Wicked Warning (An Ivy Morgan Mystery Book 5) by Lily Harper Hart Page A
Authors: Lily Harper Hart
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get it,” Ivy said, her hands landing on her narrow hips. “If Jessica was kept down here, shouldn’t there be some sort of evidence? I mean … he couldn’t get rid of everything, could he?”
Jack shrugged. “It depends on what he had down here,” he said. “If it was just a blanket and a bucket or something, that wouldn’t be hard for him to clean up. The truth is, we haven’t questioned Jessica very extensively about her living conditions because we didn’t want to traumatize her.”
“This still doesn’t feel right,” Ivy said.
“Well, there’s a lot more area to cover,” Jack said. “We could be barking up the wrong tree, or we could find what we’re looking for.”
“Why would Dan run if he wasn’t hiding something?” Ivy pressed.
“Maybe he is hiding something,” Brian suggested, reaching through the opening as Jack lifted Ivy up. “Maybe he’s just hiding something we’re not technically looking for.”
“ T HIS place freaks me out ,” Ivy said an hour later, staring at the mounted deer head on the wall and involuntarily shuddering. “How can you live with that in your house? It’s … creepy.”
“It’s not my cup of decorating tea, but Dorsey is hardly the only man who likes to crow about his hunting prowess,” Jack said. “We wake up with that hellion you call a cat staring at us every morning. Do you think that’s less creepy?”
“Nicodemus is alive,” Ivy argued. “He’s also very sweet. I love him.”
“He tries to smother me when you’re not around,” Jack said. “I’m not joking. If you get up to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night he tries to climb on my face.”
Brian chuckled. “Oh, you two should have your own reality show.”
“He’s not trying to smother you,” Ivy argued. “He’s trying to cuddle.”
“When he cuddles with you he rests his face on your chest and is cute,” Jack said. “If I touch you when you’re petting him he growls. When you’re not around he swats and hisses at me. He’s mean.”
“He’s not mean. I … won’t ever get rid of that cat, Jack.” Ivy’s expression was stern – and worried. “I believe in keeping your animals and taking care of them. He won’t ever leave me. That’s his home.”
“Hey, I was joking,” Jack said, holding his hands up. “I swear I don’t have any hard feelings about that cat. I find him funny. I wouldn’t expect you to give up that cat.”
“Are you sure?”
“I’m sure,” Jack said. “I happen to be an animal lover. Nicodemus and I are just going through growing pains because we both want to be the most important person in your life.”
“You can share the spotlight,” Ivy said, although she gave Jack’s hand a heartfelt squeeze. “I’m sorry I yelled at you.”
“Oh, honey, I’ve heard you yell,” Jack said. “That was nowhere near close to how you usually sound when you’re yelling.”
“You guys are on a teeter-totter or something,” Brian said, looking up from the mail he searched. “One of you is up and then the other is down. Neither one of you lets the other crash to the ground. It’s kind of cute … and really annoying.”
“Leave her alone,” Jack chided. “She’s tired and it’s been a long day. I’m going to take her home and put her in the bathtub after this. Then we’re going to pass out for ten hours.”
“I hate to say it, but I don’t think there’s anything here,” Brian said, dropping the envelopes on the desk. “This place seems clean. Yeah, there’s more guns than there should be – and I’m pretty sure some of those heavy clips I saw in the other room are illegal – but I don’t think Jessica was ever here.”
“We know she wasn’t in the house,” Ivy said. “Maybe we should look around outside.”
“It’s getting dark,” Jack said. “We don’t have time for that. We’ll have to get a full team from the state police out here tomorrow.”
“Please,” Ivy begged, turning her pleading
Jack shrugged. “It depends on what he had down here,” he said. “If it was just a blanket and a bucket or something, that wouldn’t be hard for him to clean up. The truth is, we haven’t questioned Jessica very extensively about her living conditions because we didn’t want to traumatize her.”
“This still doesn’t feel right,” Ivy said.
“Well, there’s a lot more area to cover,” Jack said. “We could be barking up the wrong tree, or we could find what we’re looking for.”
“Why would Dan run if he wasn’t hiding something?” Ivy pressed.
“Maybe he is hiding something,” Brian suggested, reaching through the opening as Jack lifted Ivy up. “Maybe he’s just hiding something we’re not technically looking for.”
“ T HIS place freaks me out ,” Ivy said an hour later, staring at the mounted deer head on the wall and involuntarily shuddering. “How can you live with that in your house? It’s … creepy.”
“It’s not my cup of decorating tea, but Dorsey is hardly the only man who likes to crow about his hunting prowess,” Jack said. “We wake up with that hellion you call a cat staring at us every morning. Do you think that’s less creepy?”
“Nicodemus is alive,” Ivy argued. “He’s also very sweet. I love him.”
“He tries to smother me when you’re not around,” Jack said. “I’m not joking. If you get up to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night he tries to climb on my face.”
Brian chuckled. “Oh, you two should have your own reality show.”
“He’s not trying to smother you,” Ivy argued. “He’s trying to cuddle.”
“When he cuddles with you he rests his face on your chest and is cute,” Jack said. “If I touch you when you’re petting him he growls. When you’re not around he swats and hisses at me. He’s mean.”
“He’s not mean. I … won’t ever get rid of that cat, Jack.” Ivy’s expression was stern – and worried. “I believe in keeping your animals and taking care of them. He won’t ever leave me. That’s his home.”
“Hey, I was joking,” Jack said, holding his hands up. “I swear I don’t have any hard feelings about that cat. I find him funny. I wouldn’t expect you to give up that cat.”
“Are you sure?”
“I’m sure,” Jack said. “I happen to be an animal lover. Nicodemus and I are just going through growing pains because we both want to be the most important person in your life.”
“You can share the spotlight,” Ivy said, although she gave Jack’s hand a heartfelt squeeze. “I’m sorry I yelled at you.”
“Oh, honey, I’ve heard you yell,” Jack said. “That was nowhere near close to how you usually sound when you’re yelling.”
“You guys are on a teeter-totter or something,” Brian said, looking up from the mail he searched. “One of you is up and then the other is down. Neither one of you lets the other crash to the ground. It’s kind of cute … and really annoying.”
“Leave her alone,” Jack chided. “She’s tired and it’s been a long day. I’m going to take her home and put her in the bathtub after this. Then we’re going to pass out for ten hours.”
“I hate to say it, but I don’t think there’s anything here,” Brian said, dropping the envelopes on the desk. “This place seems clean. Yeah, there’s more guns than there should be – and I’m pretty sure some of those heavy clips I saw in the other room are illegal – but I don’t think Jessica was ever here.”
“We know she wasn’t in the house,” Ivy said. “Maybe we should look around outside.”
“It’s getting dark,” Jack said. “We don’t have time for that. We’ll have to get a full team from the state police out here tomorrow.”
“Please,” Ivy begged, turning her pleading
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