The Color of Ivy (25 page)

“Mother?”  Becky’s eyes nearly popped out of her head as she stared dumbfounded at Stella.  “You told me
Ivy
seduced Phillip.”

Stella sighed and reached out to stroke her daughter’s beautifully coiffed hair.  “He was no good for you, Becky.  I wanted to protect you.  Deter his interest elsewhere.  I thought if perhaps he released his wants on someone else, he’d leave you alone.  I couldn’t sit back and watch him hurt you like he had the others.”

“But he loved me.”  Tears spilled from her green eyes.  “He would have married me if it weren’t for Ivy.”

“No he wouldn’t have.”  She sounded so sad when she whispered this to her daughter.

“So you killed him to protect your daughter?” Sam asked.

“No.”  She shook her tightly bound hair.  Glancing up, her eyes softened slightly as she looked upon Ivy.  “I prayed they would be lenient on you.”

“I didn’t kill him, Stella.”

She looked away and Ivy was certain she saw a troubling look in her eyes.  She knew.

“Why are ye doing this to me?”

“Ivy, you have no one.  No family.  No one who cares.  No one to miss you.”

Ivy had always known that.  The loneliness of her world had always been very apparent to her.  Hearing Stella, a woman she had come to care for her like her own sister, deny her outright hurt more than she wanted it to.

“I couldn’t let them take her.  She’s all I have.”

Becky spun on her mother, her eyes round with fear.  “Shut up, Mother!”

Sam became alert, his eyes darting immediately to the younger Taylor.  “What exactly did you witness that night?”

“I don’t need to answer your questions,” she barked, backing away from them all.

Ivy blinked, confusion clouding her mind.  Thankfully, that problem
did not affect Sam.  “Was Phillip Hendrickson still alive when you entered his room?”

“She was manipulating him,” she suddenly cried out, pointing an accusing finger at Ivy.  “He couldn’t see it.”

“So you helped him to see it?”

Her
constrained posture eased at Sam’s question, as if she was finding a sympathetic ear.  “I tried.  But he told me I was being stupid and jealous.”

“Did you get into an argument?”

She looked slightly confused as if trying to recall that night.  “Yes.  He told me if I didn’t stop acting like an idiotic child he’d not love me again.  Said I was too thick-headed to see the truth for what it was.  I became angry and slapped him.”

Stella came to stand next to her, laying a comforting arm across her shoulders.  Becky looked up at her mother with such huge and vulnerable eyes.  “He hit me back and told me he could never love a whore like me.  Told me I was easy.  That he had been only using me.”

“Is that when you reached for the iron poker?”

She blinked blindly at
Sam.  “Yes.  I was so angry.  I think I must have blacked out for several minutes because the next thing I knew, I was standing over his body.  Blood was gushing from his head.  His eyes. They were horrible—they just stared up at me.  I found a handkerchief lying on the floor and used it to cover his face.”

Her words fell like a thick, dreary cloud over the room,
casting a hush into the kitchen.  It was out, Ivy thought.  The truth was finally revealed.

The
silence was shattered by the prison’s loud siren resounding suddenly from the distance.  Sam’s gaze slid to Ivy.  She released the breath she was unaware she was holding, and momentarily closed her eyes, grateful they were able to force the truth out before she was dragged back to prison.  Even with Becky’s confession, it was their word against hers and Sam’s.

She opened her eyes when she heard Sam
continue his interrogation. “Did she ask you to cover the crime?”  His question directed at Stella.

“No.  When she came to my room, she was covered in blood and crying hysterically.  When I asked her what
happened, she told she got into an argument with Mr. Hendrickson and thought she might have killed him in a fit of rage.  I suppose I saw this coming.  I knew she was becoming too fond of him and knew it couldn’t end well.  I asked her if anyone had seen her go into his bedchamber.”  Her gaze fell on Ivy.  “She told me Ivy had emerged from Mr. Hendrickson’s room just before her, apparently from just having illicit relations.”

Her sad eyes pleaded with Ivy.  “I thought this whole mess was my doing because I had forced you to sleep with him.  I never suspected Becky would fly into a rage or that she would
—”

She broke off, dropping her chin in shame.  “I had to act fast.  I remove
d her dress and hid it in the laundry bin.  We agreed Becky would only admit to seeing Ivy leave his room.”

Mother and daughter exchanged looks, so full of sorrow and grief, before Becky buried her face in her mother’s bosom.  “When the authorities searched the premises and discovered the bloody dress, I lied and said it belonged to Ivy.  I didn’t sincerely think they would find her guilty.  There wasn’t enough evidence.  At the most I thought she may receive prison time.”

“But Becky changed her story?”  Sam asked.

“Yes.  She panicked when they pushed her for answers.  To my horror, I heard her tell them she witnessed the actual killing.”

“Why didn’t ye deny it?” Ivy cried out, her voice a little too sharp to her own ears.  “How could ye allow her to set me up?  Make me hang for her crime?”

“She’s my daughter.  I love her.”

And didn’t love Ivy.  The unsaid words rang loud and clear in Ivy’s head.  On a primitive level, she could somehow relate.  If it were Sam, she would have wanted to do anything to protect him from the gallows.  However, knew no matter how hard or painful it would have been, she could not condone his behavior if it had been out of pure selfishness.

There was the sound of commotion coming
from the hallway.  Ivy turned and saw Orville and Louise Hendrickson, dressed still in their morning robes and looking livid, enter the kitchen.

“What in the world is going on here?”  Orville Hendrickson demanded, and then shot an enraged glare at Ivy.  “And what the
devil is she doing here?”

“How dare you!”  It was Louise Hendrickson that took a threatening step towards
Ivy.

Instinctively, Ivy stepped back and swallowed a sudden lump in her throat.  Mrs. Hendrickson had always been cold and distant toward
her, so her anger was not nearly as unsettling as Orville Hendrickson’s.  So unlike his son, he had always been kind to Ivy.  Without realizing it, she shriveled away from his obvious hatred only to bump into Sam.  His hands came up and closed around her arms, drawing her close to his chest.

With one hand, he held it out to Orville Hendrickson.  “Sorry to disturb you
, sir, but I’m Sam Michalski, the bounty hunter who tracked down Ivy McGregor.”

His ruthless glare softened slightly
, but he did not accept Sam’s hand, his alert gaze taking note of the protective arm Sam held around Ivy.  “I see you’ve found her.  I will assume those sirens are on her behalf?  Perhaps you would be so kind as to deliver her back to the authorities.”

“That won’t be necessary.”  Everyone in the kitchen spun around in surprise at the unexpected intruder standing in the back entrance.

“Roy.”  Sam’s grip on Ivy tightened.  “She didn’t do it.”

Roy stood in the
same entry from which Ivy and Sam had entered earlier.  Standing behind him were two police officers.  His gaze slid from Sam to Ivy and then to Becky where it lingered momentarily, before it returned to Mr. Hendrickson.  “I believe the wrong woman has been arrested for the murder of your son.”

Behind her, Ivy felt Sam’s chest exhale as if he had been holding his breath.  She herself felt an overwhelming
flood of relief.

Orville Hendrickson frowned heavily, confusion clearly evident on his face.  “What exactly is going on?”

Roy shot Sam a look as he reached behind to withdraw a set of handcuffs then proceeded toward Becky.  “Ms. Taylor has just confessed.”

“That’s impossible,” Mrs. Hendrickson exclaimed, her eyes bulging with disbelief.  “Becky was the eyewitness to the murder.”

“Yes she did,” Roy agreed.  “Seeing as she was the one who committed the crime.  She set up Ms. McGregor after she believed your son was having an affair with her.”

“That’s the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard.”  Louise Hendrickson said, covering her chest as if the very idea caused her heart failure.

Sam went rigid behind Ivy.  “Is it, Mrs. Hendrickson?  According to Stella, you informed her if Ivy did not comply with your son’s sexual demands, she could find herself out on the street.”

Orville Hendrickson literally took a step back as if Sam had struck him.  “I’d be cautious what accusations you throw around
, young man.”

“I’m afraid they are not accusations,” Sam told him.  “Your son had a nasty habit of fortifying his sexual urges on the female staff.  Without their consent.”

The man’s thick brows pulled down hard as confusion and disbelief danced across his face.  Then turning slightly, he looked at his wife.  “Louise?”

At first she didn’t comment, and then she sucked in a long irritat
ed breath before exhaling it on a long drawn out sigh.  “Oh please, he was just a young man with sexual desires like any other young man.”

“Most men don’t force themselves on women,” Sam pointed out.

“You’re making it sound slanderous.  He just wanted to experiment a little.”

“Good God, Louise.”

“Don’t look at me like that!” she hollered at her husband then turned her furious gaze upon Becky.  “I’m not the one who killed our son.”

Silence filled the room for mere minutes before Orville Hendrickson finally spoke softly to his wife.  “Please go to the
parlor and wait for me there.”

Her eyes flared before they turned hard.  “Do right by our son.”  Then she stormed out of the room.

Mr. Hendrickson released a sad sigh before he turned to Ivy, his expression far softer than it had been earlier.  “I owe you an apology, Ms. McGregor.  I regret if any of this caused you any inconvenience.”

Ivy felt a tiny light flicker inside, but before it could glow
, it was doused immediately by Sam.  “Inconvenience?  You’ve got to be kidding.  She nearly hung for your son’s murder.”

“Sam.”  It was Roy who spoke his name in a warning.  “Mr. Hendrickson was fully under the belief he had all the accurate details.
  As did we all.”

“No, no.”  Orville held up his hands.  “Your friend is right.  A great injustice has occurred here.”  Then stepping closer to Ivy, he said, “I will ensure you are handsomely compensated and I will be more
than happy to provide you with a letter of recommendation.  As a matter of fact, I can take that one step further.  I am certain there are a few strings I can pull and ensure you do find worthy employment whenever you are ready to return to work.”  His warm eyes lifted from her and grew hard as he glanced over at Stella.  “It appears I will be in search of a new housekeeper.  I suppose you wouldn’t be interested in staying on?”

“Thank you, but no.  However, I may take you up on your offer of recommendation.”  The warmth she felt inside didn’t last long when she felt Sam’s hands drop away.

“Of course, I understand.”  Glancing toward Sam he held out his hand.  “I thank you sir for bringing my son’s rightful murderer to light.”

Sam accepted the hand and gave a single nod.  “Believe me.  It was entirely my pleasure.”

“Mrs. Taylor,” he addressed Stella next.  “I cannot voice enough my disappointment and disgust at your behavior.  Though as a parent, there is a level of understanding to your deed.  However, rest assured, I cannot condone your behavior or forgive it.”  Glancing at Becky, he said.  “May God have mercy on your soul.”

Stella lowered her eyes in shame as he left the room.  The
marshal turned towards Becky and pulled her arms behind her back before he locked a set of cuffs over her wrists.  “Ma’am, you have the right to remain silent...”

Becky’s watery gaze fixed on
her mother.  “I’m sorry, Momma.”

“Me too, baby.”

The second deputy took hold of Stella’s arm and led her out of the house.  Before he did, she lifted her head and gave Ivy a look of such sorrow and regret.  Ivy’s heart constricted as she watched her leave.  No matter how wrong her actions, she could not help but pity the woman.

Roy approached Sam and Ivy.  “I guess I owe you two an apology.”

“No need,” Sam said.  “I would have done the exact same thing if the situation was reversed.”

“I know you would.”  Roy gave him a pat on the shoulder before turning his attention to Ivy.  “You’re a free woman, Ms.
McGregor.  Good luck.”

“Thank ye.”

His brow arched.  “It isn’t me you should be thanking.  Sam never gave up on you.”

Ivy’s gaze dropped to the floor at the sad recollection that Sam had
, in fact, turned against her.  As she listened to Sam and Roy exchange words, she slipped away from Sam and went to stand by the window.  Her heart filled with sadness once more as she watched Stella and Becky being escorted into the wagon.