Read Online Icing Ivy by Evan Marshall - Free Book Online Page A

accusation had hit hard, and hurt. It took all of her energy to rise and make her way through the empty conference room and into the kitchen for a much-needed cup of coffee. As she filled a cup, she heard people entering the conference room and realized they were Vick Halleran and Jennifer Castaneda. They seemed to be arguing about something.
    â€œVick, I came in here to get some writing done,” came Jennifer’s breathy girl-woman voice. “Do you think you could leave me alone for a little while?”
    â€œYou never want to spend any time with me,” Vick whined. “You just wanted to get away from me. Maybe you wish you’d come to the retreat with Henry.”
    Jane stood stock-still. If she emerged from the kitchen now, they would know she’d heard them, which would be too embarrassing to bear. So she stayed where she was, listening.
    â€œOh, shut up, ” Jennifer said. “I’ve told you a million times that’s over.”
    Jane recalled that Jennifer’s agent was Henry Silver, for whose agency, coincidentally, Jane and Kenneth had once worked.
    There was the sudden sound of a chair scraping the floor. “I don’t believe it’s over, Jennifer. But whether it is or isn’t,” Vick said icily, “if you try to divorce me, I’ll take you for all you’re worth.”
    â€œReally?” Jennifer sounded amused. “And how would you justify that?”
    â€œYou’d be nothing if it weren’t for me, if it weren’t for all I’ve taught you about writing. You used me . . . and now I’ll use you.”
    Then there was silence. Jane waited a good two minutes, then intentionally made some noise to signal her presence. Cup in hand, she bustled out, pretending to be surprised to find Jennifer typing away on her notebook computer.
    â€œHello,” Jane said. Jennifer gave her a tight smile and returned her attention to her computer screen.
    Feeling a headache coming on, Jane retrieved her manuscript from the lounge and took it up to her room. She had just finished reading chapter one when a loud pop, a sound she recognized immediately as a gunshot, exploded in the hall, just outside her door.

Chapter Eight
    H eart thumping, Jane hurried to her door, opened it a crack, and peeked out. A middle-aged man in a tan overcoat, sloppily obese and sweating profusely, ran past her room, holding a gun out in front of him. Jane peered down the length of the corridor in time to see Johnny run down the stairs. The man scrambled after him.
    Across the corridor, Ivy’s door opened and she stood there, looking badly shaken, her blue eyes huge.
    â€œIvy, what’s going on?” Jane demanded.
    Without responding, Ivy shut her door.
    Other doors along the corridor were thrown open and alarmed faces peered out.
    Adam came running up the stairway to the left of Jane’s room. “Everyone stay in your rooms,” he shouted down the corridor. He saw Jane and came into her room. “We’ve got to call the police.”
    â€œYes. I’ll call Stanley.” She rang him at the station and found him in his office. She told him what had just happened, that a man with a gun had run through the lodge, chasing Johnny.
    â€œJane, I can’t get up there until the road is plowed. I told you Johnny was no good. I’m sure there’s nothing more to worry about. The two of them are probably far into the woods by now.”
    â€œBut how could that man have gotten up here?”
    â€œHe must have hiked up one of the trails—there are lots of them. He was a heavyset man, you said?”
    â€œYes, that’s right.”
    Stanley let out a little laugh. “He must have wanted Johnny pretty bad.”
    â€œI don’t think this is funny,” Jane said in alarm.
    â€œNo, of course not. Sorry, Jane. I’ll see what I can do to hurry up the plowing and get up there.”
    Jane hung up the phone, an image of