Ivy Morgan Mystery 18 - Wicked Wedding

by Lily Harper Hart

  “And yet you still want to invade our alone time,” Jack noted as he delivered the juice and coffee. “Perhaps that says something about you.”

  “It does.” Brian offered up a perfunctory head bob before sipping his coffee and turning serious. “I have a list of all the companies that have made deliveries to this shelter or the previous one in the last six months. I thought we could put together a list of the likelier suspects.”

  Jack exchanged a quick look with Ivy. “I think that’s a good idea. Ivy and I were talking about that last night. We have no way of knowing how Oliver managed to stumble upon the information regarding the shelter.”

  “He could’ve followed them or something,” Brian noted. “I mean ... it seems unlikely, but the possibility is there.”

  “That’s also something I brought up to Ivy. She says they switch cars, so it seems to me it would take work to carry it off without being noticed.”

  “Unless Oliver used his mother and switched cars, too.”

  Jack worked his jaw. “I hadn’t considered that, but Bobbie is a terrible person. I can see her offering help.”

  “I can see that, too. For the record, she hasn’t returned to her house either. She and Oliver are in the wind.”

  From her spot flipping pancakes, Ivy wrinkled her forehead. “Maybe they fled together. That’s possible, right? Once the shack was discovered, they both could’ve agreed that it was getting too hot and they had no choice but flee.”

  “I love it when you use lingo from old Miami Vice episodes,” Jack teased. “It was getting hot, was it?”

  Ivy glared at him. “Don’t be cute.”

  “I can’t help it. I was born cute.”

  “You kind of were.” She grinned at him as he leaned in for a kiss. Brian picked that moment to go into an annoying coughing fit that forced them apart.

  “Knock that off,” Jack warned, jabbing a finger at his partner. “This is our house and we’re allowed to be as schmaltzy as we want.”

  “Normally I would agree — and flee — but you two are getting married in two days. In about fifty-two hours you’re going to be standing in front of all your family and friends and exchanging vows. That means we need to end this today if we can.”

  Jack straightened. “I know.” He shuffled closer to the table. “I just don’t know where to look. Maybe we did luck out and Bobbie and Oliver fled together. They might be smarter than we thought.”

  “I’ve known Bobbie a long time. I would never call her stupid. She’s shrewd ... and manipulative. She’s also a survivor. I don’t think she’s calling the shots here, though. She’s deferring to Oliver.

  “She created a monster in him, although she’ll never admit it,” he continued. “She made him what he’s become. I don’t think Dana is important to them. They might get joy out of hurting her, but they can run and not care what happens to her. They can’t leave without Jenny, though. To Oliver, she’s a possession.”

  “That’s because he’s a tool,” Ivy grumbled under her breath, shaking her head. “As much as I don’t want to admit it, I agree with Brian. Oliver isn’t going to leave without Jenny. He’s still here ... somewhere.”

  “Wherever he is, I think he’s dug in deep,” Brian noted. “They’re not going to come out until they’re ready for their final push. That means we need someone to lead us to them.”

  “And you think we’ll find that someone on the list?” Jack queried as he sat down next to his partner.

  “I don’t know. We have to look everywhere, though. We can’t rule anybody out, as much as I would like to.”

  “Then let’s start at the top,” Jack prodded. “Ivy is probably familiar with some of the delivery people. She can give us her opinion.”

  Brian nodded in agreement. “First up is Cartwell Linens.”

  “That’s Lorne Cartwell’s place,” Ivy mused as she dished up the first serving of pancakes onto a plate. “I don’t know a lot about him. He golfed with my father when I was a kid for a bit. He seemed nice enough, if a little bland. I don’t remember my father being especially close with him.”

  “That’s because Michael didn’t like him,” Brian explained. “I didn’t either. He’s a blowhard, likes to brag about himself. I’ve never had any reason to believe he was a lowlife as much as someone in desperate need of attention, though.”

  “What about his kids?” Ivy queried. “They didn’t go to school with us. They were sent to the Catholic school over in Bellaire.”

  “Yeah, Lorne always thought that somehow made him special. He always brought up how his kids weren’t forced into public schools. Whenever I pointed out that my kids did okay in public school, he always made a face.”

  “I didn’t know his kids well,” Ivy said. “Kate and Kenny. Those were their names. Kate was the same age as Max and Kenny was one year younger than me.”

  “I think they wanted a boy really badly,” Brian said. “That’s the way I remember it anyhow. There was some sexist talk that Kate couldn’t run the business when Lorne wanted to retire. He had to have a son for that.”

  “He sounds like a real peach,” Jack muttered. “Why would he tell Oliver where Dana was, though? Is there history?”

  Brian stroked his chin, thoughtful. “Actually, there might be some history.”

  “Really?” Ivy’s eyebrows hopped. “What would Bobbie and Lorne have in common? They didn’t exactly run in the same social circles, even when they had younger kids.”

  “No, but Bobbie worked for Lorne for a time. She wasn’t an office manager or anything — Lorne would never use a title like that — but she was the head clerical agent in that office for a good three or four years. I remember because my sister had to go in there and lodge a complaint about some tablecloths for a party one day and she had to deal with Bobbie. She said it got ugly.”

  “Did she say anything else?” Jack asked. “I mean ... Bobbie doesn’t strike me as a good employee.”

  “No, I would agree with you there. I was surprised she lasted as long as she did. If I remember right, there was some kind of kerfuffle when she was fired. She pitched a fit and didn’t want to leave the building. I was a junior officer back then and had to go out there to break up the fight.”

  “And?”

  “And Bobbie was making noise about Lorne breaking her heart. She made it sound like they had a relationship and Lorne got tired of her, so he fired her because of that.”

  “How does that lead to Lorne telling Bobbie’s son where to find his wife?”

  “I don’t know that it does, but it is a tie.”

  “It is,” Jack agreed. “It’s a tie worth checking on. Keep going. Let’s see if we can make it through the entire list by the end of breakfast.”

  “You read my mind.”

  17

  SEVENTEEN

  Jack and Brian didn’t find nearly as many compelling leads as they’d hoped. By the time they finished going through the files — and doing the dishes — Lorne continued to be their best option.

  “We’re heading out,” Jack said to Ivy as she emerged into the living room. She’d changed into simple capris and a T-shirt and looked ready for a relaxing day. He knew her well enough to understand that she had something other than relaxing on her mind, though. “What do you have planned?”

  “What makes you think I have anything planned?”

  Jack made a face. She was the straightforward sort, so evading the question meant she most definitely had something planned, and it was probably something he wouldn’t like. “Ivy.”

  Just the one word, her name, said with equal parts love and frustration had her sighing. “I thought I might try to visit Jenny.”

  Jack was shaking his head before she finished the statement. “Are you trying to kill me? You can’t visit Jenny. As far as we know, Oliver has no idea where his daughter is at this moment. We’d like to keep it that way.”

  “And you think he’s watching me?” Ivy furrowed her brow. “Don’t you think you would’ve
noticed if he was hanging around and watching?”

  “In theory, yes. It’s not that easy, though.” Jack was matter-of-fact. “This house is surrounded by woods. There are plenty of places to hide a vehicle up and down the road. You would have to know exactly where to search to find it. That means Oliver could be camping fifty feet from our back door and we would never know it.”

  Ivy opened her mouth to argue with the assessment and then snapped it shut. He was right, although she had no intention of admitting that. She’d stroked his ego enough ... at least until after the wedding.

  “Oh, you’re speechless.” Jack grinned at her. “I didn’t think that was possible. It’s kind of cute.”

  Ivy scowled at him. “I’m not speechless. I’m simply adjusting my plans.”

  “And I would like to know what those plans entail.”

  “Because you’re the boss?”

  “Oh, don’t go there.” Jack wagged a finger, ignoring the look Brian shot him from his spot near the front door. “I don’t feel that I’m the boss of you. I am, however, a police officer. Do you know what that means?”

  “Is this a trick question?”

  “It means that it’s my job to catch the bad guy and keep the residents of Shadow Lake safe. That’s what I intend to do today. I want you to tell me what you intend to do.”

  She was caught and she knew it. “I intend to talk to Jenny.”

  “Uh-huh.” Jack folded his arms across his strong chest. “And how do you plan on finding her? I’m not telling you where the safe house is.”

  “I don’t plan on talking to her in person.”

  He stilled, confused. “I don’t understand. You’ve lost me.”

  “Hopefully I’ll never lose you.”

  His expression softened. “You won’t,” he agreed. “We’re going to be together forever. You can’t distract me, though. I’m worried enough that I want to know what you have planned.”

  “So you can stop me from doing what I want?”

  “Stop doing that.” Jack’s temper was on full display. “You’re trying to distract me. Just tell me what you have planned.”

  Ivy huffed out a sigh and then nodded. “Fine. The plan is to day walk.”

  Jack flicked his eyes to Brian, confused. “Am I missing something or does she actually think that’s a response?”

  Brian’s lips quirked in amusement. “I believe she thinks it’s an answer.”

  “That’s what I thought.” The look Jack pinned Ivy with meant business. “You’re going to have to be much more open than that.”

  “I’m not hiding anything. I really am going to day walk with Jenny. I want to see if she can tell me something that might help us find her father, and I want to do it in a manner that won’t tip her off to magic. I’m hoping she will think it’s a daydream.”

  “And what makes you think you can do this?”

  “Because she’s already pulled me into her dreams once. I think she’s open to it.”

  “Because she bonded with you when you saved her?”

  Ivy held out her hands and shrugged. “I don’t know. It’s just something I feel here.” She tapped the spot above her heart. “If Jenny can give us an idea where Oliver is hiding out, then I can convey that information to you. Then you can arrest him, and we can focus on our wedding.”

  That’s what he wanted for her more than anything, Jack realized. She couldn’t focus on her big day because she was determined to make sure Jenny and Dana were safe. She couldn’t see beyond that.

  “I’m confused,” Brian interjected, drawing Ivy’s attention to him. “What makes you think Jenny knows anything? Wouldn’t she have volunteered that information to us when we questioned her after the fact?”

  “Not if she’s afraid of you, and I don’t mean you in a you sense.”

  “Now I’m definitely confused,” Brian muttered as Ivy laughed.

  “I don’t mean that she’s afraid of Jack and you specifically. However, she might be afraid of men in general. You saw the way she looked at the two of you when we returned to the room. She desperately wanted to see her mother, but she was scared to get too close.”

  “I do remember that,” Brian acknowledged. “I thought maybe it was because we were police officers.”

  “It could be that, too,” Ivy acknowledged. “It could be a mixture of the two things. All I know for certain is that she trusts me. I don’t want to further traumatize her. I think this is my best shot of getting information.”

  “And where do you plan on doing this day walking?” Jack queried. He remained suspicious of her earlier evasiveness. “You can do that here, right?”

  “I might be able to.”

  “But?”

  “But I think it will be easier for me to carry it out at my fairy ring.”

  “No.” Jack vehemently shook his head. “Did you forget about our earlier conversation? Oliver could be watching the house. I don’t want you traipsing through the woods on your own.”

  “I can take care of myself,” Ivy reminded him. “I’ve proven that ten times over since we met.”

  “You’re the strongest person I know,” Jack agreed. “Heck, you’re stronger than me. I’m afraid to lose you, though. I want you safe.”

  “I need to do this, Jack.” Ivy refused to back down. “Because I understand that you’re frightened, though, what if I agreed to take a chaperone with me?”

  “The cat doesn’t count as a chaperone.”

  Laughter bubbled up and she had to fight to contain it. “I wasn’t talking about Nicodemus. I was talking about Max. I can call him and ask if he’ll serve as my babysitter. I get the feeling he wants to talk about proposing to Amy anyway. We can kill two birds with one stone this way.”

  Jack hesitated a beat before nodding. “I agree to your terms.” He jutted out his hand. “You can’t leave the house without Max. Promise me.”

  Ivy stared at his hand and then cracked a smile. “I won’t go out there without Max. I promise.”

  “Thank you.” He jostled his hand to get her to shake it.

  “You’re so weird,” Ivy muttered as she slid her hand into his, giggling when he tugged her close and gave her a kiss. “Oh, see, that’s what I was expecting.”

  “Stay safe,” Jack whispered. “In exactly two days from now you’ll be walking down the aisle toward me. I need it to happen, which means you have to be whole and well.”

  “I’ll stay safe if you do the same,” she whispered.

  “That’s a deal.” The second kiss he graced her with was scorching. “Text me when you get anything.”

  Ivy was breathless. “You, too.”

  “I’m going to text you a million times just to make sure you’re safe. I might slip some information in there, too, if you’re lucky. You’ll have to read between the dirty texts to find the information, though.”

  “Now I’m looking forward to the dirty texts.”

  He winked at her. “That makes two of us.”

  LORNE CARTWELL WAS A TALL MAN, BROAD SHOULDERS and a narrow waist. He was in his late sixties but well preserved and he carried himself with an air of entitlement that immediately set Jack’s teeth on edge.

  “It’s been a long time, Brian.” He gestured toward the chairs situated across from his desk and smiled at the older detective. “I think the last time I saw you was at a festival downtown a few years ago.”

  “I’m at all the festivals,” Brian acknowledged. “I hardly ever see you there, though.”

  “I don’t have much use for festivals, especially the ones this town has to offer.” Lorne’s lip curled. “I had high hopes that this place would turn into a high-end tourist destination like Charlevoix but that obviously never happened. I’ve been thinking of moving over there.”

  “Really?” Brian’s expression never changed. “That wouldn’t surprise me. You have a boat over there, right?”

  “Yacht,” Lorne quickly corrected. “I have a yacht over there.”

  “Well, that’s
... awesome.” Brian scratched the side of his nose. “So, we’re actually here for a reason. As much as I like to shoot the breeze, we have a bit of a situation at the new outreach shelter and we’re hoping you can help us with a problem.”

  Lorne’s eyebrows moved together, but his forehead didn’t wrinkle, telling Jack the man had indulged in his fair share of the local Botox trade. “I don’t understand. You’re talking about that women’s shelter that’s out in the old community center building, right? What would I have to do with that place?”

  It took everything Jack had not to utter a snappy retort. Instead, he held it together ... although it took work. “You deliver linens out there.”

  “Oh, right.” Lorne bobbed his head. “I didn’t think about that. My brother’s daughter asked if we would be willing to donate for a cause — she’s a philanthropist or something, at least that’s what she says because she doesn’t want to work a regular job — and I agreed because of the tax write-off.”

  “That’s mighty giving of you,” Jack drawled.

  Brian shot him a warning look. “You haven’t told anyone about the location of the building, have you?”

  “Why would I?” Lorne queried. “I mean ... seriously, why would I?”

  “Maybe it was an accident. It’s possible you let it slip into normal conversation and didn’t even realize what you were doing.”

  “When would I slip the women’s shelter into normal conversation?” Lorne challenged. “I mean ... it makes zero sense. I don’t know those women. I don’t care about that place. I decided to help my niece, but only because it benefits me. I need more tax write-offs. The government is bleeding me dry.”

  “I’m sure they are,” Brian said on a head bob. “The thing is, a dangerous man has learned the location of the shelter and he has attacked twice in an effort to get his hands on his daughter.”

  “Well, have you considered that maybe he has a right to the child? She is his daughter, after all.”

  Jack could no longer contain his temper. “A child is not property.”