Ivy Morgan Mystery 18 - Wicked Wedding

by Lily Harper Hart

  “Especially when this individual abused his wife and child,” Brian added smoothly. “That’s neither here nor there, though. The fact of the matter is, this individual is dangerous and we’re trying to ascertain how he learned about the location.”

  “I didn’t realize it was a secret,” Lorne said. “I guarantee that I didn’t share the information, though. As for my drivers, I can’t see why they would care. We only stop at the shelter once a week. It’s a very quick trip.”

  “Still, we would like a list of the drivers who have delivered there,” Brian prodded.

  “I can do that.” If Lorne was bothered about the integrity of his employees being called into question, he didn’t show it. “Is that all?”

  Brian exchanged a weighted look with Jack and then shook his head. “There is one other thing?”

  “Well, spit it out.” Lorne’s attention was already on his computer. “I don’t have a lot of time to waste.”

  Jack pressed his lips together, incredulous, but managed to swallow a curse.

  “Bobbie Taylor,” Brian prodded. “What can you tell us about her?”

  For the first time since they’d entered his office, Lorne showed a genuine human emotion ... and it wasn’t nostalgia. His neck turned an odd red color and he looked positively apoplectic. “Why are you asking me about her?” His voice was rusty until he cleared his throat and glared at Brian. “I mean ... I don’t know who you’re referring to. Is that someone I should be aware of?”

  “It would be best if you didn’t play games with us,” Jack interjected. He was done messing around. “We know that Bobbie Taylor used to work for you. Her son is the one who has terrorized the shelter not once, but twice.”

  Lorne blinked several times in rapid succession and seemed to visibly pale. “I don’t know the boy. I only vaguely remember Bobbie. If I recall correctly, she was a poor worker.”

  “I actually believe that’s true,” Brian noted. “I bet she was the worst worker known to man because she’s a terrible person all around and probably pretty lazy. She lasted several years, though, and the rumor at the time was that you were having an affair with her.”

  Jack’s eyes went wide but otherwise he remained immobile. He didn’t expect his partner to be so overt when questioning the man, but he was glad that all the cards were on the table. He saw no sense in dilly-dallying.

  “I can’t believe you would accuse me of that,” Lorne protested. “I’m a married man.”

  “You’re a married man who has cheated on his wife at least ten times that I can think of off the top of my head,” Brian shot back. “Don’t be ridiculous. Everybody knows that you like playing around, and for some reason, you like doing it with lower-income women. I haven’t figured out exactly why, but I do have a theory.

  “I’m guessing these women can be dazzled by money and they’re so desperate to get out of the situations they find themselves in that they’re willing to put up with your putrid personality just for the chance to escape,” he continued. “Guess what, though? I don’t care about that. I want to know about Oliver.”

  “And why do you think I know anything about Oliver?” Lorne spat. “He’s nothing to me. Bobbie was barely anything to me. Our ... dalliance ... was brief. She pursued me, caught me at a weak moment, and tried to extort money from me after the fact. That’s why she was fired.”

  “That also doesn’t surprise me,” Brian acknowledged. “If I remember correctly, Bobbie already had Oliver when she hooked up with you. He’s not your child, right?”

  The look Lorne shot Brian was withering. “I’m not an idiot.”

  “Of course not.”

  “I had a vasectomy after Kenny was born. I only wanted one child. When the first was a girl — I mean, what are the odds? — we had to try for a second. Once we had Kenny, there was no need for another child. I had that taken care of right away. I can guarantee that I have no other children out there, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

  “I’m actually not,” Brian replied. “I mean, if you were Oliver’s father, that might help us with motive. It’s not necessary, though. All we want to know is who has been slipping Oliver information.”

  “Why would I do that? I know nothing about the boy. From everything I’ve heard, he’s a lowlife. I don’t associate with white trash like that. Why do you think I want out of Shadow Lake?”

  “I think you want a Charlevoix address because you think that somehow gives you stature,” Brian answered, not missing a beat. “You’ve always wanted people to look up to you. That’s simply who you are. I don’t care about any of that, though. All I want is a list of your employees so we can figure out if they have ties to Oliver and then we’ll be on our way.”

  “I can give you that.” Lorne started typing on his keyboard. “You could’ve just asked. You didn’t have to be so surly.”

  “I believe we did ask.”

  “That’s not how I remember things.” Lorne kept his attention on his screen as the room lapsed into silence. However, he was obviously irritated by the quiet because he decided to fill it. “How does Bobbie look? Back in the day, she was a looker. Sure, she was crazy, but she was a looker all the same.”

  “I don’t think she’s your type.” Brian’s tone was dry. “She’s living a rough life ... and she’s likely going to prison for aiding and abetting her son when we get our hands on her.”

  “That doesn’t sound good,” Lorne said. “It’s too bad. She was a real wildcat there for a bit. I liked it because she didn’t seem attached. There’s nothing worse than when a good time decides that there’s love in the future. Like I could ever love any of those women, right?”

  Jack’s stomach rolled. He wanted nothing more than to get away from the man. “Does your wife know about your dalliances? That’s what you called them, right?”

  Lorne bobbed his head. “She knows. She doesn’t care as long as I leave her alone and the money keeps coming in. She’s completely disengaged from our relationship. Although, to be fair, so am I. It works for both of us.”

  “You mean you get to keep up appearances,” Brian argued. “Everyone believes you’re the perfect couple even though you can’t stand each other.”

  “That suggests hatred, which we don’t feel toward one another. You have to care to feel hatred. The opposite of love is not hate. It’s indifference. I am indifferent to my wife ... but we both have common goals.”

  “That sounds like a healthy marriage,” Jack muttered.

  “I think it is healthy.” Lorne was blasé. “We both have outside interests. We don’t get in each other’s way. We have children and attend public functions together. It’s a job of sorts, but we both manage to muddle through.”

  “I just can’t even.” Jack shook his head and looked toward the window. He was over the entire conversation.

  “Here’s a list of the delivery men,” Lorne said to Brian as he retrieved a piece of paper from the printer. “I included anyone who has ever made a single delivery out there.”

  Brian took the sheet of paper and stood. “Thank you.”

  “I also included my niece,” Lorne added, almost as an afterthought. “She is the one who brought us together with the shelter, after all.”

  “Right, your niece.” Brian’s forehead wrinkled. “What’s her tie to the shelter again?”

  “She runs it.”

  Brian stilled. “Wait ....”

  “Do you mean Serena?” Jack prodded, confused.

  Lorne bobbed his head. “That’s her. She’s not a very good worker. She tried to get in here, wanted a cushy office job with a six-figure salary, but I told her she would have to work her way up in the company just like everybody else. She didn’t like the idea.”

  “And somehow she ended up at the shelter. How?”

  “That I can’t answer. She’s flitted from one thing to another for as long as I’ve known her.”

  “She doesn’t have your last name, though,” Brian noted. “You said she was you
r brother’s girl.”

  “She is, although my brother died when she was five. His wife remarried and Serena took his name. Personally, I think she would’ve been better to stick with the Cartwell name, but she said it scared off men. She’s looking for a sugar daddy to fund her lifestyle but hasn’t found one yet. If you ask me, it’s because she’s so high strung. All she cares about is money and nothing else.”

  Jack and Brian snagged gazes, something unsaid passing between them.

  “Does she have ties to Oliver Taylor?”

  “Not that I know of. Why?”

  “Because she’s one of the few people with access to the files,” Jack replied, his mind going a mile a minute. “She could easily pass along information to interested parties ... for the right price.”

  “I have no idea if she knows Oliver. Her brother works for me, though. He’s a good boy. You could ask him.”

  “Is he here now?”

  “Yes.”

  “Call him in.” Jack was already reaching for his phone. “I’m going to send Ivy a text, just to be on the safe side.”

  “That’s a good idea,” Brian agreed. “If Serena is the mole, it’s possible she’s the one who pointed Oliver toward Ivy.”

  The mere notion sent chills down Jack’s spine. “If she’s the mole, none of those women are safe.”

  “We’ll handle that hurdle if we get to it. For now, we need confirmation.”

  “Then let’s get it. I want this over.”

  “You and me both.”

  18

  EIGHTEEN

  “When you get married, does that mean I no longer have to babysit you?” Max asked as he tromped through the woods behind his sister.

  “It’s not babysitting,” Ivy countered. “You’re simply serving as my company today.”

  “You actually used the word babysitting when you called me.”

  “I think you’re mistaken.” Ivy refused to glance over her shoulder to meet Max’s gaze. She knew if she did, she would start ranting about Jack’s incessant need to make sure she was protected at all times. Given the fact that she was going to be married in two days, she figured it would come off as whiny.

  “Whatever.” Max scuffed his shoe against the ground. He seemed to be lost in his own little world, which Ivy found preferable.

  Ivy was happy for the silence and increased her pace, not stopping until they crested the hill that looked down on her fairy ring. Max was distracted enough that he slammed into her back.

  “Oomph.” Ivy pitched forward, but Max caught her before she could hit the ground. “Geez, Max! Pay attention,” she growled as she righted herself. “You could’ve really hurt me.”

  Max rolled his eyes. “It’s not my fault you stopped like that. You’re the one who almost caused me to get hurt.”

  Ivy swiveled and planted her hands on her hips. “Okay, what’s going on with you?”

  Max’s eyes practically popped out of his head. “Nothing is going on with me. Why would you think something was going on with me?”

  “Because you’re acting like an idiot.” Ivy paused long enough to give her brother an extended once-over. “Are you freaking out about proposing to Amy or something?”

  Max furtively looked around, as if he expected someone — like the paparazzi maybe — to jump out of the bushes and accost him. When it became apparent that wasn’t going to happen, he pulled himself together and fixed Ivy with a bland expression. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “Jack told me.”

  “Jack has a big mouth.”

  “I told you Jack told me at dinner the other night. It shouldn’t come as a surprise.”

  “I was hoping you would forget, what with your wedding and all.”

  “Oh, I would never forget you.” Ivy poked a teasing finger into his cheek. “Are you nervous?”

  “No.” The answer was instinctive, and when Ivy wouldn’t stop staring directly into his eyes, Max found his cheeks had suddenly caught fire. “Well, maybe. How am I supposed to do this?”

  “Do what?”

  “Ivy,” Max growled, glaring. “This isn’t funny. My stomach is in knots and I think I might be sick. Like ... all over you sick. Is that what you want?”

  “It wouldn’t be my first choice.” Ivy started down the hill, thoughtful. “Are you worried about the actual proposal?”

  “Of course not. I thrive on making a spectacle of myself.”

  “Then what are you worried about?”

  “What if it’s not time?” Max made sure to keep his distance from Ivy when he started moving. He didn’t want to accidentally run into her again. The idea of causing her to twist an ankle, or break a bone for that matter, left him feeling even more nervous than before. “What if I ask before she’s ready and she turns me down and I lose my chance forever?”

  On the surface, it seemed like a ridiculous thing to worry about. Ivy understood Max’s fear, though. “Do you think Jack worried about this when he proposed to me?”

  Max made a face. “Not everything is about you.”

  “No,” she agreed. “I’m curious, though. He seemed strong and put together when he proposed.”

  “That’s because you two had been together a lot longer than Amy and I.”

  “Does that mean you’re not ready?”

  “No. It means that I’m afraid she’s not ready.”

  “So, you feel insecure.” To Ivy, the realization felt alien. “Just out of curiosity, have you ever felt insecure about anything else?”

  “I’m not insecure.”

  “Then what would you call it?” Ivy was honestly curious. “I’m not trying to be difficult or anything. I really want to know.”

  “It’s not insecurity.”

  “Then what is it?”

  “I don’t know.” He heaved out a sigh and dragged a hand through his hair. “Fear. It’s fear.”

  “But not insecurity,” Ivy mused as she landed in the middle of her fairy ring. “How would you separate the two emotions in your mind?”

  “Are you suddenly a psychiatrist or something?” Max exploded. “I don’t know how to separate them. I just know what I feel ... and that’s afraid. I don’t want her to cut me out of her life. I love her.”

  The naked emotion on his face had Ivy going warm all over. “Of course you love her. I knew when you took her camping with us that you loved her. I wasn’t certain you knew, but it was obvious you felt more for her than you were ready to admit.”

  “Do you think she feels the same way about me?” Max positioned himself on the opposite side of the mushrooms. He knew better than invading her special space. In truth, they’d both enjoyed visiting the fairy ring as kids. On some level, he’d recognized it always belonged to her. He was nothing more than a visitor.

  Ivy thought about toying with him. It was obvious his nerves were shot, though. “Yes.”

  “Really?” Max let out a relieved sigh. “I know you wouldn’t lie to me. You really believe that, right?”

  “I do. She loves you.”

  “But?”

  Ivy’s smile slipped. “How do you know there’s a but?”

  “Because I’ve met you.”

  Resigned, she nodded. “But ... she’s gone through a terrible ordeal. She’s still finding her footing. You have to be open to giving her what she needs, whatever that may be, and telling her that when you propose.”

  Max was taken aback. “What do you think she needs?”

  “I think she wants to help people.” Ivy thought back to their conversation regarding the shelter. “I think she wants to be strong for her son ... and you. You realize that the second you propose, JJ is going to be a part of your life forever, right?”

  Max’s face was blank. “I love JJ.”

  “Of course you do. If something happens and you and Amy fall apart, though, you’re always going to have to be there for JJ. He needs you.”

  “Nothing is going to happen.” Max sounded much more sure of himself. “We
belong together, just like you and Jack.” He leaned closer. “For the record, I’m including JJ in that equation.”

  “Then maybe the thing you should do is ask JJ’s permission, bring him in on the secret, and then include him in the proposal. That way Amy will have both of you to contend with.”

  Max brightened considerably. “There’s an idea.”

  “I’m a genius,” Ivy agreed.

  The siblings held gazes for a few moments and then Max let out a sigh. “I guess we should get going on this, huh?”

  “Yeah. I’m ready to put it behind us.”

  “Okay.” Max managed a smile and then stepped back. “You can come out now, Oliver.”

  Ivy’s eyes immediately moved to a group of trees to her left (and Max’s right). She didn’t miss the way the leaves rustled and knew she’d been spot on when she decided to change her tactics. Once she got Jack’s text, bothering Jenny was no longer necessary ... so it disappeared as an option.

  Ivy wasn’t surprised when the tree branches parted to reveal Oliver. The man looked disheveled, as if he’d spent the better part of the past few days living a life that was open to the elements, and his eyes were wild with hatred. There was also trepidation there, too, and he refused to move close enough for Ivy or Max to touch him.

  “How did you know I was here?” he asked in a hoarse voice.

  “Because it was the only thing that made sense,” Ivy replied. “Your mother warned you that Jack and Brian likely knew about your hovel in the woods. You couldn’t risk going back there. Your rental place was off limits. You couldn’t move in with your mother because she was under surveillance, too. That left me as your only option. You needed to watch me — and Jack of course — to see if one of us would lead you to Dana.”

  “I don’t care about her,” Oliver snapped, fury kindling in his eyes. “I want what’s mine.”

  “Jenny isn’t yours.” Ivy was firm. “She’s never going to be yours. We’re going to make sure she has a happy life, far away from you.”

  “You won’t take her from me!” Oliver flexed his hands into fists. “I won’t let anyone take her from me.”

  “You’re going to want to stay away from my sister,” Max warned, his voice low. “If you take another step toward her, this is going to end before it even starts.”