Ivy Morgan Mystery 18 - Wicked Wedding

by Lily Harper Hart

  WICKED WEDDING

  An Ivy Morgan Mystery Book 18

  LILY HARPER HART

  HarperHart Publications

  Copyright © 2020 by Lily Harper Hart

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Created with Vellum

  CONTENTS

  1. One

  2. Two

  3. Three

  4. Four

  5. Five

  6. Six

  7. Seven

  8. Eight

  9. Nine

  10. Ten

  11. Eleven

  12. Twelve

  13. Thirteen

  14. Fourteen

  15. Fifteen

  16. Sixteen

  17. Seventeen

  18. Eighteen

  19. Nineteen

  Mailing List

  About the Author

  Books by Lily Harper Hart

  Books by Amanda M. Lee

  1

  ONE

  “Everyone is in the gym for the yoga class,” Serena Shepherd announced as she entered the huge glass office that housed the Shadow Lake Domestic Abuse and Prevention Shelter’s organizational arm. “The kids are in their classrooms, and should be for the next hour or so, and the adults are otherwise engaged. How does coffee sound?”

  Ivy Morgan sat behind the front desk working on a computer, and when she glanced up, she realized the conversation had been directed at her. “I’m sorry. Were you talking to me?”

  Serena chuckled and her eyes lit with amusement. “I don’t think I’ve ever felt less interesting.”

  “It’s not that,” Ivy reassured her quickly. She liked the woman, found her engaging and bright, and would normally indulge in whatever conversation she wanted to have. “I was just double-checking that I inputted all the old records and kind of got lost in my task.”

  Serena’s smile broadened. “I was just kidding.” She moved closer to the computer, which was ancient by today’s standards, and looked at Ivy’s screen. “Did you really get all the old records inputted?” She seemed impressed.

  “It wasn’t that hard.” Ivy tucked a strand of her pink-streaked hair behind her ear. “Once I got a rhythm down, I moved through the files pretty quickly. I just wanted to make sure that I didn’t forget anything.”

  “You’re a very good worker.”

  Ivy’s cheeks colored under the praise. “Oh, well ... it’s not as if I cured cancer or something.”

  Serena barked out a laugh. “You’re also not one for compliments. What’s up with that?”

  The question caught Ivy off guard. “I don’t know. I don’t really consider it something worthy of getting complimented for. I am here doing community service after all.” And that, she realized, was still something of an embarrassment. She considered herself a good girl — at least where the law was concerned — and the fact that she’d been charged and convicted in a court of law for breaking and entering was still a sore spot.

  “Yes, but it’s not as if you’re a criminal,” Serena pointed out, moving to the chair next to Ivy and plopping down. As director of the shelter, it was her job to make sure operations ran smoothly — especially since the women and children being housed in the facility were more at risk than almost anybody else in the population — but even she needed a break every now and then. “In fact, you’re the most law-abiding person I know.”

  Ivy tilted her head, considering. There was a time in her life when she would’ve taken the comment as an insult. She was older now, more mature (at least she wanted to believe that), and she was less likely to fly off the handle than she’d been in her younger years.

  That didn’t mean she wanted to be seen as a goody-goody. “I don’t know that I would say I’m law-abiding,” she hedged after a beat. “I can be a rebel when I want to be.”

  Serena snickered. “Oh, you’re so funny. Seriously, though, I still don’t understand how you were convicted.”

  That made two of them. Ivy would be lying if she said she wasn’t bitter about the circumstances that landed her in trouble with the law. “They really didn’t have a choice,” she said as she tapped a few keys on the computer and then landed at the home screen. She was proud of the work she’d been doing for the shelter, which had just recently switched locations. It was important that the people inside be kept safe, which is why the operators had moved to what used to be a community center on the outskirts of Shadow Lake, Michigan. The move had been taxing and required extra bodies, but when the opportunity had arisen to finish out her community service helping those in desperate need, Ivy had jumped at the chance. “I mean ... I did break the law.” Her smile was rueful.

  “My understanding is that you broke into the house because there was a woman tied up inside,” Serena persisted. “The homeowner was threatening her life or something.”

  “That’s true,” Ivy conceded. “I was technically not allowed in the backyard, though. I was only at the house because my fiancé and his partner were questioning the homeowner. If I wasn’t charged, their case might’ve fallen apart.”

  “And since the homeowner was a murderer, nobody wanted to risk her getting off,” Serena surmised. “I get how it works. It still seems unfair, though.”

  Ivy couldn’t help but agree ... at least silently. She didn’t want to badmouth the judge who had ultimately gone out of his way to have her removed from her previous community service assignment after the crew chief had turned out to be a criminal himself. He’d placed her with the shelter after that, which turned out to be a good fit. In the end, things could’ve been much worse and she was determined to look at the bright side of things.

  “Obviously you don’t want to talk about that, though,” Serena said on a chuckle. “Let’s talk about something more fun ... like your wedding. It’s close now, right?”

  Ivy smiled, unbidden. “A few days.”

  “Oh, so cute,” Serena teased. “When you started working here a few weeks ago, you were pretty tight-lipped about your circumstances and solely focused on the work. I was surprised to find out you were engaged. It’s nice to see the way you light up when talk turns to him, though.”

  Ivy’s smile widened. It was true, she realized. Whenever the conversation shifted to Jack Harker, the man who would be her husband in less than a week, she couldn’t stop smiling. “He’s a good man.” That was her go-to comment. That didn’t make it untrue. “Actually, he’s the best man I’ve ever met.”

  “I don’t know much about him,” Serena admitted, resting her feet on the desk. Her posture gave Ivy the impression that she was settling in for a long talk. “When he first came to town, everybody was buzzing because he was a former Detroit police officer. That made him somehow exotic.

  “That was about the time that we were looking for a new location for the shelter, though,” she continued. “I was consumed with that ... although not so busy I didn’t notice him in town. He is hard to ignore once you see him, with all those muscles ... and that jaw ... and those broad shoulders.” She let out a wistful sigh. “Too bad he’s already taken.”

  Ivy chuckled. “He’s definitely taken.”

  “You snagged him fast,” Serena noted. “All I remember is that one minute all the women who hang out at the bar downtown were making plans to compete for his affections — some of them were going with casseroles and others were going with sweaty workout sessions in front of the precinct — and the next thing I knew all the same women were com
plaining about you.”

  Ivy’s smile faded. “Was it all the women or just Maisie and Ava?”

  Serena’s lips twitched. “What do you think?”

  Maisie Washington and Ava Moffett had been sparring partners of sorts for Ivy since middle school. The women didn’t particularly like one another — they were more frenemies than anything else — but they’d bonded over the fact that they didn’t like Ivy. That was the one thing they had in common.

  “They hate me,” Ivy replied as she reached for her water bottle. “They’ve always hated me. I don’t ever remember having a good interaction with either of them.”

  “And why do you think that is?”

  Ivy cocked an eyebrow. “Are you psychoanalyzing me now?”

  Serena’s laugh was low and warm. “I probably shouldn’t, but it’s an occupational hazard. My degree is in family therapy. You’re a fascinating subject, though. I’ve been in this town a total of seven years now – after moving over here from Bellaire – and you’re one of the few people who always gets the townsfolk talking, whether the word is good or bad.”

  “I’m assuming the word is usually bad,” Ivy noted.

  “Actually, quite the contrary. The bulk of people in town like you. They say you march to the beat of your own drum, which I happen to agree with, but you’re loyal and brave. They also think you have a sweet demeanor but are feisty when pushed. That makes for an enticing combination.”

  Ivy couldn’t hide her surprise at the revelation. “Oh, well ....”

  “And you still can’t take a compliment,” Serena said on a laugh. “You might want to work on that. Is it just with new people that you’re uncomfortable hearing how wonderful you are, or is it with Jack, too?”

  “Oh, um ....” Ivy wasn’t certain how to respond.

  “He does compliment you, right?” Serena’s tone was light and teasing.

  “He compliments me,” Ivy conceded. “I guess it’s different when it’s him. I don’t know why that would be, though.”

  “I think it’s because he knows you best.” Serena was matter-of-fact. “You’ve given your whole heart to him, which was probably difficult, but he’s the person you trust most. When he gives you a compliment, you don’t believe he wants something in return. Other people, you’re more leery about.”

  Ivy opened her mouth to deny the charge and then snapped it shut. “That’s kind of eerily prescient.”

  Serena laughed. “It’s not fun getting analyzed ten times a day, is it?”

  “I think it’s fascinating when you do it to other people. I guess when it comes to me it’s harder to absorb.”

  “I think that’s normal. Hearing things about yourself is difficult, especially if you’re forced to see something that you don’t particularly like.”

  “I’m usually pretty comfortable with myself.”

  “As you should be. Like I said, you have a stellar reputation in town. The only people who don’t like you are the ones with diagnosable personality disorders.”

  “Oh, now you’re singing my song.” Ivy brightened considerably. “What personality disorders do Ava and Maisie have? Is it something good that could eventually have them locked away?”

  Serena’s eyes twinkled. “Unfortunately, their disorders are easy to diagnose because they’re common. They’re both narcissists. What’s interesting is that they’re both insecure at the same time. That makes for a toxic environment. When they work together, they’re formidable. Their fragile egos can’t allow that more than a few times a year, though, which means they’re simply annoyances most of the time.”

  “They feel like more than annoyances to me,” Ivy admitted. “Of course, they make a point of singling me out.”

  “That’s because you frustrate them. They use their sexuality as a cudgel and believe it can get them whatever they want. They both set their sights on Jack when he came to town and he didn’t as much as look in their direction.

  “I’m certain he came to town because he had his own reasons to want to escape his former life,” she continued. “I’m also convinced he wanted nothing to do with any woman when he arrived — perhaps he was running way from something in his past — and yet all that changed when he saw you.

  “From the perspective of women like Maisie and Ava — and we’re talking women who get their self-worth from the men they’re dating — the fact that Jack wouldn’t pay them any attention and then fell head-over-heels for you had to be a blow. However, rather than look inward to ask themselves why Jack wasn’t interested in them, they focused on you because admitting there might be something wrong with them is out of their wheelhouse.”

  Ivy’s mouth dropped open. She was legitimately impressed with everything Serena had just said. She was also curious. “What makes you think Jack was running when he landed in town?”

  Serena laughed. “Of course you would focus on that. You don’t really care about Maisie and Ava — other than the fact that they make your life difficult — but Jack has become your whole world and you want insight on him. Unfortunately, I don’t have a lot to offer you. I’ve only interacted with him once or twice since he landed in Shadow Lake.”

  “You still think he was running from something,” Ivy insisted. “Why do you believe that?”

  “Because he moved to Shadow Lake in what should’ve been the prime of his career. Jack is obviously a dedicated lawman. There’s not a lot of action up here, though, and it’s almost always quiet. Also, his family isn’t up here. As far as I can tell, he didn’t know anybody when he moved to town.

  “That means he was starting over with no one to serve as backup,” she continued. “That’s a gutsy move, and only happens when someone is completely reevaluating his or her life. Jack was looking for something new, but he probably planned to take baby steps ... until he met you. I’m guessing you changed his worldview.”

  It was a lot for Ivy to take in, although she appreciated the other woman’s take on the man she loved. “He just wanted out of the city,” she said finally. It was more than that — much more — but she would never share Jack’s secrets. “He wanted a quieter life.”

  “And did he find that? With you, I mean. From how many times you guys have been in the newspaper over the past year, it doesn’t seem as if you’ve been living the quiet life.”

  Ivy snorted. “If you ask Jack, I’m never quiet. For the most part, though, I think he did find that. It’s not just about the work. He likes that everything isn’t so fast paced up here. He likes fishing, and even though he thinks they taste like feet and never wants to eat them, he actually enjoys going morel hunting with me.”

  “Who doesn’t love morel hunting?”

  “Right?” Ivy tapped her bottom lip, considering. “It’s weird that you said all that about him. I’ve figured it out myself, but it’s nice to have it reinforced. I’m going to psychoanalyze him after dinner and see if he’s annoyed by what I say.”

  “Really?” Serena’s eyebrows drew together. “That seems like a weird way to spend an evening so close to your wedding. Aren’t you worried about a fight?”

  “Oh, we love to fight.” Ivy’s smile was broad. “That’s one of the things we do best. We fight and then make up. It’s kind of like foreplay for us.”

  “Oh.” Serena shook her head. “I would say that doesn’t sound healthy for a ‘normal’ couple, but I’m guessing you and Jack aren’t normal. Whatever you have going for you, don’t stop doing it. It’s obviously working. I’ve seen you guys downtown and you’re completely wrapped up in one another.”

  “Some people might say that’s unhealthy,” Ivy hedged. “My father says we’re really gross when we’re together.”

  “That’s because your father sees you as his little girl and he looks at Jack as the man taking you away from him.”

  “Huh. That sounds like a whole other conversation.”

  “It is and you probably don’t want to worry about it so close to your wedding,” Serena agreed. “In fact—” she brok
e off, her eyes immediately going to the ceiling as an alarm started to blare. It was a sound Ivy had never heard before.

  “What is that?”

  “The external alarm.” Slowly, Serena climbed to her feet. “It hasn’t gone off since we switched locations.”

  “Does it mean somebody is trying to get in?”

  “I ....” Serena hesitated and then held out her hands. “In theory, yes. I don’t know if it’s actually happening, though. It could be a malfunction.”

  “We need to check it out.”

  “We definitely do.”

  JACK HARKER SAT AT HIS DESK, feet propped up, and sipped his coffee as he studied the framed photograph directly next to his computer. It was a recent addition — he’d found a sterling silver frame at a friend’s store — and it boasted his absolutely favorite photograph of his fiancée. In it, Ivy sat in a chair on her back patio, a book in her hand, and shot a cheeky grin to the camera. He’d taken the photo, so she’d been smiling at him, and for some reason he believed it caught her personality better than any other photograph he’d snapped.

  “I know you’re thinking dirty thoughts,” a male voice announced from his right, causing Jack to shift his gaze in that direction. There, he found his partner Brian Nixon, a man who had become a trusted mentor and friend in a short amount of time, staring at him with overt annoyance.

  “I’ll have you know that I was thinking pure thoughts,” Jack countered. He was used to his partner teasing him about his relationship with Ivy. He was long past caring. “I was thinking that in a few days I’m going to have the prettiest wife in the world, and I can’t wait.”

  Brian made a face. “Right. And in these thoughts, I bet you were imagining your wife in a cardigan and oversized pants, right?”

  Jack laughed. “It wasn’t really that involved. I was basically imagining Ivy being my wife and that’s it. There was nothing dirty or gross.”

  “Oh, well, that’s almost disappointing.” Brian turned back to his computer. “You’ve become predictable of late. Every time I turn around, you’re fantasizing about becoming Mr. Ivy Morgan and it’s distressing because I knew her when she was a little girl and I know you’re having dirty thoughts. The fact that you were actually being good this time makes me feel guilty.”