Sweet Little Lies

Chapter Fifty-Eight

Harry pulled over on the side of the road. They were driving down an old highway that got little to no traction these days. It was one that back seventy years ago would have been filled with trucks and travelers, but now hosted nothing but dust and decaying cars. It was a graveyard of old Queenstown.

This highway led to the old carnival grounds. A place that used to be the biggest draw to the area. One too many deaths led to its shutdown, the old carnies either making their home in the city or hitching rides to find a new carnival or traveling circus to join. They left the place as it was, though, old tents and structures falling apart each and every day.

No one had bought the land that the old carnival still sat on, although many had looked at it. Harry had even looked at it once a few years back for a new factory site. There was something about the place, though, that kept him from going through with the deal - just as he suspected everyone else had felt.

Grey clouds covered the sky, darkened to a deep slate that cried out in anger. A storm was blowing in. A weather advisory had been sent out to everyone in Queenstown warning them of what was coming. They were used to storms, but once or twice a year, one would blow through town and create havoc.

Harry would have happily tucked himself and Ivy away at their house all weekend, but unfortunately they had business to attend to.

Ivy stepped out, pulling her wool coat closer to her body, as he rounded the hood of the car. She was wearing black pinstripe trousers and chunky boots, a crimson silk blouse underneath the coat. One thing he had realized about his wife was how much her wardrobe reflected her headspace, how she spoke with her clothing. This outfit told the story of a woman not to be messed with, someone who wasn't going to take no for an answer.

They couldn't afford a no tonight.

Another black SUV parked behind theirs, a few guards exiting the vehicle. Griffin and Mason were waiting for them already on the side of the road, near the first SUV. This was as far as they would go with them. The rest of the journey was for Harry and Ivy alone.

Griffin's expression was grim. He had fought hard to follow them to the old carnival, but Shadow's note had been clear. Just Harry and Ivy, no weapons. He wasn't going to risk scaring her off just to have extra protection.

"You know where to go?" Griff asked in his deep voice.

Harry nodded once as Ivy sighed next to him. Back in their youth, the carnival grounds were a popular place for parties. Harry knew exactly where the mirror house was and where he needed to go.

"We're going to drive around the exterior to make sure there's no other visitors. If Shadow's broken her own rules, we will not hesitate to come in."

"Heard." He looked over at Ivy, "We know the plan."

"Make contact the moment you are done." Griffin continued. This was going against everything that was engrained in him. His job was to protect them, something he didn't think he could do from so far away.

"Griffin," Ivy said in that soft tone of hers, "trust us."

His jaw tightened, but a moment later he nodded. He stayed back with the other guards while Harry pulled back onto the deserted highway. His heart was beginning to beat harder, the unpleasant rhythm sending an overwhelming sense of dread through him.

Harry fought with himself all night and morning, holding himself back from handcuffing Ivy to their bed to keep her at the house. He knew he couldn't do it, though. Ivy's trust had been earned, and there was no way in hell he would set back their progress.

Half of him needed her to be safe and away from the possible danger, the other half craved her presence, knowing she was the one thing keeping his head on straight at the moment. Harry was one hundred percent sure Ivy was the only reason for his current sanity. Without her, he probably would have failed already.