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 ... .”
“You feel nervous,” Ivy surmised. “I don’t blame you. I think it rattled us all.”
“I saw you around where the body was found last night,” Jack noted. “You were one of the people questioned by the state troopers.”
“I was, although I only walked up on the tail end of things because I was fishing,” Jeff volunteered. “I couldn’t figure out what was going on at first. I thought it was some sort of fight ... or maybe a joke. Once the state police showed up, I figured out pretty quickly that something serious had gone down. I can’t believe that poor woman was murdered.”
“We technically don’t know that yet,” Jack cautioned. “The state police want to be sure. There was a hill. It’s possible she tripped in the exact wrong way thanks to the darkness and somehow broke her neck.”
“Do you believe that’s what happened?”
Jack searched his heart. “No, but I would like to be proven wrong on this one. It’s the better outcome for everyone.”
“I guess I’m something of a cynic. I’m sure it’s the husband. He was acting squirrelly before all this happened. I heard them arguing at their campsite — mine isn’t too far away — and he was calling her names and belittling her.”
Jack frowned. “That’s not what he told us. He said she was the bossy sort. I know from personal experience that bossy women don’t put up with being belittled.”
“You’ve got that right,” Ivy muttered, earning a smile from Jack. “I would kick you to the curb so fast if you talked down to me.”
“I guess it’s good I don’t do that, huh?” He slung his arm around Ivy’s neck.
“Jeff wants to know if we fancy a trip to the river to fish with him,” Max volunteered. “I was kind of keen on taking a nap, but we haven’t fished at all yet and I would prefer going during daylight hours rather than trying an excursion at night.”
Jack immediately balked. “I don’t think we should leave the women here and I have a feeling they’re not interested in fishing.”
“I definitely have no interest in fishing.” Ivy’s tone was no-nonsense. “There’s no reason you guys can’t go, though. We’ll just hang around here, probably nap and read. We’ll be perfectly fine.” She looked toward Amy, who was sitting in one of the chairs staring into nothing, for confirmation. The woman already looked as if she was asleep on her feet.
“I don’t know.” Jack wasn’t convinced. “There could be a murderer running around.”
“Not one that’s going to approach us with people spread out in nearby campsites in the middle of the day,” Ivy countered. “Trust me. We’ll be perfectly fine. You have nothing to worry about.”
“Well ... .” Jack licked his lips and focused on Max. “Are you gung-ho for this?”
“I am.” Max bobbed his head. “We’ll only be gone a few hours. We might even catch something worth cooking for dinner.”
“Well, Trooper Winters is going to be down by the main building,” Jack said finally. “Someone really would have to be an idiot to attack in the middle of the day.”
“And I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself,” Ivy reminded him. “Go. Have fun. I’ll take a long nap and have lots of energy when you get back.”
Jack smirked. “See. Now you’re talking.” He lowered his mouth to hers. “Be careful and aware of your surroundings while we’re gone. That’s all I ask.”
“Consider it done.”
Eight
After a two-hour nap, Ivy emerged from the tent to find Amy diligently cleaning the campsite. The woman seemed to be lost in her own head. Ivy didn’t expect Jack and Max to return for at least another hour.
“You don’t have to do that,” she said quickly, moving to Amy’s side. “It’s already pretty clean and this shouldn’t fall on you.”
“What? Oh.” Amy let loose a low chuckle. “I tend to clean when I’m thinking about something. It’s natural for me.”
“I wish it was natural for me.” Ivy grabbed the kettle and filled it full of water from the gallon jug Jack had retrieved that morning. “I’m the sort of person who is perfectly happy living in filth if it means I don’t have to scrub the toilet.”
Amy snorted. “My mother was the one who got me into it. There were times when I was a kid that we were running low on money and I didn’t know it. They didn’t tell me for obvious reasons. She used to clean the house from top to bottom those days. It was only when I got older that I realized what she was really worried about.”
“I think that parents believe it
’s their job to protect children.” Ivy carried the kettle to the fire and positioned it to easily grab when the water began to boil. “My parents were the same way. I don’t particularly remember them worrying about money – we were relatively lucky on that front – but they would close in and whisper a lot when things were going badly with relatives and health stuff.”
“I haven’t met your parents yet. Max wants to introduce me but … I’m kind of nervous.”
“I can see that.” Ivy offered her a kind smile. “You’re the jittery sort, huh? I don’t mean that in a bad way or anything. You just seem as if you’re always worried, looking over your shoulder and stuff.”
“Do I?” Amy looked uncomfortable at the observation. “I don’t mean to be. I just … I’ve always been this way. Your brother asked me out four times before I accepted. It just takes me a bit of time to get to know people. I mean … I like people. Sometimes I’m afraid they won’t like me, though.”
Oddly enough, Ivy understood what she was saying. “When I was a kid, a lot of the other kids bullied me because they thought I was different. It’s easy to put up a wall when you think you’re constantly going to be attacked.”
“Max told me. I think he’s worried I’m an introvert or something. He keeps trying to get me to come out of my shell. That’s how he puts it anyway.”
Ivy snickered. “Max is … full of life. He’s always been that way. He stood up for me when I was a kid, though. He would fight with girls and boys if they came after me. He’s a good guy.”
“He’s a great guy,” Amy enthused, her eyes warming at the topic. “Did he tell you how we met?”
“Vaguely. You’re a bartender at the place out on the highway, right?”
Amy nodded. “You wouldn’t think someone like me could be a bartender because I’m not very outgoing, but I kind of like it. Drunk people are perfectly happy to hold up both ends of a conversation.”
“I can see that. Still, how did you end up in Shadow Lake? You came from Minnesota, right? Were you familiar with the area?”
Ivy Morgan Mystery Box Set 5 Page 27