Wicked Beginning: An Ivy Morgan Mystery Books 1-3 Read Online Free

couldn’t entertain. Still … she was definitely nice to look at.

Three
    “This is a nice place,” Jack said, glancing around Ivy’s quaint cottage with unveiled interested. “It’s actually … beautiful.”
    “Thank you,” Ivy said, shuffling toward the kitchen. “My Dad refinished the entire house when we were kids. This is all his work, although I decorated it.”
    “Are your parents … gone?”
    “They don’t live here, if that’s what you’re asking,” Ivy said. “They’re not gone, though. They’re still in town. They just moved to a different house and sold me this one so I could be close to the nursery.”
    “It’s really nice,” Jack said, running his hands over the ornate wood molding that separated the living room and kitchen. “I love the setting of the cottage. I like how it’s close to the road, but you can’t really see it. It’s like you’re living in the middle of the woods … but you’re not.”
    “That’s why I love it, too,” Ivy said, arching an eyebrow as she watched him. “Where are you from?”
    Jack jerked his attention away from the doorframe and fixed it on Ivy. “What makes you think I’m not from around here?”
    “I can spot a city boy from a mile away,” Ivy said, smiling. The expression lit up her whole face, and for a second Jack lost himself in her exuberant grin.
    He shook himself out of his reverie. “I grew up in a suburb of Detroit,” Jack said. “I was with the Detroit police department until … .”
    Ivy narrowed her eyes, sensing he was about to say something he would regret. He caught himself, though.
    “I just wanted an easier life,” Jack said. “I’ve always loved this part of the state. I saw the ad for the detective’s position in the newspaper and I applied and … well … here I am.”
    “I guess that’s our gain,” Ivy said, moving into the kitchen. “Do you want something to drink?”
    “I’m fine.”
    “I have iced tea, green tea, peach tea, and tomato juice.”
    Jack made a face. “Tomato juice?”
    “It’s my favorite juice,” Ivy said, opening the refrigerator door. “Do you want something to drink or not?”
    “I’m fine.”
    Ivy ignored him and poured two glasses of iced tea. Once she turned her back to return the glass jug to the refrigerator, a black cat jumped up onto the counter and fixed his attention on the tea. When Ivy turned back around she already had her finger extended in the cat’s direction. “Don’t you even think about it, Nicodemus.”
    The cat arched his back, an innocent look on his face as he tried to get Ivy to pet him. Ivy gave in and rubbed him twice. “You’re not supposed to be on the counter.”
    Nicodemus cried plaintively.
    “I’ll feed you in a little bit,” Ivy said. “For now, you need to get off the counter.”
    Jack fought the urge to roll his eyes as he watched Ivy interact with the animal. He’d never met a cat that did what it was told. It just wasn’t in their nature. That’s why, as Ivy moved toward him with the drinks in her hands, he had to tamp down his disbelief as the cat jumped down from the counter and disappeared down a short hallway that Jack assumed led to Ivy’s bedroom. “How did you do that?”
    “Do what?” Ivy asked, her face blank.
    “You told the cat to get down from the counter and he did it.”
    “I asked nicely,” Ivy replied, nonplussed. “When you ask nicely, you’d be surprised how things turn out.”
    Jack took the proffered glass of iced tea with a small nod of thank you, but he never moved his eyes from Ivy’s face. “You’re … interesting.”
    “So I’ve been told,” Ivy said, smiling tightly. “I’m sure you’ve already heard that I’m a witch.”
    “I might have heard something,” Jack admitted, sitting in one of the chairs around the kitchen table as Ivy settled next to him. “Ava mentioned something when she came to find us about your call.”
    “Ava,” Ivy said, nodding sagely. “That doesn’t