Wicked Beginning: An Ivy Morgan Mystery Books 1-3 (5 page)

Even though he’d been out to Ivy’s house twice now, Jack paid little attention to the nursery that abutted her property on both visits. While you could walk from the cottage to the nursery without much problem – other than a short jaunt through the woods – the driveway to the nursery was only accessible via another road.

Jack took his time while parking, scanning the wide expanse with interested eyes and a resigned countenance. He was not going to enjoy this. Not only was he going to have to ask the woman for help, but he was probably going to have to listen to her gush about her boyfriend, too.

That sounded like an annoying way to spend an afternoon. Still … he didn’t have a lot of options. He needed answers, and as far as he could tell, Ivy Morgan was the only one who could give them to him.

Jack took a meandering path through the nursery, stopping to study the myriad of trees and bushes as he moved through the facility. When Brian said she boasted the best stock in the area, he wasn’t lying. The trees and bushes were robust, and Jack wasn’t doubtful he’d stock up on items when he was ready to start landscaping at his own house.

“Are you shopping for anything in particular?”

Jack jumped when he heard Ivy’s voice, forcing his face to remain even as he swiveled to face her. Like the day before, she was wearing an ankle-length skirt. This one was pink, matching her hair, and the simple black tank top she was wearing to offset the skirt was tight enough to highlight what Jack assumed was a terrific body.

Don’t think about that,
he chided himself.
What is wrong with you?

“Hi,” he said, hating how breathy he sounded. “I … um … how are you?”

Ivy lifted an eyebrow, her face caught between amusement and confusion. “I’m good. How are you?”

“Good,” Jack said, rubbing his hands together nervously. “I … um … I’m good.”
Get a grip.
He blew out a heavy sigh. “I’m fine. I just have something I need you to look at.”

“Okay,” Ivy said, amiable. “What is it?”

Jack glanced around at her customers, leery. There weren’t a lot of them milling about, but this definitely wasn’t something he wanted to show her in front of them. “Is there somewhere a little more private we can talk?”

Ivy’s face shifted. “This is obviously about the body. Do you know who she is?”

“Not yet,” Jack said. “We know she’s not local, but that’s about it right now. We’re waiting for autopsy results, and we’re hoping to get a hit on her fingerprints. If she doesn’t have a record, we’re going to have to figure out who she is another way.”

“That’s terrible,” Ivy said. “Someone has to be missing her.”

“I’m sure they are.”

“I guess I don’t understand,” Ivy said. “If you’re not here about the body, then why are you here? Are you … shopping?”

Jack chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck wearily. “Not yet. I have plans to get some stock when I get my house in better shape, but I’m nowhere near that point yet. I have to make sure the house doesn’t fall down around me before I do anything else.”

“I heard you bought the old Winstead house,” Ivy said. “I’ve always loved that parcel. It’s got great access to the lake. It’s too bad the house is so run down.”

“That’s why I have to work on it.”

“You’re going to do all the work yourself?” Ivy looked surprised.

“Don’t tell me you’re another country person who thinks a city person can’t do anything but call someone else to fix things,” Jack said, his tone light and teasing. “That would be a disappointment.”

Ivy tilted her head to the side, considering. “You’re right. That’s really not fair. I apologize.”

“I accept your apology.”

Ivy smirked, the gallant tone of his voice making her chuckle. “Not that I’m not happy to see you, but what are you doing here?”

“I have some photos of the … body,” Jack said carefully. “I need you to look at them.”

Ivy took a step back, horrified. “What? Why?”

Now Jack was the apologetic one. “Someone … carved … some symbols into her body. I don’t recognize them, and I’ve spent hours on the computer looking for some hint as to what they mean. I can’t find anything. Brian suggested you might be able to help.”

“How does he think I’ll be able to help?”

Jack shifted uncomfortably. “The symbols look … occult. Or maybe pagan. I’m not sure if there’s a difference.”

Ivy’s face turned from open and concerned to dark and angry. “You naturally assumed I would be able to recognize occult symbols? It’s because I’m a witch, right?”

“At least you call it like you see it.”

Jack swiveled so he could study the approaching woman, keenly aware of the shift in Ivy’s body language. The woman was pretty, long dark hair fluttering past her shoulders and offsetting a wide set pair of green eyes. She was wearing some of the tiniest shorts Jack had ever seen outside of a Detroit club, and the halter top she was wearing was cut so low she was almost showing everything she had off to anyone who happened to be looking.

“Maisie,” Ivy said, biting her bottom lip. “I didn’t see you standing there. How are you?”

“I need some bushes,” Maisie said.

“Do you know what kind you want?”

“Not yet.”

“Well … look around,” Ivy said. “When you know, I’ll be more than willing to help you.”

“I know how it works,” Maisie said, making a face. Now that Jack knew who she was, he was having a hard time swallowing his smile. Her reputation was obviously earned through hard work. She couldn’t look more desperate if she tried. “I just want to say hello to Shadow Lake’s newest citizen first. Unless you object, of course.”

“I don’t object,” Ivy said. “You’re welcome to … say hello … to anyone you want.”

Jack let his gaze bounce between the two women. There was obviously some female competition going on here. He was certain he was at the center of it, although he couldn’t decide if Ivy was engaging because she didn’t want Maisie to lay claim to Shadow Lake’s most recent transplant or if she was just arguing to argue. Maisie looked like the type of woman who ticked people off just by talking to them, and Ivy looked like the type of woman who liked to fight just because she could.

Jack extended his hand. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“It’s really nice to meet you,” Maisie purred, sidling up to him.

Ivy made a disgusted sound in the back of her throat, and when Jack lifted his eyes to hers he couldn’t hide his smile. She had a beautiful face, and even when she was mad she practically glowed with an inner light he couldn’t put a name to.

“I’m very happy to meet all the residents of Shadow Lake,” Jack said, reluctantly tearing his eyes from Ivy’s face. “I’m actually looking forward to it.”

“I’m sure you are,” Maisie said, running her finger up and down Jack’s arm. “You’re just … very handsome.”

Jack’s cheeks burned under Maisie’s studied attention. “That’s quite possibly flattering.”

“It was meant to be flattering.”

“Well … great.”

“Do you have plans for lunch?” Maisie asked.

Jack glanced back at Ivy, hoping she would step in and help him. Instead, he found her face immovable as she watched the scene. It looked like he was on his own. “I do have plans for lunch,” he said. “I’m working.”

“If you’re working, why are you out here?”

“I need some … help … from Ms. Morgan.”

Maisie made a face, looking Ivy up and down as if sizing her up. “What kind of help?”

“The official kind I can’t talk about,” Jack said. “I’m sure you understand. We’re working on a murder, and I can’t let any of the details slip out to the general populace.”

“But you can to Ivy?”

“The body was found on her property.”

Maisie narrowed her eyes, considering. Finally, she must have decided Jack was telling the truth because she backed off. “Well, when you’re ready to take me up on my offer, you can find me at the library.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

Jack and Ivy watched Maisie shuffle away, refusing to pick their conversation back up until they were sure she was out of earshot.

“Um … what was I saying?” Jack asked.

“You were about to tell me that – since I’m a witch – I know every evil symbol in the world,” Ivy said, crossing her arms over her chest.

Jack pursed his lips. “I’m pretty sure that’s not what I was going to say.”

“I’m pretty sure you were.”

“Listen, I don’t want to fight with you,” Jack said, internally acknowledging that the last thing he wanted to do was argue with the comely greenhouse proprietor. “I really just thought you might be able to help. I don’t know what I’m looking at. That’s not easy for me to admit.”

Ivy rolled her eyes and sighed, shifting from one foot to the other before reaching for the file. “Let me see.”

“They’re graphic.”

Ivy’s face paled. “I … understand.”

“I’ve taken any with her face out. These are just the close ups. I’m … sorry.”

Ivy widened her eyes. “Why? Are you the one who killed her.”

“No.”

“Did you dump her body in my ditch?”

“No.”

“Then what do you have to be sorry about?” Ivy asked.

“This isn’t your problem,” Jack said, fighting the urge to reach over and brush the strand of flyaway hair away from her face. “I feel guilty asking you to look at these photos.”

“Detective Harker … .”

“Call me Jack.”

“Jack,” Ivy said, tilting her head to the side. “I understand that you probably think I’m weak … and weird … and freaky. You would be right on two of those fronts. I am weird, and I am freaky. I’m not weak, though.

“That woman was found in front of my house,” she continued. “I can’t help but feel guilty. I’m worried she died one hundred feet from wherever I was sitting and I had the power to save her.”

Jack’s face softened. She was so … earnest. She was tough, but she had a gooey, soft center that managed to touch him in a place he’d long thought unavailable. “I think that believing you could’ve saved her is going to haunt you,” he said. “You’re better off believing you can help find her murderer.”

“Are you sure she was murdered?”

“There were symbols carved into her body and she was stabbed,” Jack said. “She was murdered.”

Ivy’s chest tightened. “I … hate this,” she admitted, pinching the bridge of her nose. “I hate that there’s so much hate in this world. I know that sounds ridiculous, but it’s how I feel.”

“I think a lot of people feel that way.”

Ivy nodded. “Let me see the photos.”

Jack handed them over wordlessly, watching her face as she studied them. She paled at the first one, and by the time she got to the tenth Jack was worried she was going to pass out. After flipping through them one more time, Ivy finally lifted her eyes to his. “I’m not sure.”

“It’s okay,” he said.

“I don’t need you to bolster me,” Ivy said. “I’m aware that this is a disappointment to you. What I can say is that there’s something familiar about the symbols. I just can’t figure out what.”

“Well, maybe if you give it some time … .”

“Maybe,” Ivy replied. “I have some books I can look through, and  I might have some other places to look. I … can I keep these for a few days?”

Jack balked, unsure. “If someone was to see those … .”

“I won’t show anyone. I promise.”

Jack relaxed, but only marginally. “That includes your boyfriend.”

Ivy made a face. “What boyfriend?”

Jack held up his hands in an effort to placate her. “I saw you two here in the yard last night,” he said. “I know you lied about having a boyfriend. It’s not my concern. You can’t show him these photographs, though.”

“You were spying on me?”

“I … wanted to see the crime scene again,” Jack said, stumbling over his words.

“Why didn’t you say something? Why did you spy on me?”

“I wasn’t spying,” Jack said. “I was … thinking in my truck and I saw you with your boyfriend. I don’t understand why you’re freaking out about this.”

“Clearly,” Ivy said, crossing her arms over her chest.

“Hey, I’m not the one who lied,” Jack said. “I could arrest you for lying to law enforcement. I think I’m being pretty generous here.”

Ivy narrowed her eyes, pressing the file closer to her chest before opening her mouth. “I’m still going to figure out what these symbols mean,” she said. “I’m not doing it to help you, though.”

“I didn’t ask you to help me,” Jack snapped, irrational anger taking over.

“Whatever,” Ivy said. “I’m doing this to help that girl. I don’t appreciate your attitude, and I really don’t appreciate you spying on me. My … relationships … are none of your concern. Now, when I know something, I will call Brian and tell him. There’s no need for
you
to come back out here.”

“That’s a great way to run a business,” Jack said snidely. “And, by the way, I wasn’t spying.”