There was a lot unsaid beneath the statement, but Ivy didn’t push. “Then I don’t have a way home.”
“You can ride with us,” Jack offered. “You can sit up front and I’ll ride in the back with Greg.”
Brian immediately started shaking his head. “That right there is stepping over a line and you know it.”
Betsy cleared her throat to draw everybody’s attention. “I’m heading that way anyway. I can drop her at home.”
Ivy was relieved. She didn’t want to witness a full-blown fight between Jack and Brian. “Are you sure?”
“Yeah. We can theorize about why these two fine-looking detectives want the porn enthusiast during the ride.”
Ivy mustered a genuine smile. “I really appreciate it. Thanks.”
IT DIDN’T TAKE JACK AND BRIAN LONG to find Greg. He was seated two rows in, his back to a tree, and a magazine open on his lap. Jack found he was relieved that the man’s pants appeared to be fastened and both hands were visible and accounted for. Greg was furious when they told him they wanted to talk to him at the department. He grew enraged when they emerged from the woods and he found his workers had been sent home.
“I’m going to report you for this,” he hissed.
“You’ll live,” Brian shot back.
They left the box of magazines in the woods, something else that irritated Greg to no end, and by the time he was settled in the interview room he was spitting mad.
“You’ve called the fire now,” he muttered.
“I’m not quite sure what that means,” Brian noted.
“It means that you’re going to wish you’d never met me.”
“I’m pretty sure we’re already there,” Jack noted, leaning back in his chair. “We found Marvin.”
Greg frowned. That clearly wasn’t the tack he was expecting. “Is he dead or something? If so, that can’t be blamed on me. I had nothing to do with it.”
“He’s not dead. Right now he is at the hospital, though. He’s under observation.”
“What happened to him?” Greg looked legitimately confused. “He wasn’t run over, too, was he?”
“No. It seems Marvin has some anxiety issues, though. He’s suffered from them for the better part of his life.”
“How is that my fault?”
“We’re not saying it’s your fault. We are trying to ascertain if the story he told us is correct, though.”
“A story about me?” Greg’s eyebrows practically flew off his forehead. “I never did anything to that guy. If he told you otherwise, he’s lying. In fact, he was so weird I wanted to avoid him as much as possible.”
“Because he talked to himself?”
“Um, yeah. Nobody sane does that.”
“I would disagree, but that’s neither here nor there.” Jack slid his eyes to Brian, debating. Since he had the existing relationship with Greg, it had been decided he would lead the questioning. Now that it was upon him, he wasn’t certain how he wanted to proceed. “Marvin doesn’t like new environments. When he’s sent to one, he tries to stake it out ahead of time. That’s what he did when he was assigned to your road crew.”
Greg blinked several times and then shrugged. “Do you want me to give him an award for that or something? It’s weird. What do you want me to say?”
Jack managed to keep his temper in check, but just barely. He wasn’t a fan of Greg’s attitude. He figured a lot of people could say that, though. “Marvin was out there the night Sasha Carmichael was struck.”
Greg’s expression didn’t change. “So, he knows who killed her? Was it Jason? Is that why you dragged me here? Did you want to tell me away from people who might tip him off that you’re looking for him?”
Jack exchanged another look with Brian and then shook his head. “Marvin said you’re the one who hit Sasha.”
“Me?” Greg’s snort was disdainful. “You can’t possibly believe that.” He paused a beat. “Wait ... you do believe that. Oh, you guys are the worst cops ever. I don’t suppose it occurred to you to consider the source. That guy spends all of his time talking to himself. I’m guessing he thinks imaginary people are there talking back at him. How can you possibly take his word for it?”
Loath as he was to admit it, Jack realized Greg had a point. “We’re not accusing you. We’re simply trying to rule you out as a suspect.” He was desperate to keep Greg from taking the current situation out on Ivy, which seemed likely. “We didn’t want to bring it up in front of your crew because we didn’t want them coming up with alibis if we have to bring them all in for questioning.”
“Oh.” Greg nodded sagely. “That makes sense. Good thinking. Was she hit the night before she was found?”
“Actually, it would’ve been the night before that,” Brian answered.
“Um ... let me think.” He pulled out his phone and looked at the calendar. “Oh, wait, they have trivia at the bar on the highway on Wednesdays. I was there.”
“Can anyone corroborate that?” Jack queried. His mind was already on Amy.
Greg shrugged, seemingly unworried. “Someone there would have to remember me.”
“Okay, well ... I guess that’s all we need for now.”
IVY THANKED BETSY PROFUSELY WHEN the woman dropped her off at the cottage. Betsy seemed thrilled with the location of the house, even mentioning that the way it was set back from the road made it perfect for growing pot. Since Ivy was officially done walking on the wild side of the law, all she could do was nod ... and then wave goodbye before disappearing inside.
Since she was off early, Ivy decided she should probably check in at the nursery. She still had no idea where her keys were — which was fine — so she cut through the woods and pointed herself toward the property. She was relieved when she emerged on the other side and found the nursery was relatively quiet. That would allow her to talk to her father without risking anyone overhearing.
“You’re not on the lam,
