Jack listened again. This time the face he made was a lot less understanding. “My job is to take care of your sister, who was actually face-to-face with a monster. How about you give her a break, huh? In exchange, I’ll take care of your sister while you focus on your family. That seems like the best compromise we can make.”
Jack listened one more time and then nodded. “I think that’s great. I’ll tell her you’re sorry for being such a tool. I’m sure she would like a gift from you tomorrow as an additional apology, but I’ll leave it up to you what you want to give her.” Jack tilted his head, as if reconsidering. “On second thought, fudge is always a crowd pleaser. Go with fudge. I like that chocolate stuff with the walnuts in it and your sister likes rocky road. We’ll be expecting a delivery tomorrow. Until then, suck it up and be a man.”
Jack disconnected without waiting for Max to speak again and handed Ivy her phone. “Your brother is a douche sometimes,” he noted.
Ivy had to laugh. “He’s just excitable. He’s new to the whole ‘I hurt when you hurt’ thing. We’re used to it now, so we know how to soothe one another. He’s still working the kinks out. Plus, well, JJ is an added wrinkle. We have no idea how difficult it is to soothe a child who has been traumatized like JJ.”
“I guess that’s true.” Jack ran his fingers through Ivy’s hair. “I really was afraid when I heard you were facing off with a crazy man again. I know you’re strong and capable but ... do you want me to have a heart attack before our wedding? That’s totally what’s going to happen if you keep this up.”
“I don’t want you to have a heart attack,” she promised. “What did you expect me to do, though? One minute we were walking down the hallway minding our own business and the next a door was flying open to allow a madman entrance. It’s not as if I had any say in the matter.”
“No.” Jack’s finger was gentle as it brushed over her cheek. “I was still afraid.” He pulled her to him so he could hug her, a shaky sigh escaping. He would’ve been happy to remain in that position for the rest of the day — heck, the rest of his life — but he knew the property would be crawling with state police representatives any minute and it was important to keep his street cred intact.
“I can’t coddle you until we’re home alone tonight,” he said on a rueful smile as he pulled back. “Before the troopers get here, though, I need to know what happened. We didn’t get any time alone together and I want to make sure that you’re not leaving anything out of your story.”
“In other words, you think I’m lying.”
Jack extended a warning finger. “Do not go there. I need to be absolutely sure that we’re covered. You’re the most important thing in the world to me — something you already know — and I cannot bear the thought of you being exposed.”
Because she did know that, Ivy felt like a bit of a dolt. “I’m sorry. I just ... it’s been a crazy few days.”
“For both of us. You still have to tell me.”
“I’m not sure what happened,” Ivy admitted, craning her neck to look over Jack’s shoulder. When she was reasonably sure they were still alone, she pushed forward. “We talked for a few minutes. He declared Jenny his property, which totally ticked me off.
“I wanted him to get closer so I could pull the same trick I did yesterday, but he was afraid of me,” she continued. “He gave me a wide berth until I said something to annoy him.”
“What did you say?”
“I honestly can’t remember. It was probably something about him not being a real man and terrorizing his wife and child, something only losers with Small Penis Syndrome do or something. That was the basic gist of the entire conversation.”
“Fair enough. Continue.”
“He got angry and forgot he was afraid and stepped close enough for me to put my hands on him.” Ivy licked her lips and thought back to the incident. “I just reacted. I put my hands on his chest and there was this big burst of energy. He flew into the wall — like actually left his feet — and he hit it hard.
“He seemed surprised by what happened, as was I, and he ran outside,” she continued. “He didn’t even really look back to make sure I wasn’t following him. He just ran as fast as he could and disappeared.”
“That’s because you’re a total badass.” Jack leaned in and kissed her cheek. “You did the exact right thing.”
Ivy wasn’t so certain. “What if somebody would’ve seen?”
“Then we would’ve had to deal with it. Nobody saw, though. You’re fine. JJ is fine. Everybody else is fine.”
“We don’t know that Oliver is fine. He could’ve dropped dead in the time since he left here for all we know.”
“And if he did, he had it coming. That’s neither here nor there.”
“I guess.” Ivy remained unconvinced. “What do you think is happening to me?” Her voice was soft and low. “Am I turning into some sort of monster?”
Thoughts of state troopers giving him guff about holding his girlfriend fled and Jack pulled her tightly against him. “You’re the best person I know,” he reassured her, stroking her hair. “You’re so strong, and you’re growing stronger with every breath. You’re going to figure this out ... and I’m going to be with you every step of the way.”
“I’m still afraid. What if I accidentally hurt someone I love?”
“You won’t.”
“How can you know that?”
“Because it’s not who you are. This thing is new. It won’t change who you are, though.”
“And who is that?”
“The most perfect woman in the world.”
She chuckled in his ear. “That was a good answer, although kind of corny.”
“That’s how I roll.” Before he could move back, footsteps on the ground behind him alerted Jack they were no longer alone.
“Do you want us to give you time to hold your girlfriend’s hand, Harker?” a state trooper called out in a mocking tone. “Or do you need to ask her permission to go back to work?”
Ivy pressed her lips together as she flicked her eyes up to his strong jaw. “You’re going to hear about this for a long time, aren’t you?”
He nodded.
“It’s probably good I’m worth all the torment, huh?”
That earned her a smile. “Every single second of it.”
“Still, I should probably let you get back to work.”
“Probably.”
9
NINE
Jack brought takeout home. He expected to find Ivy moping — she tended to internalize things — but instead he found her on the living room floor with a myriad of notebook papers strewn about.
“This looks ... interesting,” he noted as he dropped the bag on the table and leaned over the couch to see what she was doing. Nicodemus, her petulant cat, took a swipe at his face when he got too close. “Don’t be a jerk,” he warned, glaring at the feline. “I didn’t know you were there. Trust me. I wasn’t trying to infringe on your personal space.”
“He’s feeling vulnerable,” Ivy volunteered as she shifted her position and stared at another sheet of paper. “He senses things are changing and, being a cat, he doesn’t like change.”
“How are things changing?”
“He’s no longer the man of the house.”
Jack snorted. “I’ve been living here for months. I hate to break it to you, Nicodemus, but you haven’t been the man of the house in a long time.”
The black cat blinked his enormous green eyes. His message was obvious: I still outrank you.
“Why would he be acting up about that now?” Jack queried, genuinely curious. “I mean ... nothing is really going to change. Well, other than the fact that I get to call you my wife. I am really looking forward to that, for the record.”
“Me, too.” Her tone was absent as she shifted to look at another sheet of paper.
“I don’t know about you, but I’ve never felt more loved.” Jack offered the cat a conspiratorial wink. “It’s almost disgusting
the way she fawns, huh?”
Nicodemus yawned, closed his eyes, and turned so his hind quarters faced Jack.
“Yeah, he’s clearly feeling subservient to me.” Rather than continue a conversation with a cat who clearly loathed him, Jack moved around the couch and sat on the floor next to Ivy. Curiosity had gotten the better of him and he needed to know what she was working on. “Is this for the nursery? Are you putting together lists for your dad for when we’re on our honeymoon?”
“Huh?” Ivy finally focused on him, as if seeing him for the first time, and then she shook her head. “No. Dad knows how to take care of the nursery. I’m not worried about that at all.”
“Then what are you worried about?”
“I’m trying to put this all together.” Ivy saw no reason to lie.
“All of what together?”
“What’s happening at the shelter.”
“Ah.” Jack bobbed his head in understanding. “What are the lists?”
“Well, this is a list of the people I know who are staying there.” Ivy pointed to her left. “I know it’s an invasion of privacy, but I figure one of them could’ve let it slip to a family member or something where they were located. Oliver might not have been led to his family through malice as much as a mistake.”
“How do you figure?”
“Well, what if Shelly Morrison over here told her brother where she was staying?” Ivy pointed toward a sheet of paper. “Her brother happens to work as a real estate agent. He could’ve accidentally mentioned it to a client who knew Oliver. Or, I know he plays basketball at the high school once a week with a few other guys. Maybe one of those guys knew Oliver.”
“I see what you’re getting at.” Jack moved his hands to Ivy’s shoulders so he could massage the tension gathering there as she shifted again.
“This is a list of all the individuals and companies who know about the location of the shelter,” she volunteered. “We’re talking the movers who helped set things up, Jackson Construction who helped with the painting and general repairs free of charge, Demetri’s Catering who helped with food, and Sally’s Cleaning Service. Those are just the ones I know off the top of my head.
“Then you have to add on the mail carrier, local police, fire, emergency personnel, and even Tommy Schmidt. He flattened the driveway because it was rutted from disuse.”
“That’s a lot of people,” Jack noted. He found he was impressed with the work she’d done. “Basically, you’re saying it could’ve been accidental even though we previously thought otherwise.”
“Yeah.”
He studied her strong profile for a beat. “You don’t think it was accidental, though, do you?”
She shook her head. “I can believe that Oliver found out about the building by accident,” she admitted. “Somebody might not have realized what sort of person he was and he could’ve tricked the information out of them. Nobody would’ve volunteered the information about the door, though, and there’s absolutely no way he managed to ask specific questions like that without making somebody suspicious.”
“I would agree. I mean ... there are always exceptions. In general, though, that makes sense.”
“So somebody had to tell him on purpose.” Ivy went back to the list of residents. “I’ve been going through them to see if I can find someone who I don’t think belongs there.” Guilt flashed hot and fast across her face as she met Jack’s steady gaze. “I don’t want to think it’s one of them, but I don’t want to be negligent and rule them out either.”
“No, you don’t want to be negligent.” He offered her an easy smile. “You also don’t need to take this all on yourself, honey. It’s not your job.”
“I’m involved now. You can’t cut me out of this.”
“Who mentioned cutting you out of things?”
“You’ve got that look on your face.”
“And what look is that?”
“The ‘Ivy needs to be put in bubble wrap for her own protection’ look. It’s very annoying.”
“I would never put you in bubble wrap. It would be too hard to get you out when I wanted to cuddle.”
She didn’t want to laugh — it would only encourage him after all — but she couldn’t stop herself. “You think you’re funny, don’t you?”
“Absolutely.” His grin was lightning quick. “I also know that you’re steadfast, loyal, and the bravest woman I know. You’re not simply going to let this go. So, as much as I would enjoy watching you pamper yourself with spa trips and indulgent baths, I know that’s not going to happen. The wedding isn’t your priority right now.”
Ivy balked. “You’re always my priority.”
He smiled. “I know that. I didn’t mean anything by it. It’s just ... you can’t let this go. Everything for the wedding is set and you’re looking forward to it. You won’t let yourself relax until we get beyond this, though, so that’s what we have to focus on.”
She found she was absurdly touched by the matter-of-fact way he delivered the statement. “It’s nice to have a man who understands me.”
“It’s nice to have a woman who understands that I can’t help myself from worrying, despite everything I just said.”
“It’s okay to be worried.”
“That’s good, because I am.” Jack moved his arms around her waist and rested his chin on her shoulder. “Oliver Taylor is a dangerous man. He’s tried to break into that shelter twice.”
“Actually, he’s succeeded twice,” Ivy corrected. “He obviously knows what he’s doing. That’s why I keep going back to the fact that someone inside has to be tipping him off.”
“You think it’s one of the other women.”
Ivy shrugged. “That’s what makes the most sense to me. I guess it could be the cook or one of the maids, but how would one of them know when Jenny was in the play area? The cook only works in the morning and leaves food for the women to heat up for the rest of the day. The maid only helps with basic things, also in the morning. This happened in the afternoon.”
Jack cocked his head, considering. “You know, I hadn’t really put it together to that extent, but what you’re saying makes a lot of sense. The reason Oliver used that door is because he somehow knew Jenny was in the playground.”
“Which means someone there tipped him off,” Ivy agreed.
“I didn’t think the women had phones.”
“She shrugged. “They’re supposed to hand them over when they arrive. It’s not as if they’re strip-searched or anything, though. If someone wants to hide a phone, it’s not that hard to do it.”
“No. Set it on silent and only check when alone. Is there internet in the building?”
“Yeah, but that doesn’t really matter. As long as the service for the phone has been paid, whoever has it can make as many calls as she needs to make.”
“So, who is it? Who is informing on the residents?”
“I don’t know. I do have an idea, though.”
“I figured you might.” Jack rubbed his hands over her slim midriff, his brain busy with possibilities. “I’ll agree to your terms if you give your brain a break for a bit, eat dinner with me, and then take one of those indulgent baths I mentioned earlier.”
He’d managed to catch her off guard. “I didn’t offer any terms.”
“You have something you want me to do. I can tell by your tone. I'm willing to do it if you relax for me a little bit. I don’t want a tense bride.”
“I guess I can agree to that.”
“Then tell me what you want.”
“I want you to pull Oliver Taylor’s phone records and then provide me with a list of the calls he’s received so I can check it with a list of the women who have access to the shelter on a regular basis.”
Jack opened his mouth to tell her he wasn’t sure if he had enough evidence to request a warrant for that purpose and then snapped it shut. He had more than enough evidence, and it was a good idea. “You know we can’t use your illegally retrieved information, right? W
e can’t make an arrest doing it that way.”
“Who mentioned anything about an arrest? I just want you to find Oliver so he’s no longer a risk to his family. I mean ... I think that Dana and Jenny are safe for the time being because nobody knows where they are — including me — but I won’t feel entirely better until I know Oliver is off the street.”
“I’m right there with you.” He moved her hair and pressed his lips to her neck, considering. “I can start the paperwork for the warrant tonight and send it. Honestly, it’s a good idea. We’re going to have to check our list against your list and do some digging, but we might get lucky.”
“I feel as if I’ve gotten nothing but lucky since I met you. Hopefully the streak will continue.”
“So sweet.” He kissed the ridge of her ear, sending chills down her spine. Then he tugged on her waist to get her to stand. “Come on. We need to keep our strength up, which means dinner. I’ll fill out the paperwork while you’re taking your bath and relaxing.”
“And then what?”
“And then I’m going to romance you until you can’t see straight.”
She rolled her eyes. “I meant with the case.”
“We’re not going to get the names you want until tomorrow,” he cautioned. “Nobody is going to hop right on this tonight. You’re going to have to be patient.”
“That’s not exactly my strong suit.”
“No,” he agreed. “I’m going to distract you, though, so you won’t even have time to think about it.”
“Ah. That’s where the romance comes in.”
“See, you’re a genius.” He smacked a flirty kiss against her lips. “This is a very good idea, honey. It’s not, however, going to instantly lead us to Oliver. It is a good step.”
“As long as we’re getting somewhere, that’s all that matters.”
“I hope you feel the same way when you start getting ants in your pants over this tomorrow.”
Ivy Morgan Mystery 18 - Wicked Wedding Page 9
