“Is that what your mother wants? Does she want me gone?”
“Definitely.”
“And what does Mackenzie have to do with this?” Ivy asked, flicking her eyes to the girl on the ground. “Are you okay, Mackenzie?”
“My knees are going numb,” Mackenzie replied. “My ears hurt from hearing all this whining, too.”
Ivy had no doubt about that. “Just … hold it together for a few minutes. Everything is going to be okay.”
“Everything is going to be okay,” Sadie agreed. “Once you two are gone, I have a clear shot at the crown.”
“I’m not a threat to you getting that stupid crown,” Mackenzie growled. “I don’t even want to be in the pageant.”
“That’s why you might pull the sympathy vote, and I can’t have that.” Sadie’s voice was unnaturally chirpy. “My mother told me about the sympathy vote. She said Ms. Morgan was probably going to get it the year she was in the pageant. That’s why she helped the other girls. They were real pageant people and they deserved to win.”
“Is that what she told you?” Ivy found her temper frayed but managed to hide it. “Did your mother say I was going to get the sympathy vote and that’s why she told Maisie and Ava to do what they did?”
“She said you shouldn’t have been in the pageant in the first place. It’s the same for Mackenzie. She shouldn’t be in the pageant either. She doesn’t want to be here. I’m doing her a favor.”
“I’m sure Mackenzie will gladly drop out of the pageant,” Ivy offered. “Just ask nicely. There’s no reason to threaten her with the knife.”
“Oh, no,” Mackenzie said, shaking her head. “Now I want to win just so this piece of trash doesn’t.”
Ivy bit back an admonishment. She knew Mackenzie was frightened and merely lashing out, but she was also putting herself at risk in the process. “Mackenzie, now is so not the time.”
“But it is the time,” Sadie argued. “It’s time to put this all behind me. The pageant is almost here and I have to get ready.”
“There won’t be any pageant without me,” Ivy said, hoping to attack Sadie’s absolutely irrational reasoning process. “The town council has already said that if one more thing goes wrong, they’re cancelling the pageant.”
Sadie balked. “They did not say that.”
“They did.”
“No … they can’t cancel the pageant. It’s illegal.”
“I think you’re confused,” Ivy countered. “There’s nothing against the law about canceling the pageant. There is something against the law when it comes to poisoning teenagers, though. That was you, wasn’t it?”
“Of course it was.” Sadie wasn’t bothered by the assertion. “Aubrey was playing games to get ahead.”
“How?”
“She just was.”
“In other words she was better than you and you knew it,” Mackenzie spat out.
“I said to shut up!” Sadie screeched, moving the knife closer to Mackenzie’s face and turning Ivy’s guts to ice.
“Aubrey is telling the police what you did right now, Sadie,” Ivy called out, desperation clawing at her throat. “You won’t get away with this.”
“Of course I will,” Sadie scoffed. “I told my mother what I did last night. I had no choice. She’s over there taking care of Aubrey because I obviously can’t be two places at once.”
“You told your mother and … she decided to help you?” Ivy was dumbfounded. “What is wrong with both of you?”
“Nothing is wrong with me,” Sadie answered, her eerie smile back in place. “I’m going to win.”
“You’re the one who poisoned Mackenzie’s water,” Ivy deduced. “How did you get Simone to deliver it?”
“It wasn’t hard. I just handed my mother a bottle of water and told her who it was for. My mother is easy to boss around. She’s not nearly the winner she thinks she is, although I’m hopeful that changes when she gets your nursery.”
“She won’t get my nursery,” Ivy barked, anger getting the better of her. “Even if you somehow manage to take me out – which isn’t going to happen – your mother will not get my nursery.” It took everything Ivy had to keep her focus on Sadie when she caught sight of a familiar figure slipping around the corner of the building.
Max. He was behind Sadie, keeping his footsteps slow and quiet as he approached. Ivy knew that if she looked at him, gave him her full attention, it would be a mistake. The mistake might cost Mackenzie, so Ivy screwed up her courage and determination and kept the conversation on topic.
“So your mother is over finishing off Aubrey and you’re going to take out Mackenzie,” Ivy said. “What about me? How do you think you’re going to take out both of us?”
“Oh, you won’t be able to stop yourself from trying to save Mackenzie,” Sadie drawled. “You’re one of those idiots who thinks you can change the world. You’re willing to sacrifice yourself to do it. That’s why you’re not a winner.”
Max was close. Another two steps and he would be near enough to grab the hand with the knife.
“I think you have that wrong, Sadie,” Ivy said. “You’re the one who isn’t a winner. A winner doesn’t take out her enemies. A winner competes on a level playing field. You know you’re a loser and that’s why you’re doing this.”
Instead of being offended, Sadie looked amused. “Tell that to Peyton. She said something similar. I can guarantee I’m going to finish better than she will.”
There was something so chilling about Sadie’s words that Ivy couldn’t stop the sick sensation from rolling over her. “What did you do to Peyton?”
“The same thing I’m going to do to Mackenzie … and then you.”
Ivy didn’t have time to react. Sadie was already moving, slashing out with her arm as she aimed for Mackenzie’s neck. Ivy lurched forward, but she wasn’t close enough to stop the maniacal girl. Thankfully, Max was.
“I don’t think so.” Max grabbed Sadie’s arm, shoving back against her forward momentum while keeping a firm grip on her wrist.
Mackenzie whimpered, closing her eyes so she wouldn’t have to see the attack. Ivy was on her in seconds, grabbing her by the shoulders and rolling her away from the blade.
“Are you okay?”
Mackenzie wrenched open her eyes, surprised. “I thought … .”
“It’s okay.” Ivy instinctively smoothed the girl’s hair. “Everything is okay. I promise.”
“Let me go,” Sadie screeched, fighting against Max’s efforts. “I have a job to do. I have to finish.”
“Stop it,” Max snapped, digging his fingernails into Sadie’s smooth skin to get her to drop the knife. “You’re done.”
Sadie’s eyes flashed with mayhem. “I’m not done. I’m nowhere near being done.”
“Oh, you’re done,” Ivy said, getting to her feet. She bent Sadie’s thumb back until the girl cried out and dropped the knife. “You’re so done they need to think of another word for done. I just … I don’t understand any of this.”
“I doubt you ever will,” Max said, refusing to let go of Sadie even when she went limp and dissolved into tears. “Nobody who’s even remotely rational could possibly understand this. It’s … too much.”
“Totally too much,” Mackenzie agreed, rubbing her hands over her frozen knees. “Hey, do you think my mother will let me out of the pageant now that I’ve been kidnapped? If that doesn’t work, I don’t know what will.”
Despite the surreal situation, Ivy couldn’t stop herself from laughing. “I think you’ve got a real shot.”
“Right?”
NEWS ABOUT SADIE’S VIOLENT actions spread quickly. Ivy called Jack and Brian and told them what happened. They were close to town, but they headed toward Peyton’s house first, finding the girl bleeding profusely but still alive. By the time they got to the police station, Max had Sadie in a headlock to keep her still and Simone was a sobbing mess when she caught sight of her daughter.
“Let her go!” Simone screec
hed.
“Shut up,” Jack snapped, striding to Ivy so he could give her a hug. “Are you okay?”
“She didn’t get near me. Mackenzie was the one almost hurt.”
“And where is she?” Brian asked, scanning the office.
“She went to the hospital with her parents,” Max supplied. “Ivy gave them permission. Mackenzie is using the attack to get out of the pageant.”
Jack chuckled hollowly. “That’s one way to do it. What about you, honey? Shouldn’t you be running the pageant?”
“Funnily enough, I’m not all that interested in being pageant coordinator,” Ivy said dryly. “I handed over my duties to Hannah. Not only is she interested … but she’s better at it than me. Aunt Felicity is helping because we were in a pinch, but I think she’s retiring from pageant life after this, too.”
“You can’t leave the pageant in Hannah’s hands,” Simone spat. “She’s a cheater. She’s always been a cheater. She’ll ruin everything. Do you have any idea how hard I worked at this? You’re totally mucking up my legacy.”
“We’re going to be mucking up a lot of stuff before the day is out,” Brian shot back. “Seeing as you’re both being charged with attempted murder, assault, kidnapping, and whatever else I can throw at you, you’ve got bigger problems than that stupid pageant.”
“But I have to compete,” Sadie seethed, lashing out with her foot as she tried to kick Max in the knee. “I have to do it. You don’t understand … that title is mine.”
“Knock that off,” Max ordered, his patience wearing thin. “How many times have I told you to stop doing that?”
“I don’t have to listen to you,” Sadie shot back. “You’re not in charge.”
“That’s right,” Brian said, grabbing Sadie’s arm. “I’m in charge and you’re going to wish Max was still around by the time I’m done with you. Come with me, young lady.”
“Where is he taking her?” Simone, her hands cuffed behind her back, seemed confused. “He can’t just take her away. The pageant starts in twenty minutes.”
Jack heaved out a sigh as he shook his head, running his hand over Ivy’s windblown hair as he wrinkled his nose. “Is it just me, or does this seem like it’s been a really long day already?”
“You have no idea,” Max said. “I got called a bunch of filthy names by a murderous teenager. I didn’t see that coming.”
“Well, at least she’s in custody and you showed up to save the day,” Jack noted. “Ivy and Mackenzie are safe because of you.”
“Hey!” Ivy balked. “I was just about ready to make my move. I could’ve saved myself … and probably Mackenzie in the process. I was just getting ready to tackle her.”
“And that right there is why you’re terrifying.” Jack pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Are you okay?”
Ivy nodded without hesitation. “I am. What about Peyton?”
“She was stabbed in the chest, but Sadie didn’t put a lot of effort behind it,” Jack replied. “Apparently she didn’t realize how much strength it took to get past the sternum. While Peyton bled a lot, she’s not in any danger of dying. She is, however, furious about missing the pageant.”
“The pageant.” Ivy pressed the heel of her hand to her forehead. “I never want to hear about the stupid pageant ever again.”
“That makes two of us,” Jack said. “On a brighter note, Aubrey woke up. It happened before we left the hospital with Simone. We didn’t get a chance to talk to her – we were going to go back – but she was a little confused anyway. I guess that won’t be necessary now.”
“She’s awake?”
“And the doctors think she’s going to make a full recovery,” Jack confirmed.
“Oh, well, that’s great news.”
“It definitely is.” Jack lowered his forehead, briefly pressing his eyes shut as he rested it against Ivy’s brow. “I didn’t even know you were in danger this time until it was already over. I’m not sure how I feel about that.”
“I was fine.”
“I still don’t like it.”
“Yeah? How about you make it up to me?”
Jack couldn’t stop himself from smiling at the glint in her eye. “What did you have in mind?”
“Well, after you finish questioning the crazy twosome, I thought you might want to keep our romantic date and take me for Italian food.”
“I think that sounds like a great idea.”
“Then I thought we could come home, take a bath, and I’ll finally give you that massage I promised,” Ivy added.
“That sounds like an even better idea.”
“And then, when we’re done with that, I’ll … .” Ivy leaned close enough to whisper a sexy suggestion to Jack, causing his eyes to widen as Max mimed throwing up on the other side of his sister.
“And I think we have a winner,” Jack enthused, hugging Ivy to his chest as Max scowled. “I don’t see why you’re being so delicate. It’s not like we asked you to watch or anything.”
“This is why no one in town wants to be around you,” Max lamented. “People think you’re sick for a reason. I mean … that’s my sister, dude. Don’t make me smack you around.”
“Get used to it,” Jack said. “It’s not going to change.”
“No, it’s not,” Ivy agreed, resting her head against Jack’s chest. “We’re going to be like this forever.”
“And ever,” Jack agreed.
“Does anyone care that the pageant is going on and we’re late?” Simone asked, drawing three sets of incredulous eyes to her.
“No,” Jack, Ivy, and Max said in unison.
“No one cares about that pageant,” Jack added. “It’s time to face the real world, Simone.”
“It’s way past time,” Ivy corrected. “I doubt very much that the people in prison are going to care that you’ve deemed yourself a winner.”
Jack leaned over and smacked a quick kiss against Ivy’s mouth. “I’m the winner. Me. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a bit of work to do. If you hang around a bit, though, I think we can both be winners tonight.”
Ivy beamed. “That sounds like a plan.”
“It does indeed.”
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Acknowledgments
I’m a romantic at heart. A true romantic. I love the idea of a happy ending, so much so I have trouble writing a sad one. The world is sad enough. I like escaping in fiction. That’s just me. I like sarcasm and snark – but I’m not sure a sad ending is in me. If you’re looking for an edge like that, you’re probably looking in the wrong place. Just FYI.
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This book is available for lending. Please do so.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission from the author, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in a review.
Books by Lily Harper Hart
Hardy Brothers Security
Deadly Intentions
Deadly Intuition
Deadly Illusions
Deadly Proposal
Deadly Prospects
Deadly Ever After
Deadly Honeymoon
Deadly Questions
Deadly Addition
Deadly Vacation
Deadly Secrets
Deadly Storm
Deadly Dealings
De
adly Christmas
Deadly Desperados
Deadly Arrival
Deadly Rivalry
Deadly Memories
Deadly Adventure
Deadly Reunion
Deadly Conflicts
Deadly Payback
Deadly Waves
Deadly Forever
A Maddie Graves Mystery
Grave Homecoming
Grave Insight
Grave Delight
Grave Misgivings
Grave Concerns
Grave Discovery
Grave Decisions
Grave Seasons
Grave Holiday
Grave Haunting
Grave Paths
An Ivy Morgan Mystery
Wicked Days
Wicked Dreams
Wicked Times
Wicked Places
Wicked Warning
Wicked Fog
Wicked Season
Wicked Winter
Wicked Hearts
A Harper Harlow Mystery
Ghostly Interests
Ghostly Issues
Ghostly Deceits
Ghostly Worries
Ghostly Images
Ghostly Wrecks
Ghostly Asylum
Ghostly Tricks
A Rowan Gray Mystery
Welcoming Seas
Murky Seas
Stormy Seas
Sunken Seas
Wicked Fun: An Ivy Morgan Mystery Books 7-9 Page 58
