Wicked Respite

by Lily Harper Hart

  Max made a horrified face. “I don’t want her to be like Ivy.”

  “You would be so lucky.”

  “And you’re blinded by love.”

  “There are worse things to be blinded by.”

  “MAX SEEMS BETTER TODAY,” Ivy noted as she walked in the shallow water close to the shoreline. There was nothing she liked better than wading in the tepid water. “I’m glad he calmed down some.”

  “Me, too.” Amy looked legitimately relieved as she crossed in front of Ivy. “I thought he was going to be ranting and raving for hours last night, but he fell asleep the second he climbed into the sleeping bags. Then, when he woke up this morning, he was perfectly fine.”

  “Max is one of those guys who angers quickly but gets over it quickly, too. He’s a good guy.”

  “He’s definitely a good guy.” Amy was earnest as she fixed Ivy with an odd stare. “I care about him a great deal.”

  Ivy smirked. “I figured.”

  “No, I really mean it. I’ve seen you watching me a bit, as if you can’t figure out what he sees in me. I can’t figure it out either. I want you to know that I have legitimate feelings for him. He’s important to me.”

  Ivy was ashamed that she’d made Amy feel out of place. “It’s not that I can’t figure out what he sees in you,” she said hurriedly. “It’s just ... I’ve never seen my brother this way with a woman before.” She opted for the truth. “He’s a good guy, but he hasn’t always had the best taste in women. I just wanted to make sure you weren’t like some of the others ... which you’re not.”

  Amy laughed, the sound warming up the morning air. “It’s okay. I figure it will take us a bit to get to know one another and then we’ll like each other, too. I just don’t want you to dismiss me out of hand before it’s necessary.”

  “I would never do that.” Ivy was sincere as she smiled. “Trust me. I ... .” She trailed off when a man appeared out of the trees. He looked ragged, as if he’d been wandering around for days, and he weaved back and forth as he wandered toward the trail. “I wonder who that is.”

  Amy glanced over her shoulder and frowned. “That’s the man with the dead girl.”

  “What?” Ivy’s eyes widened. “Are you sure?”

  Amy immediately bobbed her head. “I’m definitely sure. Do you know if the police found him yesterday for questioning?”

  Ivy searched her memory of the things Jack told her when he returned to the tent. She’d been sleepy but made a legitimate attempt to listen. “I’m pretty sure they already questioned him. He said he was night fishing, which I don’t necessarily believe. I still think we should tell Jack.” She swiveled and searched for her fiancé, breathing out a sigh of relief when she caught sight of him about fifty feet down. He was with Max and they seemed to be having a good time tossing rocks into the water while laughing uproariously.

  “Jack.” She called out his name with what she hoped was calm abandon. She didn’t want to give the man a reason to panic or run.

  Jack slid his eyes to her, smiled, and then noticed that she was not-so-subtly jerking her finger toward the shore. He slid his eyes in that direction and frowned when he saw what had gotten her attention. The husband of the victim was out and about — which he found surprising since he was under the impression that the police had no intention of releasing him — and he was wandering aimlessly, as if drunk, between the tree line and the water.

  “Who is that?” Max asked, confused.

  “The prime suspect in the death last night,” Jack replied grimly, dropping the rocks he carried. “Come on. Let’s check on the girls and make sure he’s not off his rocker or anything.”

  Seven

  His name was Gordon Shepherd and he’d been married to the victim for three years. Jack was the first to approach him. He’d seen the man the previous evening, but they’d never been properly introduced.

  “Sir, are you turned around?”

  Gordon cocked his head to the side at the intrusion, his lips perpetually curved down. “I don’t know where I am.”

  “I can see that.” Jack moved in front of Max and sent Ivy a stern look. She knew exactly what message he was sending without saying a word. Move and I’ll strangle you myself.

  Since she was nervous, Ivy was fine staying in the water. It served as a barrier of sorts between her and the man and she was thankful for it. “What’s the last thing you remember?”

  Jack was a tall man and Gordon had to tip his head up to look at him when they were face to face.

  “I remember ... I don’t know. It’s all a blur. I keep hoping I’m going to wake up and this will be nothing more than a bad dream.”

  Even though Jack was suspicious of the man, stirrings of pity wafted through him. “Your wife was the one found last evening, correct?”

  Gordon nodded, his lower lip trembling as he gasped out a breath. “They say she’s dead, but I don’t believe them. I think they’re wrong and she’s out here somewhere. They wouldn’t let me see her, not at all. They said they had to talk to me and they wouldn’t let me see her. She wasn’t there when I got back.”

  “That’s probably for the best,” Jack said gently, exchanging a quick look with Max, who had positioned himself between the women in the water and the confused man. “Did they let you go?”

  “Let me go?” Gordon repeated the words as if they were alien to him and he wasn’t grasping the meaning. “I don’t ... were they supposed to keep me?”

  “I don’t think he’s slept,” Max offered in a low voice. “He seems dazed.”

  “He also smells like a brewery,” Jack supplied. “I think I can guess how he spent his evening.”

  “Would you do any different?” Max was earnest. “If it was Ivy ... ?” He trailed off.

  Since the notion was enough to make Jack want to curl into a ball and shut out the world, he kept his focus on Gordon. “What time did the state police cut you loose?”

  “It was in the middle of the night.” Bitterness tinged Gordon’s words. “They asked me a bunch of questions, treated me like a criminal. They said that they wanted to make sure that something bad didn’t happen.”

  “Did you hurt your wife?” Jack’s question was blunt, but he didn’t care. As a man who loved a woman with every fiber of his being, he couldn’t imagine ever hurting her. If this man killed his wife, he didn’t deserve pity. He deserved something much, much worse. “Did you kill her?”

  “You sound like the cops.” Gordon’s gaze was accusatory. “I would never hurt my wife. I loved her. I mean ... things weren’t always perfect between us. She was bossy like you wouldn’t believe. You have no idea how bossy she was. I loved her, though. I didn’t kill her. Why would I do that?”

  A small smile played at the corners of Jack’s mouth as he flicked his gaze to Ivy. She was watching the show with overt interest. There was no fear in her expression. She trusted him implicitly.

  “I know a little something about dating a bossy woman,” Jack offered after a beat. “That’s nothing to kill over, I would agree. The thing is, your story leaves a little to be desired. You were fishing at night? Why would you leave your wife alone like that?”

  Gordon made a protesting sound with his mouth. “We camp all the time. We go every other weekend in the summer. That’s the entire summer. She has her things she likes to do — like sit around the fire and read a book while eating popcorn — and I have my things I like to do. That includes fishing. We’ve always done things this way. I thought she was safe at the campsite. Why wouldn’t she be? There were people all around.”

  He had a point, Jack internally mused. Stacy should’ve been safe at the campsite. That was one of the reasons he didn’t think twice about Amy walking to the community spigot by herself. “Did the police tell you how she died?”

  “No. They just said they were investigating and they would get back to me. Can you believe that? They’ll get back to me. They said I can’t leave the campsite. I don’t want to be here any longer, though
. I want to go home. I want ... my mom.”

  The man’s reaction almost broke Jack’s heart. Of course, it could be remorse, too, he reminded himself. It was possible Gordon flew off the handle in a moment of rage and legitimately regretted it.

  “I think you should go back to your campsite,” he said gently. “You need to rest ... and maybe lay off the beer. I’m sure the troopers will be back around this afternoon and they might have questions if you’re not there.”

  Gordon made a face. “I didn’t hurt my wife.”

  “I’m not saying you did. You haven’t slept, though. That much is obvious. You need to lie down and get a grip on yourself. Your wife needs you now.”

  “My wife is dead. She doesn’t need anything.”

  “Fair enough. Would she be a fan of the way you’re handling this, though? Is this the legacy you want to leave her?”

  “No.” The man sank to the ground and buried his head in his hands. “She would be angry ... and boss me around. She would tell me to suck it up. I wish she was here to boss me around again.”

  Jack understood the feeling. “I wish she was, too. She’s not, though. I’m truly sorry. You really should head back.”

  “Yeah, I’ll head back. I’ll sleep. Then, when I wake up, all of this will have been a nightmare. I’ll tell her about it and she’ll order me not to dream about anything like that again. That’s a good idea.”

  Jack knew better. The man wasn’t dreaming. When he woke, he would feel the loss even more keenly. Whether it was regret or remorse fueling him, he had no doubt about that.

  THE STATE POLICE WERE HOLDING COURT in front of the administrative building when they returned to the campgrounds. The way Trooper Winters raised his hand told Jack that they’d been waiting for him. He found that interesting.

  “Come on.” He linked his fingers with Ivy’s and tugged her in that direction.

  “I doubt they want me,” she argued. “I thought I could go back to camp and take a nap. I didn’t sleep very well last night.”

  Max cast her a sheepish look. “Sorry about that.”

  “You’re only partly to blame,” she replied. “I couldn’t get that woman out of my head. No one is to blame for that.”

  “We don’t know that yet,” Jack cautioned. “You can take a nap in a few minutes, though. I might join you. For now, I would prefer it if you stuck close to me.”

  Ivy thought about arguing but didn’t see the point. She figured the trooper wanted to discuss things with Jack on a superficial level, which meant the conversation wouldn’t take long.

  “We’re going to head back to camp,” Max volunteered. “I think a nap sounds divine.”

  Ivy rolled her eyes but waved them off. There really was no need for everyone to visit with the trooper.

  Winters appeared eager when he caught sight of Jack. “I went up to your campsite, but you guys were gone. I wasn’t sure if you would be back.”

  “We wouldn’t leave all our stuff,” Jack explained. “Most of it is new because I’m something of a camping novice.”

  “You mentioned that last night.” Winters’s eyes were kind when they locked with Ivy’s somber orbs. “I hear you’re the professional camper. My brother Nick and I used to camp a lot when we were kids. We never came to this place, though. I’m not even that familiar with the area, but my fiancée is pregnant and due to give birth in about two months. There was an opening here that needed to be filled and my boss agreed to double the time I get off after the birth if I fill in for two weeks ... so here I am.”

  “It must be hard to be away from your fiancée,” Ivy noted. “Is she okay with you being gone?”

  “My brother and sister-in-law are there. We’re all tight. They’re watching her and we Skype every night so she can yell at me. It’s like being home.”

  Ivy’s lips swished. She found the trooper funny and didn’t blame him for taking the offer to work in the Upper Peninsula. In truth, he was doing the best thing for his new family even though it was a trial right now. “Your fiancée sounds like a woman I would like.”

  “I bet you would.” Winters flashed one more smile and then focused on Jack. “I just got the preliminary autopsy report. Another more in-depth report will be issued in a few hours. The medical examiner wants to be sure, but he believes that the radial crack on Mrs. Shepherd’s neck seems to indicate that there’s no way she could’ve sustained the injury by a fall. They want to be sure, though, so he’s getting a second opinion.”

  “That makes sense.” Jack stroked his chin with one hand and moved the other to Ivy’s slim back. He wanted her close. Death always made him overprotective. She was almost used to that now, although she still put up a fight. “We just saw Gordon Shepherd by the falls.”

  Winters’s eyes sparked with interest. “Really? He’s out sightseeing?”

  “He’s most definitely not out sightseeing. He’s ... in a weird place. I don’t want to judge him too harshly because it seems unfair, but he smelled as if he’d been drinking for hours straight. His eyes were red and bleary. He’d obviously been crying. He keeps referring to it as a dream he’s going to wake up from.”

  “I think we all wish that. This is the first homicide I’ve covered since landing. They’re simply not frequent in this area.”

  “That’s not a bad thing,” Jack argued. “I used to be a detective in Detroit. I grew numb to the violence there but much prefer the simpler life in Shadow Lake. My mother thought I would grow bored quickly, but that hasn’t happened.”

  Winters smirked. “I think that probably has something to do with your friend.” His eyes landed on Ivy’s engagement ring. “I guess I’m not the only one looking down the barrel of the marriage gun.”

  Ivy scowled. “If you think of it as a punishment, why are you getting married in the first place?”

  “Because I love her.” Winters’s answer was simple, and enough to placate Ivy, although only marginally. “We’re both bossy people and we like to bust each other’s chops. I have a feeling our kid is going to be the mouthiest redhead to ever hit the Midwest. I’m fine with it, though. I hope she looks exactly like her mother.”

  “It’s a girl?” Ivy was intrigued despite herself.

  “We don’t know. Christy wants to be surprised. She also wants to wait until she loses the baby weight to get married. I would already be calling her ‘my wife’ if I had my druthers. She gets her way on this one, though.”

  Ivy liked the matter-of-fact way the man spoke. It was clear he loved his fiancée. He was just a blowhard. Since she was related to Max, she understood exactly how that worked. “I think you’ll be a good father.”

  “Yes, well, I’m nervous. I think I will be, too, though.” He winked at Ivy and then locked gazes with Jack. “We don’t have enough to hold the husband yet. I plan on hanging around the campgrounds until word comes in from the medical examiner, though. Once it’s ruled a homicide, we’re going to arrest him.”

  “On what evidence?” Jack queried. “He claims he was fishing.”

  “We have a gentleman who was down at the exact spot where Mr. Shepherd claims he was fishing. He says he was the only one there. That’s enough for me. We need to get him into custody before he decides to run.”

  Jack’s stomach gave a small heave. “I was kind of hoping he was innocent. I felt sorry for him when we saw him. I guess I shouldn’t have let him get to me, but he appeared legitimately lost.”

  Ivy slid closer to Jack, lending him a bit of her warmth. “I did, too. I found myself believing him. I guess it’s possible he feels really sorry for what he did and that’s what we’re noticing but ... I guess you know best.”

  “I don’t feel as if I know anything,” Winters countered. “That’s what the prosecutor wants, though. It’s sort of out of my hands.”

  “Well, here’s hoping the second opinion comes back and it’s ruled an accident. I don’t know how I would deal with anything like that but ... well ... it’s better than murder.” His expression
was rueful when he turned to Ivy. “This was supposed to be a quiet camping trip. It’s starting to look like those don’t exist in our world, huh?”

  Ivy patted his shoulder. “Don’t worry, big guy. I’ll protect you. And, hey, don’t give up on camping yet. You’ll be going with me and any future kids we have whether you like it or not.”

  Yes, Jack knew what it was like to deal with a bossy woman. He wouldn’t have it any other way, though. “I’m sure we’ll be able to work something out.”

  BY THE TIME JACK AND Ivy reached the campsite, all they wanted was a nap ... and private time. Even though Jack enjoyed his future brother-in-law’s company, he remained miffed that his plans had gone up in smoke the moment Max invited himself along on their camping trip.

  Unfortunately, his sexy nap plans looked to be going out the window, too, because Max and Amy were not only up but talking to another man in the middle of the campground when they arrived.

  “Is something wrong?” Jack was instantly alert.

  “No.” Max’s smile was easy and engaging. “Our neighbor stopped by for a visit and to invite us fishing. We got to talking and lost track of time. What did the trooper say?”

  “They’re in a holding pattern waiting for a final determination from the medical examiner’s office,” Jack replied. He had no intention of going into too much detail in front of a stranger. “He’ll be hanging around for the bulk of the afternoon to keep an eye on things, so everybody should be safe.”

  “That’s good.” Max’s forehead wrinkled. “Did you tell him about running into the widower in the woods?”

  “I did and he has the information.” Jack focused his full attention on the newbie. “I’m Jack Harker.” He extended his hand. “This is my fiancée Ivy.”

  “That’s the sister I was telling you about,” Max offered as the man shook Jack’s hand.

  “I’m Jeff Portman,” the man introduced himself. “I was supposed to be meeting two college friends here for a fishing expedition, but they ran into car trouble and won’t be here until tomorrow. It’s not a problem for me to extend my trip for a few days longer, but I’m kind of alone until then and with what happened last night ... well ... .”