Wicked Ghosts_A Harper Harlow and Ivy Morgan Mystery

by Lily Harper Hart

  “That would explain why he was so easily able to walk away from his mother and sister without a backward glance,” Jack conceded. “Psychopaths care about the moment more than the future. Sociopaths generally manage to think about the future before worrying about the moment. They’re the more dangerous of the two.”

  “So maybe Logan Butler is a sociopath.”

  “Or maybe we’re missing something else.” Jack heaved out a sigh. “Let’s do this. They probably won’t talk to us, but it’s worth a try.”

  “What else are we going to do with our afternoon?”

  Jack shrugged. “I was thinking of making a stop back at the cottage for lunch when we’re done here. You know … surprise the girls.”

  “I thought you sent Max over there.”

  “I did … that doesn’t mean I don’t want to test the waters and make sure Ivy has really forgiven me.”

  Jared smirked. “We’re kind of pathetic, huh? We’re grown men and yet we’re mooning over our girlfriends. It’s a bit ridiculous.”

  Jack shrugged. “I can live with that.”

  “Sadly, I can, too.” Jared beamed. “Let’s interview these guys and then check on our women.”

  Jack heaved out another heavy sigh. “Dude, you have to stop referring to them as ‘our women.’ Trust me. They don’t like that.”

  Jared snorted. “Like I’m going to listen to you after that whopper of a fight I witnessed this morning. Good grief. I know more about women than you do.”

  “Do you want to bet?”

  “Absolutely.”

  “We’ll settle on terms after this.”

  Jack was all business when he knocked on the door of the house.

  “We told you to go away!” Dan screeched as he swooped in and yanked open the door. He was taken aback when he found Jack and Jared standing on the other side of the threshold. “Oh. What are you doing here?”

  Jack arched an eyebrow, amused. “What a lovely greeting, Dan. I feel so loved.”

  Dan scowled. “I don’t have to be nice to you. Logan told me. You can’t threaten me on my own property.”

  “Technically this isn’t your property,” Jack pointed out. “You’re renting it. In fact, I hear the owner is unhappy with all the questions being lobbed his way because of your occupancy and he’s considering revoking your lease.”

  Dan balked. “He can’t do that. It’s illegal.”

  “It’s actually not,” Jared countered. “My understanding is you guys have a month-to-month lease, which means he can kick you out whenever he wants.”

  “Oh, you guys suck.” Dan made a face as he cradled his hand. He looked as if he was in legitimate pain, which made Jack suspicious.

  “What happened to your hand?” Jack asked.

  “Don’t worry about it.” Dan’s eyes fired with annoyance. “It’s none of your concern.”

  Jack wasn’t about to be dissuaded. “Did one of your roommates hurt you?”

  “Oh, you’d like that, wouldn’t you?” Dan sneered. “Logan told me what you guys had planned. He says you’re going to try to get us to turn on one another so you can frame us with that girl’s murder. Well, it’s not going to work. I’m not going to turn on my friends. I don’t care what you say or how you try to manipulate me.”

  Jack and Jared exchanged a weighted look.

  “Logan, huh?” Jack rolled his neck until it cracked. “Is Logan here?”

  “No, he took off as soon as those girls left. He was agitated, said he wanted to teach them a lesson because they were so full of themselves. He said they needed to learn a lesson like Tabitha did. I think he followed them.”

  Dan realized what he said when it was too late to take it back.

  Jack leaned forward, intrigued. “What girls?”

  Dan made a face. “I don’t have to tell you that. You’re not the boss of me.”

  Jack grabbed Dan’s wrist before the young man could slam the door in his face. “I’m not messing with you, Dan. What girls are you talking about?”

  “The hot ones who turned out to be mean,” Dan answered on a whine. “I was excited when I saw them at the door – I thought we were finally going to get some prime meat here – but they were mean. They yelled at me. They beat me up, too.”

  Jack pressed his lips together to keep from laughing at Dan’s hangdog expression. “I see. Do you know who these girls were?”

  “No. They were both hot, though.” Dan was sulky. “The blonde stomped on my foot to keep me from shutting the door in their faces. She was mean, but it was the other one who was evil. I’m pretty sure she was possessed by the devil.”

  “I see.” Jack fought the urge to roll his eyes. “And what did the evil one do?”

  “She grabbed my thumb and pinched it until I thought I was going to die.” Dan held his hand up for emphasis. “I thought she was really pretty when I first saw her – I was going to ask her out and everything because I love women with pink hair – but she turned really mean.”

  Jack’s heart stuttered at the offhand comment. “Pink hair?”

  “She had a blonde with her?” Jared asked, his stomach twisting.

  Dan nodded, clearly not understanding the change in the two men’s demeanors. “They wanted to know about Tabitha. They were asking a bunch of questions. We told them that we didn’t remember what happened that night, but those mean girls didn’t believe us.”

  “And then what happened?” Jack asked, his temper ready to explode. “What happened then?”

  “Logan had a meltdown and said he was going to teach them a lesson,” Dan replied. “He followed them when they took off.”

  Jack’s face flushed with fury. “Son of a … I knew I should’ve cuffed her to me. When I find her, I’m going to shake her until some common sense lodges in that busy brain of hers. I just … I’m going to kill her.”

  19

  Nineteen

  “May I ask how you know where to look for the boots?”

  Harper wasn’t happy about the turn of events, but she understood Ivy’s need to find answers.

  “I dreamed about it last night,” Ivy replied, pocketing her keys as she exited her car. She purposely parked along the road that separated her property from the highway rather than pulling into one of the access points where tourists generally parked.

  Harper’s eyebrows flew up her forehead. “You dreamed about it?”

  Ivy was uncomfortable explaining but she did her best. When she was done, Harper was flummoxed.

  “Has this happened before?”

  “Are you asking if I’ve had odd dreams before where I saw things I couldn’t possibly know?”

  Harper nodded.

  “Yes.”

  “Can you be more specific?”

  Ivy was torn as she moved to the front of her car and met Harper’s curious gaze. She made up her mind on the spot. “When Jack first came to town, he was … struggling.”

  “Because he was shot by his former partner? You already told me that.”

  “I was vague, though,” Ivy said. “I told you how we walked in dreams together. Some of those dreams were fun and flirty, which I always assumed was my subconscious trying to get a grip on the feelings I had for Jack. I couldn’t explain those feelings and didn’t realize we were sharing dreams until we’d been doing it for weeks.”

  “Okay. I’m not sure what this has to do with you knowing where the boots are.”

  “The flirty dreams weren’t the only ones we shared,” Ivy explained. “We also shared some dark ones. I told you about it, but I didn’t go into detail.” She licked her lips, her discomfort growing. “Jack used to dream about the night he was shot.”

  Harper could sense Ivy’s unease. She couldn’t figure out why the woman was so edgy, though. “I would think that’s normal. Getting shot in the chest … almost dying … those are the types of things that mark a person. For Jack to be betrayed by his partner, well, that had to make things all the worse.”

  “It definitely mad
e things worse,” Ivy agreed. “He had the same dream almost every night. He was back in the alley. He knew what was about to come and yet he couldn’t stop it.”

  “I don’t understand,” Harper said. “What does this have to do with what’s happening now?”

  “I’m trying to build a foundation.” Ivy swallowed hard. “He drew me into the dreams. That’s when I realized he was controlling them to some extent. I might’ve been supplying the power, the magic, but he was the one calling to me.

  “I saw what happened to him,” she continued. “He tried to get me to leave before it happened, but I refused to go. I saw it happen … and then I went back with him to face down his fears.”

  “That sounds like a good thing,” Harper said.

  “It was. It was also real … to a certain degree, at least. I saw what really happened to Jack. I felt his fear and betrayal.”

  “And you think what you saw last night really happened to Tabitha,” Harper mused. “That still doesn’t explain how you know where to go to find the boots.”

  “I know these woods,” Ivy said simply. “I spent a lot of time out here when I was a kid. Max and I made forts … and sometimes I was alone. I recognized a certain landmark in the dream, although I didn’t realize that until a little bit ago.”

  “And you honestly think you can find the boots?”

  Ivy nodded. “I honestly think I can.”

  Harper held her hands out and shrugged. “Okay. Let’s see if we can find them.”

  “HOW LONG AGO were they here?”

  It took everything Jack had not to wrap his twitching fingers around Dan’s neck and shake him.

  “Like … an hour ago.” Dan made a face. “Why are you getting so worked up?”

  Jack risked a glance at Jared and found the other man equally agitated. “They could already be back at the house.”

  “They could,” Jared said. “They’re probably not, though.”

  “Probably not.”

  “Are you talking about the chicks?” Dan was baffled. “They weren’t going home. The hot one with the pink hair said that she had an idea where to find boots. Now, I’m not sure what boots she was talking about, but even though she was mean to me I would totally let her walk those boots all over me.”

  Jack extended a warning finger. “Don’t push me.”

  “He doesn’t understand,” Jared said, forcing himself to remain calm. “He doesn’t grasp why you’re upset. If they’re looking for boots … you don’t think they went to the woods, do you?”

  Jack was grim. “I think that’s exactly where they went.”

  “But the forest is huge,” Jared pointed out. “How could they possibly think they were going to find Tabitha’s boots out there? They could be anywhere.”

  “Not anywhere.” Jack licked his lips. “Ivy had a dream last night.”

  “Do I want to know what you’re talking about?”

  “She had a dream,” Jack supplied. “She saw Tabitha in the woods. She thinks she knows where the boots are. They’re probably out looking for them right now.”

  “How can a dream tell her where the boots are?” Jared asked, legitimately confused. “I don’t understand.”

  “She’s special. She … knows things.”

  “Are you talking about the pink-haired chick?” Dan was slow but eager to play the game. “She’s definitely special. She’s so special I want to … .” Dan broke off as he mimed a lewd act.

  Jack reached out to grab him by the throat to silence him, but Jared slapped his hand away.

  “Now is not the time for that,” Jared chided. “They’re out there and we have to find them. Did Ivy tell you about the dream?”

  Jack searched his memory. “She didn’t want to talk about it all that much. She was stressed out by what she saw. She was upset.”

  “Did you ask her about it?”

  “Yes, but I didn’t want to press her. I let it be last night, kind of lulled her back to sleep. We talked briefly about it again this morning, but she didn’t say much. She just said that she couldn’t see the moon very well except when she looked through the widow’s crook.”

  Jared stilled. “What’s a widow’s crook?”

  “I honestly don’t know.”

  “It has to be something,” Jared pressed. “It’s our only landmark. What about Max? Would he know?”

  Jack shrugged as he dug for his phone. “He’s our best shot.”

  “Hey, are you guys done with me?” Dan’s gaze bounced between them. “If so, I want to go inside and take a nap. All this talk about dreams makes me want to have a very specific dream about the chick with pink hair.”

  “Don’t make me smack you,” Jack snapped, causing Dan to shrink back.

  “Geez. You’re as violent as the chick. Even though it hurt at the time, I’ve got to say, I was kind of turned on when she did what she did. You? Not so much.”

  Jack scorched him with a dark look. “I can’t stand you. I really can’t.”

  “Right back at you, dude.”

  Jared lobbed a warning look at Dan. “You might want to watch what you say. In fact … tell me about your roommate. What happened when Logan saw Harper and Ivy?”

  “I didn’t even know their names,” Dan mused, shaking his head when he felt Jared’s hard glare burn into his skin. “He was angry. He said they were mouthy and he wanted to go after them and teach them a lesson.”

  Jared swallowed hard. “And then what happened?”

  “Then he dragged me back inside and the chicks went over to talk to the old guy who lives next door.”

  Jack paused before punching Max’s number into his phone. “The old guy next door? Are you talking about Nelson Delgado?”

  Dan shrugged. “I don’t know his name. He was talking to them and then they left.”

  “Do you know what he said?”

  “What does he always say? He was complaining about our parties. He seemed agitated. We were trying to listen through the window, but it wasn’t easy. Then the pink-haired chick said that she wanted to find the boots and she had an idea.”

  “Stop calling her a chick,” Jack barked.

  “Why?”

  “Because she’s a woman. She’s … my woman.” Jack turned a rueful look to Jared. “Don’t ever tell her I said that.”

  “Hey, I just want to find them,” Jared said. “Call Max. We need to track them down … and now.”

  Jack nodded as he finished dialing. “I’m still going to kill her.”

  Jared was matter-of-fact. “I’m going to help.”

  “WHAT IS THIS PLACE?”

  Harper was entranced as Ivy led her past a spot that was near and dear to her heart.

  “It’s my fairy ring.”

  “What’s a fairy ring?”

  Ivy pointed toward the ring of toadstools. “It’s supposed to be a magical place. I read about fairy rings when I was a kid and then I found this place. I thought it was my own special magical hangout.”

  Harper smiled. “I can see that. What’s with the tree?” She knelt in front of the old tree. It was dead. It had been for a long time. It also appeared to have a face. “Is this the magical being that looked out for you when you were little?”

  Ivy wanted to deny the charge, but she couldn’t. “That’s what I told myself. I used to come out here and have entire conversations with him. I didn’t have a lot of friends because even then people thought I was different, but I liked to think he was my best friend for a time … especially when I was fighting with Max.”

  “I absolutely love this place,” Harper enthused, brushing off the knees of her jeans as she stood. “I didn’t have a place like this when I was younger, but Zander and I loved to hang out by the river. Even now Jared and I do it. We put up a hammock close to the water and Jared absolutely loves wasting entire days ‘hammocking.’ That’s what he calls it anyway.”

  “Jack likes the lake and river, too. He comes out here with me sometimes, though. We have picnics. Other days he
lets me come out here alone.” Ivy adopted a wistful expression. “I think he understands that I need time to decompress and I like to do it here.”

  “It sounds like he understands you.” Harper’s lips curved. “You guys fight hard and love hard.”

  “We’ve always fought hard,” Ivy confirmed. “I think it fires both of us up. I can’t explain it but … there it is.”

  “And you think Tabitha’s boots are out here because you saw the fairy ring in your dream?”

  Ivy shook her head, catching Harper off guard. “I think I know where the boots are because I saw something else.” Ivy cast one more glance back at her fairy ring and then moved to the east. “It’s this way.”

  Harper fell into step with Ivy, content to let her lead. They didn’t walk far – maybe about a quarter of a mile – and then she pulled up short when Ivy stopped moving. “What?”

  Ivy lifted a finger and pointed. “There. That’s what I saw.”

  “What is that?” Harper narrowed her eyes as she stared at the distinctive tree branch. It was bare of leaves even though everything around it was blooming, and oddly enough, it looked like very slender arms stretching into the sky.

  “It’s a widow’s crook,” Ivy replied. “At least that’s what my father told Max and me when we were kids. He went into this long and drawn out story about how a despondent woman was in the woods looking for her missing children – she never found them, which made the story depressing – and she searched so long she eventually became a tree because she refused to give up looking.

  “She stretched her hands into the sky and screamed at the sun, moon, and stars,” she continued. “She chose to become a tree so she could always watch for the return of her children.”

  Harper made a face. “Your father told you that story when you were a kid? That’s just … mean. No wonder you had nightmares.”

  “My father likes to spin a good yarn,” Ivy admitted. “I was a morose kid so I was fine with it.”

  “And I thought my parents were bad when it came to telling stories.” Harper shook her head to dislodge the troublesome tale. “So you saw the tree in your dream. Do you remember where Tabitha dropped the boots?”