Wicked Warning (An Ivy Morgan Mystery Book 5) (10 page)

“J-A-S,” Brian read aloud.

“Jessica Allison Stamper,” Ivy supplied. “That’s Jessica’s book bag.”

“Holy moly,” Frank intoned, dumbfounded. “I … there has to be an explanation.”

“There does,” Brian agreed, grim. “Okay, everyone, step outside. This is an official crime scene and we’re going to do this by the book.”

“I’ll place a call to the state police to get a tech team out here,” Jack said, his gaze briefly locking with Ivy’s. “We’re going to need help sifting through this mountain of … crap. It’s going to be a long day.”

“
W
here have you been
?”

If Jack was expecting a heartfelt hug and kiss from Ivy when he reached her house later that night he was sadly disappointed.

“Hello to you, too,” Jack said dryly, kicking his shoes off by the front door. “I can’t tell you how nice it is to be greeted in that manner after a long day of work.”

“I’m sorry,” Ivy said, holding her hands up. She was dressed in cotton sleep pants and a tank top, her hair pulled back into a loose braid. “I didn’t mean to attack you the minute you walked through the door.”

Jack opened his arms and accepted her offered hug, taking solace from the way her body melded to his. When Ivy pulled back her expression was rueful. “That’s better,” Jack said, pressing a soft kiss to her mouth.

“I made you dinner and kept it warm in the oven,” Ivy offered. “It’s tofu.”

“I’m … good,” Jack said, hoping he didn’t sound ungrateful.

“Oh, what I should’ve said is that I had tofu,” Ivy clarified. “I made you chicken, rice, and vegetables.”

Jack brightened considerably. “That I’ll eat.”

“You’re lucky I feel sorry for you having to work so late,” Ivy muttered as she trudged toward the kitchen, Jack close on her heels. “You look beat, by the way. I’ll rub your back before bed.”

“That sounds … like the perfect end to a terrible day, honey,” Jack said, sitting at the table and watching as she delivered his warm plate of food. “Oh, this smells so good.”

“I’m glad,” Ivy said, taking the seat next to him. “So … tell me what happened. I tried texting you, but you didn’t respond.”

“I noticed,” Jack said. “You sent eighteen texts. The last three almost killed me, but then I realized what you were doing. The one where you said you were pregnant and going into labor threw me a little bit.”

Ivy pressed her lips together. “Um … .”

“I’m sorry I couldn’t text you back, but the state boys were watching us to make sure we weren’t sharing information with the media,” Jack explained. “I tried telling them that my girlfriend was giving birth to a baby I didn’t know existed and that you accidentally amputated your own foot and were bleeding out – that was a nice one, by the way – but they didn’t have a lot of sympathy.”

“I’m sorry.” Ivy genuinely meant it. “I was going crazy being kicked off the property and didn’t know what to do with myself.”

After Brian placed a call to the state police Ivy was officially told her services – and presence – was no longer required. She complained bitterly, but it fell on deaf ears. Jack arranged for a state police officer to drive her back to town, where she found her brother and continued complaining to him until he kicked her out of his office at work and told her to do something productive with her day.

Ivy tried gardening, but that didn’t work. Then she went to the hospital to visit Jessica. She told her about the discovery at Dorsey’s home, but Jessica appeared largely disinterested in the development. Ivy couldn’t figure out why the girl refused to acknowledge the change in the situation, but she filed it away for future thought.

“I wanted you to stay,” Jack said. “You know that, right?”

Ivy nodded.

“This is a big case, Ivy,” Jack said. “I’m sorry you felt left out. I don’t ever want you upset … unless it’s a little fight and we can make up afterward.”

“Ha, ha.” Ivy shook her head. “You still haven’t told me what happened.”

“Well, here’s the thing: I’m not sure what happened,” Jack admitted. “We found the backpack and a pair of shoes. The shoes were Skechers. We called Jessica’s parents and they said she was wearing pink Skechers the day she disappeared.”

“So they’re her shoes.”

“Probably,” Jack confirmed. “The parents are going to look at them at the station tomorrow. I guess Jessica isn’t going home yet like was originally planned because the reporters got wind of a potential move and Mitchell said there are news vans parked in front of their house. He doesn’t want Jessica’s homecoming to be marred by that.”

“I know. I went to the hospital.”

Jack wasn’t surprised by the admission. “How is Jessica? Did she take the news of Dorsey’s arrest well?”

“She didn’t seem to care,” Ivy replied. “I can’t figure her out. It’s all just so … weird.”

“It sounds weird,” Jack said. “She’s emotionally stunted by her captivity, though. She’s going to need counseling – and a lot of it. It’s not going to be an easy walk to her old life. It’s going to be a long hike through a desert and there’s going to be a lot of tears and heartbreak.”

“I know that, Jack,” Ivy said. “I just thought she would feel better knowing someone was in custody. I showed her a photograph of the bunker I snapped on my phone, by the way. I wanted her to confirm if she recognized it. Do you know what she did?”

“What?”

“She shook her head and shrugged,” Ivy answered. “She said that it could be the place, but she wasn’t sure because her memory wasn’t great and then asked if she could watch
Pretty Little Liars
.”

“Ivy, she’s traumatized,” Jack said. “She’s doing the best she can. She wants to pretend it didn’t happen. That’s actually normal for victims in cases like this, especially at the beginning. Everyone is coming at her from a hundred different directions and they want answers … and they want her to act a certain way … and she might not know how to respond. She’ll slowly start coming out of it, but that’s going to be another can of worms.”

“I know,” Ivy said. “What about Dan? Has he been charged?”

“Kind of,” Jack hedged. “He’s being held on poaching charges for right now. The mental health expert got nowhere. We tried questioning him, but he refused to talk. We mentioned finding Jessica’s stuff in the bunker and that shook him a bit.

“The sad thing is, I think he was more upset that we found his bunker than anything else,” he continued. “He didn’t seem to care at all about Jessica when we brought up her name. He did finally speak when we brought up the bunker.”

“And?”

“And he told us if we took his stuff we’d be sorry and then he asked for a lawyer,” Jack replied. “He didn’t speak again after that. A court-appointed attorney is heading his way tomorrow so we can do it all over again.”

“Something about this doesn’t feel right, Jack,” Ivy said, knitting her eyebrows together. “Dan has never been a great thinker, but to leave that sweatshirt on his property like that … it doesn’t make any sense.”

“I hate to say it, but I agree with you.”

Ivy scorched Jack with a dark look.

“Not like that,” Jack said, chuckling. “I just meant that it would be easier if Dorsey was guilty. I’m not sure he is, though. If he’s not, we have an even bigger problem.”

“Someone set him up,” Ivy surmised. “That means he knows who is framing him. He has to. Only so many people could be aware of the location of that bunker.”

“Exactly,” Jack said. “We went through that bunker with a fine-toothed comb. There was a room with a lock down one hallway. It had a cot and a toilet. It smelled as if it had been recently cleaned.”

Ivy was intrigued. “Did it look like the room from the dream?”

“Not even remotely,” Jack said. “I don’t want to base my investigative tactics on that dream because there’s a chance Jessica’s dream was representational instead of figurative.”

“You think she could’ve imagined herself in a different dungeon room for her dream,” Ivy said. “Maybe the dream wasn’t a memory but instead something she worried would happen if whoever took her found her again.”

“Yes,” Jack said. “I’m not ruling Dorsey out, but I’m not convinced it’s him either. We have to keep hammering at him, and we have to keep questioning Jessica. At a certain point, she’s going to have to tell us what happened.”

“Well, maybe I can make some headway on that tomorrow,” Ivy said. “She’s staying in the hospital for observation, but the doctor and her parents agreed to let me take her on a road trip tomorrow. They think a change of scenery might do her good.”

Jack’s shoulders stiffened as he stabbed an asparagus spear with his fork. “Excuse me?”

“Oh, don’t go all Neanderthal man on me,” Ivy warned. “I’m taking her to see Felicity. I thought getting her out of town for a few hours would be good for her. Dr. Nesbitt and her parents agreed. In fact, her parents were relieved because that meant they could get a break tomorrow. They look as if they’re about to fall over.”

“But ... do you really think that’s a good idea?” Jack challenged. “Someone could still be out there and after her, Ivy. That puts you in danger.”

“Except no one is going to know she’s with me,” Ivy reminded him. “We’re going to sneak her out the back. The media is going to think she’s there the entire time. I’m going to take her to Felicity’s shop, let her look around, and otherwise just get some fresh air.

“She can have some tea and then I’ll take her for ice cream,” she continued. “It will be an innocent and completely safe day. No one is going to jump me in Bellaire in the middle of the afternoon.”

Jack ran his tongue over his teeth as he decided how to answer. Felicity Goodings was Luna Morgan’s sister. She owned a magic shop in a nearby town and she had a way of putting people at ease.

“Fine,” Jack said, taking Ivy by surprise with his capitulation. “I think Felicity is good with people and she might be able to help you make Jessica comfortable, which in turn might make her willing to trust you.”

“I’m not questioning her tomorrow, Jack,” Ivy said. “It’s just going to be a fun day trip. I want Jessica to see what’s out there. She went from one prison to another. This trip is supposed to show her what freedom is all about.”

“I understand that,” Jack said. “You’re extremely loyal and people gravitate toward you. If Jessica grows to trust you, that can only mean good things for everyone concerned.”

“Really?” Ivy narrowed her eyes. “I thought for sure we would have a big fight about this.”

“I’m not in the mood to fight,” Jack said. “I want to eat my dinner and then get that back rub you promised me. After that? I’m exhausted, honey. I just want to snuggle up with you and sleep.”

“Well, I can live with that,” Ivy said. “Eat your dinner and I’ll rub you until you’re putty in my hands.”

“Oh, Ivy, I’ve been putty in your hands since the moment we met. The back rub will merely be a nice addition to what is already a better day because I got to spend some time with you.”

“Okay, you’re going to get really lucky after the back rub,” Ivy said. “That was … the best thing I’ve heard in hours.”

“I guess my evil plan worked.” Jack winked. “I really did miss you today.”

“Right back at you.”

“
T
HAT WAS
… exactly what I needed.”

Ivy, her breathing still coming in gasps, rested her head against Jack’s chest as he pulled the covers around them. After Jack’s promised massage, things turned romantic. It wasn’t the playful coupling they usually enjoyed – or even the fiery sort they loved after a fight. This union was soft, offering both of them solace.

“You and me both, honey,” Jack murmured, pressing a kiss to her forehead. “Now I can sleep.”

Ivy knew he was almost ready to pass out and it wasn’t the time for a heavy conversation, but that didn’t stop her from starting one. “Can I ask you a question before you drift off?”

“Hmm.”

It wasn’t really an answer, but Ivy plowed ahead anyway. “Are you ever sorry you met me?”

Jack snapped his eyes open. “What? No. Why would you ask that?”

“Because earlier you said that you didn’t want to base your investigative tactics on the dream,” Ivy replied. “You wouldn’t even have to think about stuff like that if it wasn’t for me. I’m making your life more difficult.”

“Oh, Ivy, I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings when I said that,” Jack said, cupping the back of her head. “I just meant that I didn’t want to get tunnel vision and overlook anything because we were focused on the dream.”

“Okay. I’m sorry. Go to sleep.”

Jack tightened his arms around Ivy, snuggling her as close as humanly possible without climbing inside of her. “Do you feel that?”

“Again? I thought you were tired.”

“Not
that
,” Jack said, chuckling. “You’re a funny girl, though. I was referring to the way we fit together. It’s almost as if we were designed to be together. Your body fits mine perfectly.”

“That’s kind of a cute way of looking at it,” Ivy said. “I never considered it that way before.”

“I wasn’t looking for anyone to fill my life when I met you,” Jack said. “You swooped in and made everything better than I ever imagined, though. I wouldn’t trade you for anything. I hope you know that.”

“I wouldn’t trade you for anything either – even though you hate morels.”

Jack closed his eyes as she sighed and melted into his arms. “I’ll learn to like morels,” he said. “No matter what, though, I will never regret you coming into my life. I didn’t know it was possible to be this happy.”

“I didn’t either,” Ivy admitted. “I just worry things are going to be too much for you at some point. Between the dreams … the ghost thing that happened … and my weird feelings, I’m terrified it’s going to push you over the edge.”

“I can take all of that,” Jack said. “That’s what makes you the most intriguing woman I’ve ever met.”

“Thank you for being you … and saying things like that.”

“No, honey. Thank you for being you.” Jack pressed his lips to her mouth, offering her a sweet kiss. “Do I still have to try liking those feet mushrooms, or will you let that promise slide?”

Ivy giggled. “Goodnight, Jack. Sweet dreams.”

“Every dream with you is sweet, honey. Pick a fun spot tonight … like a hammock.”

“Consider it done.”