Ivy Morgan Mystery Box Set 5

by Lily Harper Hart

“That could’ve gone better,” Max noted.

  Jack could only growl. “Shut up, Max.”

  JJ finally spoke again. “Maybe I don’t want to be a cop after all.”

  Seven

  Jack knew better than to chase Ivy when she was clearly on edge. Instead, he ate dinner with Amy, Max, and JJ, all the while doing his best to pretend he wasn’t bereft. When he was finished, he ordered Ivy’s favorite vegetarian stir-fry and purchased an entire blueberry pie before heading out.

  Max met him in the parking lot, alone.

  “How are you going to handle this?” Max queried. He was legitimately curious. He’d seen some rather ugly fights between his sister and her fiancé and wanted to make sure this one didn’t get out of hand when he wasn’t there to act as referee.

  “What do you mean?” Jack calmly loaded the food into his truck. “I’m going home and will talk to her as a rational adult would.”

  “And when that backfires and she makes you sleep on the couch, what are you going to do then?”

  Jack scowled. “I’m not in the mood to play with you, Max,” he warned. “Now is not the time.”

  “I’m not playing.” Max was matter-of-fact. “Ivy has worked herself up into a righteous snit. The stir-fry and pie is a nice start, but it’s going to take more than that. Aunt Felicity was more than just an aunt to us. She was like a second mother.”

  Because he understood that Max was trying to help, Jack held his temper. “I know that, Max. I know that Ivy loves her. I shouldn’t have said anything. In truth, this is on me.”

  “Oh, no. You did the right thing by telling us. If you’d kept that to yourself and Ivy found out later, things would be much worse for you.”

  “Thanks for the vote of confidence.”

  “I’m being serious.” Max’s tone was grave. Since he was generally boisterous and gregarious, Jack took note of his somber expression. “From a professional standpoint, you might not think what you did was a good idea. From a personal one, it was the best choice you had.”

  “It doesn’t feel that way.” Jack dragged a restless hand through his dark hair. “I hate fighting with her.”

  Max chuckled dryly. “I never would’ve guessed. You have a great poker face when this stuff goes down. I mean ... really. You’re awesome.”

  “Max.” Jack was exasperated. “I hate fighting with her … at least about big things. You have no idea how much. I don’t mind fighting about little things because then we get to make up.”

  “I know how much you hate fighting with her. I’ve been around for the aftermath more than a few times. I’m telling you, though, if you go in there spoiling for a fight, it’s going to blow up in your face. She might call Aunt Felicity out of spite if you do.”

  “How do you know she hasn’t already called your aunt?”

  “Because that’s not how she operates. She won’t betray you that way. You can’t think like that.”

  At his core, Jack knew that was true. “What do you suggest I do?”

  “Beg.”

  “That’s what the pie is for.”

  Max snickered at the police detective’s morose expression. “You and Ivy are meant to be. That hasn’t changed. You just surprised her. She’s more upset that Aunt Felicity managed to keep something from her than the fact that you couldn’t. She’ll have calmed down some by the time you get home. It’s going to be okay.”

  “I certainly hope so. I don’t want to sleep on the couch.”

  “It’s going to be fine.” Max was certain of that. “Just be calm and don’t start yelling back. She won’t be able to hold out long if you keep it together.”

  “I’ll take your opinion under advisement.”

  “Do that and you’ll be fine.”

  Jack was silent for a beat. “You’re going to keep your mouth shut, right?”

  Max mimed zipping his lips. “I won’t say a word. Unlike Ivy, I wouldn’t be comfortable asking Aunt Felicity about Henry anyway. The whole thing grosses me out.”

  “Yeah.” Jack let loose a dramatic sigh. “I guess I should get moving and head home. If we’re going to fight, I want to leave plenty of time to make up.”

  “That’s the spirit.”

  IVY WAS IN HER PAJAMAS AND eating straight from a bag of salt-and-vinegar potato chips when Jack walked into the cottage they shared. Her black cat Nicodemus was sprawled across her feet and the look the feline shot Jack seemed to indicate he was looking forward to a fight.

  “I picked up dinner for you,” Jack announced, carrying the bag of food to the counter. “I knew we didn’t have anything worth eating here.”

  As if to prove him wrong, Ivy held up the bag of chips.

  “I stand corrected.” Jack slid out of his light coat and hung it over the back of one of the kitchen chairs. “I still think you should have something substantial. I’m guessing you haven’t had anything even remotely healthy since breakfast.”

  “I can take care of my own nutritional needs,” Ivy shot back, speaking for the first time. “I don’t need you telling me what I should and shouldn’t be eating. I’m an adult. I can eat what I want.”

  He held her gaze for a long beat, internally sighing when he saw the anger lingering. “I bought a blueberry pie, too. If you want to get sugared up and fool around, we can go that route.”

  Ivy was caught off guard by the offer. “You bought pie?” Despite herself, she was intrigued. She loved the pie from the diner.

  “I did,” Jack confirmed. “I figured I would need a substantial bribe to get you to forgive me and there’s no jewelry store in town.”

  “I don’t need a bribe.” Ivy leaned forward and stared at the counter. “Did you really buy a whole pie?”

  “Yup.”

  “Well ... I might like some pie.”

  His lips quirked at her expression. “You can’t have the pie until we make up.”

  Ivy immediately started shaking her head and folded her arms across her chest. “I’m mad at you.”

  “I don’t think you are.” Jack was calm, as Max suggested, and carefully crossed the room. Instead of sitting on the couch with her, he opted for the chair across the way. From that position, it would be easier to monitor her facial expressions. “I think you’re upset because Felicity was dating a man you believe beneath her and failed to mention it. I don’t think you’re really angry with me.”

  “Oh, no. I’m mad at you.”

  Jack waited.

  “Maybe not completely mad, though,” she hedged after a beat. “I just don’t understand why Aunt Felicity would date him ... and I’m totally ticked that you think she’s a murderer.”

  “You know that’s not true,” Jack admonished, wagging a finger. “I love Felicity. I haven’t known her as long as you, but I have faith in her. You know better than to believe I would ever consider her a realistic suspect.”

  “But you said ... .”

  “I said that I was told not to tell you for logistical reasons and I couldn’t manage to pull it off. I can’t lie to you and this would’ve felt like a lie rather than just an omission. I’m going to be in big trouble with Brian when I tell him what I’ve done.”

  “Does Brian believe she’s a murderer?”

  “No, but we have a duty to perform for this town and that means questioning every suspect. I’m sorry if you don’t like it, but I don’t have a choice in the matter.”

  “I’m not asking you to pick your job over me,” Ivy countered. “I just ... she’s my aunt. I love her and know she would never do what you’re suggesting.”

  “I know you love her. I know you love me, too. I also know that you’re not going to stay mad at me because neither one of us wants a wedge between us. We’re stronger together than apart. That means we have to work this case together ... even if we have to keep your involvement on the down low from Brian.”

  For the first time since he’d walked through the door, a ghost of a smile pooled around Ivy’s lips. “Are you really going to include me?” />
  “Yes, but you can’t say anything ... and I would appreciate it if you didn’t let it slip to Brian that I have the world’s biggest mouth. He’s going to be impossible to deal with if you tell him you know about Felicity before we question her.”

  “Fine.” Ivy was reluctant but she agreed ... mostly because she was too tired to fight. “I’m still mad, though. I can’t just get over that because you snap your fingers.”

  “I have no intention of snapping my fingers. I plan on taking you for a special picnic in our dreams tonight. I figure you’ll forgive me by morning if I’m on my best behavior.”

  This time Ivy’s smile was big enough to split her entire face. They’d discovered they could dream walk together not long after meeting. It had come as a shock at the time, but now they were used to it and dusted off the phenomenon at least once a week so they could share special dream dates.

  “Do I get to pick the location?” she asked after a beat.

  He nodded. “Wherever you want.”

  “Fine.” She inclined her head toward the counter. “Bring that pie over here.”

  “You’re having the stir-fry first,” Jack countered. “You can have the junk after.”

  “Since when did you become so strict?”

  “Since I found a woman I can’t live without and I want her to be healthy so she lives forever.”

  “Ugh. I can’t even be mad at you when you say things like that.”

  “Why do you think I say them?”

  THEY SLEPT WELL DESPITE THE unease from the previous night and the first thing Jack saw when he woke the next morning was Ivy’s face. Her sea-blue eyes were clear and lasered on him.

  “What’s wrong?” He was instantly alert.

  “I’m sorry.”

  He couldn’t hide his surprise. “For what? Did you drool on me or something?”

  Her gaze darkened. “No. I’m sorry about yesterday. None of this is your fault. I shouldn’t have treated you like it was. That wasn’t fair.”

  Jack propped himself on his elbow and let his eyes move to his phone screen.

  “What are you doing?” Ivy was understandably confused.

  “I’m checking to make sure I haven’t accidentally slept for several months because it feels like Christmas.”

  Ivy’s scowl was back. “I can apologize. It’s not that rare.”

  “It feels rare.”

  “You know, I don’t have to apologize at all.”

  He laughed at her outrage, which only served to fire her up more. “There’s my fiancée. I thought maybe you’d been switched out with a pod person overnight. I can’t tell you what a relief it is to know that you’re still you.” He wrestled with her when she tried to pull away, laughing as he tickled her and she threatened him with a sundry list of punishments.

  “I love you,” he growled into her neck. “You don’t have to apologize, though. I know you didn’t mean it ... and you weren’t really angry with me.”

  She stopped fighting. “I wasn’t. That still doesn’t mean it was fair.”

  “Life isn’t fair.”

  “No, but ... you deserve better.” She wrapped her arms around him and held tight. “I don’t know how I made it before you.”

  He rubbed his hands over her shoulders and back and pressed his lips to her cheek. “I feel the same way. As for deserving better, there’s nothing better than you.”

  Ivy heaved out a sigh and held on for a moment longer before pulling back so she could study his handsome face. “I can’t promise I won’t melt down again before this is over. I’ll do my best to make sure that doesn’t happen.”

  “I don’t expect you to turn into a different person. I want you to be you and no one else.”

  “I know. It’s still not fair to blame you for something you can’t control. You’re trying to do what’s best for me and I really appreciate that.”

  “I will always do my very best for you. Until the day I die, you’re going to be the most important thing to me. I don’t ever want you to forget that.”

  She cocked an eyebrow. “What about when we have kids? I would think they should be high on that list.”

  “They will be. I can’t see beyond you right now, though. I’ll worry about the order of the list when we have something to worry about.”

  “Fair enough.” She dropped a kiss on his chin. “How does breakfast sound? I’m starving.”

  “We ate a whole pie between the two of us last night.”

  “Yes, and then we burned it off in our dreams. I’m in the mood for some eggs and hash browns.”

  “I would never say no to your cooking.”

  “You do during morel season.”

  “That’s only because I’m allergic to mushrooms that taste like feet.”

  “Yeah, yeah, yeah.”

  THEY SHOWERED TOGETHER AND WERE all smiles when they hit the kitchen. Even though the fight was still fresh in both of their minds, the foundation of their relationship was as strong as ever. There was no shaking it.

  Ivy set about making breakfast as Jack walked to the mailbox to grab the mail from the previous day. He was surprised when he hit the driveway and found Brian already waiting.

  “You’re early.” Jack checked his watch. “I’m not due in the office for another hour.”

  “I know.” Brian looked tired, as if he hadn’t slept a lick. “I just wanted to make sure you and Ivy were okay. You didn’t tell her about Felicity, did you?”

  Jack didn’t immediately answer — mostly because he had no idea what to say — and the obvious discomfort on his face was enough to tip Brian off to the truth.

  “Oh, you did tell her,” he groused, scuffing his foot against the driveway. “I knew it. I just knew it!”

  “Calm down.” Jack refused to get into another fight so soon after he’d put his personal life back together. “She promised not to say anything to Felicity. I didn’t mean to tell her. It just kind of ... slipped out.”

  “This is why I suggested you remove yourself from the case.”

  “Stop being a pain.” Jack was firm. “She knows. She melted down a little. We made up. It’s fine. She’s in there cooking breakfast right now.”

  “You still shouldn’t have told her.”

  “Is that why you’re here?” Jack was amused despite himself. It was always a pleasure for him when Brian started getting huffy. His partner was prone to theatrics, although the older detective would never admit anything of the sort.

  “Actually, I’m here because we’ve gotten a piece of good news.”

  “Really?” The hope on Jack’s face was enough to cause Brian to swallow hard. “Have you been able to officially clear Felicity?”

  Brian shook his head. “Not that good. The medical examiner found something interesting, though. It’s an earring that was snagged in the collar of Zelda’s shirt.”

  Jack knit his eyebrows together. “How does discovering Zelda’s earring help us? Was there DNA on it?”

  “It’s not Zelda’s earring.”

  “How can you be sure?”

  “Because she didn’t have pierced ears.”

  “That can’t be. Every time I saw her she was wearing those absolutely huge earrings.”

  “Yes, but they were clip-ons. I called Patsy to confirm. Zelda couldn’t wear earrings because she was allergic to the metal used in most posts and it caused her extreme discomfort.”

  “Huh.” Jack rubbed his chin. “That means that the earring was snagged in the shirt another way.”

  “Exactly.” Brian bobbed his head. “I’m guessing it was a blitz attack from behind, because the earring was found at the back of the shirt and Zelda had two stab wounds in her back before her assailant moved to her front.”

  “That makes sense. I guess we’re definitely looking for a woman.”

  “We can’t rule anything out, but that makes sense to me, too.” Brian dug in his pocket and came back with an evidence bag. Inside was a green earring, rather large, and it looked to be
made out of a chunky stone. “If we find the owner of this earring, we’ll be that much closer to finding answers.”

  “That’s good.” Jack glanced over his shoulder when he heard the front door open. He wasn’t surprised to find Ivy standing there, a curious expression on her face. “Hey, honey. Brian stopped by to talk. He knows I told you about Felicity, so there’s no reason to make up an elaborate lie.”

  Ivy’s lip curled as she made her way down the stairs. “I wasn’t going to make up an elaborate lie. I was just going to pretend you didn’t tell me.”

  “Well, that’s not necessary. Brian isn’t happy, but he isn’t going to freak out either.”

  “I didn’t say I wasn’t going to freak out,” Brian countered, offering Ivy a small smile. “We’re going to interview Felicity first thing this morning. You won’t have to keep your lips zipped for all that long.”

  “I’m fine with it.” Ivy’s response was breezy. “My aunt is innocent. I’m not worried in the least.”

  “Good.”

  “We were just about to sit down to breakfast,” she offered. “It’s nothing fancy, but you’re welcome to join us.”

  Brian smiled. “I wouldn’t say no to a bit of food.”

  “Good.” Ivy beamed at him and her eyes traveled to the earring in his hand. “Where did you find that?” Without thinking, she snagged the bag. “Was it in the driveway? I bet Aunt Felicity is looking for this. Jade is her favorite stone.”

  Jack almost fell over he was so surprised. “Wait ... .”

  Brian held up a finger. “Are you saying this is Felicity’s earring?”

  Ivy nodded. “She’s had them for years. She loves them. Why?”

  Jack looked pained. “Honey, this earring was found on Zelda’s body. It was snagged in her clothing.”

  Finally, Ivy caught up to what was happening. “That doesn’t mean anything. I ... maybe Zelda stole the earring or something.”

  Jack rested his hand on her back and briefly closed his eyes. “We’ll have to ask Felicity about the earring. We’ll have breakfast first and head out.”

  Ivy clutched her hands together. “She wouldn’t do this, Jack.”