Wicked Games (An Ivy Morgan Mystery Book 17) Read online

  “Oh, well, I love it when a conversation starts like that,” Jack growled. “Lay it on me.”

  Even though she was uncomfortable, that’s exactly what Ivy did. Jack was positively apoplectic when she was done.

  “I can’t believe you didn’t tell me.”

  Refusing to get dragged into an unnecessary argument, Ivy remained calm. “I’m telling you now. The question is, what are you going to do about it?”

  Jack rubbed his chin. That was a very good question.

  8

  Eight

  Dinner was an uncomfortable affair, and Ivy only ate half her food. Jack noticed — and since she was the sort of woman who ate everything on her plate on a normal day, it concerned him — but didn’t comment. He made a point to have the leftovers boxed up, though, and also ordered an entire pie to take with them when they left.

  “I know you’re angry,” Ivy started when they were alone in his truck. “If you want to yell, go ahead.”

  He was quiet as he stared out the windshield. They were still in the parking lot, her family in front of them as they stood between vehicles and hugged goodbye. For a moment, his heart ached because Ivy wasn’t with them.

  Then he came crashing back to reality.

  “I’m not angry,” he said after a beat. “I’m ... hurt.”

  That wasn’t the response she was expecting. “Hurt? Why?”

  “Why do you think?” His gaze was measured as it landed on her. “Why didn’t you tell me what happened today? Is it because you were trying to protect me? If so, that’s not what I want.”

  Ivy hesitated and then held out her hands. Honestly, she wasn’t sure how to answer. “This situation is difficult for both of us,” she explained, choosing her words carefully. “I feel as if I’m walking on eggshells.”

  “Because you’re afraid of me?”

  The horror in his eyes was almost too much for her to bear. “No.” Instinctively, she reached over and gripped his hand. “I’m afraid for you. This entire thing has been too much for you.”

  “I’m going to be your husband. You’re supposed to lean on me.”

  “I do lean on you, Jack. It’s because you’re going to be my husband that I’ve been so afraid, though.” She licked her lips and gazed out the window, a small smile playing at the corners of her lips as she watched Max swoop in and scoop JJ from the ground, swinging him around like an airplane. “You want to be able to fix everything. You have that in common with my father and brother. You see me as a delicate female and think you should be able to fix my life. That’s not possible this time.”

  Jack immediately started shaking his head. “I don’t want to fix things.” Even as he said the words, he knew they weren’t true. “Overly much,” he corrected, pursing his lips. “Fine.” He threw his hands in the air, defeated. “I want your life to be perfect. Sue me.”

  “Which is exactly why you bought three bouquets of flowers, one cake, one pie, and a huge bag of cookies to try to make me feel better,” Ivy noted. “You’re desperate to be everything to me. What you don’t realize is that you already are, and I’m just as afraid for you as you are for me.”

  Confused, Jack knit his eyebrows together. “I don’t understand.”

  “You want to protect me from something that you can’t protect me from.” She used her most reasonable tone. “You want to figure out a way to get me not just removed from the crew out by the lumberyard, but cut loose from community service all together. Don’t bother denying it.”

  Jack swallowed hard. “I don’t want you to suffer. Sue me.”

  She smiled. “I don’t want you to suffer either. That’s why I didn’t mention how rude Jason was this afternoon. The thing is, I already thought something was up with him. While we were waiting for you to show up, he mentioned Sasha’s name ... and yet I’m fairly certain it was never said in front of him. I know darned well I didn’t mention it.”

  Jack rubbed his forehead, his mind clearly busy. “Are you saying you think he’s the guilty party?”

  “I’m saying that he knew Sasha’s name and he found her body. Maybe he found it because he knew she was there. It could’ve been an accident or something. I mean ... that highway isn’t very well lit and he has a very long record of motor vehicle violations.”

  “How do you know that?”

  “Betsy told me. They’re all up in each other’s business. I think that advice you got about keeping your transgressions to yourself is one of those things that one person projected as fact and it kind of snowballed or something because nobody seems to have a problem admitting what they’ve done.”

  “And Jason is there because of tickets?” To Jack, that sounded unlikely. “Most motor vehicle violations result in fines and suspension of a license, not community service.”

  Ivy held out her hands and shrugged. “I’m just repeating what I was told. That woman who showed up, I didn’t recognize her, but she seemed extremely upset. She made it sound as if Jason got into an accident in her car and didn’t tell her about it.”

  “And you think that accident involved Sasha.”

  “I think there are a lot of coincidences piling up,” she corrected. “I mean ... think about it. Jason gets tickets all the time. Jason found her body. What are the odds he would just stumble across her while doing community service? They can’t be good.

  “Then you compound that with an accident he tried to keep secret, the fact that he knew Sasha’s name, which seems out of the ordinary given the circumstances, and how agitated he was because that woman was making a scene … and what do you have? Then, when you add on what Amy said, it appears Sasha was dating a guy named Jason. That’s a lot of coincidences.”

  Jack couldn’t really argue the point. “It is,” he conceded. “The thing is, if he knew her, I don’t think we’re looking at an accident. The odds of him accidentally running into her on a highway in the middle of nowhere if he was dating her have to be slimmer than those other odds you were talking about.”

  Ivy hadn’t even considered that, but he was right. “Huh. That’s ... weird.”

  “It is,” Jack agreed. “If Jason is the boyfriend — and I’m starting to think you’re on to something here — then it’s more likely that he struck her on purpose.”

  “Why, though?” Ivy felt mildly sick to her stomach, something the scent of her leftovers wasn’t helping.

  “I don’t know. Maybe she wanted to break up with him ... or maybe they got in a fight and he acted out in the heat of the moment.”

  “It still could be an accident,” Ivy persisted. She had a hard time seeing Jason as a murderer, despite his bad attitude. “Maybe they got in a fight and Jason decided to leave ... wherever they were. I mean, they’re still young. They could’ve been partying somewhere out by the highway. That wasn’t uncommon when I was a kid.”

  Jack smirked. “I thought you didn’t party with the other kids because you were above them.”

  “I didn’t party with the other kids because they thought I was weird and didn’t like me,” she corrected. “That doesn’t mean I wasn’t aware of the party spots out there. There were a few of them. Maybe some of them are still active.”

  Jack found he was intrigued by the notion and filed it away to consider at a later date. “Continue.”

  “Maybe Jason got drunk and they got in a fight and she chased him,” Ivy offered. “Maybe he didn’t realize she was chasing him and pulled away, hitting her in the process.”

  “Except the spot where Sasha was found was in the middle of nowhere,” Jack argued. “There were no tire tracks around. To me, that seems to indicate she was crossing the road ... or maybe running from something.”

  Ivy’s heart sank. “You mean she was running from him.”

  “I think it’s a distinct possibility.” He reached over and brushed her hair away from her face. “I’ve been over the evidence a number of times. It’s possible that Sasha was walking on the highway — although I have no idea why she would’ve thoug
ht that was a good idea — and somebody accidentally struck her. Most people would’ve called for help, though. The only ones who wouldn’t have done that are the ones who were breaking the law.”

  That made sense, Ivy realized. “So, what are you going to do?”

  He hesitated and then pulled out his phone. “First I’m going to check your friend Jason’s driving record. If it’s as bad as you say, he likely doesn’t have a license. That means he shouldn’t have been driving today in the first place.”

  “How does that help with the Sasha situation?”

  “It allows me to head over there and question him.”

  “Okay.” Ivy was restless but remained quiet as she watched Jack work. He made a series of faces as he accessed the information he managed to pull up. “Well?” she asked after what felt like a really long time. She was growing more and more impatient with each passing second.

  “His driving record is a disgrace,” Jack confirmed, shaking his head. “He’s got ... so many tickets here. A lot of them are parking tickets. Apparently he likes the handicapped spots at the market and he keeps getting reported for parking there.”

  Ivy had no sympathy for anyone who would take a handicapped spot if they didn’t need it. “Good.”

  “Parking tickets aren’t going to get you locked up, though,” Jack noted, absently popping his lips as he read the report. “This guy, seriously, who allowed him to get a license in the first place? You wouldn’t believe what they’ve got in here for him.”

  “I would believe it if you told me,” Ivy countered, faux sweetness positively dripping from her tongue.

  “What?” Jack lifted his eyes and then smiled when he realized she was glaring at him. “Have I mentioned how much I love you?”

  Ivy was taken aback. “A few times. Why did you think of that right now, though?”

  “I’m always thinking of that. Sometimes you make this face — you’re doing it right now — and I just want to kiss you senseless.”

  Ivy planted her hand in the middle of his chest. “Spill. We’ll play that game later.”

  Because he knew she meant it, he turned back to the task at hand. “The first time he was cited was when he was eleven.”

  Ivy’s mouth dropped open. “Eleven? Who allows an eleven-year-old to drive a car?”

  “Apparently no one. While his mother was napping one day, he retrieved her keys from her purse and decided to take a joyride. His own aunt was the one who caught him and called the police. She assumed he would get a stern talking to — which he did — and never do it again. Apparently she was wrong.

  “Between the ages of eleven and sixteen he was picked up an additional four times for driving without a license,” he continued. “Because he was a minor, there was little that could be done. His parents were fined, promised to keep him out of a vehicle, and then pleaded ignorance whenever he was picked up.”

  “He sounds incorrigible,” Ivy noted. “How come stricter measures weren’t taken with the parents?”

  “That is a good question.” Jack’s expressions deepened as he continued reading. “As far as I can tell, every time he was picked up the parents acted upset. The cops thought it was kind of funny, but only because nobody was ever hurt.”

  “Somebody has been hurt now.”

  “I would say so.” Jack moved his finger down the screen, following the timeline. “He has so many unpaid parking tickets I can’t even count them up. I think the reason he’s doing community service is because they realize they’re never going to get that money out of him and there has to be some sort of punishment for the legal system to work.”

  “I get that.” Ivy searched Jack’s serious face. “Does he have a license?”

  “Oddly enough, he does.”

  “Are you going to talk to him anyway?”

  Jack fought to keep a straight face ... and failed. “What do you think?”

  “Can I go with you?”

  “You have to wait in the truck.”

  “Why does that matter? He’s going to know I told you anyway.”

  “He is, but I will feel better if I know you’re safe in the truck. That’s the only way I’ll take you along for the ride.”

  Ivy folded her arms over her chest, bitter. “It was more fun when you considered me your partner.”

  “You’re my partner forever, but we have to be very careful on this one. I don’t want you getting in even more trouble. You have to stay in the truck. That’s the only way I’ll allow this.”

  Because she knew he was serious, Ivy nodded. He was trying to protect her. He would always go out of his way to protect her. She couldn’t fault him for that. “Fine. After that, can we go home and eat some cake and pie? I’m starving.”

  “That’s because you didn’t finish your dinner. You have to eat that first.”

  “Man, you’re strict.”

  “That’s because I love you.”

  “I guess I can live with that.”

  THE HOUSE JASON RENTED WAS RUN-DOWN by Shadow Lake standards. The town was a tourist destination in the summer months for those who wanted to golf and spend time on a quiet lake. In the winter, snow sport enthusiasts — mainly skiers and snowmobilers — also descended on the area. Basically, you didn’t have to be rich to live in Shadow Lake, but the cost of living wasn’t exactly cheap. Locals took pride in their property, at least for the most part, and the town was always clean and maintained. It didn’t look like anyone had taken pride in Jason’s house in a long time.

  “This is ... lovely,” Jack noted as he put the truck in park and stared through the windshield. The sun was just beginning to set, so there was plenty of natural light to operate under. It only served to illuminate the house’s many flaws.

  “It must be a rental,” Ivy offered, resting her head against the passenger side window as she studied the house. “I would love to know who the property manager is because he has some explaining to do. We should report this to the DDA. I mean ... look at those lilac bushes. They’re so overgrown they’re choking out the underbrush.”

  Jack’s lips curved into a grin. “Only you would be offended by that.”

  “Hey, I know a lot of people who would be offended by this house.”

  Since he agreed, Jack opted to let it go. “I’m going to leave the truck running.” He hesitated a beat and then barreled forward. “If something happens, I want you to drive off and get help. I don’t want you hanging around.”

  They both knew she would never leave Jack in a time of crisis, but she responded in the manner she knew he wanted. “I’ll be a good girl and protect myself, Jack. You don’t have to worry about me. Worry about Jason.”

  “Does he strike you as the sort of person who is armed?”

  Ivy didn’t need Jack to explain what he was worried about. He’d been shot once before. She’d seen inside his nightmares. As far as he’d come, it was something that he was unlikely to ever get over. Because of that, she made up her mind on the spot. “You know what? Let’s call Brian and have him serve as backup.”

  Jack arched an eyebrow. “Do you think I can’t check on Jason myself?”

  “I think ... I think I would never get over it if something happened to you. Let’s call Brian.”

  “I’m just going to knock on his door and ask a few questions. It’s going to be okay.” He leaned in and gave her a soft kiss. “He might not even be here. Just ... relax.”

  That was easier said than done. Now that he’d put the idea into her head, she couldn’t shake it. She sat in her seat and watched as Jack carefully picked his way through the trash-filled yard. She knew he was watching every angle for movement. She couldn’t stop herself from doing the same.

  As he climbed the steps that led to the front door, her eyes were drawn to the left. There, a crop of trees stood in the middle of what could loosely be described as a field (or maybe a landfill on a bad day). The trees offered the only beauty in a field of literal trash. Between the abandoned lawn mower that was tipped over
on its side and what looked to be a random car muffler sitting in the middle of the yard, Ivy was horrified by the entire setup.

  And then she caught a hint of movement.

  Her breath clogged in her throat as she focused on the spot, which happened to be located in the darkness. The sun was almost completely below the horizon now, although there was a bit of warmth left to the day. Ivy was certain she saw movement, though, so she stared.

  And stared and stared.

  Finally, her eyes started to ache. She gave up on the idea she had seen something and glanced back to the porch. Jack was still banging on the door, although there didn’t appear to be as much as a moving curtain inside. The house almost looked abandoned.

  Because she couldn’t stop herself, Ivy let her gaze drift back to the trees ... and her heart almost stopped when she saw a shadow detach from one of the trunks. Her heart pounded as she unfastened her seatbelt and leaned forward to get a better look. Rather than moving toward Jack, though, the shadow headed into the trees.

  Ivy fumbled with the handle three times before she managed to open the door, and when she shoved and stood so her head was visible above the vehicle, she called out to Jack in a shaky voice.

  “There’s someone over there. They just ran into the woods.”

  Jack swiveled quickly, his eyes scanning the area in question, and then he extended a finger in Ivy’s direction. “You keep your head down and lock the doors of that truck. I’ll be right back.”

  Ivy didn’t like this idea one little bit. “Jack ... .”

  “I have to look. It will be fine. Trust me.”

  She did, but her heart was too fragile where he was concerned. If she lost him, she knew she would never recover ... and that was what was going through her mind as he disappeared into the heavier woods on the east side of the property.

  9

  Nine

  Ivy held her breath for what felt like forever, which meant she was gasping and red-faced by the time Jack returned. He tugged on the driver’s side door, but it wouldn’t open because Ivy had followed his wishes and locked herself in.