Wicked Winter (An Ivy Morgan Mystery Book 8) Read online

  Table of Contents

  One

  Two

  Three

  Four

  Five

  Six

  Seven

  Eight

  Nine

  Ten

  Eleven

  Twelve

  Thirteen

  Fourteen

  Fifteen

  Sixteen

  Seventeen

  Eighteen

  Nineteen

  Twenty

  Twenty-One

  Twenty-Two

  Twenty-Three

  Mail List

  Acknowledgments

  Books by Lily Harper Hart

  Wicked Winter

  An Ivy Morgan Mystery Book Eight

  Lily Harper Hart

  HarperHart Publications

  Copyright © 2017 by Lily Harper Hart

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Created with Vellum

  Contents

  1. One

  2. Two

  3. Three

  4. Four

  5. Five

  6. Six

  7. Seven

  8. Eight

  9. Nine

  10. Ten

  11. Eleven

  12. Twelve

  13. Thirteen

  14. Fourteen

  15. Fifteen

  16. Sixteen

  17. Seventeen

  18. Eighteen

  19. Nineteen

  20. Twenty

  21. Twenty-One

  22. Twenty-Two

  23. Twenty-Three

  Mail List

  Acknowledgments

  Books by Lily Harper Hart

  One

  “What do you think?”

  Jack Harker was a bundle of nerves as he stood in his girlfriend’s basement, hands on hips, and regarded her brother Max Morgan with a worried look.

  For his part, Max seemed more at ease but confused all the same. “You’re saying you want to move into Ivy’s basement?”

  Jack let loose with an exasperated sigh, tugging a restless hand through his dark hair as his brown eyes fired in Max’s direction. “Yes, I thought I would turn myself into the house troll and live in the basement. If Ivy has things she needs done around the house she can leave a note at the bottom of the stairs and I’ll toil through the dead of night to get them done. That’s exactly what I was thinking. You’re so smart. I can’t believe how smart you are.”

  Max arched a challenging eyebrow. He was used to his sister’s boyfriend being something of a sarcastic wonder, but this particular outburst was a bit much for Max to stomach. “What is your deal?”

  Jack balked, distressed. “Why do you think I have a deal? I don’t have a deal. It’s ridiculous to assume I have a deal. I mean … I don’t have a deal.” Jack sucked in a cleansing breath. “What has your father told you?”

  Max ran his tongue over his teeth as he brushed his hand over the back of his neck and fixed the man he knew loved his sister beyond reason with a dubious look. “Yeah. I have no idea why I think you have a deal. You’re acting totally normal.”

  Jack blew out a frustrated sigh. “I’m acting like a spaz, aren’t I?”

  Max held his hands palms up. “You’re not acting like the calm, cool, and calculated customer I’ve grown to know and love when it comes to my sister,” he replied. “You’ve gone from romantic lothario to freaky whiner. It’s … disturbing.”

  Now it was Jack’s turn to be dubious. “You love me?”

  “Why doesn’t it surprise me that you only heard that part of the statement?” Max swished his lips, his expression mischievous as he debated how much torture he should inflict on Jack. In the end, the man’s obvious worry was enough to hold him off. “I love that you love my sister. I guess you could say I’m fond of you … when you’re not upsetting her, that is.”

  Jack scowled, the meaning behind Max’s words taking a moment to sink in. “I would like to think that I’m beyond hurting her that way. What I did right after we got together … .” Jack broke off, anger at his actions months before resurfacing.

  Max cleared his throat to get Jack’s attention. “I didn’t mean to bring that up again. I know you’re sorry.” That was the truth. Max couldn’t help but feel a bit guilty about making Jack remember something he clearly wanted to forget.

  Jack Harker moved to Shadow Lake the previous spring, memories of almost dying at the hands of his former Detroit Police Department partner practically choking the life out of him. He met Ivy Morgan his first week in town, fought his attraction to her for the next week, and then ultimately gave in pretty quickly when it came time to admitting he wanted to pursue a relationship with her.

  Jack’s stalwart nature had a steadying effect on the fiery Ivy, but when she was injured – shot by an enemy coming for Jack – the police officer briefly fell apart and abandoned Ivy to recuperate on her own. That meant Max had to pick up the pieces of his sister’s shattered heart while Jack wallowed in a bottle. The resulting argument almost caused the two men to come to blows.

  They’d recovered quite well since then, though, and Max had no desire to torture Jack unless it resulted in fun for the entire family.

  “I shouldn’t have brought that up,” Max supplied. “It was unfair. I’m simply … confused.” He glanced around the dark basement, rubbing his cheek as he tried to ascertain exactly what Jack was trying to tell him. “You want to renovate the basement. That’s what you’re basically saying, right?”

  When Jack insisted on meeting Max at Ivy’s small cottage, the gregarious Morgan sibling was understandably confused. Jack waited until Ivy was out of the house and made Max promise not to tell her what they were about to do. That was very unlike Jack, a man who almost always believed in brutal honesty.

  Jack picked at the front of his shirt as he internally debated how much information to share with Max. He should’ve thought out this afternoon excursion better, he realized. It was understandable that Max would be suspicious given the circumstances. Jack couldn’t hope to get the advice he was looking for without owning up to the truth … which was a daunting thought.

  “Well … .”

  Max waited for Jack to continue. He had a feeling he knew exactly what Jack was about to tell him, but he wanted to hear the truth from the other man’s mouth before commenting.

  “I’m going to ask your sister to marry me.” Jack was a tall and strong man, but the voice he used to admit his deepest secret was tiny.

  Max pursed his lips. “I see.”

  “I already told your father, in case you’re wondering. I asked for his permission.”

  Max’s eyebrow winged up. “Is that why Mom and Dad haven’t left for Florida yet?” Luna and Michael Morgan spent the winter months away from their northern Lower Michigan home, opting for Florida where they could bask in the heat and humidity of the Sunshine State. They were due to leave right after Thanksgiving but delayed their departure until after Christmas at the last moment. Max was suspicious of their decision, but now things were beginning to slip into place. “You asked Dad for permission to propose to Ivy and he told my mother … and now they’re staying to watch you do the deed.”

  Jack scowled. Both Morgan siblings were quick on their feet. He found it cute when Ivy out thought him. Max was another story. “I’m not proposing in front of an audience.”

  “That’s not what I meant.” Max’s grin w
as so wide it threatened to swallow his entire face. “Mom wants to be here when Ivy tells her she’s engaged. She wants to see Ivy’s happiness in person.”

  For some reason, Max’s simple but heartfelt words eased some of the tension building in Jack’s chest.

  “Do you really think she’ll be happy?”

  Max snorted. “I’ve never known you to be insecure.”

  “That’s because I’ve never really been insecure when it comes to a woman,” Jack admitted, scratching the side of his nose. “I’ve never loved anyone like I love Ivy either, though. I’m a bit … nervous.”

  Max clapped his future brother-in-law on the back and smirked. “I get it. For what it’s worth, I’m happy for you.”

  “Which means you aren’t going to say anything to her, right?” Jack challenged.

  “I would never do that.” Max opted for honesty. “This is going to be a big deal for her. I don’t want to ruin it.” He flicked his eyes to the dark basement. “That doesn’t explain what you’re trying to do down here.”

  “Oh, right, that.” Jack was happy to turn his attention to a more mundane topic. “Ivy loves this house. I do, too. She’s not going to want to leave it but … .”

  “The house is small,” Max finished. He’d already worried about this exact scenario when Ivy and Jack started dating. The cottage was miniscule and the Morgan family – all four of them – lived under the roof together for almost two decades, although it wasn’t always a pleasant experience. Looking back, he had no idea how that was possible.

  “Ivy has a library in the second bedroom and she has her lotions and stuff all over the kitchen and dining room,” Jack supplied. “We need more room. I know you had a bedroom down here when you were a teenager so I figured this would be the place to start renovations.”

  “Yeah, I don’t know what my parents were thinking shoving me down here,” Max admitted, turning so he could study the small bedroom he used to occupy. “It’s dark, dank, and there’s no escape in the event of a fire.”

  “Yeah, that’s occurred to me, too,” Jack admitted. “If we have kids … .”

  “Oh, kids,” Max cooed, grabbing Jack’s cheek and giving it a good jiggle. “I can’t wait to see miniature versions of you and Ivy running around this place. I’m going to bet they fight just as much as their adult counterparts.”

  Jack snorted, legitimately amused. “That’s probably a safe bet.” He returned his focus to the basement. “So, here’s the thing, I want to make this our home, but it’s going to take a lot of work.”

  “What do you have planned?”

  “Well, we’re going to need to dig down on one side and get a door down here,” Jack replied. “Even if we only have one kid, that means Ivy is going to have to give up her library and we’re going to have to move all of that stuff down here. I don’t like the idea of something terrible happening and Ivy being trapped down here with no way out.”

  “Oh, I get what you’re saying.” Realization dawned as Max bobbed his head and glanced around the basement. “So, you want to have a renovation plan ready for Ivy when you propose … in case she freaks out and thinks you want her to move.”

  “Moving is not an option,” Jack said. “Ivy’s nursery is right through the woods. She can walk there most days and she happens to love this property. Her fairy ring is out in the forest – and I get it’s going to be months before she can see it because of the snow – but I would never ask her to leave this place.”

  “I think you like this place, too,” Max noted.

  Jack nodded without hesitation. “It’s where we fell in love. I have wonderful memories of this place. I like that it’s private enough for us to have fun … and raise kids away from traffic … and spend entire days doing nothing but walking in the woods and looking for those stupid mushrooms that Ivy loves, which taste like feet, by the way.”

  Max snickered. “Those are morels … and they’re amazing. When May rolls around, she’s going to spend three weeks hunting them in the woods and if you want to spend time with her, you’re going to have to develop a taste for them.”

  “I’ve developed a taste for her,” Jack countered. “That’s more than enough. As for this place, I was thinking we could put carpet in, drywall, break that area over there into two different rooms for her library and my office so we each have our own space. I thought we could eventually put a pool table down here and turn it into a den sort of thing.”

  “You’re talking about a lot of work.”

  “I know.”

  “You’re also talking about a lot of money,” Max added. “Ivy does okay at the nursery – and I can help with the price of the wood through the lumberyard – but what you’re talking about is probably a good hundred grand of renovations.”

  “I know that, too,” Jack said. “I don’t own that house over by the river. I rent it. Once I let it go, I will save seven hundred bucks a month. That’s on top of my savings.”

  “You have a hundred grand in savings?”

  Jack shrugged. “I have that house in Detroit that I just sold.”

  “Oh, I forgot about that.” Max nodded, his eyes brimming with possibility as he studied the basement. “Was that paid for?”

  “Yeah, I made a good profit because I bought when house prices were low and sold when they were on the upswing. I also got a payout from the Detroit Police Department when I was shot. It wasn’t a huge amount of money but – between the house sale and the fact that I don’t spend a lot of money – I have a decent nest egg.”

  “So you’re saying you have the money to do the renovations,” Max said, impressed. “That’s nice.”

  “I do have the money,” Jack confirmed. “I have enough money to renovate this place, purchase Ivy’s ring, pay for a really nice honeymoon, and put education accounts together for any future kids.”

  Now Max was doubly impressed. “Wow.”

  “I’ve never been frivolous with money,” Jack explained. “I’m a saver, not a spender.”

  “I guess that’s good for my sister,” Max said. “You might not want to skimp on the ring, though.”

  “Don’t worry about that. She’s getting a beautiful ring. I promise you that.”

  “That’s good.” Max’s impish smile was back. “How are you going to ask her?”

  “I haven’t decided yet,” Jack admitted. “I’m thinking of waiting until Christmas. You know, a warm day in front of the fire … egg nog … maybe some mistletoe.”

  Max barked out a laugh. “That sounds like an idea. What did Dad say when you told him that you were going to propose?”

  “He didn’t really say anything,” Jack replied. “He kind of smiled and nodded and then he just said that I had his permission. He seemed almost … .”

  “Relieved?”

  “I was going to say resigned. It was as if he knew it was going to happen.”

  “I think he’s just relieved that someone is brave enough to take on Ivy,” Max countered. “I know you love my sister – and I’m happy you do – but she is not easy to live with. She’s a lot of work. Have you considered that?”

  “Considered what?”

  “She’s bossy,” Max replied, not missing a beat. “She’s going to be even more bossy when you’re living together. Are you sure you’re ready for that?”

  “I’m used to her being bossy – and I kind of like it, for the record.”

  Max wrinkled his nose, his disdain evident. “You’re a sick, sick man.”

  Jack ignored the admonishment. “We’re practically living together now. We spend every night under the same roof. I don’t look for it to be that big of a change.”

  “No, probably not.” Max grinned. “I think it’s great. Most importantly, I think you’re going to make my sister very happy. That’s all I want for her.”

  Jack returned the smile. “That’s all I want for her, too. I figure since you own a lumberyard, you’ll be able to point me in the right direction for a contractor. We need to come up with
a set of plans that I can present Ivy with … and I would prefer to keep it on the down low so she doesn’t find out until I’m ready for the big moment.”

  “I think I can work with you on that.” Max glanced around the basement, something occurring to him. “Speaking of that … where is Ivy? It’s winter. The nursery is closed. That means she generally spends the bulk of her time holed up here and working on her lotions and stuff.”

  “Yes, well, I needed to get her out of the house,” Jack said. “I asked your father to help and he sent your mother to take Ivy shopping at the mall over in Traverse City.”

  Max’s glee was all encompassing. “Ivy hates the mall.”

  “Yes, well, I didn’t say Ivy was going to have a good time,” Jack conceded. “I just said she was going to be out of the house.”

  “You’re a slick devil. I’m glad we’re on the same side.”

  “And don’t you forget it.”

  Two

  “This is just darling. I think it’s the perfect color for you, too.”

  Luna Morgan smiled, delighted, and held up a Christmas-themed cardigan in front of Ivy. They stood in the middle of one of the anchor department stores at the Traverse City mall – a good hour’s drive from Shadow Lake – and perused the holiday offerings.

  Ivy widened her eyes as she slipped a strand of long hair behind her ear. The hair, which was dark and highlighted with pink streaks, did nothing but clash with the red and green sweater. It was far from a match to her coloring. “You can’t be serious.”

  “Why not?” Luna was a bohemian sort. If she were thirty years younger people would refer to her as a hipster. She was dedicated to environmental causes, Wiccan beliefs, and the idea that all men (and women, for that matter) were created equal. She didn’t believe in a class system and she had a flighty demeanor that often drove both of her children to distraction.