When Sparks Fly (64 page)

I didn’t realize how long I have been sitting here until Drew knocks on my office door. I can see the hesitation in his eyes. “Ivy, I’m really sorry about her. I had no clue she would act like this. I gave her a warning and had a patrol car take her home. Hopefully she won’t bother you again.” He starts to enter my office but stops himself. “I really am sorry about her.”

I can hear the pleading tone in his voice. “Drew, it’s not your fault. You can’t control every crazy situation that gets thrown my way. I honestly am just tired of people surprising me and catching me off guard. This crap with my secret admirer has me on edge. This guy is on the borderline of being a psychopath instead of just my stalker. I don’t have the slightest clue who this guy could be, and I don’t like not knowing.” I finish saying with a sigh.

This time he doesn’t hesitate and closes the distance between us. He immediately pulls me up from my chair and into his strong arms.
I love the feeling of being in his arms.

He leans down and kisses me on the forehead then tentatively kisses me on the lips before it turns into an all out smoking hot kiss which steals the breath right out of me. “How about I bring over dinner and you can help me make the cornbread and some cupcakes for dessert? Or you could always be my dessert.” He says with a raised eyebrow and cocky smirk on his gorgeous face.

Smiling like a kid with a new toy, I giggle at his comment. “That sounds great.” I say while I walk with him out towards the front of the store. I stand there in the doorway watching as he gets to his car and I can’t help myself. I briskly close the distance between us leaving the door to cling shut in my wake. “You forgot something.” I tell him when he looks surprised to see me standing by his car.

“Oh, what’s that? I thought I grabbed everything I needed…” He starts asking but I cut him off by giving him an earthmoving kiss.

Okay, the earth didn’t really move but every time our lips touch I feel like the whole world is exploding into one major firework display or maybe that’s just the effect he has on me.

“You almost forgot your goodbye kiss.” I tell him stepping back and moving back on the sidewalk.

“Damn, never let me forget something as important as a kiss again.” He says his voice now has a husky tone to it. “I will see you tonight at 7 o’clock sharp. Clothing optional.” He shoots out before jumping into his car leaving him to have the last word.

I can’t help but smile while I walk back into the bakery to finish the day out. When closing time comes I have already finished and turned off everything that has to be done. Sam has no idea what has come over me and is looking at me with a skeptical look clearly asking—have you gone insane? I give him a smile, kiss on the cheek, and promise to explain everything later, but right now I have to get out of here and get ready for my hot date. I rush him out and lock up the bakery behind me.

Hours later I smile at the man who is currently standing in my kitchen waiting on instructions on what to do next to help me bake. He showed up earlier this evening—with homemade red beans and rice and an apology. I know he feels responsible for outburst his psycho ex-girlfriend displayed by acting a fool and for losing her shit today. He says she is sorry for acting like she did, but I can’t fault her too much for wanting this man.

“So…the flour goes in first. Right?” he asks with an innocent look on his sexy face.

I laugh because the man obviously knows his way around a kitchen, so he is just playing dump. Thirty minutes later we finally have everything cooked and sitting spread out across my kitchen table. We take our seats and Drew offers to bless the food. After the blessing, we start digging into the food when my cell starts going crazy. It’s the alarm company my bakery alarm is purchased from.

I answer my phone the same time Drew’s phone starts to ring. “Hello?”

“Can I speak to Ivy Smith, please?” the lady on the other end of the phone asks.

“Yes, this is Ivy. Can I help you?” I ask her.

“Ma’am, my name is Sally Malone. I work for the security company and our records indicate that something has caused your alarm in your business—In the Mix, to be tripped. We have notified the police and are informing you as well.” She tells me.

Immediately I start gathering my purse and looking for my shoes. “Thank you. I’m fixing to walk out my door. I will meet the police on location.”

She informs me they will be doing a follow up call with me along with the police in the morning then ends the call. I rush into the living room frantically and nearly collide with Drew.

“What did they say?” he asks instantly.

After relaying the message I was just given, he tells me that he has informed a few buddies on the force that if they hear anything concerning me and the bakery to inform him immediately. The dispatch just received the alert directly from the bakery’s alarm system, and one of his friends called to tell him they were responding to a disturbance at the businesses location. He knows trying to talk me into staying home is a waste of time. He makes a quick run throughout the kitchen to make sure we turned everything off then we set off on our way to In the Mix.

By the time we arrive the whole place looks to be in chaos. Something has my stomach in knots and a sense of dread washes over me. This is not your average breaking and entering or disturbance call. There are polices officers everywhere. Something is wrong. My thoughts start racing with possible scenarios. When we come to a stop Drew asks me to stay in the truck for a few minutes to find out what in the hell is going on around here, but I’m too restless to sit and wait in the truck. He must sense this because he just shakes his head, gets out, and walks around to the passenger side to open my door. The chivalry in the moment is completely lost to me. We walk up to the scene and everyone moves letting Drew and me, since I am with him, through.

When we approach the back of the bakery I see someone step forward to greet us. It takes me a moment to realize its Leo. There is a seriousness to him I have not had a chance to see in the brief time I have known him.

This is bad.

I watch silently while Leo pulls Drew to the side and starts whispering to him only pausing to glance my way. When he does it causes Drew to look at me. I can see and feel the concern looks from here.

What in the world has happened here tonight?

Drew shakes Leo’s hand then comes back over to me. “We have a situation….” Was all he has a chance to say before Chief Windham walks over to us.

“Ivy, Drew, I wish it were under better circumstances we were meeting up like this. Ivy, I hate to ask you this, but I need you to come with me.” He starts saying,

Cutting him off, I quickly ask, “What is going on around here. I got a call from my alarm company stating my alarm had been set off, but this looks to be a lot more serious than just my alarm being tripped.”

The grim look on his face only confirmed my suspicions. Something bad had definitely taken place around here. “There is no easy way to say this. We found a body, and we need to you to see if you recognize the victim. Just to warn you in advance, it’s not a pleasant sight.” He tells me.

Could I do this? Can I look at a dead body? What if victim is someone I love and care about? Oh my god. I don’t think I can do this.

Drew must see me losing my shit because he wraps his arms around me and pulls me into his chest. “We will do this together. Okay? He asks taking his hand and tilting my face up to where I’m now looking in to his eyes.

I can only nod at him before he takes a step back and grabs my hand. Pulling me along beside him, I try to prepare myself for what we are about to do. There hanging half way out of the dumpster is the victim. I immediately realize that this victim is female.

Thank all that is holy it’s not Sam.

The closer we get the more I start noticing that this woman seems familiar. That’s when I notice the blue floral sundress on the victim. I can no longer contain the gasp that escapes my mouth.

Drew is in front of me in an instant. “Ivy, do you recognize the victim?” he asks.

Taking a deep breath, I try to keep from shaking. “Drew, look at the outfit the woman has on. It’s exactly like the one Brittany was wearing earlier today.” I tell him.

He couldn’t hide his surprised expression. “Are you sure?” he asks me.

I nod my head for confirmation while he tells me to stay beside Chief Windham while he goes to examine the woman’s face. I know the exact moment that my suspicions are confirmed. I could hear him say shit loud and clear.

Chief Windham must have heard him to because in the next instant he started hounding Drew with questions. While Drew and I filled the Chief in on the events that had taken place earlier in the day, the coroner starts moving Brittany’s beaten body.

The moment they have her completely out of the dumpster and onto a gurney Drew sees something white sticking to the top part of her dress. That is when he realizes the killer has taped a note on to her dress and it is addressed to me. He tries to shield me from the gruesome sight of Brittany’s broken and bloody body, but it’s too late. I see full extent of damage her body suffered along with the note. Drew tries to persuade me against reading the thing, and if it were in a different situation I might heed his advice. However, right now I have to know. I explain this to him and he retrieves the horrible piece of paper. Not wanting to ruin evidence, Drew holds the note to where it is now facing me and I start to read.

My Sweet Ivy,

The horrible screeching banshee called you a witch, but it looks like the real witch met her own demise. Couldn’t very well pick up a house to drop on her, but I guess the garbage dumpster will have to do. By the way that was a complete accident. I figured the burning would have sufficed. Oh well… Ding dong the witch is dead. She can never call you harmful names any longer. She will never be a problem for you again. I will watch over you from afar until we can be together. Just make sure your overzealous detective knows this. I don’t like people touching or claiming my belongings. Although, she did me a favor by getting Owen out of the picture, she crossed invisible lines yelling at my girl today. Make no mistake girl…YOU. ARE. MINE. Soon my dear you and I will be joined together for all eternity.

XOXO

Your Ever Devoted Admirer

It suddenly feels like someone has placed an elephant on my chest, and I know the blood just drained from my face. I feel sick.
Oh. My. God. This guy is delusional. How in the hell are we going to find out who this wacko is?

Drew is at my side immediately. “Ivy, come on. Let’s get you inside.” He takes wraps an arm around my waist and helps me to the back door of the bakery. “The bakery has been cleared it seems the disturbance with your alarm was just a tactic to draw you here. How about I make you some coffee?” He asks me and I can hear the concern in his voice.

“Why me?” I look at him, pleading with him to give me some logical explanation for the methods this psychopath has been undertaking. “I have been asking myself that question over and over again. First…” I pause to clear the lump out trying to rise out of my throat. “First there were the flowers with the creepy pictures of me, next it was the note left on my kitchen counter, and now there is a woman lying dead in the back alley from my shop. He left her lying there like with the note like a sick present. Did he really think I would be happy she is dead because we argued? I’m going crazy here. Drew, y’all have to find this guy before someone else gets hurt. It’s hard enough knowing that woman is dead because of me. I couldn’t live with myself if someone I cared about was on the receiving end of this guy’s delusions.” I tell him trembling and not able to control the tears pouring from my eyes. A brief thought enters my head that someone needs to inform Owen of what has happened, but I let it slip away. Someone else can take care of telling him, nothing concerning him is any of my business anymore. Besides my mind is too jumbled to deal with this tonight.

Drew stops me in mid stride. Turning to face me, he places his hands on my shoulders causing me to look him in his concerned eyes. “Ivy, look at me and listen to what I am fixing to tell you.” He pauses to make sure I’m listening and when I give him a quick nod he continues. “This is not your fault…” He points to the back door. “You did not ask for this. I can’t tell you why someone has chosen you to be the target of his delusions, but what I can tell you is we will catch this bastard. He will pay for everything—the notes, scaring you, killing this woman. It might not be tomorrow, but we will get him.” He finishes telling me, and I allow him to lead me back to his truck.

When we get back to my house, he doesn’t ask just helps me inside locking the door behind us. He then proceeds to lead me back to my bedroom. We both strip out of our clothes, but tonight sex is the last thing on our minds. We lay in bed and he holds me while I fall apart and let the events that have been taking place sink in. I have been trying to stay strong, but knowing this psycho killed Brittany just because she was a bitch to me is more than I can handle right now. I may not have been too fond of the girl, but I would never wish this horrible crime on anyone. This man deserves to be beaten, locked up, along with getting sentenced the death penalty.

I don’t know how long it takes me to fall asleep, and Drew doesn’t complain once. He lays there holding me wrapped up in his arms until exhaustion finally takes over and I fall into a fitful sleep.

‡
Chapter Eight