Wicked Beginning: An Ivy Morgan Mystery Books 1-3 (4 page)

“Do you really think Ivy is capable of killing someone?” Brian asked.

“Of course,” Ava said. “She’s a Devil worshipper. That’s what they do. Mark my words: Ivy Morgan is not only responsible for this dead girl, but she’ll be responsible for the next one, too. She’s evil … and she’s just getting started.”

“Hey there, pop tart.”

Ivy lowered the book she was reading and glared at her older brother with unveiled disgust. “I hate it when you call me that, Max.”

“I know,” Max said, tousling Ivy’s hair with one hand while he clasped a brown paper bag in the other. “I brought dinner.”

Ivy wrinkled her nose, torn. She wasn’t in the mood to deal with her brother – or the drama he often brought into her life – but she also wasn’t particularly looking forward to cooking for herself. It was a hard choice. “What did you bring me?”

“A Greek salad and tomato soup from the diner.”

Well, that did it. There was no way she could turn down her favorite soup. “Sold,” Ivy said, leaning forward so she could reach for the bag. When Max jerked it away from her, she scowled. “What are you doing? I thought you were here to feed me.”

“I am here to feed you,” Max said, studying Ivy’s face soberly. “I’m also here to see if you’re okay. I can’t feed you until I’m sure you’re all right.”

“What makes you think I’m not okay?” Ivy asked, averting her blue eyes from the matching set her brother sported.

“You found a dead body today,” Max said. “You were the talk of the town.”

“Aren’t I always?”

“Only when I’m not vying for top billing,” Max said, tilting his dark head to the side. “How are you really feeling?”

“Conflicted,” Ivy admitted, dropping the book on the small table next to her lounge chair. “I can’t help but wonder if she was killed in my front yard.”

“And if she was, you want to know if there’s something you could’ve done to save her,” Max said. “I get it, Ivy. The thing is, I’m glad you didn’t hear anything.”

“But I could have saved her.”

“You don’t know that, Ivy,” Max said. “You might want to believe otherwise, but there’s no way of knowing that. Personally, I think you might have ended up in the ditch right next to her. As much trouble as you are – and you are a big, old barrel of it – I still couldn’t imagine my life without you.”

“I thought you told Mom and Dad that you wanted to give me back to Santa Claus one Christmas. Didn’t you want to exchange me for a truck?”

“It was a whole package of Matchbox cars, actually. Get it right,” Max said, smirking. “There’s no accounting for taste. If you must know, I would have regretted that trade after a few years.”

“Years?”

“Matchbox cars are built to last, pop tart.”

Ivy rolled her eyes. “You’re unbelievable.”

“I try.” Max tugged on a strand of Ivy’s hair. “I do love you, Ivy.”

“I love you, too.”

“Good,” Max said. “Now I’m going to feed you.”

“How did you know I hadn’t eaten yet?”

“Because I know the way your mind works,” Max said, digging into the bag and doling out the food. “You would have just gnawed on this until you couldn’t take it for another second. Then you’d have gone for a hike in the woods. Then you would have gone to bed hungry. I know you better than you know yourself sometimes.”

“You don’t know everything.”

“I know enough,” Max countered. “So, you’re going to eat your dinner, and then we’re going to go for your nightly walk together.”

“I’m perfectly capable of walking alone,” Ivy said, irritation building. “I don’t need a babysitter.”

“Don’t think of it as babysitting,” Max said, winking. “Think of it as me being bigger than you and you not having a choice.”

Ivy crossed her arms over her chest. “That’s worse.”

“I know,” Max said. “That’s why I want you to think about it that way.”

“We should’ve exchanged you for those Matchbox cars when I was a kid.”

“It’s too late now.”

“THAT
was good,” Ivy admitted, finishing the final bite of salad and resting her fork against the table. “I didn’t realize how hungry I was.”

“That’s because you’re more interested in taking care of others than yourself,” Max said, wiping the grease from his hamburger from his chin. “Why do you think you have me?”

“I thought it was so my ego never got out of hand,” Ivy teased.

“Even I’m not up for that task,” Max said. “Tell me about the new cop.”

Ivy faltered, her chest inexplicably warming at the thought of Jack Harker. She had no idea why, but the mere mention of the man was enough to give her heart a little flutter. “What do you mean?”

Max’s face was unreadable. “I heard he was out here with Brian Nixon,” he replied, oblivious. “I want to know what he’s like. I hear there’s already a rush to get the first date with him. I think Maisie and Ava are working the hardest, but I heard all the women at the hair salon are planning to take him dinners this week.”

Ivy made a face. “He seemed … fine.”

“I need more than that,” Max said. “Is he competition for me?”

“Competition?” Ivy was confused.

“I’m the most eligible bachelor in town,” Max said. “I like my title. I’ve heard this guy could give me a run for my money. I wouldn’t mind foisting Maisie and Ava off on him, but I like the rest of my harem as it is.”

Sometimes Ivy didn’t understand men, and this was one of those times. She couldn’t hide her scowl as she tried to tamp down her irritation. “Harem? Do you have any idea how insulting that is?”

“I think it just bothers you because you’re a feminist.”

“I’m not a feminist … well, I am … but you’re still a pig,” Ivy shot back. “That’s just really insulting.”

“Is he better looking than me or not?” Max asked, nonplussed. “That’s all I want to know.”

“I don’t think I’m the best judge of that,” Ivy said, skirting around the question.

“Why?”

“Because you’re my brother,” Ivy replied. “I’m incapable of being attracted to you. It’s not a level playing field.”

“Oh, crap,” Max grumbled. “I heard he was good looking. This is going to tick me off. It’s going to totally ruin my summer. I can just feel it. I’m going to have to go back to the gym and bulk up.”

Ivy grinned, love for her brother and his outrageous outlook on life bubbling up. “I’m sure you’ll be okay,” she said. “The women are always going to love you. They can’t help it. You’re just … lovable.”

“I am lovable,” Max agreed, leaning back in his chair and letting his gaze shift to the woods. The sun was setting, and the fading light cast an eerie pall over the trees. Max was just about to suggest starting their walk when the rest of Ivy’s words washed over him. “Wait a second. You said you couldn’t be attracted to me so it wasn’t an apt comparison. Does that mean you’re attracted to him?”

Ivy jumped to her feet and started collecting the empty food containers. “Are you ready for our walk?”

JACK
parked on the street in front of Ivy’s house, being careful to hide his pickup truck behind a thick outcropping of trees as he studied the small cottage. He had no idea why he was out here. He kept telling himself it was out of professional curiosity, a need to see the spot where the body was found again fueling him, but he couldn’t be sure that was really true.

He just had to see Ivy again. He couldn’t explain it.

Jack had just about made up his mind to man up and knock on the door, thoughts of asking her to identify the symbols washing through his head as an excuse for his appearance, when he saw it open to allow Ivy’s exit. Jack couldn’t help but smile when he saw her, the cute skirt from earlier replaced by a pair of tight yoga pants and a T-shirt. The smile faded when he saw the man walk out of the cottage behind her. He was tall, and the way they were animatedly talking to one another left no room for confusion. Whoever he was, Ivy obviously adored him.

She’d lied to him. She
was
dating someone.

“I’M
not talking about this with you,” Ivy said, jumping up on a stump so she could evade Max’s sneaky hand as he reached for her. It was a brother’s prerogative to put his sister in a headlock whenever the mood struck. That’s what Max had told her – on a regular basis, mind you –  since they were children anyway. She knew exactly what he would try to do to get her to talk.

“Don’t you even try to be cute,” Max said, extending his finger and wagging it in Ivy’s face as she giggled. “Tell me about the cop. I want to know what you see in him.”

“I didn’t say I saw anything in him,” Ivy argued. “You made that up in your own head.”

“No, I didn’t,” Max said. “I know you as well as you know yourself. You have the hots for the new cop. Don’t you dare lie.”

“I don’t have the hots for him.”

“Ivy,” Max warned.

“I find him … interesting.”

“Define interesting.”

“I can’t define it,” Ivy said, shifting so she could balance on one foot and stretch at the same time. She was incredibly limber, and she liked to play balancing games whenever she could. She knew it especially annoyed Max because he wasn’t known for being graceful. He was a bear on the football field. Unfortunately, he was also one on the dance floor.

Max stilled, rubbing his hand against his chin as he thoughtfully studied his sister. “You haven’t liked a guy in … crap … I can’t remember the last guy you liked. This one must be something special.”

“I barely know him,” Ivy said. “I talked to him for all of ten minutes. I gave him a glass of iced tea, we talked about Nicodemus, he asked me a few questions, and then he left.”

“You still like him,” Max said, grinning. “Admit it.”

“I don’t know him,” Ivy said. “I can’t like him if I don’t know him.”

“Okay,” Max said, raising his hands in mock surrender. “How about we take the word ‘like’ off the table. You’re attracted to him. At least admit that.”

“He’s a handsome man,” Ivy said, giving in marginally. “There’s something appealing about his face.”

“You can admit you think he’s hot,” Max said. “You don’t always have to be so prim and proper.”

“Fine,” Ivy said, rolling her eyes. “He’s hot. He’s got this strong, square jaw. His hair is a little long and it’s dark. His eyes are really expressive. Oh, and his body looks like he works out even more than you do.”

Max scowled. “That’s great.”

Ivy giggled. “He also seems a little … closed off,” she said. “I don’t think he’s looking for anyone. I think you’re going to be able to keep your harem all to yourself this summer.”

“Are you disappointed he’s not looking for someone?”

“Of course not,” Ivy scoffed. “I’m not looking for someone. I don’t care if he is hot. I’m not really in the mood to … date.”

“I think you’re making that up,” Max said. “I think you do want to date someone, but you’re so used to people treating you … differently … that you’ve trained yourself to expect the worst when it comes to men. You don’t know this guy is going to be like the other losers you’ve dated. It might not hurt to give him a chance.”

“I don’t want to give him a chance, Max,” Ivy said. “I don’t need a man to complete me. I’m happy with who I am.”

“Fine,” Max said, rolling his eyes. “I totally believe you. You’re not attracted to the new cop. You don’t need a man. You’re perfectly happy with who you are.”

“Thank you,” Ivy said, jumping from the stump and hitting the ground solidly. “It’s about time you actually listened to the words coming out of my mouth instead of the ones you think you hear.”

“I’m ashamed of my actions,” Max said.

“Let’s go for our walk.”

Max followed her silently. Once he was sure she was lost in her own head he grabbed her around the waist and lifted her up, twirling her around so she had no way to fight against his impressive muscle mass. “Now tell me how you really feel,” he said. “Tell me how hot you think he is.”

“I’m going to kill you,” Ivy shrieked, but she couldn’t stop herself from laughing. Max was like a dog with a bone sometimes, and this was one bone he had no intention of relinquishing – at least not any time soon.

JACK’S
heart rolled painfully as he watched Ivy and her boyfriend cavort. While she’d graced him with a few soft smiles earlier in the day, she’d never let her face brighten that way when he was around. Of course, since they were talking about a dead body at the time, that wasn’t particularly surprising.

Still … seeing her with another man was enough to quell the irrational thoughts he’d been harboring for hours. She was involved. She was clearly happy. That made things so much easier in his mind.

The small voice in the back of Jack’s head wouldn’t stop knocking on the mental door he didn’t want to open. If things were easier because she was involved, why did he feel so disappointed?

“What are you doing?” Brian asked the next morning, surprised to find Jack already at his desk before he even got himself a mug of coffee.

“It’s called work,” Jack said, not glancing up from his computer screen. “You should try it some time.”

Brian rolled his eyes. “I’m guessing you’re not much of a morning person,” he said. “That has to be the reason you’re taking your grumpy mood out on me. That’s it, right?”

Jack sucked in a breath, steadying himself. “I’m sorry. You’re right. That was uncalled for. I’m just … concentrating.”

“I can see that,” Brian said, shuffling behind Jack’s desk. “What are you concentrating on?”

“I’m trying to find a match for these symbols.” Jack gestured at the photographs of the dead girl. “I’m not having a lot of luck. Have we been able to identify her yet?”

Brian shook his head. “She’s not a local girl. That’s all I can say with any certainty. We scanned her fingerprints and entered them into the system. We’re looking for a match. If she doesn’t have a record, though, we’re going to have to find another way to identify her.”

“And there are no missing girls who match her description in this part of the state?”

“None.”

“Well … that sucks,” Jack grumbled. “It’s going to be pretty darned hard to track down a motive and an assailant if we don’t know who the victim is.”

“I agree,” Brian said. “How long have you been working on those symbols?”

“About two hours.”

Brian made a face. “Don’t you sleep?” He glanced at the clock on the wall. “That means you got in here at five.”

Jack shrugged. “So?”

“That’s five in the morning,” Brian said. “You shouldn’t be up at that hour, let alone at work.”

“I thought you were a farmer. Aren’t farmers supposed to be up at the crack of dawn? Aren’t they supposed to like it?”

Brian rolled his eyes. “I’m not that much of a cliché.”

Now it was Jack’s turn to make a face. “You’ve got a very interesting personality.”

“Right back at you.”

Jack turned his attention back to his screen. “I’m not sure where else to go to look for answers on these symbols,” he said, trying to return the focus of the conversation to the case. “I just can’t find them anywhere online. I’ve gone to a bunch of different sites – anything even remotely related to pagan symbols – and I have nothing.”

“I have a suggestion for that if you’re interested in listening,” Brian said.

Jack waited.

“You should show them to a witch.”

Brian fought to keep his mouth from twitching when he saw Jack shift uncomfortably in his seat. He couldn’t decide if it was excitement or dread fueling the man. Both were interesting options, though.

“You think I should show these to Ivy Morgan?” Jack asked. “How is she possibly going to be able to help?”

“I’m not sure that she can,” Brian admitted. “She’s still the best option we have. Instead of sitting here and spinning your wheels you should at least open yourself up to the possibility that Ivy might be able to help.”

Jack frowned, rubbing the back of his neck as he considered how to proceed. “I actually took the photos out to her place last night,” he said. “I already considered she might be able to identify the symbols.”

“Oh,” Brian said, disappointed. “She didn’t recognize any of them?”

“I didn’t get the chance to ask her,” Jack said, wrinkling his nose. “She was … otherwise engaged.”

“I’m going to need more information to know what you mean by that.”

“She was with her boyfriend,” Jack said. “I didn’t feel like interrupting them. They seemed to be having a good time.”

Brian furrowed his brow, confused. “What boyfriend? Last time I checked Ivy didn’t have a boyfriend.” He was pretty sure she hadn’t had a boyfriend in years.

“I don’t know who it was,” Jack said. “He was a tall guy, a little over six feet if I had to guess. He had dark hair and he was well built. They spent some time in the yard talking and then they took off in the woods together. I’m guessing they were going for a walk.”

“You spied on them?” Brian was starting to enjoy himself.

“I went out to take a look at the crime scene again, and I was hoping Ms. Morgan would be able to identify the symbols,” Jack said. “Once I saw the … good time … she was having with her boyfriend, I didn’t want to interrupt them. Although, now that I think about it, we should probably find out who her boyfriend is and question him.”

Brian smirked. “I’ll get right on that.”

“You don’t seem to think he’s a suspect,” Jack said. “Do you know who he is?”

“It sounds like Max,” Brian said, unruffled.

“Who is Max? How long have they been dating?”

Brian stilled, Jack’s question taking him by surprise. He knew very well who the man visiting Ivy Morgan was. It was the only man Ivy ever allowed to spend time with her these days. Maxwell Morgan was a former football stud and a genuinely nice guy. He was boisterous, and he worked his way through Shadow Lake’s female population faster than any one man should be allowed to do. He was also loyal to his sister, and the idea of her finding a dead body on her property would naturally send him into a tailspin.

Max’s appearance at Ivy’s house wasn’t cause for concern. Jack’s nose being out of joint because he thought Max was Ivy’s boyfriend was interesting, though. Brian decided to continue the charade. “I’m not sure how long they’ve been together,” he said. “I just know they’re close. Up until now I thought it was platonic.”

“It’s definitely not platonic,” Jack said, inadvertently scowling.

“How do you know that?”

“They were … flirting.”

“Define flirting.”

“They were talking in the yard and he chased her down and grabbed her and swung her around,” Jack said. “If that’s not flirting, I don’t know what it is. There’s no other explanation.”

There was one. “Well, I’ll track it down,” Brian said. “While I’m handling that, why don’t you run out to Morgan’s Nursery and ask Ivy to look at the photos. She still might be able to identify the symbols.”

Jack blanched. “Can’t you do that?”

“I’m working on identifying the victim,” he said. “I’m also handling the Max situation. You can do a little work.”

Jack scowled, hating that his earlier jab was being thrown right back at him. “I’ll do a little more work on the computer first,” he said. “I’m not ready to give up.”

“Suit yourself,” Brian said, waiting until his back was turned to roll his eyes. “When you get tired of banging your head against a brick wall, though, you should know Ivy spends most of her time in the afternoon in the greenhouse.”

“Thanks for the tip.”

“You’re welcome.”

TWO HOURS
later Jack was ready to admit defeat. He’d been clicking through an endless stream of websites promoting themselves as “one stop shops” of the pagan variety. Not one of them had the symbols he was looking for. He was ready to give in and visit Ivy Morgan. He didn’t care how uncomfortable their interaction would be.

Now he just had to find a way to gracefully exit without Brian making fun of him. When Jack lifted his eyes he found Brian studying him.

“Are you ready to go see Ivy now?”

Jack sighed. “I don’t have a lot of choice in the matter, do I?”

“There’s always a choice, son,” Brian said.

Then how come it doesn’t feel that way?
Jack ran a hand through his hair, frustrated. “I guess I’m going out to the nursery.”

“I think that’s a solid idea.” Brian turned his attention back to the file, feigning seriousness. The smile tugging at the corner of his mouth gave him away, though.

“You’re loving this, aren’t you?”

“I’m loving it a little,” Brian admitted. “I … .”

Whatever else he was going to say was cut short when the door to the small detectives’ office pushed open and Ava made her way in. She had a bright smile on her face and a pie platter in her hands.

Jack shifted in his chair, confused as his gaze bounced between Brian and Ava.
What is going on here?

“Hello, gentleman,” Ava said, beaming. “How are you this fine spring day?”

“Working,” Brian said, not bothering to hide his scowl.

Ava ignored him. “How are you, Jack? Are you lonely yet? I’m betting you are. It must be hard not to know anyone in our small hamlet.”

“I’m actually quite busy,” Jack said.

“Oh, really? Doing what?”

“Well, I’m working on my house,” Jack said. “There’s a lot that needs to be done. I’m unpacking. Oh, and there’s the murder that popped up yesterday afternoon.”

Jack couldn’t explain his immediate dislike for Ava, but he’d known she was going to be an annoying problem thirty seconds into their first conversation. She hadn’t risen in his estimation since.

Ava slipped the pie platter onto the corner of Jack’s desk, not letting his harsh tone ruffle her in the least. “That sounds really boring,” she said. “Do you know what you need?”

Jack had a feeling she was going to tell him.

“You need a night on the town,” Ava said. “The first barn dance of the season is going to be held this weekend. I thought you might want to go with me – just as friends, of course – and that way I could introduce you to more of the townspeople.”

“Um … .” Jack glanced at Brian for help, but the older cop was pretending to focus on the file in front of him. Jack knew he was absorbing every word. “That’s a very nice offer,” he said finally. “I’m not much of a dancer, though. Also, a dance just isn’t my scene.”

“Oh, well, we don’t have to go to the dance,” Ava said. “We could go out to dinner instead. I could introduce you to people at the diner.”

“I don’t think that’s going to work either,” Jack said, debating how to handle the situation. She’d prefaced the invitation by stressing the “friends” part of the equation. If he pointed out he wasn’t into dating he would risk not only alienating her – which he would be okay with – but embarrassing her, too. If Jack had learned anything over his thirty years it was that embarrassing a woman was more dangerous than calling her fat. “I have a really full plate right now. I don’t have time for any nights out. Maybe … in a few weeks.” It was never going to happen, but Jack would figure a way around that little problem when it popped up again. “I just really need to focus on my job and my house right now.”

“And Ivy Morgan,” Brian said, winking at Jack for good measure. “Don’t forget you need to go and talk to her.”

It was both a helpful suggestion and a way to get a dig in at Ava. Jack knew that. He still couldn’t stop himself from being grateful for Brian’s intervention. “I almost forgot,” Jack said, pushing himself away from his desk and standing. “I need to get out to Morgan’s Nursery.”

Ava narrowed her eyes. “Why would you need to go back out there?”

“I just have a few more questions for Ms. Morgan,” Jack replied evasively. “The victim was found on her property, after all.”

“You know she’s a witch, right?”

“I’ve been apprised of the situation,” Jack replied, nodding.

“She’s evil,” Ava said. “If you’re not careful, she’ll cast a spell on you and make you fall in love with her. She did it all through high school. It’s very … serious.”

Jack forced his face to remain placid as he met Ava’s serious gaze. “You don’t have to worry about me falling in love with Ivy Morgan,” he said, internally smiling when he realized he had the exact opening he was looking for. “I don’t want a relationship. It’s the last thing I want. She can try to cast a spell, but something tells me I’m going to be immune.”

Ava relaxed her shoulders, but her face was still tense. “Well, I’m sure you’ll change your mind once you’re settled. I don’t mean you should change your mind about Ivy, but once things are more … relaxed … I’m sure you’ll be able to date someone else.”

The smile Jack sent Ava was rueful. “Not even then,” he said. “I’m just not the relationship sort. There’s nothing that’s going to change that.”
Especially you,
he added silently before shifting his eyes to Brian. “I’ll call you if I find anything.”

Brian grinned. “Take your time. I’m sure Ivy will be a … gracious … hostess. She always is.”

“Thanks,” Jack said, moving toward the door.

“Be careful,” Ava called to his retreating back. “She’s a witch. You might not see it if she casts a spell on you.”

“I’m sure I can handle Ivy Morgan,” Jack said. “She’s just a woman, after all.”