Wicked Beginning: An Ivy Morgan Mystery Books 1-3 (22 page)

“Absolutely not,” Jack said, gritting his teeth as he leaned against Ivy’s counter.

After leading the girl to her house – bypassing the helpful paramedic with an apologetic smile – and promising to find something for her to eat while she was in the bathroom taking a shower, Ivy informed Brian and Jack that she was keeping the girl until she felt safe enough to talk.

Brian was blasé about the announcement while Jack was bitterly against it. Ivy was expecting both reactions.

“Why not?” Ivy crossed her arms over her chest obstinately.

“Because I said so,” Jack replied.

“She’s going to be comfortable here,” Ivy said. “It will be me and her. There won’t be anyone to scare her. If it’s just the two of us I might be able to get her to open up. How can that possibly be a bad idea?”

Jack made a face. “That’s not how things work in situations like this,” he said. “We have to call the state. They have people – counselors even – who are trained to deal with things like this. The girl has obviously been abused. You can’t fix that for her.”

“I didn’t say I could fix it.”

Jack sucked in a long, calming breath. Flying off the handle wasn’t going to accomplish anything. All it would do was get Ivy’s hackles up – and no one wanted that. “I know you want to help her,” he said, keeping his voice low. “I commend you for it. Just because she was found on your property, though, that doesn’t mean she’s your responsibility.”

“I don’t like the way you’re talking down to me,” Ivy said, her blue eyes narrowing. “I’m not a child.”

“I didn’t say you were a child,” Jack said. “When did I say you were a child?”

“You were talking to me like I’m two and I want a cookie but I’ve hit my sugar limit for the day,” Ivy said.

“I was not.”

“You were, too.”

“I was not.”

“You were, too.”

They both turned to Brian expectantly. He seemed surprised to be included in the conversation. “Oh, don’t look at me,” he said. “I was just wondering where the playground moderator was to break you two up.”

“See,” Jack said triumphantly.

“I was talking to you, too,” Brian said, nonplussed.

“See,” Ivy said, sticking her tongue out.

The gesture was supposed to irritate Jack – and it did – but it also turned him on. He could think of a few other things he wanted to do with that tongue, like rub it against his own.
Oh, man, he was losing it.
There could be no other explanation. He had to try a different tactic. “Ivy, even if we wanted to let her stay here with you, we can’t,” Jack said. “She needs a social worker. Tell her, Brian.”

Brian cleared his throat as he shifted uncomfortably. “I think she should stay here.”

“What?” Jack’s eyebrows nearly flew off his forehead as he turned on his partner.

“I’m not suggesting she move in and become Ivy’s ward or anything,” Brian said, lifting his hands to hold off Jack’s fury. “I’m suggesting she spend the night.”

“How is that going to help?” Jack asked, refusing to surrender even though he was outnumbered.

“It’s going to give the girl a chance to catch her breath in an unthreatening atmosphere,” Brian said. “If Ivy can get her to talk, we might be able to find some answers. We might be able to help her.”

“Ivy isn’t trained to handle anything like this,” Jack countered.

“You don’t have to be trained to be a good sounding board,” Brian said. “I’m not asking you to go against your instincts. I’m asking you to give Ivy one night and then we’ll regroup and make a decision tomorrow.”

“I … .” Jack pinched the bridge of his nose and shifted his gaze to Ivy. He expected her to be aggressive and vehement. Instead, he found her eyes bright and pleading. He couldn’t say no, even if he wanted to. “Okay.”

“Really?” Ivy looked surprised.

“Really,” Jack said, his voice softening. “Be careful, Ivy. She’s been through something. I know you want to help and I believe you can. You can’t fix everything in that girl’s life, though. It’s not possible. Promise me you’re not going to … go overboard.”

“I promise,” Ivy said, instinctively throwing her arms around his neck and offering him a grateful hug.

Jack was surprised by the gesture, and he initially thought he should pull away from her, but she felt too good in his arms to ignore. He hugged her back, and when he met Brian’s delighted smile from over her shoulder, he found he didn’t care so much that his partner was saving up a bevy of things to tease him about later.

Once they separated, Ivy regained her senses quickly. “I’ll call you if I find anything out,” she said.

“Call me tomorrow morning regardless,” Jack said. “We’re going to have decisions to make no matter what happens tonight.”

“Okay.”

“I can’t believe you’re being this easy to deal with,” Jack muttered.

“I promise I’ll be good,” Ivy said. “I know you warned me not to go overboard, but you should know, I never go overboard.”

Jack didn’t know her well, but he knew enough to know that was a blatant lie. “I just know I’m going to regret this.”

“WHERE
did the policemen go?”

Ivy, who was sitting on the couch in the living room when the girl finally left the bathroom, lifted her head and smiled. “They left.”

“I thought they wanted to arrest me.”

“Why would they want to arrest you?” Ivy shifted over on the couch, clearing a spot for the girl should she want to sit, but she didn’t force her. The yoga pants and T-shirt Ivy left for the teenager were big on her narrow hips, and now that she could see her figure in its entirety, it was clear she was malnourished. Her hipbones were protruding through the thin cotton fabric, and her elbows were knobby. Ivy had every intention of fixing that.

“I trespassed.”

“You got turned around,” Ivy corrected. “It’s my property. It’s only trespassing if I say it is. I say you got turned around. Don’t worry about it.”

“I … thank you.”

“Don’t mention it,” Ivy said, forcing her face to remain neutral even as the dark bruises on the girl’s arm caught her attention again. “I … can you sit over here with me? I’d like to take a look at those bruises.”

“They’re fine,” the girl said, tilting her head to the side and studying Ivy’s cottage. “Do you live here alone?”

“Yes.”

“You’re not married?”

“No.”

“Do you have a boyfriend?”

Ivy chuckled. “No. Everyone keeps trying to find me one, though.”

“The tall cop with the dark eyes? Is he the one who everyone wants you to be with?”

Ivy was surprised by the girl’s question. She’d obviously been watching the situation as it progressed outside the greenhouse. She was intuitive … and smart. Ivy just hoped she could reach her on a personal level so she could get some insight into her as well.

“How did you know that?” Ivy asked.

“He looks at you in a funny way,” the girl said. “You look at him the same way.”

“I do not.”

“You both do. You just don’t do it at the same time. You only look at each other when you think the other isn’t looking.”

Ivy rolled her eyes. “Are you going to hop on the Ivy and Jack train, too?”

“Maybe,” the girl said.

Ivy patted the couch. “Let me check your bruises.”

“I’m fine.”

“If you let me check your bruises, I’ll tell you all about Jack,” Ivy said. She wasn’t above bribery. She new it could be an effective measure when she really wanted something and she really wanted the girl to open up.

“Okay.” The girl gave in and approached Ivy slowly. She was cautious in her movements, and Ivy knew why. She was used to people lashing out at her.

Once the girl was settled, Ivy carefully lifted her arms and studied them. After a few moments, she raised her eyes to the girl’s. “I have some cream that will help these fade. It’s just in the bathroom. I’m going to go get it.”

The girl nodded.

When Ivy returned a few minutes later, she found Nicodemus rubbing himself against the girl’s chest, purring as he encouraged her to stroke him. For her part, the girl seemed mesmerized by his green eyes and soft fur.

“That’s Nicodemus.”

“He’s sweet.”

“He’s spoiled,” Ivy countered, purposely keeping her approach slow and her movements exaggerated as she sat back down on the couch.

“How long have you had him?”

“I found him in a Dumpster in town five years ago,” Ivy said. “Someone threw him in there when he was too young to fend for himself. I bottle-fed him for weeks. I was going to try and find a home for him, but I got too attached and I couldn’t give him up when it was time.”

“He’s lucky you’re the one who found him.”

“I think we were both lucky,” Ivy said, squeezing a dollop of cream into her hand and transferring it over to the girl’s arm. “Do you want to tell me your name?”

The girl stiffened, causing Ivy to backtrack.

“You don’t have to tell me your name,” Ivy said. “If you don’t want to tell me, that’s perfectly okay. I do need something to call you, though. Do you have a favorite name?”

“You want me to make up a name for myself?”

“I want you to tell me what you want me to call you,” Ivy clarified. “I would prefer your real name, but if you’re not comfortable with that, I can call you whatever you want. I’ve always liked the name Iris. How about that?”

The girl wrinkled her nose. “Iris?”

“I like plant names,” Ivy said, not missing a beat. “I can’t tell you why. It might be because I work in a nursery. If you don’t like Iris, though, there are a lot of other options. We could try Rose? No? Okay. How about Pansy? Lily?”

The girl shot down every suggestion with a shake of her head.

“Okay,” Ivy said, giving up. “It’s your turn to tell me what you want me to call you.”

The girl licked her lips, shifting her gaze to the small fireplace at the edge of the room before glancing back at Ivy. “My name is Kelly Sisto.”

Ivy wanted to crow, but she tempered her enthusiasm instead. “Kelly is a nice name.”

“I like your name,” Kelly said, smiling ruefully. “It … fits you.”

“Most people agree,” Ivy said, shifting her attention to Kelly’s other arm.

“Are you an only child?”

“No. I have a brother. His name is Max. We grew up in this house together, though. It used to belong to my parents, but now it’s mine.”

“Did they die?”

It was pointed question, and Ivy couldn’t help but think there was something more behind it. “No. They just moved to a house that wasn’t so isolated. They’re a little older now, and they spend their winters in Florida. They knew how much I loved this house, though, so they sold it to me a few years ago.”

“That’s nice,” Kelly said. “I like your house. It’s … homey.”

“It is,” Ivy said. “What is your house like?”

“I don’t want to talk about that.”

“Okay,” Ivy said. “What do you want to talk about?”

“I … tell me about growing up in this house,” Kelly said. “I’ll bet it was magical.”

Ivy decided the best way to get Kelly to open up was to do it herself. So, without a second thought, she delved into the story of her childhood, and she didn’t stop until Kelly was done asking questions.

It took two hours, but Kelly was comfortable with Ivy by the time they were done. Just when Ivy was about to broach the subject of Kelly’s past, though, the sound of a vehicle door slamming in the driveway caught her attention.

Kelly jumped to her feet, terror flitting across her face. “Who’s here? Did he find me?”

Ivy raised her hand to soothe her. “No. I promise no one will get you here.” She glanced out to the driveway, making a face when she saw who was striding up her front walk. “Don’t worry. They’re not here for you.”

“Who is it?”

“Well, you wanted to know more about my family,” Ivy said, smiling ruefully. “You’re about to get your wish.”

“You can’t come in.”

Luna Morgan met her daughter’s plaintive gaze with a blank one of her own. “What do you mean we can’t come in?”

“I have a guest,” Ivy said.

“Is he naked?” Max asked, wrinkling his nose.

“Who?”

“Your guest,” Max said.

“It’s not a man,” Ivy said, rolling her eyes. “Get your mind out of the gutter.”

“We know it’s not a man,” Luna said, patting Ivy’s arm. “As much as we’d like it to be Jack, we ran into him downtown when we were heading into the diner for dinner. We know you kept the girl you found in the greenhouse.”

“Jack has a big mouth,” Ivy grumbled.

“He was worried,” Max said. “As much as he likes to pretend he doesn’t have feelings for you, he’s already a goner. Brian was trying to cheer him up with pie, and Maisie was trying to cheer him up with her boobs, but he was fighting both of their efforts.”

“I … .” Ivy broke off, narrowing her eyes. “What do you mean Maisie was trying to cheer him up with her boobs?”

In addition to being the town librarian, Maisie Washington was also Shadow Lake’s resident harlot. She’d never met a single man she didn’t want to seduce … and the marital status of her target didn’t often stand in her way. She was willing to take on husbands, too.

Max smirked. “Don’t worry. Jack doesn’t want to see anyone’s boobs but yours.”

Michael cuffed his son. “Don’t say things like that. She’s your sister.”

“She knows she has boobs,” Max replied, nonplussed.

“Yes, and brothers aren’t supposed to comment on them,” Luna said. “They only do that in certain families, and we’re not one of them.”

Max’s face colored. “That’s not what I meant.”

“We know,” Michael said. “We like to embarrass you anyway.” He turned to Ivy and lifted the bag he was carrying. “We brought food.”

That was convenient since Kelly was still making noises about being hungry. Still … . “Thank you for the food,” Ivy said, grabbing the bag. “I’ll talk to you guys tomorrow.”

“Don’t you want to invite us in?” Luna prodded.

“No.”

“Ivy,” Michael said, keeping his voice low. “We’re coming in.”

“We promise not to be too loud,” Luna said, putting her hand on Ivy’s wrist and cutting her off before she could argue. “We just want to see her. We want to help you if we can. We’re a family, and if you’re taking this girl on as part of your family, that means she’s part of our family, too.”

“It’s going to be okay,” Max said. “I promise.”

“Fine,” Ivy said, cursing under her breath. “She’s skittish, though. Her name is Kelly. She hasn’t opened up about her past and she’s not ready yet, so don’t press her on it. She also seems scared of men, so Dad and Max, you need to give her a wide berth.”

Everyone nodded solemnly.

“There will be no sudden movements,” Ivy said. “There will be no wrestling. Max, I’m talking to you. No noogies. No putting anyone’s head in your armpit. No wedgies.”

“No offense, Ivy, but I haven’t tried to give you a wedgie since you started wearing the same kind of underwear my dates did,” Max said, making a face. “I’m scarred for life from that last one. Here I was thinking you were still playing with Barbie dolls and instead you were dressing like one. Ugh.”

Ivy pinched the bridge of her nose. “Max, there will be no talking about anything like that either.”

“Ivy, I’ve got it,” Max said, shooting her a charming grin. “I promise to be on my best behavior. I won’t do anything bad. I’m not an idiot.”

As annoying as she found her brother, Ivy knew Max had a good heart. He would never go out of his way to purposely hurt someone. She felt guilty about suggesting otherwise. “Okay,” she said. “We’re just a normal family hanging out with greasy diner food and a runaway teenage girl.”

Ivy knew that wasn’t the truth, but she wasn’t above deluding herself when the opportunity arose.

“DO
you like hamburgers, Kelly?” Luna asked, unpacking the bag of goodies on the kitchen table and fixing the timid girl with a wide smile. “We got a little of everything because we didn’t know what you would like.”

“I’ll … eat anything,” Kelly replied, her voice low and breathy. “You didn’t have to get all of this food for me.”

“We got it for everyone,” Michael said, winking from his spot in the armchair at the edge of Ivy’s living room. He’d taken Ivy’s words to heart, sitting almost immediately and keeping his movements small. His normally booming voice was muted, but his words were kind and his eyes retained their infamous twinkle.

Max was another story. “Ivy is a vegetarian,” he said, handing Kelly a container. “She only eats vegetables and crap. Don’t get me wrong, she’s an excellent cook, but she’s never embraced the joys of eating a good steak.”

Kelly hesitantly took the container from Max. “You’re not a vegetarian?”

“We tried to indoctrinate him into the family vegetarian fold,” Luna said. “He broke free when he was in elementary school, although he still pretended until he got into middle school.”

“And I never looked back,” Max said jovially. “Don’t worry. If you like meat, I’ll make sure to keep you in it while you’re staying with Ivy. I would hate to think of you going without just because Ivy eats carrots instead of jerky.”

Kelly shifted her green eyes to Ivy worriedly. “I don’t have to eat meat.”

“Go ahead,” Ivy said. “It’s fine. I’m not one of those vegetarians who tells everyone else what to eat. I only care about what I eat.”

“She’s lying,” Max whispered. “She tried to convince me that soy bacon was the same as regular bacon last week. Just a hint: It’s not.”

Kelly pressed her lips together, her eyes wide as she took in Max at his charming best. Ivy couldn’t be sure, but she thought she saw a hint of a crush forming there. If that was the case, and Kelly could so easily accept him in her presence, Ivy was hopeful her initial fears were wrong. Kelly had clearly been abused, but if that abuse stopped short of being sexual, she would be forever thankful.

“I’ll have you know that soy bacon tastes just like real bacon,” Ivy said.

“You’ve never had real bacon,” Max shot back. “You can’t make that claim.”

“You’ve never had real bacon?” Kelly asked, surprised.

“Mom and Dad are vegetarians,” Ivy explained. “I’ve never had meat.”

“How come you eat meat if your family doesn’t?” Kelly asked, turning to Max.

“Because I hung around with carnivores when I was a kid,” Max replied, not missing a beat. “You know how some kids sneak other kids cookies in elementary school because some parents think sugar is evil? Well, my friends snuck me bologna sandwiches. They saved me from a life of broccoli and asparagus burgers.”

“Huh,” Kelly mused. “I never had anyone sneak me cookies. I didn’t know people did that.”

Ivy’s heart rolled and when she risked a glance at her mother she saw Luna was feeling the same rush of empathy.

“You can have as many cookies as you want here,” Luna said. “We never had meat in the house, but we always had Oreos.”

“Thank you,” Kelly murmured, studying her feet as her cheeks colored. She’d obviously revealed more than she wanted. That’s when it hit Ivy: Her family’s interference was a good thing. They were helping Kelly open up before she had time to think how to respond in a way that would help her remain hidden.

“Eat,” Ivy instructed, tapping the edge of the girl’s food container. “Eat as much as you want. I’ll have Max go to the grocery store and get you some food that doesn’t taste like broccoli and asparagus hamburgers, which I never made for him, by the way.”

Kelly smiled thankfully. “Okay.”

“MAX
is good for her,” Ivy said, watching from the front porch as her brother showed Kelly where the resident raccoon was hiding behind the garbage cans along the side of the house.

“She doesn’t seem scared of him,” Luna mused, reclining on one of Ivy’s front chairs.

“She’s still leery around Dad, though,” Ivy said. “Did you notice that?”

“And that’s why I stayed sitting in the chair,” Michael said. “I think … I think whoever hurt her was older.”

“Like her father?” Ivy asked, tension building her in shoulders.

“Maybe,” Michael said. “She seems comfortable with your mother and Max, and she’s obviously already attached to you.”

“I wouldn’t go that far,” Ivy said.

“I would,” Michael said. “You might not have noticed, but she looked to you a couple of times for reassurance. Don’t worry, Ivy. You gave it without even realizing what you were doing. It’s instinctual with you.”

“Your father is right,” Luna said. “You were very good with her.”

“Why do I sense a but coming on?” Ivy asked, her shoulders stiffening.

“Don’t get your panties in a bunch,” Luna warned.

“That’s not what I’m doing … and I hate that saying.”

“Then don’t make me use it,” Luna said, unruffled. “Before you work yourself up, your father and I are not asking you to abandon this girl or stay away from her. If you think that’s what we’re doing, then hop off that crazy train right now.”

“What are you suggesting?”

“She’s not a pet,” Luna said.

“I never said she was.” Ivy was horrified.
Was that what they thought of her?

“Ivy, one of the things I love most about you is your capacity to love,” Michael said, his face somber. “You love with your whole heart and soul. That’s why when you found Nicodemus in the Dumpster, there was no way you could ever let him go.

“Kelly isn’t an abandoned kitten, though,” he continued. “She’s a teenager who has been through … something. We don’t know what yet, but if those bruises on her arms are any indication, it was something truly terrible.”

“I know,” Ivy said, furrowing her brow. “Why do you think I insisted that she stay here?”

“Because you want to help her,” Luna said. “Your greatest gift – other than your insistence on being who you are without any reservations or compromises – is that big heart you have, Ivy.”

“I don’t understand what you’re saying,” Ivy said.

“We’re saying that you can’t get too attached to her,” Michael said. “No one is asking you not to care. No one is asking you to throw her out, or turn away from her and let the professionals do their job.”

“You can’t fix everything, though,” Luna said. “This girl needs help that you might not be able to give her.”

“What do you want me to do?” Ivy asked, her voice cracking.

“Be you,” Michael said. “Don’t be afraid to ask for help, though. I’m here. Your mother is here. Max is here.”

“Jack is here, too,” Luna said.

“Oh, I’m so sick of hearing about Jack,” Ivy grumbled.

“You’re sick of hearing about him because you know we’re right,” Luna said. “That’s also one of your … gifts. You’re stubborn.”

“Like a mule,” Michael added.

“Well, thank you so much for that,” Ivy deadpanned.

“Just be careful with your heart, Ivy,” Luna said. “Life is full of obstacles. The ones Kelly is going to be facing over the next few days are going to be significant. You can’t give her all of you because there will be nothing left to sustain yourself.”

“I’m going to do what I have to do,” Ivy said.

“I guess we can’t ask more of you than that, can we?” Luna said, gripping Ivy’s hand tightly. “Just keep your eyes open and your mind clear. If you’re not careful, and you’re not paying attention, something very important could slip by you.”

“We’ll be here to make sure that doesn’t happen,” Michael said. “We’re here to help.”

Her parents’ words were sobering, and as Ivy watched Max and Kelly cavort with the raccoon she couldn’t help but wonder if they were right.

Was she in over her head?