldn’t make out his features, but whatever the man was hoping to accomplish was cut short when he turned on his heel and walked out of the barn.

Ivy broke into a run. “Hey!”

By the time she raced out of the barn, the area surrounding it was empty. She scanned the open expanse, hoping to see a glimpse of the man. When she heard a car engine fire up, she shifted her attention to the parking lot just in time to see a red Ford Explorer speed out. She was too far away to get the license plate.

“Crap,” she muttered, reaching for her phone. “Jack is not going to like this.”