Jack shook his head. “No. We want to get married first, if my little honey bear will pick a date, that is.”
Ivy’s lips curved down. “Honey bear?”
“Oh, you don’t like that.” Jack’s smile widened. “I’m going to keep calling you that until you set a date. I don’t understand why it’s such a big deal.”
Honestly, Ivy didn’t either. The idea of standing in front of people she trusted and cared about while declaring her love for Jack was exciting, not terrifying. It was the planning and shopping that went along with the event that gave her pause.
“You need to get me potential dates from your mother,” Ivy said. “When is she open and available to come to Shadow Lake?”
“That’s not how it works.” Jack shook his head, firm. “We set the date and she arranges her schedule accordingly.”
“I think he’s right,” Quinn noted. “That is how it works.”
“Oh, that must have been hard for you to admit,” Jack drawled. “The part about me being right, I mean.”
Quinn rolled his eyes. “You’re a real piece of work. Has anyone ever told you that?”
“No. Most people think I’m a joy to be around.”
Quinn made a tsking sound with his tongue. “I have no idea how you put up with him, Ivy. You’re a true delight and he’s a ... butthead.”
Ivy and Rowan laughed in unison, tickled.
“He’s not so bad,” Ivy said when she recovered. “After all, he did punch Joseph Guthrie in the face to defend me. Who doesn’t love a strong protector?”
“He shouldn’t have put his hands on you.” Jack was still traumatized by the turn of events. “He’s lucky I didn’t rip his head off his shoulders.”
“He would’ve had it coming,” Quinn agreed. “By the way, after you guys left, everyone confessed their part in the plot. It seems they’re already angling for deals.”
“And what was the plot?” Ivy asked, smiling as the waitress delivered menus and glasses of water, promising to return and gather their orders in a few minutes. “Did they say why they killed Margaret? All Bonnie and Lettie would say is that she was insufferable and had to go.”
“As far as I can tell, that’s everybody’s reason for doing it,” Quinn replied. “Margaret essentially tortured them for years, fueled their jealousy, and they all got drunk one night and banded together to hatch a plan.”
“What about Emily?” Jack queried. “Was she involved from the start, too?”
“No. They brought Emily in after the fact. They needed more access to Margaret. I guess, the bigger she got in her own head, the more she isolated herself from the others.”
“I’m willing to bet that Margaret recognized the way the others felt about her,” Rowan said. “She probably got off on it. She was having a fling with Richard Johnson, something he instigated because they needed more information from her. That’s why he was part of the executive group.”
“Yeah, that was something I didn’t understand,” Ivy admitted. “Why get involved with someone simply to kill her?”
“Margaret kept certain files to herself,” Quinn replied. “She was the de facto head of the organization, so she simply had more information at her fingertips than everybody else. They wanted to get their hands on that information — especially the financial information — and they needed an inside man to do it.
“According to Johnson, he actually hated her and pretending he didn’t was the hardest thing he’s ever done,” he continued. “He said she made his skin crawl and there were times he had to stop himself from smothering her with a pillow.”
“You would think a woman who fancied herself a good judge of character would’ve figured that out,” Ivy noted.
“Maybe she did see it,” Rowan suggested. “Maybe she saw it but didn’t care. It’s lonely on the top. Even people like Margaret need loving sometimes.”
“I guess.” Ivy rubbed the back of her neck as she stared at the swirling ocean waters. “Did they even try to talk to Emily before killing her, or was Guthrie too far gone by then?”
“Guthrie has stopped talking and is claiming he has a mental defect,” Quinn replied. “He’s saying that he went temporarily insane and needs professional help. As for the others, Brenda Farmer is being the most helpful. She’s not breaking down into tears every five seconds, and instead seems to be owning what she did.
“She doesn’t deny that killing Margaret because she was stealing the limelight seems petty, but she’s also not sorry it happened,” he continued. “She’s more upset about what happened to Emily. She says, seeing the way Guthrie snapped on the deck, that she was worried he would go after the rest of them eventually because the only way to keep his secret was to make sure nobody ever shared it.
“She said she was going to wait until they got home and then go to the police herself,” he said. “I’m guessing she had plans to twist the story, make herself a scared victim, but it’s too late for that now.
“On the night they killed her, she suggested that they give Emily a few days to calm down,” he said. “She said it was simply nerves causing the girl to act out of sorts and if they all talked to her they could get her back to their way of thinking. That didn’t happen.”
“It’s all unbelievably tragic because none of it had to happen,” Ivy lamented, shaking her head. “It’s kind of sad when you think about it. They thought they were going to change the world for the better and they all lost their heads and turned into the one thing they were fighting against.”
“I’m going to guess a guy like Guthrie has been violent before,” Jack offered. “He seems the type. He probably joined the group because it made him look like a good guy, served as decent cover, and allowed him to be as evil as he wanted to be while screaming from the rooftops that he was moral and just.”
“Sadly, that’s the feeling I get from him, too,” Quinn agreed. “I don’t think he’s a good guy. I don’t even think he’s a middle-of-the-road guy. I think he’s always been evil.”
“What will happen to him now?” Ivy asked.
“They’ll sit in holding until we get back to Florida and then they’ll be taken into custody. I’m not sure what’s going to happen to the other members of the group. They’re going to notice when their leadership doesn’t appear in the conference rooms they’ve booked for tomorrow. I guess we’ll have to tackle that when it happens.”
“Are you done with the case when the Florida cops take over?” Jack asked.
“I’ll have to provide them with reports, maybe offer some testimony, but I’ll pretty much be done. The confessions were recorded and those videos will be handed over, too. Believe it or not, this isn’t the first time something like this has happened on The Bounding Storm.”
“I guess living on a cruise ship is more exciting than I envisioned,” Ivy said. “I’m just glad it’s over. Jack and I still have three days of sun and fun to enjoy.”
Jack pursed his lips as he brushed her hair away from her shoulder. “I’m sorry I got distracted. That wasn’t fair to you.”
“I knew what I was getting myself into when I took you on,” Ivy pointed out. “You can’t stop yourself from searching for answers, trying to protect those who might be in trouble. I wouldn’t change that for anything. I’m pretty happy with my choice.”
“Oh, so sweet.” Jack gave her a kiss, grinning when he found Quinn glaring at him. “What?”
“Nothing. I’m just now realizing how schmaltzy and annoying Rowan and I must come across to others when we do the same thing.”
“I like being schmaltzy,” Rowan said. “It makes me feel warm all over.”
“I’m going to make you feel warm all over when we get back to the ship,” Quinn promised. “Our time together over the last few days hasn’t exactly been quality time.”
“And now I’m grossed out,” Jack grumbled.
“You’re fine.” Ivy patted his knee under the table and rested her head against his shoulder. “Even though we took down a
gang of murderers in the middle of everything, this is still the best vacation I’ve ever had.”
“That’s because it’s the only vacation you’ve ever had.”
“Still ... .” Ivy turned whimsical as she stared at the water. “We should walk along the beach at dark. I’ve never done that by the ocean.”
“I think that can be arranged.”
“You should definitely do that,” Rowan enthused. “Quinn and I do that when we’re docked in Florida all the time. In fact, that’s part of our routine the night before departing. We walk on the beach and build sandcastles.”
Jack snickered. “You make sandcastles, Quinn? That’s so ... domestic.”
Quinn scowled. “Please. You’ll be making sandcastles before the night is out. The look on your girlfriend’s face promises that.”
Jack slid his eyes to Ivy and found her eyes sparkling. She was clearly in love with the idea. “I can live with that,” he said finally. “We’re on vacation. Whatever she wants goes.”
Ivy’s smile was so big it almost swallowed her entire face. “And don’t you forget it.”
Ghostly Seas
A Harper Harlow and Rowan Gray Mystery
One
“I’m not wearing that.”
Harper Harlow eyed with overt distaste the blue bikini her fiancé Jared Monroe held up.
Jared merely smiled. “I think you should consider it.” He gave the bikini, which was more strings than fabric, another shake. “Think about it. If you wear this, I’ll have something to hunt on the ship, too.”
She didn’t want to encourage him, recognizing it was a bad idea. Still, she couldn’t stop herself. He was so earnest ... and the light in his eyes was something she knew she wanted to see for the rest of their lives. “You are awful,” she sputtered, shaking her head. “I’m not wearing that, though.”
“Come on, Heart.” Jared wasn’t ready to give up. Instead, he moved around the bed and grabbed the stack of shorts he’d set aside so he could pop them in the suitcase resting on the middle of the bed. “You’re technically going on this cruise for work ... although I could argue Zander set it up as something else entirely if I really wanted to cause a stink. I’m going because I can’t bear to be separated from you.
“Since you’ll be busy with conference events and all that, I should have something that excites me, too,” he continued. “This bikini excites me. It gets my heart racing. According to the American Heart Association, that’s a good thing.”
Harper narrowed her eyes to dangerous blue slits. “Do you think that’s funny?”
Jared was solemn. “Yes.”
“Well, I think it’s funny, too.” Her lips curved as she grinned at him. “It doesn’t matter, though. I’m never going to wear that bikini.” By way of proof, she held up a one-piece tank bathing suit that looked as if it had seen better days. It was an odd green color, and Jared couldn’t help but wonder if it was a different hue when she first bought it. “I’m taking this.”
Jared scowled. “Heart ... .”
“I’m wearing this.” She was firm. “Besides, you’re my fiancé.”
“I know.”
“You’re supposed to go all protective at the thought of other men ogling me. My understanding is that most men completely lose their minds when they think someone else is staring at their woman. I’m not a fan of being looked at as property, but the general sentiment makes sense to me. How come you don’t feel that way?”
“That’s a myth.”
Harper stilled with her hand over the suitcase. “What’s a myth?”
“That thing about men not wanting other men to stare at their women,” Jared replied. “It’s a myth.”
He seemed sincere, but Harper was having none of it. “I’ve seen enough romantic comedies and soap opera scenarios where simple miscommunication and confusion prove that statement wrong. Men are all beat-their-chest manic about keeping their women away from other men. I know. I watch television.”
Jared stared at her for a long beat, love bubbling up. He could barely remember how he muddled through before she took center stage in his life. It was not even a year before and yet it felt as if the world he was living in prior to landing in Whisper Cove was a lifetime away from where they were now. “Is it any wonder I love you?”
She ignored the schmaltzy sentiment and slipped a strand of blond hair behind her ear. “I’m serious. You’re supposed to turn into an ape and throw me over your shoulder to keep the other men from me.”
“Yeah, that’s definitely a myth,” Jared said. “I mean, don’t get me wrong, if another man touches you I will be all over that. Fists flying, insults rolling, yada, yada, yada.”
Despite herself, Harper was amused. “Yada, yada, yada?”
He bobbed his head. “I don’t want anyone touching the merchandise. Ogling is another thing. If someone finds you attractive — and who wouldn’t because you’re the most beautiful woman in the world — that reflects well on me. It means I am superior to them because I have the pretty woman.”
Harper’s mouth dropped open. “You can’t be serious.”
“Oh, but I am.”
“But ... .” She honestly had no idea what to say and was left floundering as her best friend Zander Pritchett strolled into their bedroom. He had a small bag in his hand and he didn’t bother knocking even though he’d entered the pair’s new house without alerting them to his presence. “Harp, I found your makeup travel bag under the sink in my bathroom. I thought you might need it.”
Harper remained quiet — although her mouth moved and no sound came out — as Jared slid Zander a sidelong look.
“I thought we talked about you knocking,” Jared said. He and Zander were close, but they fought like Marvel and DC fans. Jared believed Zander had boundary issues and Zander believed Jared was trying to ruin his fun. Sharing Harper had been an exercise in patience, and there were times both men failed to make any headway at all.
It looked as if this was going to be one of those times.
“I could hear you guys arguing from the front porch,” Zander replied pragmatically. “I didn’t see any reason to knock since I knew you weren’t playing naked reindeer games. By the way, we’re getting out of here at the exact right time. A blizzard is supposed to hit tomorrow night. We’ll be safely out of Detroit by then.”
Jared blinked several times in succession as he absorbed the newsy tidbits. “I thought they were just getting a storm tomorrow night,” he said.
Zander shook his head. “They’ve upgraded it to a blizzard warning.”
“Well, then I’m glad we’re getting out of here, too.” Jared tossed the bikini in the suitcase. “We really should finish packing, Heart. We need to leave for the airport at five. We fly out at eight and land in Florida before eleven. Then we board The Bounding Storm right around noon. We don’t have a lot of time for delays.”
Harper, who was still flabbergasted, finally found her voice. “I’m not wearing this.” She grabbed the bikini and flung it at Jared’s face. “As for what you said about me being a reflection on you and how I need to be hot so others can ogle me and think how lucky you are, I think you’re full of crap.”
Jared had almost forgotten he’d been messing with her before Zander made his appearance. “Still stewing about that, huh?”
“What are you guys fighting about now?” Zander challenged. “I thought things were all love and puppies between you since Jared proposed. You’ve got a big rock on your finger, Harp. What do you have to complain about?”
“That’s exactly what I was saying to her.” Jared’s smile was smug as he regarded the woman he loved. Her fury was funny to him because she had such a feisty personality.
“Do you know what he said to me?” Harper challenged. She didn’t wait for her best friend to respond, instead launching into the tale before he could as much as nod his head. When she was done, instead of being furious and immediately joining her cause, Zander merely nodded.
“Jared
is telling you the truth,” Zander explained. “Men derive power from making other men drool. If another man were to touch you, that would be a different story. Then Jared would start throwing punches.”
“That’s exactly what I said,” Jared enthused, causing Harper to roll her eyes.
“I cannot believe we’re having this discussion right before leaving for a group vacation,” Harper growled, shaking her head. “I mean ... is this not the stupidest conversation ever?”
Jared was blasé. “I think that conversation we had two weeks ago about whether penny loafers were legitimately back in style was probably stupider.”
“Okay, I’m done talking to you right now.” Harper held up her hand to obscure Jared’s face and focused on Zander. “What did you bring me?”
“Your travel makeup case,” Zander replied, handing over the bag. “You’ll need it for all your toiletries.”
“Great.” Harper gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. “I hadn’t even made it that far yet. You saved me.”
“Yes, well, that’s what I’m here for.” Instead of leaving, Zander rested on the corner of the bed and watched as Jared finished moving his shorts into the suitcase. “I still don’t understand why he’s going,” he said finally, his expression darkening as Jared slid the bikini into the suitcase while Harper was distracted with the small bag. “This is supposed to be a work trip.”
“It’s a work trip and a vacation at the same time,” Harper countered, staring into the small bag with a lost look on her face. “It’s a paranormal conference held on a cruise ship. That means fun and work. I don’t see why you’re so upset about Jared going. I said you could invite Shawn, too.”
Shawn Donovan was Zander’s live-in boyfriend. In fact, they lived across the road. Until recently, Harper and Zander were roommates and best friends. The arrival of Jared and Shawn in their lives necessitated a change in living arrangements. Zander was more reticent to the changes than Harper, but they’d managed so far. Apparently, that magnanimity didn’t extend to sharing a vacation with Jared.
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