Wicked Delight

by Lily Harper Hart

  “Definitely not,” Brian agreed. “Either way, I placed a call to the Sheridan home. I was hoping to talk to him again, figure things out. It seems he’s left the state.”

  “What?” Jack furrowed his brow. “What do you mean?”

  “He left at four o’clock this morning on his private jet. He’s heading for Florida, at least according to the flight plan that was filed.”

  “That seems suspicious,” Ivy noted. “Do you think he’s running?”

  “I don’t know.” Brian held out his hands, helpless. “It doesn’t make a lot of sense to me. He doesn’t need the money and yet he filed right away. Still, it’s weird. I don’t know what to make of any of it.”

  “I’m more bothered that he left the state before his daughter’s funeral arrangements were made,” Jack admitted. “Sherry said she was leaving Sheridan to handle it. Is this his way of saying he’s not handling it? What does that mean for her funeral?”

  “I hadn’t even thought of that.” Brian rubbed his forehead. “I guess we’re going to need to find out. None of this is adding up.”

  “That’s an understatement.”

  Eleven

  Jack watched Ivy suspiciously as she tugged on her sneakers an hour later. She’d been calm when Brian left, thoughtful. She acted like she was getting ready for work, but he couldn’t help being dubious.

  “What’s on your agenda today?” he asked finally.

  She lifted her chin and met his gaze, her lips curving. “Why? Do you want to make me an offer I can’t refuse?”

  They’d watched The Godfather (and both sequels) a week before. Ever since, they’d been spouting lines to one another. Somehow, she had an unerring ability to make seemingly innocent lines dirty.

  “Honey, if I could stay here and watch The Godfather with you all day — naked, of course — I would be all over that. Unfortunately, I have people to question and an errant father to track down.”

  Ivy frowned. “Yeah. That’s weird, right? I can’t get the idea out of my head that maybe he had something to do with his daughter’s death. It’s horrifying to think about.”

  “It is horrifying to think about,” he agreed, moving closer so he could hunker down right in front of her. “I met him. He didn’t seem like the sort of guy who would kill his kid.”

  Ivy was relieved. “That’s good.”

  “Probably not for the reasons you think, though,” he said quickly. “For you, parental love is easy. It’s assumed. It’s going to be that way for us when we have children. Sheridan doesn’t strike me as the sort of man who wouldn’t kill his daughter out of love, though. In fact, it’s the exact opposite.”

  Ivy blinked several times as she regarded him. “You think he didn’t care enough to kill her.”

  “Pretty much.”

  “That’s even worse.”

  “It’s definitely worse.” Jack extended his hand so he could help Ivy to her feet. When she stood, he took advantage of their close proximity and planted a hard kiss on her mouth. “You know I love you, right?”

  “That’s the rumor. I heard another rumor, it says that I love you, too.”

  “Good. That means you’re going to listen to what I say next with adoration and acceptance.”

  Her smile slipped and the look she shot him was challenging, practically daring him to push her to the limit.

  “I don’t want you getting any further involved with this.” Jack’s voice was gentle as he stared into her eyes. There were times he felt lost when he looked into the seemingly endless oceans of blue. This was not one of those times. He could feel a tempest building today, and it was frightening. “I think it’s best for all those concerned if you take a step back.”

  “And what if I don’t want to take a step back?”

  Jack inhaled through his nose and forced himself to remain calm. She was purposely baiting him. He recognized the signs. “Then that’s your decision. I’m asking you, as a favor to me, to stay out of this, though. It’s not a normal case. You know I always want your help, but this case is different and I’m afraid.”

  Ivy narrowed her eyes. “That’s kind of low. Phrasing it that way, I mean. You know I would do anything for you.”

  “I’m counting on it in this particular instance. And, for the record, I’m asking you to do it for us. I don’t want you exposed here, and not because I’m embarrassed or anything, but because I’m afraid if someone finds out the truth you’ll be hunted for the rest of our lives. I don’t want that for you ... or me ... or those children we keep dreaming about.”

  Ivy rubbed her forehead and turned away from him as she pressed her lips together. “You know, I kind of want to argue with you on principle. You shouldn’t be able to boss me around.”

  “That’s not what I’m doing.”

  “It feels like what you’re doing.”

  “Well ... it’s not. I’m trying to protect both of us. If that makes me a villain in whatever scenario you’re cooking up in that busy brain of yours, well ... I don’t know what to tell you.”

  She slid her eyes back to him. “You’re not a villain in my story. No matter how angry I get, you’re always the hero.”

  “Does that mean you’re going to let this go?”

  She heaved out a sigh, resigned. “I was going to let it go before you brought it up.” That was the truth. She had every intention of returning to work and putting as much distance as possible between the show and herself. “I don’t think hanging around that crowd is a good idea for the same reasons you don’t. I had no intention of going back there today.”

  “You didn’t?” Jack cringed. “Are you saying I could’ve left it alone, not risked a fight, and still gotten my way?”

  Amused, Ivy’s grin spread across her face. “That’s pretty much exactly what I’m saying.”

  “Ugh. I hate wasting an almost fight. Can we still almost make up when I get home tonight?”

  She rolled to her tiptoes and nodded. “Yeah. I’ll cook dinner. I’m spending my entire day at the nursery, which I should’ve done yesterday.”

  “I’m glad.” He gave her a kiss. “I’ll text you throughout the day if we uncover anything good. I don’t want you out of the loop on this, just out of the camera frame.”

  “I happen to agree on that one. I was uncomfortable with what went down last night.”

  “That makes two of us.”

  JACK’S FIRST STOP OF THE day was the hotel. Brian was already there, Prickwillow sitting with him in a small conference room off the lobby. The agent/producer was a blubbering mess and Jack had to bite back a smirk when he entered the room and exchanged a quick look with Brian.

  “I’m sorry I’m late,” he offered.

  “Don’t worry about it,” Brian shot back. “You haven’t missed much.”

  “This is seriously the worst thing that has ever happened to me,” Prickwillow whined. “I feel as if I’ve lost an arm … or my new Chanel man bag. That’s how vital Éclair was to my very existence. She was part of my soul.”

  “Uh-huh.” Brian slid his eyes to his partner. “Mr. Prickwillow and I were going over Ms. Sheridan’s movements the night of her death. He was allowed to spend time with her because he wasn’t going to be one of her featured dates.”

  “We weren’t friends like that,” Prickwillow explained. “We were soul mates ... but not romantic soul mates. There’s a difference.”

  “I’m sure there is,” Jack said as he claimed the seat next to Brian. “When was the last time you saw Éclair the night she disappeared?”

  “It was at the bar,” Prickwillow replied. “She had a few drinks — they didn’t have any good vodka, although that’s not surprising in an area as poor as this — and she was a little buzzed but not drunk. It’s important you know that. She was not drunk.”

  “We’ve received the medical examiner’s preliminary report,” Brian said calmly. “Her blood alcohol level was above the legal limit for driving, which is fine because she was walking. I wouldn’t say s
he was bombed or anything. She wasn’t completely straight, though.”

  “Éclair could hold her liquor.”

  “Well ... that’s neither here nor there.” Brian looked to Jack for help. “We’re mostly interested in Ms. Sheridan’s movements,” he said after a beat. “We need to know how she spent her time before she disappeared. For example, did she leave the bar by herself?”

  Prickwillow nodded as he swiped at an invisible tear. “She said she was tired, wanted to get a good night’s sleep, and had every intention of taking a long bath and going to bed. I probably should’ve walked her back to her room, but this is a small hotel ... and a very small town. I didn’t think it was possible that anything bad could happen to her.”

  “Bad things happen everywhere,” Brian replied, blasé. “What time did she leave your group and head to bed?”

  “It would’ve been a little after ten.”

  “Did you check on her when you went back to your room?”

  “No. It was late. I assumed she was asleep. She wanted to look fresh for the cameras the next day.”

  “And who was it that realized she was missing?” Jack asked.

  “That would be Valerie West. She was Éclair’s assistant, and a true and great friend.”

  “I think we’re going to need to talk to Valerie.”

  VALERIE WEST WAS THE exact opposite of Éclair. While Éclair was a willowy blonde, Valerie was a petite brunette with an ample chest. While Éclair was seemingly outgoing and enjoyed when attention was pointed at her, Valerie clearly didn’t like being the focus of a police investigation.

  “I don’t understand why I’m here,” she complained, cracking a bottle of water and guzzling half of it before continuing. “I don’t know anything about what happened to Éclair.”

  “You were her assistant, correct?” Brian queried, jumping straight into things.

  “I was. Now I’m looking for a new job.”

  “Were you friendly with the deceased?”

  “Was I friendly with her?” Valerie was incredulous. “I definitely wouldn’t consider myself friendly with her. Do you want to know why?”

  Brian nodded encouragingly.

  “Because that woman didn’t know what it was to be a friend,” Valerie railed on. “She was horrible ... and mean ... and self-absorbed ... and pretty much the worst person I’ve ever met. You should know.” She inclined her chin toward Jack. “She took one look at you in the park the other day and decided that you were a piece of property she could claim. Do you have any idea how she melted down when you didn’t come to heel and fall all over her?”

  “I never considered going to heel,” Jack replied, calm. “You were with her that night, huh? I knew she was with a few people, but I didn’t get a good look at them.”

  “I was definitely with her. We were walking along the street when she saw you with your girlfriend. The first thing she did was decide she wanted you for the show. I mean ... she didn’t even talk to you. She based the entire decision on your looks ... which I get because you’re hot but ... come on.”

  Jack bit his lips and decided how to proceed. “Um ... .”

  “She also made fun of your girlfriend’s hair,” Valerie added. “She said that pink was so ten years ago and you deserved better than a dated girlfriend. I tried pointing out that you were clearly already taken, but she bet me a hundred dollars that she could turn your attention to her.

  “When she couldn’t manage it, she conveniently ‘forgot’ that she made the bet,” she continued. “She also called your girlfriend a witch and accused her of casting a spell over you to make sure you didn’t take a hard look at other women.”

  Jack exchanged a quick look with Brian, amused despite himself. “I see.”

  “Jack is definitely under a spell,” Brian said, directing the conversation back to the topic at hand. “We’re more interested in what Éclair did after she went to the hotel. We know that her attempt to include Jack in the show failed. What about when you got back to the hotel, though? Did she call anyone? Did she know anyone local? Can you think of any reason she would willingly leave the hotel?”

  “Listen, she never wanted to do anything for herself, and that includes shaving her own armpits,” Valerie said. “She wanted me to do that. No, I’m serious. Just last week she said she was too tired to do it herself.”

  “I’m guessing she wasn’t the easiest woman to have as a boss.”

  “No. And, before you ask, I’m not going to miss her. I didn’t do anything to her, though. If that’s what you think, well, you can just forget it. I didn’t like her, but the job paid well. It’s going to be nearly impossible to find another job that paid as well as this one.”

  “I’m sorry for your loss,” Jack said dryly.

  “Yeah? I’m sorry, too. Although ... how about your girlfriend? Has she ever considered reality television? She’s got a certain look.”

  Jack chuckled. “My fiancée is not the reality television sort. I’ll be sure to tell her you were interested, though.”

  “You never know. She might find she loves the idea.”

  “I very much doubt it.”

  “I THINK THAT’S IT FOR THE fuchsia bushes,” Ivy announced as she dropped the last pot on a raised bed in front of the checkout counter. She’d been working on the brightly-colored display for what felt like hours. Her father offered to help, but since she stuck him with the bulk of the work the previous day, she figured the least she could do was handle the heavy lifting.

  “I thought you had more plants back there,” Michael Morgan said, his forehead wrinkling. “I could’ve sworn I saw at least twenty more plants back there when I went through the building yesterday.”

  “There are more plants. They’re simply not ready to be out in the elements yet. They’re still too fragile. They need at least another week.”

  “Ah, well, that’s not too bad. It’s still early in the season. In fact ... .” He trailed off, his gaze going to a spot over Ivy’s shoulder.

  “Do I even want to know?” Ivy complained, swiping at her sweaty brow with a gloved hand and leaving a smudge of dirt behind. “If it’s someone I hate, you can wait on them. I’ve had enough of people for a few days.”

  “Oh, don’t say that,” a male voice chided from behind her, causing Ivy to swivel so fast she almost toppled to the side. She practically choked when she realized who was standing there.

  “Mr. Donahue, right?”

  “Roy,” he corrected, extending his hand. “And you’re Ivy, right?”

  Ivy removed her glove and warily shook his hand. “I am. Do you need something? If you’re looking for Jack, he isn’t here. I’m not sure where he and Brian were heading today, but I can text him if you need to track him down.”

  “I’m not here for Detective Harker. I’m here for you.”

  “Me? Why do you want me?”

  “Well, you see, there’s been a bit of ongoing discussion since we heard the terrible news of Éclair’s untimely death. At first we considered shutting down the production, although that was only a passing consideration. Then we thought about recasting. Two local girls volunteered to take Éclair’s place.”

  Ivy had no doubt who those two local girls were. “Ava and Maisie?”

  “How did you know?”

  “Call it a wild guess.”

  “Anyway, we don’t feel that either woman is right for us. We were hoping you would take the lead role.”

  Ivy was certain she had dirt in her ears because there’s no way she could’ve heard him correctly. “Excuse me?”

  “Did you just ask my daughter to be on a dating show?” Michael asked, dumbfounded. “I mean ... seriously?”

  “We think she’ll be a wonderful fit,” Roy replied without hesitation. “She has a colorful personality and an intriguing look. She’s managed to wow several of our male cast members already and we think she’ll develop quite the following because she has a folksy charm that most people find appealing.”

  �
��Did you hear that, Ivy?” Michael enthused. “You have a folksy charm. Who knew?”

  Ivy glared at him. “Don’t make this worse.”

  “I don’t think that’s possible.”

  “We would make it worth your while monetarily,” Roy continued. “You wouldn’t get rich, but you could take a break from working here for certain. No more manual labor for you.”

  The corners of Ivy’s lips turned down. “I own this place. This is my business.”

  “Oh, well ... I’m sorry.”

  Annoyance, bubbling and bright, grabbed Ivy by the throat. “I’ve poured my blood, sweat, and tears into this place.”

  “And it’s lovely,” Roy lied. “I just happen to believe what we’re offering is better.”

  “Well, I don’t.” Ivy was firm. “Besides, I’m already engaged ... and happily so.”

  “Yes, you’re talking about the police detective. What if we allow him to be one of your dates for the show? You could field other offers but still keep him in play that way.”

  Ivy managed to hold off a scream, but just barely. “Do you think that’s funny?”

  “No. I’m being serious.”

  “So am I.” Ivy planted her hands on her narrow hips. “I have no interest in your show. You’re much better off picking Maisie or Ava. Heck, pick them both. They’ll have a catfight and scratch each other’s eyeballs out. That will make for great television.

  “While you’re at it, my brother would love to be one of the dates,” she continued. “Put him in the mix. He knows exactly how to push Maisie’s and Ava’s buttons. Trust me, that will be riveting television.”

  “We don’t want Maisie or Ava. We want you.”

  “Yeah? Well, you’d better get used to disappointment.”

  “So, you want to play hardball, huh?” Roy’s smile widened. “How much is it going to take?”

  “There is not enough money on this planet to get me to agree to what you’re suggesting.”

  “Everyone has a price.”

  “I don’t.”