“Pretty much,” Ivy confirmed. “I don’t want to cause issues. I don’t want special treatment. I just want to do what I’m supposed to do and then put this behind me.”
Alison remained suspicious. “And your boyfriend couldn’t get you out of this?”
Ivy shook her head, rueful. “He won’t admit to trying, but I know he did. I’m actually glad it didn’t work because it would blow back on him and possibly damage his career. Other than the money I’m out for fines — and the time I’m stuck away from my business — this won’t have much of an impact on me.
“I mean, I own a plant nursery,” she continued. “There’s only one in town and I have good stock. News has spread about how I was caught, and what I was doing at the time, and business has actually increased. In a few weeks, all of this will be behind me.”
“Well, at least you have a healthy attitude,” Betsy said. “For what it’s worth, I think it’s crap that you’re here. You saved a woman’s life, for crying out loud. This is only one of the reasons people are reticent to help those in need.”
“Actually, I wouldn’t change anything,” Ivy admitted. “I would like to think I would do the right thing and call Jack as soon as I saw what was going on inside the house, but I know myself too well. I wouldn’t be able to stop myself from acting impulsively.”
“Girl, you and me both.” Alison offered up a random fist bump that had Ivy smiling.
“Thanks.” Ivy returned the gesture, although it was awkward. “I just don’t want you guys thinking I’m above all of this. I don’t. I want to serve my time and then move on.”
“That’s all everybody wants,” Betsy reassured her. “Trust me.” Her gaze drifted to Greg, who was exiting his vehicle on the side of the road. “He can’t be happy about all of this. I would be careful if I were you. I saw the look on his face yesterday when he realized you were tied to a cop ... and he’s going to make your life miserable if he can manage it.”
Deep down, Ivy had wondered the same thing. She didn’t want to give voice to her concerns because she was convinced Jack would make a big thing out of it, but having someone else confirm her suspicions was difficult. “What makes you say that?”
“I’ve been through the system more than once,” Betsy admitted. “I mean ... this isn’t my first time getting caught growing pot. The other two times were before pot was legal, though.”
Ivy was taken aback. “You’ve been caught more than once?”
Betsy nodded. “Three times to be exact.”
“But ... why would you risk being caught again after the first time?”
Betsy shrugged, noncommittal. “I like pot. I can’t help it. Besides, do you know how many times I haven’t been caught? It’s in the thousands. My odds are actually pretty good.”
“But ... .” Ivy licked her lips, uncertain what she was supposed to say. “Aren’t you worried that one of these times they’re going to nail you for being a habitual offender?”
“No.” Betsy’s gaze was clear. “If they try to throw the book at a senior citizen with chronic pain issues — I have joint inflammation like you wouldn’t believe and arthritis coming out of my behind — the newspapers will play it up and people will go nuts on the prosecutor. I know that. What’s more important is that they know that. Basically, that means I’ll keep getting a month of community service here and there. I don’t really mind it. I get to be social when I’m on a crew.”
Ivy was dumbfounded. “Well ... okay.”
“As for Greg, you need to be careful,” Alison interjected. “I’ve asked around about him because he seemed more easygoing than a few of the other crew chiefs I’ve worked with and there’s a lot of gossip surrounding him.”
“He wanted to be a cop,” Angel volunteered. Apparently she was over being angry at Ivy because the smile she sent the conflicted witch was warm and friendly. “He went through the Academy and everything. He couldn’t get a badge, though.”
Now Ivy was the one intrigued. “How come he couldn’t earn his badge? Does he have a medical condition?”
“Not unless laziness is a medical condition,” Betsy replied. “Basically, as far as I can tell, he can’t pass the coursework. The academic stuff confuses him and the physical stuff is more than he can manage.”
“How do you know that?” Ivy was honestly curious. “He doesn’t strike me as the sort who would confide that to someone else.”
“No, but he ticked off another crew chief,” Alison explained. “Devin Reynolds. I worked with him for a week before coming here. Apparently Devin moonlights as a probation crew chief in his spare time because he likes the money. He’s one of the few chiefs who doesn’t get off on the power, which makes him extremely popular.
“Anyway, Devin says it’s common knowledge that Greg is bitter about not being able to pass the police exam and he’s got two or three warnings on his record regarding abuse of power,” she continued. “Since absolutely nobody wants to take his job, though, they can’t get rid of him. They have to put up with his crap.”
Ivy didn’t like the sound of that. “Well ... I would have to think that will come back and bite him eventually.”
“I would think so, too, but it hasn’t happened yet. I guess anything is possible, though.”
IVY WORKED TIRELESSLY FOR TWO HOURS. She was relieved that the members of the crew seemed to be willing to overlook the fact that she was engaged to a police detective. She’d been worried, but it seemed to be one of those things she took a bit of
