Wicked Beginning: An Ivy Morgan Mystery Books 1-3 (29 page)

“So, what do you like to do for fun?”

The blonde Max saddled Jack with – her name was Trina, or Tina, or something equally annoying – rubbed her fingers against Jack’s hand suggestively.

“I like to solve crimes and work on my house,” Jack replied drily, shifting farther away from the blonde and shooting Max a death look.

“That sounds boring,” Trina said. “Do you like to dance?”

“No.”

“Do you like to hike in the woods?”

“No.”

“Do you like to go camping?”

“Definitely not.”

Max struggled to keep himself from laughing out loud as he watched Jack try to fend off the blonde’s advances. The other blonde was trying to focus his attention on her, but Max was having a better time watching Jack grapple with his handsy new friend. She kept running her fingers up and down his thigh, and Jack was close to exploding. Max was mildly curious to see what would happen when he did.

“You have to like something,” Trina prodded.

“I like it when people keep their hands to themselves,” Jack said pointedly, grabbing Trina’s hand by the wrist and pushing it to her own lap. “Stop touching me.”

Max snorted. He couldn’t help himself. “So, Jack, how are you feeling about my sister now?”

“You did this on purpose,” Jack charged, his tone accusatory.

“I did,” Max agreed. “The grass is always greener on the other side. How does Ivy’s grass look now?”

The mere mention of Ivy’s name was enough to cause Jack’s heart to warm. “Better than this,” he said. “I … .” The sound of his phone ringing in his pocket cut him off. Jack dug it out. “I hope this is work.”

“Oh, don’t say things like that,” Trina said. “If you have to go to work, how am I going to get to know you?”

“You’re never going to get to know me,” Jack said, pressing the phone to his ear. “Keep your hands where I can see them. Hello?”

“Jack?”

“Kelly?”

Max instantly sobered, leaning forward so he could better hear Jack’s end of the conversation.

“What’s going on?” Jack asked.

Max watched as Jack’s face drained of color.

“Kelly, listen to me,” Jack said. “I’m on my way. Stay in the closet. Don’t come out. Don’t you dare come out of that bedroom until Max and I get there. Do you understand?”

Jack disconnected and jumped to his feet, digging a few bills out of his pocket and dumping them on the table.

“What’s going on?” Max asked, following suit. He didn’t like the grim set of Jack’s jaw, or the worried look pinching the man’s features.

“Kelly said someone broke into the house,” Jack said, forcing his voice to remain even. “Ivy sent Kelly into the bedroom again while she … we have to get out there.”

“Where is Ivy? Is she okay?”

“Kelly doesn’t know where Ivy is,” Jack said, his voice cracking. “Whoever it is got inside of the house. That’s all I know. Come on.”

JACK
was a jumble of nerves by the time they pulled into Ivy’s driveway. Max was out of the truck and racing toward the gaping front door before Jack could kill his engine and follow. The short trip between his truck and Ivy’s house was the longest five seconds of his life, and when he raced up the steps and into the living room, his heart lodged in his throat.

There had obviously been a struggle. The coffee table was tipped over on its side and a bowl of popcorn was upended on the floor. A vase – the one usually perched in the middle of the coffee table – was shattered into pieces against the wall next to the door, as if someone used it as a weapon. The room was otherwise empty.

“Where are they?” Max asked.

Jack pointed to the hallway wordlessly, following Max to Ivy’s bedroom. The door was locked, and as Max raised his leg to kick it in, Jack stayed him with a small shake of his head.

“Kelly? It’s Jack. If you can hear me, open this door.”

The unmistakable sound of someone moving on the other side of the door hit Jack’s ears, and when the door finally opened, Kelly’s tear-streaked face popped into view. She was clutching a wriggling Nicodemus against her chest, and her eyes were so red and puffy they were almost swollen shut.

When she caught sight of the men, she threw herself at Max and started sobbing incoherently. Max did his best to calm the distraught girl while Jack strode into the bedroom and searched the room.

“Ivy sensed someone was outside before anything happened,” Kelly said. “I thought she was just … screwing around. She wasn’t, though. The next thing I knew someone was kicking in the door.

“The security chain held the first time,” Kelly said, her tear onslaught relentless. “He just kept kicking it until it gave in, though. Ivy threw a vase at him and then attacked him. She told me to run and hide. She told me to call for help. I didn’t know what else to do.”

“You did the right thing,” Max said, rubbing the girl’s back as he lifted his terrified eyes to Jack. Kelly was safe. They were both thankful for that, but … .

“Kelly, where is Ivy?” Jack asked, his voice strangled as he fought to tamp down the irrational anger coursing through his body. “Where did she go after … after she attacked him?”

“I don’t know,” Kelly wailed. “She told me to run. That’s what I did. I could hear them fighting, and I think I heard Ivy cry out. I didn’t hear anything after that, though. I don’t know where she is.”

Icy fingers wrapped around Jack’s heart and squeezed as he pressed his eyes shut briefly. She had to be all right. He couldn’t take it otherwise. He wrenched his eyes back open and focused on Max. “You take care of her,” he said. “Call Brian and get him out here.”

“Wait, I want to help you look for Ivy,” Max said, trying to disengage himself from the frantic teenager.

“Ivy would want you to take care of Kelly,” Jack said. “Do it. Do what I said. Don’t worry. I’ll find Ivy.”

“What if you don’t?” Max’s voice was ragged as he tried to maintain an air of calm for Kelly’s benefit.

“I’ll find her,” Jack said. “I’ll find her if I have to burn this whole town down to do it.”

IVY’S
shoulder was throbbing and her heart was racing, but she fought to keep her breathing in check as she hid behind the tree.

When the man finally broke his way into the house, Ivy did the only thing she could think to do: fight. She threw her favorite vase at him, all the while urging Kelly down the hallway with Nicodemus. Once she was sure the girl was safe, Ivy unleashed days' worth of misery and anger on the intruder.

How dare anyone break into her house?

After slapping him around a little bit, the man threw her against the wall. Hard. Between the clanging in her head, and the churning in her stomach, Ivy was sure she would lose consciousness. She knew she couldn’t allow that to happen, so instead of giving into the dark corners invading her mind, Ivy started yelling as the man tried to make his way down the hallway. She grabbed her cell phone off the table by the door and bolted through it, drawing the man’s attention back to her as she loudly proclaimed she was calling the police.

In an effort to stop her, the intruder gave up his pursuit of Kelly and instead chased Ivy outside. This was her turf. She knew every hiding place. Instead of drawing the man farther into the woods, though, she opted to keep him close to the house as she led him on a merry chase through the trees. She knew Kelly was calling for help. She just had to hang on long enough for them to get to her.

Whoever the man was, he wasn’t familiar with the intricacies of wandering through unfamiliar woods at night. He’d tripped and fallen so many times Ivy couldn’t figure out how he hadn’t knocked himself out yet. The unmistakable sound of a vehicle pulling into her driveway gave Ivy hope. The cavalry had arrived, although the intruder was still too close for her to yell out.

Instead of racing for safety, Ivy opted to remain in her spot. She couldn’t see the man, but she could hear him. She didn’t start moving until she saw a hint of black movement – running into the woods and away from her house. That’s when she stumbled out of the thick foliage and back into her yard – and right into Jack’s path as he desperately searched for her.

“Ivy?”

Relief washed over her, and even as she struggled to maintain her footing, she trudged toward him. “Jack.”

Jack raced to her, drawing her into his arms and pulling her tightly against his chest. “I thought … you scared me.”

Ivy burst into tears. She’d meant to brush everything off and pretend like someone kicking in her door didn’t bother her. Despite all her strength, though, that was a feat she wasn’t capable of accomplishing.

Jack held her, rubbing his hand over the back of her head as he rocked her. “It’s okay. You’re okay.”

“Jack.” Ivy couldn’t say anything but his name as she buried her face into his solid chest. His arms were warm as they engulfed her, and after a few minutes, Ivy realized he was lifting her off the ground and carrying her toward the house. “I’m still capable of walking,” she grumbled.

“Yeah, I know,” Jack said. “I wanted to be manly and carry you, though.”

“ARE
you sure you’re okay?” Max asked, his face a mottled shade of red as he knelt down in front of Ivy and checked her arm.

“I’m fine,” Ivy said. “I’m just sore.”

“You didn’t recognize him?” Brian asked from his spot behind the couch where his head was bent close to Jack’s.

“No. He had one of those black masks on. Why do people even sell those masks? Only criminals buy them.”

“I’ll get to work on outlawing the masks first thing in the morning,” Brian said.

“The first thing we have to get to work on is securing that door,” Jack said, exerting his no-nonsense attitude. “Max, is there any wood around this place that we can use to brace it?”

“Yeah,” Max said, sighing as he got to his feet. “There’s some in the shed around back.”

“Go see what you can find,” Jack said. “And … be careful. We can’t be sure this guy is really gone.”

“I saw him run off into the woods,” Ivy said, weary. “When he heard your truck he took off.”

“Maybe he came back,” Jack suggested.

“I’m too tired to argue with you Jack,” Ivy said, resigned. “Wow. Those are words I never thought I’d say out loud. You win, though. He’s probably out there listening to us right now.”

Jack thought winning an argument with Ivy would be more thrilling. He moved over to her side and sat down next to her, carefully reaching over so he could check her shoulder. “How badly does this hurt?”

“It’s fine.”

Jack growled, the sound reminiscent of a bear Ivy once stumbled across while camping with her family as a child. “Nice,” she said, making a face.

“Are you sure your shoulder isn’t dislocated?” Jack asked, being as gentle as he could as he lifted her arm.

Ivy grimaced, but when she displayed a full range of motion, Jack dropped the arm back down.

“What do you want to do?” Brian asked.

“Well, all we can do right now is make a report,” he said, lifting his eyes to Kelly’s frightened face. “I’m going to stay here for the rest of the night in case our friend returns.”

“You can’t do that,” Ivy said, instantly more alert.

“You can’t stop me, honey,” Jack said.

“I only have one bedroom.”

“And I think Kelly should sleep in there with you,” Jack said, not missing a beat. “I’ll sleep on the couch.”

“But … .”

“No buts, Ivy,” Jack said, his tone firm. “You two need some sleep. You’re not going to be able to get it if you don’t feel safe. I’m going to be sleeping on this couch the entire night. I don’t want to hear one word of argument from you.”

“But … .”

Jack held up his index finger in warning.

“Fine,” Ivy said, crossing her arms over her chest and whimpering as the pain coursed through her.

“We all need to regroup tomorrow,” Jack said, his eyes thoughtful as he focused on Kelly. “For now, though, everyone needs to get some sleep. Max and I will jerry rig the door. I’m going to get a new one tomorrow. One that has a deadbolt.”

“Maybe I don’t want a new door,” Ivy sniffed.

“Maybe you’re going to shut up and do what I tell you to do for a change,” Jack countered.

Ivy glared at him. “You and I are going to have words tomorrow morning.”

“I can’t wait.”

Ivy found the energy to argue for another half hour, and then she dragged Kelly to the bedroom and settled in for the night. After Max and Jack worked to brace the door, Max left Jack with a rueful smile and let Brian drive him back to the bar to reclaim his truck.

Jack didn’t think he could fall asleep. He was keyed up from his Ivy search, and Max’s disastrous attempt to dislodge the woman from his mind. Despite the long odds facing him, though, Jack drifted off within minutes of his head hitting the pillow.

Not long after he woke up, a shuffling sound in the quiet house dragging him from his sleep. He’d stripped out of his jeans and shirt and was only clad in his boxers, but he’d placed his gun on the coffee table just to be on the safe side. He was reaching for it when he heard her voice.

“It’s just me.”

Jack lifted himself up on one elbow and glanced over the arm of the couch, his eyes finding Ivy in the darkness. “What’s wrong, honey?”

“I … .”

“You’re too scared to sleep, aren’t you?”

“I’m not scared,” Ivy grumbled.

Jack sighed and lifted the blanket, gesturing to the spot next to him on the couch. “Come on.”

“You want me to sleep on the couch with you?” Ivy was surprised.

“You’re going to invade my dreams anyway,” Jack said. “You might as well have a shorter route to take.”

Ivy worried her bottom lip with her teeth, unsure. “Do you think that’s a good idea?”

“Isn’t this why you came out here?”

It was, but Ivy had no intention of admitting it. “I was just going to make some warm milk.”

“Come on,” Jack prodded, his voice soft. “Kelly is in the other room. I promise not to molest you when you have a guest.”

Ivy wordlessly closed the distance between them and climbed on the couch, rolling to her side so her sore shoulder wasn’t bearing the brunt of her weight. Jack cuddled up behind her, slipping an arm under her waist on the bottom, and the other over her waist on the top, as he pulled her close.

She smelled like peaches today. The remnants of whatever lotion she’d slathered on clinging to her skin almost a full day later. He inhaled deeply and then rested his head on the pillow next to hers. “Try to sleep, honey.”

“This is a terrible idea, isn’t it?”

“Crawling under a blanket and snuggling up with me? Yes, it’s a terrible idea.”

“Why are you letting me?” Ivy asked seriously.

“Because I can’t bear the thought of letting you go right now,” Jack said. “I wasn’t lying when I said you scared me. I thought … I thought you sacrificed yourself for Kelly. I didn’t know if I’d ever see you again. Now, go to sleep.”

“I know this doesn’t mean anything,” Ivy said. “I’m not trying to pressure you. I’m just … .”

“Scared,” Jack said. He didn’t add what else he was thinking. He didn’t tell her he was starting to believe that every interaction they had meant something. “I won’t let anyone hurt you, Ivy. I’ll be right here. Go to sleep.”

“Okay,” Ivy said, closing her eyes and nestling closer to him.

Jack didn’t fight the feelings. He wasn’t sure if he could. “Goodnight, honey.”

“Goodnight.” Ivy’s voice was barely a murmur.

“I’ll be right here,” Jack whispered into her ear.

“DID
you two … you know … do it?”

Despite her current predicament, and the fact that a masked assailant broke into Ivy’s house hell bent on hurting her the night before, Kelly was bright-eyed as she stared at Jack and Ivy the next morning.

“What are you doing up so early?” Ivy asked, rubbing her eyes as she tried to get her bearings.

“It’s almost ten.”

Jack groaned as he shifted next to Ivy, hating the fact that he was going to have to release her in a few seconds. He hadn’t slept so heavily since … well … since his world imploded at the end of a gun almost a year before. “I can’t believe it’s so late.”

“You didn’t answer my question,” Kelly said. “Did you two do it last night?”

“No,” Ivy said, pushing herself to a sitting position and lowering her feet to the ground. “Ow.”

Jack reached up and rubbed her back, being careful to steer clear of her shoulder. “How much pain are you in?”

“I’m fine.”

“You’re like a parrot who only knows two words,” Jack grumbled.

“So you didn’t do it?” Kelly looked disappointed.

“No,” Ivy said, making a face.

“That’s too bad,” Kelly said. “Max says it’s coming soon. I want to see if he’s always right like he says he is.”

“Max is an idiot,” Ivy said, struggling to her feet and almost toppling over before Jack caught her.

“Slow down, Speed Racer,” he said. “You need to move slowly until your body adjusts to its new reality.”

“And what reality is that?”

“The one where you’re not super human.”

“I need to make breakfast,” Ivy said. “I promised Kelly pancakes.”

“You don’t have to,” Kelly said. “You’re in pain.”

“I’m not in pain.”

“Shut up, Ivy,” Jack said, climbing off the couch and reaching for his shirt. He didn’t miss Kelly’s eyes as they latched onto the scars on his chest. He opted to ignore her overt interest. “I’m cooking breakfast.”

Ivy arched an eyebrow. “You’re cooking breakfast?”

“That’s what I said.”

“Do you know how to cook breakfast?”

“Yes,” Jack said. “I’ve watched you do it. I believe I find whatever vegetables you have in the refrigerator, toss them in with eggs, throw it in a pan on the stove, and then bitterly complain to whoever will listen. That’s the way to do it, right?”

“You’re a butthead.”

“You’ve told me,” Jack said, nonplussed. “If you’re a good girl, I’ll let you make the coffee.”

“Oh, wow, you’re going to let me make the coffee in my own house? Thank you so much.”

“I said you could make it if you were a good girl,” Jack said. “I’m still waiting for that to happen.”

“BREAKFAST
is served,” Jack said, sliding plates in front of Kelly and Ivy with a flourish.

“This actually looks good,” Ivy said, grudgingly studying her plate and fluffing the omelet with her fork. “How did you learn to cook?”

“My mother taught me.”

As Ivy and Kelly dug into their breakfasts, Jack grabbed his own plate and mug from the counter and settled between them. Everyone ate in silence for a few moments, but Jack had a direction for their morning conversation, and he was going to head that way right from the start.

“It’s time you told us what’s going on, Kelly.”

Ivy froze, her fork halfway to her mouth. She shifted her eyes to Kelly and found the teenager’s face turning from happy to sad in record time. “Jack,” she warned.

Jack ignored her. “I know you don’t want to talk about this Kelly. I know you’re scared. It’s obvious you have a right to be. We need to know what’s going on if you want us to help you.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Kelly replied evasively.

“Don’t do that,” Jack said, fighting to keep his anger in check. “Ivy almost died trying to protect you last night. You owe us the truth.”

“I haven’t lied.” Kelly refused to meet Jack’s serious eyes.

“You haven’t told us the truth either,” Jack said, pinching the bridge of his nose. “I’m not trying to rush you. Ivy wants you to feel comfortable, and I applaud her for it. We need to know what’s going on, though. Last night was proof that you’re in danger.”

“I’m not talking about this,” Kelly said, dropping her fork on her plate and getting to her feet.

“Yes, you are,” Jack said. “Sit down.”

“No.” It was the first time Kelly had stood up to any of them.

“Kelly, I want to keep you safe,” Jack said. “I need your help to do it. I won’t risk Ivy’s life because you’re too scared to tell us what’s going on. You need to have faith in us. We’re going out of our way to help you. Hiding whatever happened to you isn’t helping anyone. In fact, it’s hurting you … and it hurt Ivy pretty badly last night.”

“That’s pretty rich coming from you,” Kelly said, lifting her chin as she defiantly met Jack’s studied gaze. “Ivy said you were mad at her the other day because she invaded your privacy. Something tells me it has something to do with those scars on your chest. Do you want to tell me how you got those?”

“I … we’re not talking about me,” Jack replied, caught off guard by her vehemence. “I’m not the one in danger here. You’re the one in danger.”

“Butt out,” Kelly said. “I don’t want to talk about it. It’s none of your business.”

“Kelly, this can’t go on forever,” Jack said. “This isn’t a game. I won’t just sit idly by and watch you get hurt. I won’t risk Ivy.”

“Because you love her?”

Jack clenched his jaw, frustrated. “Because if something happens to her – if something happens to you – I won’t be able to live with it.”

“Nothing is going to happen to me,” Kelly said. “Ivy is here to protect me.”

“She can’t save you if you don’t tell us what we’re fighting,” Jack argued.

“Ivy can do anything,” Kelly said. “I have faith.” She moved away from the table. “I’m going to take a shower. Are we working in the greenhouse again today?”

Ivy nodded wordlessly, flabbergasted by Kelly’s aggressive response. Jack opened his mouth to call Kelly back, but Ivy silenced him with a hand on his arm. Once Kelly disappeared down the hallway, and she was sure she’d given the girl ample time to get into the shower, Ivy turned her full attention to Jack.

“Wow.”

“That’s all you have to say?” Jack asked. “Why did you let her just walk away like that?”

“She obviously wasn’t going to talk to you, Jack. You have to give her some space. She’s not ready to tell us what happened to her.”

“Ivy, this isn’t a game,” Jack said. “Kelly is in real danger. Someone wants her. We don’t know if it’s because of something she knows, or something she’s done, but she’s clearly on someone’s radar.”

“I know that,” Ivy said, her voice low. “She’s just … scared. Give me a little more time.”

“No.”

“No?”

“I almost lost you last night,” Jack said. “You almost died on me. I won’t just sit back and let that happen again.”

Ivy opened her mouth, her jaw working, but no sound coming out.

“Don’t bother saying anything,” Jack said. “I know what I said. I’m not taking it back. I don’t care how ridiculous it sounds. I don’t care how much you’re going to fight me on this. I won’t let anything happen to you. I … can’t.”

Ivy’s heart warmed at the admission even has her anger inflated. “Jack, I’m not asking you to go against what you know to be right. I’m just asking for a little more time. Just … a little. Please.”

She was so earnest. Her face, bare of makeup and pale after a long night, was enough to break him. “Then we have to come to an understanding,” Jack said. “I’m staying here indefinitely. I won’t risk you again.”

“If I agree to this, will you calm down?”

“If you agree to this, I’ll try to keep myself from shaking her until answers start falling out like she’s a piñata,” Jack replied. “I can’t promise more than that. Not right now, at least.”

“Okay,” Ivy said. “You can stay here.”

“And you’re going to text me once an hour during the day so I know you’re safe,” Jack added.

Ivy gritted her teeth. “Fine.”

“And you’re going to hug me when I come back here after work today,” Jack said.

“What?”

“Oh, no, I’m in the power position now, honey. You’re going to hug me when I get back here tonight.”

“Why?”

Jack’s smile was cheeky. “Because I like it when you hug me.”

Sadly, Ivy liked it, too. “Fine. Are you happy now?”

“I’m as happy as I’m going to get until this is solved,” Jack said, turning his attention back to his breakfast. “Are you happy?”

“I have no idea what I am,” Ivy admitted.

“Eat your breakfast.”

“Don’t tell me what to do.”

“Eat your breakfast or I’m going to sit on your chest and feed you myself,” Jack said.

“You’re going to be a real pain the ass while you’re staying here, aren’t you?”

“You have no idea.”