Wicked Dreams

by Lily Harper Hart

  “My father always loved plants and he had a huge garden behind the cottage when I was younger,” she continued. “We always had fresh everything … tomatoes, green beans, carrots, onions. You name it, we had it.”

  “You don’t have a garden like that now, though,” Kelly pointed out.

  “Once I decided to open the nursery, I realized I didn’t have time to do both so I gave up the garden,” Ivy said. “Dad has one at his house now, although it’s not as big.”

  “It’s kind of cool how you can walk to work,” Kelly said. “Your house is great. It’s hidden by the trees and yet it’s not too far away from town.”

  “It is great,” Ivy agreed.

  “So, what do you want me to do?” Kelly asked, eyeing the pots and dirt nervously. “I should probably tell you I’ve never done anything like this before.”

  “It’s lucky for you that I’m a good teacher then,” Ivy said, patting the ground next to her. “Sit down. I promise it will be easier than you think.”

  JACK strode through the nursery aisles quietly, his dark eyes busy as he searched for Ivy. Despite her promise the day before she’d failed to call him once morning hit. Sure, the nursery was barely open, but he was itching to see if she’d discovered anything.

  “Can I help you?”

  Jack jolted at the sound of Michael’s voice. “I’m looking for an irritating brunette with pink streaks in her hair and an annoying way of driving me insane.”

  Michael smirked. “I’m not sure I know anyone who fits that bill.”

  “Really? I believe she shares half of your genes.”

  “You make me laugh, boy,” Michael said, clapping Jack on the shoulder. “You don’t let Ivy bully you. Sure, she sweet-talks you to get her way, but she doesn’t outright bully you. It’s a nice change of pace.”

  Jack scowled. “She doesn’t sweet-talk me.”

  “She did it yesterday afternoon,” Michael countered. “You were adamant you were taking Kelly away and Ivy was equally adamant you weren’t. Who won?”

  “I … .” Jack broke off, frustrated. “Wait. Kelly? Ivy found out her name?”

  “I think that’s all she found out,” Michael cautioned.

  “Why didn’t she call me?”

  “You’ll have to ask her that,” Michael said. “I know she was planning on it. She probably just wants to get Kelly settled before she calls in the cavalry.”

  “She promised to call,” Jack grumbled, running his hand through his hair.

  “She’s in the greenhouse,” Michael said, biting the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing. There was something about Jack’s hangdog expression that tickled his funny bone.

  “Thanks,” Jack said, starting to move in the direction of the greenhouse.

  “Be careful when you approach,” Michael said. “Kelly was fine with Max last night, but she’s still skittish around men. I know you’re a … cute little kitten … when my daughter is around, but you should still make sure you don’t startle them.”

  “Cute little kitten?” Jack was incredulous.

  “I guess you’re more like a domesticated mountain lion,” Michael clarified. “You’re all growl and claws, but you also like to purr when you see something you like.”

  “Your whole family is just … unbelievable,” Jack said, turning on his heel and moving away from Michael without a backward glance. “Un-freaking-believable!”

  Jack managed to calm himself by the time he reached the greenhouse and since the door was already propped open, he didn’t have to weigh the merits of knocking. He poked his head inside, resting it against the doorframe as he listened to Ivy instruct Kelly on the finer points of potting hydrangeas.

  The two women were sitting cross-legged on the floor and Ivy was patient and even-tempered as she showed Kelly what to do. When the girl made a mistake, Ivy corrected her with soft tones and an absence of recrimination. When the girl did something right, Ivy applauded her and built up her self-esteem. It was a side of Ivy Jack hadn’t seen before. She was usually aggressive and bossy – and oh-so sexy and cute. Today was no exception.

  “Are you going to stand there and spy on us or help?” Ivy asked, not turning around even as she addressed Jack.

  Jack sighed. “How did you know I was here?”

  “I sensed you.”

  “How did you really know I was here?” Jack asked.

  “I just told you.”

  Jack tamped down his irritation and sidled into the room, approaching the two girls slowly so he wouldn’t scare Kelly. “I told you before that I believe you’re magic,” he said. “I’m not sure I believe you’re clairvoyant, though.”

  “That’s your problem,” Ivy said.

  Jack crossed his arms over his chest and waited.

  “I also might have seen your reflection in the window,” Ivy conceded, pointing toward the broad window to her right.

  “That sounds about right,” Jack said, shooting Kelly a small smile when he saw her eyes widen at their interaction. “Don’t worry, Kelly. This is how we always get along. We’re not fighting.”

  “We’re not fighting,” Ivy agreed. “Jack just likes it when I’m mean to him.”

  “That’s not true,” Jack said. “I happen to like nice women. I simply haven’t met one since I arrived in Shadow Lake.”

  Ivy made a face. “I am perfectly nice to you.”

  “Whatever you say, honey,” Jack said. “I don’t suppose I could borrow you for a second, could I? Outside, please.”

  “I suppose,” Ivy said, standing and dusting her pink ankle-length skirt off. “Keep potting, Kelly. I’ll be back in a minute.”

  “Is everything okay?” Kelly asked uncertainly. “I’m not in trouble, am I?”

  “You’re definitely not in trouble,” Jack said. “Ivy is another story.”

  “You’re not going to … hurt her … are you?” Kelly’s face was so anguished it caused Jack’s heart to stutter.

  “I would never hurt her,” Jack said carefully. “I … never.”

  “Kelly, don’t get upset,” Ivy said. “Jack’s telling the truth. He’s a good guy. We just like to … argue. It’s how we get along. He’s a very good man. He would never hurt me or anyone else.”

  “Okay,” Kelly said, her voice small and pitiful.

  “Keep potting,” Ivy instructed. “I promise I won’t be gone long.”

  Once it was just the two of them outside, Jack’s face shifted from worried to angry. “She’s a mess.”

  “She was fine until … .”

  “Until what?” Jack prodded.

  “She didn’t like us arguing,” Ivy said. “She was honestly in a great mood until we started messing around with one another.”

  “Honey, just so you know, that’s not how I mess around,” Jack said.

  Ivy’s cheeks colored. “Are you flirting again?”

  “I haven’t decided yet,” Jack said. “I … you frustrate me to no end.”

  “Right back at you.”

  “Great,” Jack said, lifting his eyebrows. “Why didn’t you call me this morning?”

  “Excuse me?”

  “You promised to call,” Jack reminded her.

  “I’m sorry,” Ivy said, instantly contrite. “I was just getting her settled. She’s not keen on being left alone. As soon as I distracted her with the hydrangeas I had every intention of calling you.”

  “And yet I had to come find you,” Jack said. “See, this is exactly why I’ve declared my life to be ‘woman free.’”

  Ivy stilled. She knew he didn’t mean for the words to be so personal, but that’s exactly how she took them. “Don’t worry. You won’t have to worry about this woman infringing on your perfect little life.”

  Jack pressed his eyes shut, realizing what he’d said when it was too late to take it back. “Ivy … .”

  “Don’t worry about it,” Ivy said, waving off whatever he was going to say. “You’ve been nothing but upfront with me. I don’t want a relations
hip either.”

  Jack knew she meant that in theory, but both of them were having trouble staying away from each other. They were fighting their mutual attraction and that’s why their conversations often devolved into sniping fits. “I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings.”

  “Do I look like my feelings are hurt?” Ivy’s voice was unnaturally high.

  That’s exactly how she looked and the realization was like a hot poker through Jack’s heart. “Honey, I didn’t mean that how it came out.”

  “Don’t call me that,” Ivy said.

  “I … .” Jack pressed the heel of his hand against his forehead. This was a conversation he didn’t want to have. This was exactly why he’d pledged to remain relationship free in Shadow Lake. He was no good to anyone, and despite her personality, he truly believed Ivy deserved the best this life had to offer. He just wasn’t it. “I’m sorry. I … don’t know what to say.”

  “I don’t expect you to say anything, Jack,” Ivy said, keeping her voice even and her eyes focused on a spot over his left shoulder. “I don’t expect anything from you. We’ve been over this.”

  They had been over it … a few times. Then Jack couldn’t stay away from her and opened the door again. He’d told her he merely wanted to hang out. He’d made it clear he didn’t want a relationship. So why did he feel like such a loser? And why did he want to do nothing more than pull her in for a hug and tell her he’d made a mistake?

  “Ivy, I’m a mess,” Jack said honestly. “I’m more of a mess than that girl in there. As you can see, I take normal conversations and turn them into huge firestorms because I don’t know what else to do. I’m … sorry.”

  “I don’t need you to be sorry,” Ivy said, finally lifting her blue eyes to his. Jack saw hurt there even though she was trying to hide it. “I’m too busy for you. I’m also dumbfounded that you would even think I find you attractive.”

  She was giving him an out, but Jack’s ego – and heart – couldn’t take it. “Oh, please,” he scoffed. “You’re desperate to see me without my shirt on again. Admit it.”

  Since the first time he’d stripped his shirt off for her in her kitchen had been due to a nasty bout of Poison Ivy that sounded like a great idea to the feisty woman as she studied him. “I can make that happen,” she warned. “I still remember where the Poison Ivy is.”

  Jack made a face. “That’s not what I meant.”

  “I know exactly what you meant,” Ivy said. “You’re wrong, though. I don’t want to see you with your shirt off. Frankly, I was horrified by your lack of muscle tone. It totally grossed me out.”

  Jack worked out six days a week and he was a walking wall of muscle with an eight-pack. He knew that wasn’t true. Still, he was used to women falling all over him. Ivy was going out of her way to push him away, although he didn’t blame her. “I’ve really let myself go,” he agreed. “I’ll get back in the gym first thing tomorrow.”

  “Good,” Ivy said. “Was there something else that you wanted?”

  Jack arched an eyebrow. “Believe it or not, I didn’t come here to verbally spar with you. I need to know what you found out about your houseguest.”

  “Of course,” Ivy said, feeling stupid for not remembering his true reason for coming to find her. “Her name is Kelly Sisto. She hasn’t told me anything else. I don’t know where she’s from. I don’t know what happened to her. She’s slowly starting to trust me, but it’s going to take time.”

  “You’re going to keep her another night, aren’t you?”

  “Yes.”

  Jack ran his tongue over his teeth, debating how wise it would be to argue with Ivy. Finally, he decided he was going to let it go … for now. “If she tells you anything, will you call me?”

  “Yes.”

  “Will you make a point of doing it as soon as possible?”

  “Yes.”

  “Okay,” Jack said, cracking his neck and glancing around the nursery. “Just to be on the safe side, do me a favor and keep her away from the general populace until we know more.”

  “She’s scared of the general populace.”

  “I know,” Jack said. “Just … be careful. Until we know who hurt her, we can’t be sure that someone isn’t looking for her.”

  “Oh,” Ivy said, realization dawning. “You’re worried someone is going to find her here, aren’t you?”

  “That’s exactly what I’m worried about,” Jack said. “If someone comes for Kelly you’re going to make yourself a target. I don’t want anything bad to happen to you, Ivy.”

  “I know,” Ivy said. “Just because you don’t want to date me, that doesn’t mean you want me dead. I get it.”

  She was still hurt. Jack could practically feel it wafting off of her. “I … .”

  “I don’t want to go over this again,” Ivy said, cutting him off. “I know where you stand. I’m not feeling sorry for myself and pining over you. You’re good looking, but you’re not irresistible.”

  Ivy pushed past Jack and moved back toward the greenhouse.

  “I didn’t say I was,” Jack protested.

  “Just … get over yourself,” Ivy said.

  “You get over yourself,” Jack grumbled under his breath, willing his heart to stop flopping around like a fish out of water. He had no idea what she did to him, but she always managed to leave him unsettled. It was starting to get frustrating.

  Six

  “Women are crazy.”

  Brian Nixon glanced up from his computer screen and focused on his partner as Jack stalked into the detectives’ office at the Shadow Lake Police Department. “How is Ivy?”

  Jack stilled. “Who said I was talking about Ivy?”

  Brian snorted. “Son, I don’t pretend to know you very well,” he said. “I do know that Ivy Morgan has driven quite a few men to drink, though, and none of them has spent nearly as much time with her as you have.”

  “I’m not spending time with her.”

  “You played basketball with her,” Brian said.

  “That was one time.”

  “You’ve been sighted out at her nursery twice in the last week – this was before she found a traumatized teenager in the greenhouse – and I happen to know you’re nowhere near ready to think about landscaping at the dump you live in,” Brian said.

  “I was just looking for ideas,” Jack argued. “Wait … how do you even know I was out there?”

  “This town is full of gossips,” Brian said, smiling at his younger partner. “My wife is in the loop. I’m pretty sure I already told you this.”

  “Nothing is going on.”

  “Oh, son, you’re so cute,” Brian said. “I know you believe that. I even know you want it to be true. You can’t argue with chemistry, though, and you and Ivy are like a science experiment gone awry.”

  “Whatever,” Jack said, throwing himself in his desk chair dramatically. “She’s a pain in my rear end.”

  “She’s got a way about her,” Brian agreed. “Did she get anywhere with the girl last night?”

  “Yes,” Jack said. “We have a name to go on. Kelly Sisto. She didn’t tell Ivy anything else, but it’s somewhere to start.”

  “Well, let’s see what we can come up with,” Brian said, starting to type. “Are you going to sit there and daydream about Ivy, or are you going to help?”

  “I’m not daydreaming about Ivy!”

  “Keep telling yourself that.”

  “WHAT do you think?” Jack asked from the passenger seat of Brian’s cruiser as they studied the small ranch house from their spot on the street.

  “It looks like a normal house,” Brian said thoughtfully. “There are toys on the front lawn. The grass is long, but not so long they’re risking getting a notice from the township.”

  After searching through state records, Brian and Jack found a sixteen-year-old girl with the same name who matched Kelly’s description. She was living with a foster family – Derek and Emily Gideon – in a neighboring town, and from all outward appear
ances, the foster family didn’t appear to be abusive.

  Brian spent an hour on the phone with Kelly’s caseworker, an overworked woman who said she dropped in on the Gideon household once a month. Brian worked overtime not to be accusatory, but he was well aware that state agency caseworkers had more files to follow-up on than hours in a day. Still, the woman insisted she saw Kelly on a regular basis.

  “How do you want to do this?” Jack asked.

  “Very carefully,” Brian said. “We do not want to accuse these people if they’re not guilty, and yet we need to be firm enough to scare them. We don’t have any evidence, and it looks like there are more kids in this house. We have to be pleasant and act like we’re merely trying to find answers, not trying to blame someone.”

  “I get it,” Jack said. “Are you worried I’m going to fly off the handle?”

  “I’m worried that an abused girl is going to set us both off,” Brian said. “I’m saying it for my benefit, as well as yours.”

  “Let’s do this,” Jack said, pushing open his door and climbing out of the car. “The faster we get some answers, the faster … .”

  “Ivy will be alone in her house again?” Brian suggested.

  Jack scowled. “The faster we can help Kelly.”

  The woman who answered the door looked tired. She was dressed in simple jeans and a T-shirt, and her dark hair was pulled into a loose ponytail. She was holding a crying toddler in one hand, and another shy child was hiding behind her legs.

  Brian pasted a bright smile on his face as he greeted the woman, flashing his badge to let her know it was an official visit. “Are you Emily Gideon?”

  “Yes.”

  “Is your husband home?”

  “He’s in his office. Can I ask what this is about?” Emily asked, shuffling nervously.

  “It’s about Kelly Sisto,” Brian said.

  “She’s at the library.”

  Jack and Brian exchanged a look.

  “No, ma’am, she’s not,” Brian said. “Can you please get your husband? We have a few questions for you.”