Ivy Morgan Mystery Box Set 5

by Lily Harper Hart

  Ivy knew better than putting up a fight. “We’ll lock this place up and head to the cottage.”

  “You will,” Jack agreed. “I’m going to make sure of it. I’ll follow you out.”

  Ivy’s eyes lit with suspicion. “If I didn’t know better, I would think you don’t trust me to follow through on my promise.”

  “And if I didn’t know better, I would think you were baiting me into a fight. That’s completely unnecessary at this juncture.”

  Amy’s curious gaze bounced between the couple for several beats and then she shook her head. “Max said you guys got off on challenging each other. I see he was telling the truth. As fun as it is, we don’t have time for this. We need to catch Jeff.”

  Jack nodded in agreement. “We do. I’ll make sure you guys are in the car and on the road and then we’ll handle the Jeff situation.”

  “Will you call when you have him?” Ivy queried. “I mean … just so we know.”

  “I will.” Jack stroked his hand down the back of her hair. “You guys are going to be safe. That’s the most important thing. The rest we’ll figure out as we go.”

  “Thank you,” Amy offered earnestly, her lower lip quivering. “I don’t know how to thank you.”

  “Amy, this is my job.” Jack was grave. “I wish you would’ve trusted someone sooner. It doesn’t matter, though. We won’t let Jeff hurt you or your son again. You have my word.”

  BRIAN WAS WAITING FOR JACK in front of the Pine Cone Motel. As far as lodgings went, it wasn’t exactly a sprawling resort hotel with room service and modern amenities. It was more akin to the place where hope went to die, a ramshackle flop that boasted rooms rented by the hour for those who wanted a quick tryst with a prostitute, or rooms rented by the week for those who had no place else to go.

  “I was starting to wonder if you got lost on the way,” Brian said dryly as his partner exited his vehicle. “I expected you ten minutes ago.”

  “I had to make sure Ivy and Amy were on the road and heading back to the cottage,” Jack replied, not embarrassed in the least that his worries about his fiancée’s safety came first. “They’re on the way to the house. They’ve agreed to stay there and cook for the afternoon.”

  “Cook?”

  “We’re barbecuing tonight. Luna is insisting on meeting Amy.”

  “Ah, well, this should be a nice icebreaker. I don’t envy that girl having to answer a boatload of questions about her murderous husband the first night she meets Michael and Luna.”

  “Yeah, well … I’m not sure that’s going to come up tonight.” Jack shifted from one foot to the other, clearly uncomfortable. “Ivy has agreed to give Amy time to tell Max when she’s comfortable with it. Personally, I would rather everything come out tonight, but Ivy isn’t pushing her new buddy.”

  “They’re buddies now, huh? I guess that makes sense.”

  “It does?” Jack was legitimately puzzled. “How so?”

  “Ivy likes to act as a protector. So does Max, for that matter. When she was a kid, Ivy would go out of her way to protect the other kids from bullies. She got in quite a few fights. I remember talking to Luna and Michael at the time and they were worried she was going to get in trouble over it.

  “Oddly enough, when those bullies picked on her, she retreated into her own little world,” he continued. “She was far more likely to stand up for others than herself. That’s why Max stepped in to protect her. He had a much different personality, but they’re similar in some ways, too.”

  “I’m not going to lie,” Jack started. “I don’t like Max being shut out of this. I think it’s going to be worse down the line because he’ll feel as if he failed Amy.”

  “How can he fail her if he doesn’t know?”

  Jack held out his hands and shrugged. “I don’t know. It might be a ridiculous reaction, but I can’t shake the feeling that my nose would be out of joint if someone else swooped in and saved Ivy under similar circumstances.”

  “Ah.” Realization dawned on Brian. “I get what you’re saying. I kind of agree, too. The thing is, we don’t want Max running around half-cocked. He would completely lose it and then we would have two people to search for, not one. It’s better if we’re the ones who handle this.”

  Jack believed that was probably true, but he was still reticent. “So, do you know the room number?” He inclined his chin toward the motel. “Is our guy inside?”

  “Stan Jurgenson is on the desk. I figured we would talk to him first. We can keep an eye on the room while that’s going down. I would rather be prepared than not if he’s got an arsenal in there.”

  Jack nodded. “That makes sense. Let’s talk to Stan.”

  “Just remember you said that with a straight face. Once you talk to Stan, you’re going to hope you never have to talk to him again.”

  “Thanks for the warning.”

  STAN JURGENSON WAS A SHORT man – he barely cleared five-foot-three – but his gut was so wide it made him look like he was a balloon about to pop. He seemed excited when Brian and Jack made their way into the office.

  “I can’t believe we had a criminal staying here,” he enthused, rubbing his hands together. “That’s a big deal. It will probably make the evening news. Do you think the local newscasters will pay for an interview with me?”

  Jack made a face. “Why would they pay for an interview with you?” He was beyond confused. “I don’t believe that’s how it works.”

  “Oh, you’re such a rube.” Stan graced him with a pitying look. “Never give away anything for free. That includes information. If you want to get ahead in this world, you have to make sure that people are aware your time is a commodity.”

  “I knew you would like him,” Brian drawled, shaking his head. “You can plot out your rates for the television crews later, Stan. I need information on the guy we talked about earlier. When did he check in?”

  Stan checked his ledger. “The night before last. He showed up right when I was about to close the office.”

  “Wait … the office isn’t open twenty-four hours?” Jack asked.

  “No. I’m the only one who can check people in. I have a maid who cleans the rooms and a crew to clear the snow in the winter and handle yard work in the summer. That’s it.”

  “What if someone tries to check in after you’ve left for the day?”

  “Then they’re fresh out of luck.” Stan was matter-of-fact. “Like I said. My time is valuable. If people want to stay here, they arrive at a reasonable hour.”

  “And what’s a reasonable hour?” Jack thought back to Sunday afternoon. “What time did he arrive?”

  “He was here relatively early. I would say about four or so.”

  “That’s several hours after we returned,” Jack noted, his mind busy. “I don’t think he followed us. We would’ve noticed that given the limited traffic. He must have left on his own later in the day.”

  “He knew where you lived,” Brian pointed out. “You talked to him, right? You went fishing with him.”

  Jack wasn’t keen on being reminded of that. “We went fishing together,” he acknowledged. “He seemed like a normal guy.”

  “Except he was at a campground alone.”

  “He had a story for that,” Jack protested. “He said his friends were delayed for a day due to vehicle trouble and he was nervous being alone after someone was killed.”

  “That’s convenient. He was the killer and he used fake fear to hang out with you guys. How did Amy react when finding him at your site?”

  Jack was taken aback by the question. He hadn’t even considered it. “I’m honestly not sure,” he replied after a moment’s contemplation. “I wasn’t there when Amy and Max returned to the site. Ivy and I stayed down at the management office to talk to Trooper Winters for a few minutes. Conversation was already flowing by the time we arrived.”

  “Was Amy talking to him?”

  “I … no.” Jack shook his head. “She didn’t say a word to him. I’m certain of th
at. Max was doing all the talking.”

  “Probably because Max doesn’t pick up on social cues all that well at times,” Brian muttered. “He probably didn’t notice that she was virtually shrinking in front of him. Amy stayed behind while you guys fished, right?”

  “She did. Ivy did, too, though.”

  “Did Ivy and Amy talk?”

  “I think so, although Ivy said she took a nap. I think Amy was keen on a nap, too. We were up late the previous evening because of the body. Everyone was tired and worn out.”

  “And Amy was probably plotting her escape even then,” Brian supplied. “I mean … think about it. She had to be terrified when she saw him. He was already in place at the campground when you arrived, right?”

  “I think so.” Jack racked his brain. “I can’t honestly be sure, though. I can’t remember. We arrived, set up camp, and then took some private couple time apart.”

  “In other words, you rolled around with Ivy and pouted about Max ruining your romantic vacation. I can just picture that … and I’m grossed out.”

  “Get over yourself.” Jack was used to his partner’s unsolicited grumbling. Brian knew Ivy when she was a child and wasn’t always happy to bear witness to Jack and Ivy’s interactions because he found them schmaltzy. “That’s basically what happened, though. Although … .” He trailed off, something occurring to him. “Amy saw Jeff within an hour of us landing. I remember that now.”

  “How?”

  “We were in the tent and Ivy opened the window. She was convinced Amy didn’t like her because she stuck so close to Max. When we looked out the window, though, Amy was standing on the trail staring at someone. It was Jeff. I didn’t put that together before, but it definitely was.”

  “So, he was there before you,” Brian concluded. “The question is: How did he get there before you? How could he possibly know where you were going to be?”

  “Maybe it was a coincidence,” Jack suggested. “Maybe he was staying at the campsite to save money because he heard Amy was in Michigan and was searching for her and it was just dumb luck.”

  “That would have to be the biggest bout of dumb luck ever. What are the odds of that happening?”

  “I don’t know. How could he know where she was going to be, though?”

  “I don’t know. That’s a question we need to ask him.” He tapped the front desk to draw Stan’s gaze back to them. The hotel proprietor was busy ordering his hair in the mirror. “We need an extra key to Portman’s room. We’re going in hot.”

  “No problem.” Stan handed over the item in question. “Try not to blow anything up … or put any holes in the wall. I’d like to rent that room again if I can tonight and that’s not going to be easy if you kill him in there.”

  “You’re all heart, Stan,” Brian drawled, accepting the key.

  “Hey, this guy is a lowlife and I can’t stand lowlifes. I don’t have any sympathy for him.”

  “Your whole clientele is lowlifes.”

  “That’s an ugly and untrue thing to say.”

  “Whatever.” Brian rolled his eyes until they landed on Jack. “Are you ready for this? We need to get him in cuffs right away. I’m betting he’s armed.”

  “I’m ready.” That was the truth. Jack wanted to put this ugly mess behind them as soon as possible. It was best for everybody involved if they could lock Jeff behind bars and then stand back to let Amy and Max handle their own affairs.

  Fifteen

  In truth, Jack had cleared more potentially-dangerous hotel rooms than his partner. Brian might’ve been older, seasoned, but Jack was trained in an area that saw a lot more dangerous characters being taken down.

  “I’ll take the lead,” he announced as he drew his service weapon and ran his hand over the door handle.

  Brian’s eyebrows drew together. “Why are you taking the lead?”

  “Because I’ve been through my fair share of doors before.”

  “And you think I haven’t?”

  “I think you’ve had less of a need to go through them here.” Jack didn’t want to offend his partner but understood it would be safer for both of them if he went first. “I promised Ivy I would come home to her tonight.”

  “You think you won’t if I go through first?” Brian wasn’t the sort to get offended, but he couldn’t help himself. “That’s … great. Glad to know you have such faith in me, buddy.”

  Jack managed to hold back a sigh, but just barely. “If you think I don’t have faith in you, you’re wrong. You’re the best partner I’ve ever had. Of course, my previous partner plugged me twice in the chest and left me for dead in an alley so you don’t have a lot of competition on that front.”

  Brian’s expression darkened. “Is there a specific reason you reminded me of that at this point in time?”

  “I’m simply trying to be practical.” Jack refused to back down. “I’ve done this before, multiple times. Have you?”

  “I’ve been through doors before.”

  “When a potential serial killer might be on the other side? That’s what we’re dealing with. This guy has killed two women that we know of – the list could be a lot longer in other states – and is potentially on the hook for other murders. He’s not going to be taken without a fight.”

  “If something happens to you … .”

  Jack shook his head, firm. “Nothing is going to happen to me. Do you think I would leave Ivy? That is never going to happen. I still think it’s better for both of us if I go first.”

  “Fair enough.” Brian nodded and drew his own weapon. “Let’s get this over with. I want this guy in custody.”

  “You and me both.” Jack used his free hand to rap on the door as hard as possible. “Police. Open up.” He didn’t wait for a response. Instead, he slammed his foot into the door, which gave way with a terrific splintering of wood as it flew inward.

  Jack’s movements were smooth as he stepped into the room, which was empty. He checked blind spots over both shoulders before moving toward the bathroom. He locked gazes with Brian for an extended period of time and then threw open the bathroom, his gun trained on the inside of the small room.

  No one was there.

  Jack checked behind the shower curtain to make sure and then lowered his weapon. “He’s not here.”

  “I noticed.” Brian moved back into the main room, pulling up short when he saw a pile of photographs sitting on the bed. “What do you think those are?”

  “We should check.” Jack snapped on a pair of rubber gloves after holstering his weapon and then grabbed the photos. His frown only deepened when he realized what he was looking at. “It’s Amy.”

  “Yeah?” Brian wasn’t surprised. “Are they of your camping trip?”

  “No.” Jack shook his head. “I’m pretty sure that’s the bar out on the highway, right?”

  Brian accepted the photo Jack handed him and scowled. “Yeah. That’s the place.”

  “And that’s Amy.” Jack tapped the photograph. “It looks like she’s not looking in the direction of whoever took the shot. I very much doubt she knew it was being taken … or that Jeff took it himself. That place isn’t big enough for someone to stay hidden.”

  “No.” Brian was thoughtful as he caught up to what Jack was trying to say. “You think someone tipped him off that she was here, don’t you?”

  “I don’t know.” Jack continued to flip through the photos, his lips curving down when he came to a specific one in the stack. Max was in it, and he had his arms around Amy’s waist. They stared into each other’s eyes in such a way that Jack knew neither one of them realized they were being watched. “I’m wondering if Max is the one who made him come here.” Jack held up the photo. “Maybe he had someone following Amy, waiting for the right time to approach her. None of these photos were taken at the lake house … and there’s no little kid in them.”

  “You think that Jeff wants the boy,” Brian mused, rubbing his throat as he considered the statement. “That would make sense.
He treated Amy like a dog – no, worse than a dog – but the boy is his son. He’s the sort of person who would want to take ownership of his son.”

  Jack felt sick to his stomach. “He would want to mold JJ to be like him. That’s who he is.”

  “I would agree with you there.”

  Jack let loose a heavy sigh. “He’s not here. We have to find out where he is. He must’ve registered a vehicle with Stan.”

  “I don’t think Stan follows standard rules when it comes to his guests.” Brian’s tone was dry. “He just wants the cash.”

  “Well, we still have to figure out what he’s driving.” Jack was firm. “I want to see him coming when it’s time. I don’t like this.”

  “I don’t either.” Brian glanced around. “Let’s gather all the evidence we can and then go through it back at the cottage. I think we’d both feel better if we checked on Amy and Ivy.”

  For Jack, that was an understatement. He managed to keep his emotions in check and nod, though. “Yeah. I definitely want to check on them. If Jeff made it this far, knew this much, there’s a possibility he managed to suss out the location of the lake house.”

  “I think he would have photographs of the boy if that were true,” Brian replied. “Still, this isn’t coming together for me. Jeff needed help to get as far as he did. We need to figure out who that help is … and if he or she is still in town. That’s the only way we’re going to be able to keep JJ and Amy safe over the long haul.”

  “We’ll figure it out.” Jack was bound and determined that was true. “The only way I can keep Ivy and her brother safe is to find Jeff. They’ll both find trouble the longer this drags out. I want it taken care of … and fast.”

  “Then we need to sit down and go through this, get Amy’s opinion on what he might do. She knows him better than us.”

  “Which is why she’s so terrified.”

  “We can’t change that until we find him, and I think we’re going to need her to do it.”

  “Fair enough.” Jack dropped the photographs into a plastic bag and moved to confiscate the computer resting on the second bed. “Let’s get on it. There’s no way he’ll return to this place.”