Ivy wasn’t willing to accept that. “Let her go, Nelson.”
“I can’t let either of you go,” Nelson said, his expression sad. “It’s not my choice. I’m sure you understand that. I knew today when you told me they had fingerprints from the car that I would have to do something.”
“And you thought following us into the woods would fix things?” Harper challenged.
Nelson shook his head. “I wasn’t following you. I was following the boy.”
“Oh.” Ivy pressed the heel of her hand to her forehead and groaned. “Oh.”
“What?” Harper widened her eyes. “Do you get it? I’m not quite there yet.”
“Logan followed us,” Ivy supplied. “It doesn’t matter that we were wrong about him killing Tabitha. He’s still a total jackhole and he wanted to hurt us because we were at his house casting aspersions on him. He’s the one who almost killed his sister with a baseball bat. He has issues.
“Logan followed us,” she continued. “Nelson followed Logan. He was going to kill him, perhaps even use the gun and make it look like a suicide. He wanted Logan to look like the guilty party.”
“Yes,” Nelson confirmed, bobbing his head. “That was the original plan. I didn’t even see you guys when I pulled the trigger.”
“How does shooting Logan in the chest make for a convincing suicide?” Harper asked.
“While I was following the boy, I had an epiphany of sorts,” Nelson replied. “Killing him and making it look like a suicide was one idea. The better idea was killing him and making sure he was never found.”
“But … why?”
“Because if he simply disappeared, the police would assume he was the one responsible for Tabitha’s death,” Nelson replied. “They would think he ran because he was afraid of being arrested.”
“But what about your prints in the car?” Ivy challenged. “I’m assuming that the state police lab is going to come back with a match relatively soon. You were a reserve firefighter for years. Your prints are in the system.”
“They are and it’s only a matter of time,” Nelson confirmed. “I realized that today when I was talking to you.”
“So how are you going to explain that?”
“I’m going to tell the police that this boy threatened me if I didn’t help him that night and I was afraid for my life,” Nelson replied simply. “I’m old and frail, after all. I was terrified he would hurt me.
“I’ll say I never saw Tabitha and only helped him move the car,” he continued. “Then I’ll admit to being afraid when I heard what happened, wracked with guilt, and filled with self-loathing. It’s a perfect plan.”
Ivy had to hand it to him. It sounded like a fairly decent plan. There was only one problem. “You didn’t count on having to deal with us.”
“No, I certainly didn’t,” Nelson agreed, gripping the barrel of the gun tighter. “Now I’m in a conundrum.”
“You could let us go,” Harper suggested, hoping to appeal to the man’s sense of regret. “We won’t tell anyone. We understand that you’re dealing with a lot. You didn’t want to kill anyone. That includes us.”
“I wish I could believe that.” Nelson offered Harper a watery smile. “I don’t want to kill anyone. You’re right about that. I don’t see where I have a choice.”
“You have a choice,” Harper argued. “You have an easy choice. Let us go and we won’t say anything.”
“Except I know that’s not true.” Pity rolled through Nelson’s eyes as they landed on Ivy. “I’ve known Ivy since she was a small child. She has a very ingrained sense of right and wrong. She lives with a police officer. She’s also tight with Brian Nixon. She won’t be able to stop herself from telling the truth.”
“Tell him that you’ll keep his secret, Ivy,” Harper prodded. “Make him see that we’re not a threat.” Her tone was chilly and obvious.
“I can’t do that,” Ivy said, her eyes never leaving Nelson’s face. “He’s known me since I was a kid. He knows I don’t work that way. Even now, knowing my life depends on it, I can’t lie.”
“That’s another reason I always liked you.” Nelson almost looked sad as he regarded Ivy. “I’m sorry about this. I don’t have a choice, though.”
“How are you going to explain our deaths?” Harper challenged. “You can’t just pretend we don’t exist.”
“No, but I can change my story again,” Nelson said. “I can say that I loaned my gun to Logan without realizing why he wanted it. I can say I figured out what he did, what he was still going to do, when I saw him getting into his car with it after you left. I can say I saw him chasing you in the woods and hurried to follow because I wanted to save you. I can explain how I was too late to save you but managed to get the drop on him.
“It will be a tragedy and it will hurt a lot of people,” he continued. “They’ll believe me, though.”
“I guess you’ve got it all figured out,” Ivy muttered.
“He does … except for the part where we came looking for you,” Jack announced, moving into the clearing behind Nelson and causing the older man to jerk. Jack kept his gun even as he leveled it on Nelson’s back. “Don’t even think of raising that gun.”
“Jack.” Ivy let loose with a relieved sigh when she saw him. “I knew you were close. I felt you.”
Jack’s expression was hard to read. He didn’t move in to hug Ivy, instead keeping his weapon trained on Nelson as Jared slid into the clearing and edged toward the distressed man. “I felt you, too.”
“Wait … you guys can sense each other when you’re close?” Harper was stupefied. “Why didn’t you tell me that?”
“I could hardly announce it in front of Nelson,” Ivy pointed out. “I was buying us time.”
“You don’t understand,” Nelson argued. “This isn’t what it looks like.”
“I heard all of it,” Jack said. “Er, well, I heard most of it. I know exactly what it was.”
“We both do.” Jared kept a wary eye on Nelson as he eased around the man and grabbed the rifle. At first, Nelson was reluctant to relinquish it. “Let go,” Jared prodded.
Nelson opened his mouth to argue and then snapped it shut, something unreadable passing across his features.
“It will be quiet in prison,” Ivy offered, tilting her head to the side. “You’ll definitely be able to get into a routine there.”
Nelson brightened, although only marginally. “Do you think?”
“I definitely think so.”
Nelson released the weapon, causing Harper and Ivy to heave out sighs of relief as Jared took a step back.
“I knew you would find me.” Ivy smiled as she locked gazes with Jack. “This thing we have where we can feel each other is starting to come in handy.”
“Yes, it’s absolutely delightful that I can feel your fear,” Jack said. “It’s not at all agitating or something that makes me want to scream.”
Ivy’s smile slipped. “You’re angry, huh?”
“Oh, honey, you have no idea.” Jack turned to Jared. “Take the cuffs from my belt. I’ll keep my gun on him, just to be on the safe side.”
Jared nodded his head. “Good idea.”
Jack turned back to Ivy. “Then, after that, we’re going to fight with the girls. Won’t that be fun?”
Jared’s grin was evil. “Oh, that sounds like a lot of fun.”
Ivy and Harper let loose with duplicate groans of disgust.
“I knew this was going to come back and bite us,” Harper groused. “This is all your fault.”
Ivy wanted to argue the point, but she couldn’t. “I’m going to look for morels while we’re out here. By the time Jack is done with me, I’m going to lose the entire season.”
Harper brightened. “That sounds fun.”
Jared shook his head. “You’re in big trouble.”
“Yeah, yeah.” Harper waved him off. “Where should we start looking for morels?”
Ivy tilted her chin and practically dared Jack to stop h
er. “Do you want to say something?”
Jack nodded without hesitation. “You’re in big trouble, too.”
Ivy didn’t want to smile. It would only encourage him, after all. She couldn’t stop herself, though. “Thank you for coming.”
Jack’s expression softened. “You’re still in trouble.”
“I’ll never make you eat morels again if you let this go.”
Jack considered the offer but ultimately shook his head. “You’re in way more trouble than that.”
Ivy was resigned. “Yeah. I figured. I had to try.”
“It was an admirable effort.”
Twenty-One
“Is that everything?” Jared stood at the back of the Escalade the next morning and watched as Zander and Shawn loaded suitcases in the back.
Zander nodded. “That’s everything. I can’t wait to get home. This vacation sucked.”
Jared studied him for a long beat. “Yes, well, I’m sure we can pick up the bromance right where we left off as soon as we’ve recovered. That should count for something.”
Zander brightened. “Really?”
“Yes, we’ll have a man date and everything.”
“Yay!” Zander clapped his hands. “That makes me even more excited to get home. Let’s get out of here.”
Jared offered up a curt shake of his head. “Not yet. Harper needs to say goodbye to Ivy.”
Zander turned his head to his best friend and frowned. “I need to nip this new friendship in the bud. I can already see it’s going to be an issue.”
“You’re not going to do anything,” Jared warned. “You’re going to stand here and be calm, cool, and collected while they say goodbye. Harper is your best friend, and I know you don’t want to make this harder on her.”
“She is my best friend,” Zander confirmed. “That’s why I don’t want the pink-haired wonder to steal her. I’m still bitter I missed all the action yesterday.”
“You’re bitter you weren’t threatened by a crazy old man with a gun?” Jared was annoyed. “You need to rethink the things you’re willing to get bitter about.”
“Do you know what I just heard? Blah, blah, blah.”
“Well, you’re still going to behave.” Jared was firm. “I’m agreeing to go on a man date with you, so you’re going to be a good boy while Harper says goodbye to Ivy.” Jared’s gaze was laced with worry when he shifted it to his girlfriend. “She had an emotional day yesterday and I’m worried it’s about to spill over.”
Zander took Jared by surprise when he placed his hand on his shoulder and turned serious. “She’ll be fine. It’s not as if they’ll never see each other again. We’re only a couple of hours away. It will all work out.”
Jared hoped he was right. He pasted a bright smile on his face as he moved to Harper’s side. “Everything is packed.”
Harper smiled and nodded, her eyes never leaving Ivy’s face. “I’m almost ready.”
Jared squeezed her hand. “Take your time.” He flicked his eyes to Jack, who looked to be at ease even though Jared was sure the man spent the bulk of the previous evening arguing with Ivy. “How is Nelson dealing with his new digs?”
“As long as everyone around him stays quiet, he’s perfectly fine,” Jack replied. “He owned up to what he did – I think he realized he wasn’t going to get out of it regardless – and his attorney is already working with the prosecutor for a plea deal.”
Harper was appalled. “Will he get it?”
Jack shrugged. “I think there’s a very good possibility that he will. We’ve seen his medical records. The odds of him making it to trial are pretty slim. His tumor is aggressive. The doctor said that he was stunned when it didn’t grow for two years and he mentioned that to Nelson, who apparently thought it was something of a miracle.”
“That’s why he was so put out when it started growing,” Ivy mused. “He was resigned to his fate, but he garnered hope when the tumor didn’t grow for so long. He blamed the boys because the tumor growth happened to coincide with their moving in.”
“Pretty much,” Jack confirmed.
“Did you talk to Sasha?” Jared asked. “Does she know about her brother’s death?”
“I told her. She didn’t exactly act as if she wanted to throw a party, but I don’t think she was sorry to hear about his death,” Jack replied. “Also, Brian talked to the guy who owns the house. He’s not happy with the turn of events and the remaining three party monsters are being evicted.”
“That sounds about right,” Jared mused. “Maybe the prosecutor will put Nelson on house arrest with an ankle monitor and let him live out his final days in peace at his house.”
“I think that’s a definite possibility,” Jack said.
Ivy furrowed her brow. “That doesn’t seem fair to Tabitha. Sure, Harper helped her pass on yesterday afternoon and she’s no longer lingering, but she deserves some justice.”
Jack slipped a strand of her hair behind her ear. “It doesn’t seem fair,” he agreed. “We can’t bring her back, though, and the cost of taking care of Nelson in prison is going to be astronomical. I think they’re going to strike a compromise.”
Ivy understood what Jack was inferring, but she wasn’t happy about it. “It still doesn’t seem fair.”
“I’m sorry.” Jack slipped his arm around her waist and tugged her to his side. “House arrest isn’t easy. Nelson will have to deal with that. Heck, you’re going to be dealing with a house arrest situation of your own after the stunt you pulled yesterday. You’ll be able to tell me how it goes.”
Ivy scowled. “We’re not done talking about that.”
“Oh, but we are.” Jack was firm even though he found her expression hilarious. “You weren’t supposed to be in the woods yesterday. You were supposed to be making lotion. You went to the house even though you knew it was dangerous. Then you went to the woods even though you knew it was more dangerous. You’re officially in big trouble.”
“You’re not the boss of me,” Ivy grumbled, crossing her arms over her chest. “If you think you’re putting me on house arrest during morel season, you’ve got another think coming.”
“We’ll see.” Jack smiled behind Ivy’s head before turning his full attention to Jared. “So, well, thanks for your help.”
“You didn’t need help, but thank you for including me,” Jared said, extending his hand. “It was a pleasure working with you.”
“You, too.”
Harper rolled her eyes as the two men clasped hands. “You have no idea how to do this the right way, do you? Why not give each other one of those stiff one-armed man hugs? That would be funnier.”
Jared murdered her with a look. “I wouldn’t push things. You’re lucky not to be on house arrest yourself.”
“Oh, puh-leez.” Harper made an exaggerated face. “You don’t want me to be stuck in the house because that means Zander will be with me constantly and that’s punishment for you.”
“Hey, Zander and I are going on a man date when we get back and I’m doing that for you,” Jared shot back. “I think I deserve a little peace.”
“You do indeed.” Harper rolled to the balls of her feet and pressed a kiss to his cheek. “I’m going to show you how to peace out the right way when we get home.”
Jared couldn’t hide his grin. “That sounds like a plan to me.”
Harper was more reticent when she turned back to Ivy. “So … it was definitely an adventure.”
Ivy kept a stiff upper lip as she nodded. “It was. I’m glad to have met you.”
“Me, too.” Harper licked her lips. “You have my number. You’ll call, right?”
“Yes.” Ivy’s voice was a bit misty. “We’ll plan a shopping trip or something.”
“We will.”
The two women broke off, the goodbye proving to be awkward. Finally Harper opened her arms and pulled Ivy in for a long hug. When they pulled apart, both women boasted glassy eyes.
“I’m glad to have found someone like me, eve
n if you’re not exactly like me,” Harper said. “I promise I’ll call … and text … and we can even do those video chat things. That way Zander can be involved and he won’t feel left out and do something obnoxious to pay me back.”
“I heard that,” Zander growled.
Ivy chuckled at Zander’s expression as she surreptitiously swiped at her cheeks. “I’ll call, too. Have a good trip home.”
“I will.” Harper let Jared lead her to the passenger side of the vehicle, casting one last glance over her shoulder. “You should be nice to her, Jack. She’s really sorry for going into the woods. I know because she told me. She also couldn’t stop talking about how great you are – handsome and a stallion in bed – for the entire time we were hanging out.”
Jack pursed his lips. “I know you’re making excuses for her. That was a good one, by the way.”
Harper beamed. “I still think you should forgive her.”
“I already have.”
“Then you need to let her off punishment.”
Jack immediately started shaking his head. “Nope. She’s still in big trouble.”
“You’re a tough nut to crack.” Harper offered up a wave before disappearing inside the vehicle.
Jared’s expression was hard to read as he crossed in front of the truck and smiled at Ivy and Jack. “You’re going to give in and let her off punishment in like two hours, aren’t you?”
“More likely one,” Jack replied. “She’s going to regret being a pain in the butt for the next hour, though. I guarantee that.”
Ivy was dubious. “I’ll have you eating out of the palm of my hand in an hour.”
Jack chuckled as he grabbed Ivy around the waist and moved her away from the Escalade. “We’ll see.”
They stood together and watched as Jared drove away, waving until the vehicle disappeared. When it was just the two of them, Ivy turned to Jack.
“I was thinking we could have a picnic today at the fairy ring. You know, just the two of us. We haven’t had a lot of time for just us over the past few days.”
Jack managed to keep his face cloudy, but just barely. “And why would I be okay with that while you’re being punished?”
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