Wicked Places (An Ivy Morgan Mystery Book 4) (2 page)

“
I
don’t have
a problem with it,” Michael Morgan said, rolling his eyes as his only daughter talked to him like he was a teenager being left alone without parental supervision for the first time. “I promise not to have any wild parties while you’re out of town,
Mom
.”

Ivy made a face. She loved her father beyond reason. He still gave her headaches on a regular basis. “That’s not what I meant and you know it!”

Max Morgan sat on the counter in front of Ivy’s plant nursery and broke into raucous guffaws. “I think we should throw an out-of-control kegger while Ivy is off playing kissy-face with Jack.”

“You know I’m right here, right?” Jack asked, flicking Max’s ear and sending him a warning look. “I can hear you when you say things like that.”

“I wasn’t trying to be subtle,” Max replied, returning the ear flick and smirking when Jack tried to grab his wrist and missed.

“I’m not trying to tell you what to do, Dad,” Ivy said, adjusting her tone. “I just … it’s last minute, and if you can’t run the nursery for the entire week then I’ll shut it down. It’s not a big deal.”

“Wait a second,” Jack said, pushing himself away from the counter. “That doesn’t seem fair. If your dad can’t do it, we won’t go. I don’t want you missing out on money because I didn’t ask in a timely fashion.”

“You can’t skip your camping trip,” Ivy argued. “You’ve had this planned since before you came to town. You’re going.”

“I’m not going without you,” Jack shot back, crossing his arms over his chest.

“You’re such a woman,” Max teased, reaching forward so he could flick Jack’s ear again and earning a murderous look when he almost toppled off the counter. “Do you think you’ll die if you don’t see Ivy for a week?”

“I think you’re going to die if you don’t shut up,” Jack warned.

“Boys, knock it off,” Michael ordered, shaking his head. “I thought Ivy and Max arguing when they were teenagers was bad. You two are … really annoying.” He turned his attention back to Ivy. “I promise to run things how you like them and that everything will be fine. I think a break from work for a week will do you good. You love camping.”

“I do love camping,” Ivy conceded. “I feel guilty about dumping my problems on you, though.”

“I take off six months of every year to go to Florida,” Michael reminded her. “I like being here. It doesn’t feel like work because I love people and like to talk about plants. Everything is going to be fine.”

“Yeah, Ivy,” Max chided. “Are you saying you don’t have faith in your own father? What kind of daughter are you?”

“You really want me to beat you, don’t you?” Jack asked.

“I work out five times a week,” Max replied. “I think I could take you.”

“I’ve already proven that you can’t,” Jack shot back, reminding Max of an earlier incident when Max thought Jack was a prowler stalking Ivy. “Don’t push me.”

“You’ve lost all the fun in your personality since you started dating my sister,” Max said. “You’re just like her now. You know that, right?”

“Wait a second, are you saying I’m not fun?” Ivy asked, swiveling so she could take on Max. “I’ll have you know that I’m tons of fun. Tell him I’m fun, Dad.”

“Max, your sister is fun,” Michael replied dryly.

“Ivy, before Jack came around you were one step away from being the town recluse,” Max said. “I don’t ever remember anyone calling you fun.”

“She’s tons of fun,” Jack argued. “Leave her alone.”

“I don’t like that you’re always on Ivy’s side,” Max said. “I’m her brother. You should be on my side occasionally if you want me to stand up for you when she gets angry again, because we all know that’s going to happen on a regular basis.”

“She’s cuter.”

Max rolled his eyes. “I’ll have you know that I’m considered the hot one in the family.”

“Only in your own mind,” Jack said.

“Knock it off you two,” Michael said. “You’re giving me a migraine.”

“Join the club,” Ivy muttered.

“Ivy, I promise this is going to be okay,” Michael said. “I’ll take over the nursery, your brother will take care of Nicodemus, and everything is going to be great. Enjoy camping. You’ve earned it.”

“Thank you,” Ivy said, offering her father an impulsive hug.

Michael patted Ivy’s back as he returned the embrace. “You haven’t been camping in a long time,” he said after a moment. “I hope you’re not rusty.”

“I’m sure it’s like riding a bike,” Ivy said, pulling away from her father. “I can’t wait. I think I need to run to the outdoor supply store to pick up a few things, though. Jack, how much stuff do you have?”

When Ivy shifted her attention to Jack she found a quizzical expression on his face.

“What stuff?” Jack asked, confused. “I got a sleeping bag, bug spray, and a cooler. Isn’t that all I need?”

Ivy faltered. “Have you ever been camping before?”

Max snickered. “He’s a city boy. I don’t think he’s ever been camping.”

“I’ve slept under the stars,” Jack protested. “My mother used to let me have a campout in the back yard once a year. It’s the same thing.”

“We’re going camping for a week,” Ivy pointed out.

“I know.”

“Oh, this is going to be priceless,” Max intoned. “Jack has no idea what he’s doing and Ivy is the bossiest camper ever. I see many a fight in your future, kids.”

Max’s words irked Ivy, and yet she had a feeling he was right. “I think we should go to the store together,” she said, choosing her words carefully. “It wouldn’t hurt to look over a few things … just to be sure we have everything covered, mind you.”

Jack wasn’t fooled by Ivy’s diplomatic approach. “You think I’m clueless, don’t you?”

“I think you’re very handsome.”

Jack blew out a sigh, the possibility of fighting before they even hit the campground frustrating him. “Let’s pick out camping supplies, honey.”

“You won’t regret it,” Ivy said, reaching for his hand as enthusiasm washed over her. “I love shopping for camping supplies.”

Jack couldn’t help but enjoy her excitement. “Let’s do it.”

“
I
WANT
a purple one
,” Ivy said an hour later, pointing at the bottom shelf so Jack knew which sleeping bag to grab.

“Is there a rule about what color sleeping bag you need to survive in the woods?” Jack teased, grabbing the item in question and tossing it into their cart.

“I just like the color.”

“I think you should get pink to match your hair,” Jack said, affectionately tugging on a strand of Ivy’s hair. It was long and brown, pink streaks weaving through the rich color. “I happen to love your hair, so if you’re in a pink sleeping bag I’ll know which one to sneak into in the middle of the night when we’re sleeping under the stars.”

Ivy pressed her lips together as she regarded Jack. She didn’t want him to think she was taking over his camping trip, but she also wanted to make sure they had a good time. “I have a suggestion,” she said, hoping she sounded tactful. “Now, if what I’m about to say upsets you, tell me right away and I’ll shut my mouth.”

“You’re about to tell me I have no idea what I’m doing, aren’t you?”

“I’m about to tell you that sleeping under the stars is a very romantic notion,” Ivy replied. “It’s also completely impractical. We need a tent.”

Jack frowned. “I want to sleep under the stars,” he protested. “I have visions of you and me snuggling together in the same sleeping bag when everyone else isn’t looking.”

“We can snuggle under the stars as much as you want,” Ivy clarified. “We still need a tent. We can get one with a roof that opens.”

“But … .”

Ivy pressed her hand to Jack’s chest to still him. “Just listen to me for a second, okay?”

Jack narrowed his eyes and nodded.

“What happens if it rains?”

“I … huh.” Jack rubbed the back of his neck. “Well, we can sit in my truck until the rain passes.”

“What if it rains for an entire day?”

“I … .” Jack made a disgusted sound in the back of his throat. “Fine. We can get a tent.”

“It’s not just rain, Jack,” Ivy said. “We need a place to change our clothes, too. Most of these campgrounds have bathroom facilities, but you wouldn’t believe what a pain it is to constantly go there when you have to change your clothes.”

“I was just going to get dressed by the campfire.”

“You were going to get naked in front of your friends’ wives and girlfriends?” Ivy asked, dubious.

“No! I was just going to change my shorts. I’ll be wearing boxer shorts.”

“The same ones for a week straight?”

“Huh,” Jack mused, tilting his head to the side as he realized his mistake. “Wow. It’s a good thing I invited you, honey. I would’ve turned this trip into a disaster in five minutes flat.”

Ivy smiled as she rolled to the balls of her feet and pressed a soft kiss to Jack’s cheek. “There’s another reason we need the tent.”

“I’m listening.”

“As much fun as cuddling under the stars sounds in theory, bugs are a real issue and so is the cold,” Ivy said. “If we have a tent, we can zipper both of our sleeping bags together and make a big enough sleeping area that we can … um … make up on a regular basis.”

Jack grinned. He couldn’t help himself. Since they fought so often – and felt the need to jump each other minutes after – they’d taken to referring to sex bouts after fights as “making up.”

“You are the smartest woman in the world, Ivy Morgan,” Jack said, cupping the back of her head and planting a smoldering kiss on her. “Is it wrong I’m already looking forward to making up?”

“You’re not the only one,” Ivy said, turning her attention back to the tents. “I think we should get this one. It’s tall enough in the center for you to stand up – almost – and it’s wide enough that we can keep all our stuff inside and spread the sleeping bags out beneath the window so you can sleep under the stars.”

“You had me at making up, honey,” Jack said, grabbing the tent and dropping it in their basket. “What else do we need?”

“You seem eager to spend money,” Ivy teased.

“I’ve realized that I’m woefully unprepared for what’s ahead,” Jack countered. “I grew up in the suburbs of Detroit. The only woods we had consisted of the strip of trees between minimarts.”

“You’re cute,” Ivy said, slipping her hand into his as he pushed the shopping cart to the next aisle.

“I’m not joking,” Jack said. “If this was a movie, I would be the first one to die in the zombie apocalypse because I don’t know how to survive without electricity.”

“I guess it’s good you have me then.”

“I think that every day,” Jack said, his eyes flashing with earnest honesty before returning to their flirty game. “What else do we need?”

“We need two flashlights and a lantern,” Ivy said, grabbing the items and dropping them into the cart. “We also need a few citronella candles, a pot and a pan for cooking, and probably a trip to the grocery store.”

“Can’t I just bring a pot and pan from my kitchen?” Jack asked.

“Only if you want them to melt in the fire,” Ivy replied, unruffled. “We need cast iron cookware. Think of it as an investment for future camping trips.”

“Honey, my idea of camping is rolling around with you under the stars in your back yard,” Jack said. “Pots and pans it is, though. I’m deferring to you because you’re the only one who is going to be able to help me survive the zombie apocalypse.”

“Do you care if I put some vegetarian stuff in your cooler?” Ivy asked, grabbing two metal prongs so they could roast marshmallows.

“No,” Jack scoffed. “Ivy, you don’t have to ask about stuff like that. You know that, right?”

Ivy shrugged, noncommittal. “Some guys don’t like it when women assume they can take over things,” she said. “I’m trying really hard not to be bossy.”

“I’ll be really thankful if you do that in front of my friends,” Jack said. “I’m already going to look like an idiot because you’re going to have to teach me to do things. That doesn’t mean I’m going to be upset if you put stuff in my cooler. Why would you think that?”

“I … .” Ivy broke off, biting her lip.

“This would be an example of the communication we need to work on,” Jack prodded.

“I guess I’m worried that I’m going to somehow … chase you off … if I get too proprietary,” Ivy admitted, hating the rush of heat that climbed her cheeks. “Men don’t like demanding women.”

“Well, honey, I happened to fall for you because you were demanding … and bossy … and really cute in your skirt and bare feet at a murder scene,” Jack said. “I’m not going anywhere, Ivy. I know I messed up – a few times – but I promise I’m not going to break your heart. Not again. Please, if you don’t believe anything else, believe that.”

“I do believe that,” Ivy said. “I just … I can’t remember being this happy in a really long time. That usually means something awful is going to happen.”

Jack drew Ivy to him so he could tilt her chin up and study her face. “If something bad happens, it will not involve me leaving – especially because you put food in my cooler, or bossed me around, or made me look like a fool while camping.”

Ivy’s smile was sheepish. “I sound like a needy chick. I hate that.”

“We’re going to have fun,” Jack said. “We’ve got a whole week in front of us where we get to sleep under the stars and … stab each other with those long forks you picked out. It’s going to be fine. It’s going to be an adventure.”

Ivy rolled her eyes. “Those are for roasting marshmallows so we can make s’mores.”

“See, it’s good you’re coming with me,” Jack said, slinging an arm over her shoulders as they continued to move down the aisle. “I would starve to death without you.”

“And be very sad because you would have to sleep alone at night,” Ivy added.

“Oh, well, that’s a given,” Jack said. “I can’t wait to see how you’re going to poke your feet out of the bottom of a sleeping bag.”

“I’m sure I’ll figure something out.”

“You’re nothing if not talented,” Jack agreed.

“
I
’m
glad we’re the first ones here,” Ivy said, hopping out of Jack’s truck on the first day of their camping trip and glancing around. “That will allow us to pick the best spot for our tent.”

“It’s not a competition, honey,” Jack said, following her to the back of his truck so they could start unpacking. “For the record, though, I’m glad we’re here first, too. This way I can watch you put up the tent and take credit for it when they all get here.”

Ivy smirked. Jack was taking his camping deficiencies in stride and was eager to learn. He’d watched her ready bags of food for hours the previous day, content to let her plan their menu and figure out exactly what they would need for their week of fun and relaxation.

In the back of his brain, Jack always worried Ivy’s vegetarianism would come back to bite him at mealtimes. In truth, she always went out of her way to make sure he had something to enjoy. He hadn’t been surprised when she packed hot dogs, hamburgers, and steaks for him. In fact, he’d been thankful … and a little awed at the pragmatic way her mind worked.

“Okay,” Ivy said, taking charge as she looked around the area. “According to the information they sent you we have these three campsites. Two of your friends have campers, right?”

Jack nodded. “They made fun of me because I didn’t have a camper.”

“That’s the wimpy way to camp, honey,” Ivy said. “You’re going to be happy we’re doing it our way.”

“You mean
your
way,” Jack corrected, although he winked to let her know he was joking.

“Okay, smart guy, why don’t you pick the spot for our tent?” Ivy suggested, her hands landing on her narrow hips.

Jack pursed his lips at the challenge. He loved riling her up. “Fine,” he said, brushing off his hands and moving away from the truck so he could scan the campsites. “I think we should go over there,” he said, pointing at the slot on the right.

“Why?”

“Because … I always sleep in the right side of the bed.”

Ivy wanted to maintain a serious façade, but she couldn’t stop herself from laughing. “It’s a good thing you’re handsome,” she said. “I think we should put the campers on either end, thus creating kind of a wall to block other people off, and the tents in the center where we’ll probably have most of the bonfires.”

“You’re good at this,” Jack said, tweaking her nose. “Of course, you’re good at everything. I really shouldn’t be surprised.”

“You’re trying to be charming because you want me to put up the tent so we can have a few hours alone before your friends show up,” Ivy said. “Admit it.”

“There’s absolutely no reason to deny it.”

“I like the way your mind works,” Ivy said, grabbing Jack’s face and planting a sloppy kiss on him. “I think we should take the spot closest to the end of the slot so we can be buffered by the trees and also look out at the water. I can position the tent so when we open the flaps we’ll have a lake view.”

Jack grinned. “Now I like the way your mind works,” he said, grabbing her before she could wander away and kissing her senseless. When they separated, Ivy instinctively tidied her hair and Jack tugged a restless hand through his. “Get that tent up.”

“Yes, sir,” Ivy said, kicking her heels together as she mock saluted. “Is there anything else you want me to do, sir?”

“Not until you get that tent up.”

The couple set about their tasks, Jack carrying everything to the location Ivy picked for their tent while she unpacked the box and placed all the items on the ground to study them. When he was done, he watched her with unbridled fascination as she slapped everything together without even glancing at the instructions.

“I wouldn’t even have the box open yet,” Jack admitted.

“You’re out of your element,” Ivy said. “You’ll still have fun, and I won’t say a word when you take credit for putting up the tent.”

“Did you camp a lot when you were younger?” Jack asked, stretching his long legs out in front of him as he leaned back on the picnic table bench.

“You know my parents,” Ivy said. “They’ve always been nature freaks. They instilled that in Max and me when were young. I always remember going camping at least twice every summer.

“Max loved it because he liked to catch snakes and walk around with them in his pockets so he could freak people out,” she continued. “I love animals, but snakes … I’m not going to lie, they give me nightmares.”

“I’m not a fan of snakes or bugs,” Jack said. “You’re still braver than me.”

“You’re the bravest person I know, Jack,” Ivy countered. “Camping doesn’t make you brave. It’s just a hobby. What you do every single day when you put on your badge is a lot braver than camping.”

“If you’re trying to stroke my ego, it’s working,” Jack said, grinning.

“You’re going to be fine, Jack,” Ivy said. “We can take hikes together … and go kayaking … and if all the outdoors living becomes too hard to handle, we can always go into town for dinner.”

“I don’t know anything about this area,” Jack said. “The closest town is called Gaylord, right? What can you tell me about it?”

Ivy shrugged. “It used to be a lot smaller,” she explained. “There’s not a lot of shopping around here, so when we were younger and my mother decided she needed to stock up on things we either had to go with her to Gaylord or Traverse City.”

“It seems fairly big for this area now,” Jack said. “We should come over here for dinner one night.”

“We should go to the Mexican place,” Ivy suggested, feeding a long pole into a nylon sleeve. “It’s called La Señorita, and the green salsa is to die for.”

“I’ll make sure we get over there one night this week,” Jack promised. “I’m sure we’ll want a night to ourselves at some point.”

“We should go to Call of the Wild, too.”

“What’s Call of the Wild?”

“It’s this hilarious museum full of dead animals and they’re put in outdoor scenes with narration.”

Jack knit his eyebrows together. “You want to look at dead animals? Why don’t I believe that?”

“The animals weren’t murdered,” Ivy replied. “Some were hit by cars and most have been dead for a very long time. They even have a polar bear. Besides, while the museum is kitschy and fun, it’s the gift shop that is the best thing there.”

“Why is that?”

“It’s like an out-of-control flea market with a lot of weird stuff that you just can’t find anyplace else.”

“Well, I’m sold,” Jack said. “We’ll do both of those things.”

“We’re here to see your friends,” Ivy reminded him, moving to the next side of the tent and feeding another pole through the nylon. “Don’t you want to spend time with them?”

“I want to spend
some
time with them,” Jack clarified. “I want to spend a lot of time with you.”

“You’re going to get really lucky in a few minutes, Jack,” Ivy said.

“I’m looking forward to it,” Jack said, licking his lips and trying to force his mind toward something innocuous as Ivy worked. “Did you ever come here camping when you were younger?”

“A few times,” Ivy answered. “My mom loved this place because of the lake. She loves to kayak. I was always scared because of the Bigfoot stories.”

Jack stilled, curiosity warring with the need to laugh. “Bigfoot?”

“Sasquatch … the dogman … werewolves … you know, Bigfoot,” Ivy pressed. “This entire area is full of Bigfoot legends.”

“Oh, well, you’re going to have to expand on that,” Jack chuckled. “I need to hear about Bigfoot.”

“It’s not technically Bigfoot,” Ivy clarified. “It’s … upright canines.”

“How is that different?”

“Fine. It’s Bigfoot,” Ivy said, rolling her eyes. “If you make fun of me, I’m not getting in this tent with you before your friends show up. You’ve been warned.”

“I’m not going to make fun of you,” Jack said. “I just … I love stories like this. I know you were a kid when you were frightened. I’m not going to be a … .”

“Jackhole?” Ivy challenged.

Jack scowled. “We’re coming up with a new word for that this week whether you like it or not.”

Ivy giggled. “Okay, so there have been reports about upright canines in this area for a really long time,” she said. “Supposedly the stories go back as far as when settlers first moved to Michigan.

“I don’t know if those sightings were real, but somewhere around the 1930s the sightings increased and it became a state legend,” she continued.

“I’ve never heard of this legend.”

“That’s because you grew up in Detroit and you had real monsters on every corner to fight.”

“Good point,” Jack said. “Go on. I find this fascinating.”

“Depending on what you believe – and I know you don’t believe, so there’s no reason to be a pain – people have claimed sightings of the dogman for years,” Ivy said. “Most people in the state refer to him that way rather than Bigfoot, just FYI.”

“I’ve got it.”

“The first one I remember hearing about happened at Dead Man’s Hill over in the Jordan River Valley,” Ivy said. “It’s by a small town called Mancelona. We should really go there for a hike one day when the leaves start turning in the fall. I promise you’ve never seen anything more beautiful.”

“I’ve seen you and you’re more beautiful,” Jack said. “The hike sounds nice, though. Go back to Bigfoot.”

Ivy made an exasperated sound in the back of her throat. “Anyway, someone claimed they were hiking around the Dead Man’s Hill area and they saw a big … dogman … walking through the words. It was a woman, and she claimed she had a photo. It was pretty blurry, and my parents were convinced it was actually a bear.

“Later that night everyone told stories about when they’d seen a dogman – these are rational people, mind you – and there were so many of them I got a little anxious,” she continued. “Two people – they were friends of my parents – claimed they saw the dogman when they were camping here, and we happened to be here at the time so I was a nervous wreck.”

“You’ve never seen Bigfoot, right?”

“Don’t push me, Jack,” Ivy warned, getting to her feet. “Can you please move to that side of the tent and help me?”

Jack wordlessly did as instructed, his eyes never leaving Ivy’s face. “I’m waiting for you to finish the story.”

“There’s not much to tell,” Ivy said, pointing so Jack would know what to do as they lifted the poles into place and secured them at the bottom of the domed tent. “A lot of people around here have a story about the dogman, just like a lot of people in New Mexico have a story about aliens. It is what it is.”

“You’re leaving something out,” Jack prodded, watching as Ivy grabbed the metal hooks to anchor the tent to the ground before moving to help. “Why were you freaked out?”

“Wait, we need to turn the tent so the door is that way,” Ivy said, helping Jack maneuver it to the right position. “If you must know, Max took advantage of how scared I was by the stories and dressed up with leaves and stuff all over him and jumped out of the bushes and scared the crap out of me when I was walking to the bathroom one night.

“I screamed and ran to my father,” she continued. “I was so worked up I actually slept in their tent that night.”

“Max needs a good beating,” Jack said.

“He thought it was funny.”

“Oh, it’s funny, but you’re my girl now and I’ll wrestle him down and make him apologize next time we see him,” Jack said. “I will also thank him, because I’m hopeful this dogman fear will mean you sleep on top of me in the tent.”

Ivy snickered. “You’re a piece of work,” she said. “Let’s get the cushion I brought and put the sleeping bags together. Then we can … stare at the lake and bond.”

“That only sounds fun if we’re naked.”

“That’s the plan,” Ivy said, grabbing one side of the large cushion she’d thought to grab out of the nursery and helping Jack carry it to the tent. They situated it in the middle of the floor and then Ivy went to work zipping the sleeping bags together while Jack carried the rest of their belongings inside.

Once they were settled, Jack flopped on the cushion and sighed. “I thought we were wimping out when you suggested the cushion, but this is the best idea ever,” he said. “It’s soft. Where did you get it?”

“It’s from my parents’ old camping trailer,” Ivy replied, rolling to her side so she could snuggle closer and resting her chin on his chest. “I took it when they sold the camper and I’m glad I did. We’re going to be comfortable in here.”

Jack brushed Ivy’s hair away from her face and kissed the side of her mouth. “Plus, it’s a cushion,” he said. “It won’t make noise when we … dream about the dogman.”

“I’m never telling you anything again,” Ivy complained.

“I like hearing stories about you when you were little,” Jack said, refusing to let her pull away from him. “I can just picture you getting even with Max.”

“Oh, I got even,” Ivy said. “I made him think the basement was haunted by using a rake to scratch on the windows and he slept on the living room floor for two weeks straight.”

Jack barked out a laugh. “That’s my girl.”

Ivy shifted her contemplative blue eyes to his angular face. “How long until your friends show up?”

Jack checked his watch. “We have at least an hour.”

“I think you’d better get to wowing me then,” Ivy teased. “I don’t want you to run out of time.”

Jack barked as he rolled on top of her, panting like a dog as he tugged his shirt off. “Don’t worry, this dogman won’t terrify you. I will, however, expect to be petted accordingly when I’m done.”

“Bring it on.”