“That’s what it looks like,” Brian confirmed. “We have a few more questions for you while we’re here. For starters, what did you think of Shannon’s husband?”
“Victor? You don’t think Victor did this, do you?” Paige was animated as she moved to stand and then returned to her seat. “You’re way off base if you think he did this. He’s a freaking saint. I mean … he’s awesome. He would never hurt Shannon. He loved her.”
Brian cocked an eyebrow. “Did you spend a lot of time with Victor?”
“No, but he stopped by at least once a week. He usually did it to surprise Shannon. He would bring her a nice lunch or sometimes he just delivered flowers. He was the perfect husband.” Paige turned wistful. “I want a husband exactly like him one day. I mean … he’s handsome and he buys flowers. Most men don’t bother with stuff like that.”
“He sounds dreamy,” Brian deadpanned. “Did you ever notice any tension between Victor and Shannon?”
“No.”
“Are you sure?”
Paige shifted on her chair. “Is this about the rumors? If so, I don’t think you have anything to worry about. There’s no way Victor found out about that because only three of us knew and no one would ever say anything.”
Jack touched the tip of his tongue to his top lip. Now they were getting somewhere. “We want more information on the rumors,” he hedged. “What was your take on them?”
“I thought they were crap,” Paige replied without hesitation. “I never once thought that Mr. Priestley would have an affair with Shannon and when he said someone was spreading that around and told me to make sure people knew it wasn’t true, I knew what a stand-up guy he really was. He wanted to protect Shannon. I mean … how many bosses do things like that?”
“He sounds like a prince amongst men,” Brian said, turning the sheet of paper with Priestley’s name on it over so he could look at the number. “I think it’s probably best if we talk to Mr. Priestley next. We’ll be back with some follow-up questions relatively soon.”
“HE’S NOT ANSWERING.”
Jack and Brian wasted little time calling Cole Priestley from their cruiser in the parking lot. Even though Paige seemed to be a dim bulb, they couldn’t ignore the fact that she was capable of calling to warn her boss about their questions.
“We can give it some time and call again,” Jack suggested, stretching out his long legs in front of him as he stared out the window. “What do you make of Paige’s story?”
“She seems to be a dink.”
Jack chuckled. “Besides that … and yeah, she’s a little slow.”
“She seems nice enough, though,” Brian noted. “She seemed genuinely sincere when talking about Victor.”
“Yeah, she was a little intense about the flowers. I didn’t know flowers were such a big deal.”
“Flowers are a sign of love. I’ve yet to meet a woman who isn’t touched by an unexpected gift, even if it’s something as simple as flowers.”
“I guess.”
“As for Victor, maybe he kept dropping in because he was suspicious,” Brian offered. “I mean, that does sound a little intense to me. I don’t know of any man who stops in to his wife’s place of business every week.”
“I did during the summer and fall when Ivy’s nursery was open.”
“Yes, but you’re the Schmaltz King of the Midwest. No one else does the things you do.”
Jack snorted. “I’m going to have to tell Ivy that one. She’ll like it.”
“Go nuts.” Brian rolled his neck and stared at the ceiling of the car. “There’s something slightly off about this entire thing. We need to talk to the boss. If Shannon was having an affair with him, that might explain the husband snapping and killing her.”
“Yes, but he seemed genuinely surprised and lost,” Jack pointed out. “We both agreed his reaction seemed sincere.”
“Some people are exceptionally good actors.”
“They are.”
“I’m not sure he’s that good of an actor, though,” Brian conceded. “If he is, he missed his calling. He should’ve been a professional. Still, he doesn’t have an alibi. He was home alone all morning.”
“So what’s our next step?” Jack queried. “Do we look at the husband more closely or focus on the boss?”
“We do both. We need to get Priestley back to town so we can interview him in person. He won’t be able to hide his emotions as well if he’s across from us when we’re asking the questions.”
“What if he doesn’t want to come back? It’s not exactly as if we can force him to do it.”
“No, but I’m guessing a guy like him – one so worried about appearances he warned his office secretary to make a point of telling anyone who asked that he wasn’t having an affair with his employee – will be on the first plane back.”
“Do you think he’ll call us or just appear?”
“He’s the type to appear and wow us with his grieving.”
“You don’t even know him,” Jack pointed out. “How can you possibly know anything of the sort?”
Brian shrugged, noncommittal. “Just call it a hunch. I’ve seen smooth operators before and Cole Priestley sounds like a smooth operator.”
“It sounds to me as if Shannon wasn’t quite what her husband thought she was either,” Jack said. “Even if she wasn’t having an affair, she clearly got close enough with her boss for at least one person to believe it.”
“Yeah. The question is, did her husband hear the rumors or was he really in the dark? That could make a big difference when motive comes into play.”
“I want to believe him,” Jack admitted. “The look on his face broke my heart.”
“That’s because you can’t imagine losing Ivy. You know you would end up just like him.”
“Oh, I wouldn’t end up just like him,” Jack countered. “I wouldn’t even be around for questioning if something happened to Ivy. That would be it for me.”
Brian rolled his eyes. “And you wonder why people think you’re sappy.”
“I don’t wonder why they do it. I just can’t figure out why they care.”
“At least you’re consistent.”
“Yup. I definitely have that going for me.”
Seven
Jack took Paige’s words to heart and picked up flowers and food before heading home. He was surprised to find Max sitting on the couch watching television when he arrived – that meant the elder Morgan sibling spent the entire day with his sister – and arched a curious eyebrow as he kicked off his shoes and scanned the room for Ivy.
“She’s in the basement,” Max replied to the unasked question. “She’s in a mood.”
Jack deposited the takeout bags on the kitchen table and shrugged out of his coat. “Would you care to expand on that?”
“She’s mad.”
“I’m going to need more than that.”
“She’s … frustrated.”
“Still more.”
“I think she might be in shock.”
Jack shifted from one foot to the other, concerned. “What do you mean?”
Max used the remote control to mute the television and turned so he faced Jack. “She’s been a real pill all day. You owe me a full day of fishing when this is over with because she’s been pretty much unbearable. I expect you to be the first mate to my captain when that day comes, in fact.”
Jack made a face. He was used to Max’s antics and often found them funny. This was not an example of that. “Max, I’ve had a really long day. I’ve been worried about Ivy for the bulk of it. Can you please either tell me what you’re talking about or take a hike?”
“I’m going to do both.” Max heaved out a sigh as he got to his feet. “She’s upset but is trying to pretend she’s fine. When we first happened upon Shannon’s body, she didn’t have time to grapple with the realities of what happened. The more time she’s had to herself – and she’s been stuck in here all day and isn’t happy about it – the more she realizes that
things might not be as … um, easy … as she originally thought they might be.”
Jack remained confused. “How did she think things would be easy?”
“I guess easy isn’t the right word. She just naturally assumed that Shannon was the target. I think the more time she’s had to mull over the other possibility – the one you purposely failed to mention before leaving – the more she’s started to feel guilty.”
“Ugh.” Jack exhaled a disgusted sigh. “I was afraid of that.”
“I knew you were thinking it before you left. You didn’t want to leave her. It was written all over your face and yet she didn’t see it. I did, which is why I stayed, and once the medical examiner and state police evidence teams left and she could no longer obsess about them being in the yard, she had nothing to do but think.”
“And we both know her mind is a terrifying place to be when she has too much time to think,” Jack lamented, shaking his head. “Thanks for staying with her.”
“She’s my sister. You don’t ever have to thank me for taking care of her.” Max tugged on his coat and eyed the flowers. “You didn’t cheat on her, did you?”
Jack rolled his eyes. “No. I just wanted to brighten her day.” That wasn’t entirely true, but he was glad he took the time to buy the flowers now that he was aware of Ivy’s state of mind. “I’m thinking I should’ve bought ice cream, too.”
Max snickered. “Just make her eat the real food. She hasn’t touched a morsel all day.”
“That’s my second priority.”
“What’s your first?”
“Making sure she’s okay and knows she’s loved.”
Max smirked. “I would make fun of you for being such a girl, but I think that’s exactly what she needs right now.”
“Which is why I’m going to lock the door and make sure she gets it.” Jack watched as his future brother-in-law slipped onto the front porch. “I’ll call you in the morning – or at least text you – and tell you how she’s doing.”
“If you need me to stay with her again, I’ll figure out a way to do it.”
“We both know she’s going to put up a fight if I even suggest that.” Jack was already preparing himself for an argument that was at least twelve hours away. “I’ll let you know how it goes.”
“Good luck.”
JACK WAS QUIET AS he descended the stairs, allowing his eyes to adjust to the gloom as he searched for signs of his fiancée. He found her almost immediately. She sat with her back against the wall, her butt on the cold cement, and her head resting on top of her knees.
“Hey, honey.”
Ivy shifted her eyes to him without moving her head. “Hi.”
“How are you?”
“I’m fine. How are you?” Ivy’s response was automatic and it tugged at Jack’s heart.
“I’m tired and worried about you.” Jack carried the flowers to her, gripping them tightly as he slid to the floor and joined her. “It’s been a long day. Something tells me it’s been longer for you.”
“I didn’t do anything but sit here.”
“Oh, that’s not true.” Jack handed over the flowers and watched as Ivy held them up in the dim light. “We both know you spent half the day pacing and the other half locked in your own head. I think one of those things needs to be talked about.”
“I didn’t scuff the floor when I was pacing.”
Jack chuckled, genuinely amused. “Well, we’ve got that out of the way. Why don’t we talk about what’s going on in your head, huh?”
“You think she was killed because someone mistook her for me, don’t you?”
Jack was prepared for the question and yet it jarred him all the same. “I don’t know. That was the knee-jerk reaction I had at first. This is your house, after all. Since then a few things have come up and I’m not convinced either way.”
“What’s come up?”
Jack told her about his day. She deserved to know and he knew she wouldn’t spread his investigative notes around town so everyone could gossip about various theories and possibilities. When he was done, he watched her for a reaction and wasn’t disappointed when she noticeably perked up.
“So you think that maybe Shannon’s husband – and did we know she was married? – might have killed her because he found out she was sleeping with the boss, huh?”
“I think that’s a possibility,” Jack cautioned. “We’ve yet to get the boss on the phone for confirmation.”
“Do you think he will confirm it?”
“I have no idea. Paige was a real … talker. She didn’t think before opening her mouth and stuff escaped before she had a chance to think things through. Even if she could’ve thought things through, though, I’m not sure how much of her story would’ve changed.”
“It sounds like she had a real crush on the husband.”
“Or maybe just wanted what she thought Shannon and Victor had.”
“Is that why I got flowers?”
Jack’s lips curved. “Maybe. I’m sure I would’ve bought them for you eventually no matter what.”
“I’m sure you would’ve, too.” Ivy rested her head against Jack’s shoulder. “They’re beautiful.”
“You’re beautiful, honey. Do you feel at all better?”
“I don’t know. I don’t think I’ll truly feel better until I know exactly why Shannon died. Right now, it’s as if this innocent woman was killed at my house and the only rational reason I can come up with is that I was the intended target.”
Jack hated that she was so melancholy. “Honey, we don’t know what happened yet. Shannon might very well have been the target. Until we know, I don’t think it does either of us any good for you to flog yourself for something you had no control over.”
“I know but … .”
Jack held up a finger to silence her. “You’re not to blame. No matter what, even if you were the intended target, you’re not responsible for this. I think you know that.”
“I still feel guilty.”
“I wish you wouldn’t.”
“I know.” Ivy heaved out a sigh and lifted her chin. “What happens now?”
“Now we take your flowers upstairs and put them in a vase. Then we put them in a prime spot in the living room so whoever comes to visit asks about them, thus forcing you to say your hunky and yet heroic boyfriend bought them for you simply because he’s a good guy. After that we eat the dinner I brought home and take a bath together. I’m open to suggestions for what we do next.”
Ivy didn’t want to laugh. It didn’t seem appropriate. She couldn’t stop herself, though. “Hunky and yet heroic, huh?”
“I’m thinking of having a shirt made up.” Jack got to his feet and extended a hand so he could tug Ivy up with him. When she was on her feet, he wrapped his arms around her and brushed his lips against her forehead. “We’re going to get through this together. I promise you that. I won’t let anything happen to you.”
“I already know that.”
“Good.” Jack linked their fingers and pulled her toward the stairs. “Maybe we should put a spotlight on the flowers so nobody misses them, huh? You know, just to be on the safe side.”
Ivy giggled and warmed his heart. “That sounds like a great idea.”
“I thought you would like it.”
“BEFORE YOU EVEN START, I’m not staying in the house today.”
Jack barely had coffee in his hand the next morning when Ivy laid down the law. “I see.” He sipped his coffee and internally debated if he would be able to change her mind.
“I’m not going to let you boss me into doing what I don’t want to do,” Ivy warned, as if reading his mind. “It’s not going to happen.”
“Good to know.” Jack kicked back in his chair and watched as Ivy doled up an omelet and hash browns onto a plate before sliding it in front of him. “This looks good.”
Ivy knit her eyebrows, suspicious. “That’s it? You’re not going to give me grief about this?”
Jack opted to tell t
he truth. “I haven’t decided yet.”
“Does that mean we’re going to get into a fight after you fuel up on carbs and protein?”
“Maybe.”
“Okay. Let me know when the fighting is going to begin.” Ivy fixed her own plate and sat across from Jack. “I have a lot of work to do in the nursery. I’m going to be there all day.”
“Hmm.”
Ivy narrowed her eyes. She hated it when Jack opted to be passive rather than forceful. A fight was better than veiled disinterest in her book. “I’m going to the nursery.”
“I heard what you said the first time.”
“I know you’re going to fight me on it.”
“I might. I’m still thinking about it.” Jack sipped his coffee, amused at the fire flitting through her eyes. She was a fiery individual, which was only one of the things he loved most about her. Of course, that didn’t mean he was okay with her being out in the open all day when they had a killer on the loose. “What do you have to do at the nursery?”
“Plant things.”
“What else?”
“Plant more things.”
“And when you’re done planting things?”
“I have more things to plant.”
Jack scowled. “Now you’re just being difficult.”
“I’m really not,” Ivy countered. “I have thousands of seedlings to start and while that’s not physically taxing, it is tedious and it takes up the better part of the day. I need to plant the seeds and turn on the grow lights.”
“And how long do you think that will take you?”
“Why?”
“That wasn’t an answer to my question.”
“Answer my question first.”
Jack heaved out a sigh. “You really want us to get into a fight, don’t you?”
Ivy was blasé. “No. It’s going to happen, though, so I would rather get it out in the open so we can work through it before you have to leave for the day.”
“Well, in that case … .” Jack trailed off when someone knocked at the front door. He extended a warning finger as he stood. “Stay sitting. We’re nowhere near done yet.”
Wicked Wishes (An Ivy Morgan Mystery Book 10) Page 7