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The Fixer
The Fixer
The Fixer
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The Fixer

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

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About this ebook

From the bestselling author of The Inheritance Games comes a pulse-pounding YA thriller full of power plays, romantic tension, and sinister plots, perfect for fans of Elite and One of Us is Lying.

When Tess Kendrick is sent to stay with her older sister in Washington D.C., she has no idea that the famed Ivy Kendrick is the capital's number one "fixer," who helps powerful people make their scandal disappear . . . for a price.

Soon after Tess enrolls in the prestigious Hardwicke School, she unwittingly finds herself following in Ivy's footsteps. Tess never thought she and Ivy had much in common, but when her new friends at school need help, she discovers that her talents quickly make her Hardwicke's own go-to high school fixer.

Secrets pile up as each sister lives a double life--until their worlds come crashing together in a conspiracy that reaches from the halls of Hardwicke to Capitol Hill. Suddenly, there is much more on the line than good grades, money, or relationships. The odds are stacked against Tess, and the price for this fix might be more than she can pay . . .

Don't miss any of these other books by Jennifer Lynn Barnes:


The Naturals
The Naturals
Killer Instinct
All In
Bad Blood
Twelve

Raised by Wolves:
Raised by Wolves
Taken by Storm
Trial by Fire

The Squad
Perfect Cover
Killer Spirit

Tattoo:
Tattoo
Fate

The Fixer

Nobody
Every Other Day
Platinum
Golden
LanguageEnglish
Release dateJul 7, 2015
ISBN9781619635951
The Fixer
Author

Jennifer Lynn Barnes

A Native Oklahoman, Jennifer Lynn Barnes is a senior at Yale University. She wrote Golden at the age of 19, and her second novel, Tattoo, is due out in 2007. She lives and writes in New Haven, Connecticut.

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Rating: 4.146666579333334 out of 5 stars
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  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    My first read of 2017, I think this might become a tradition. My first read of 2016 was, as the movie trailer guy would say, "High Octane". This was a total coincidence, although I was looking for something fun and thrilling to read, (oh, movie trailer guy would also say "Thrill Ride", right?). So yeah, the Fixer was definitely both those things, a High Octane, Thrill Ride. I was just reminiscing about my first read last year and realize that it too was exciting and fast moving. That's how I felt about The Fixer, it was fast moving, and had me guessing what will happen next. And of course The Fixer did have a great cast of characters, (ooh, more movie references). Introducing Tess Kendrick, determined or headstrong, depending on which way you look at this personal trait of Tess. Whether she's being a loyal friend, or digging for information where she shouldn't, Tess will not be deterred. Tess' current life was...'disrupted' when her big sister Ivy moved her to D.C. and Tess learns her sister is a fixer of problems for Washington's elite. Tess naturally fit into a similar role for her friends as a fixer of problems, being that they were so alike I can easily believe Tess was very capable of doing that. They're both inquisitive, bossy, and both seem to have a need to want to fix things. My favorite thing about Tess was her confrontational skills, her distaste for unfairness and how she constantly freaks out the adults around her with her awareness and knowledge of things, things she probably shouldn't know. As for the rest of the cast, they all had those shinning personalities that make up a stimulating story. So glad this wasn't a mean girl, click type of school interaction situation for Tess. Of course they were not all nice, but that just means they had personality, whether it's likable or not, it made me really like them or really love to hate them.The mystery of the overall story was a good one, it took me a long time to figure that one out, but I did, well maybe a few minutes before Tess did. It was also more grown up than I would have expected. The only problem I had was that I didn't understand the motives of some of the people or should I say supposed villains involved in the mystery. Wish more info was given on why he/she did what they did, not to give anything away, 'but why did you do what you did for the money' for example. Hopefully some of my questions will be revealed in the next book. There was another underlying mystery in the story which I did figure out pretty early on. The Fixer had a lot of unexpected happenings, made me smile, and kept me reading.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    My first read of 2017, I think this might become a tradition. My first read of 2016 was, as the movie trailer guy would say, "High Octane". This was a total coincidence, although I was looking for something fun and thrilling to read, (oh, movie trailer guy would also say "Thrill Ride", right?). So yeah, the Fixer was definitely both those things, a High Octane, Thrill Ride. I was just reminiscing about my first read last year and realize that it too was exciting and fast moving. That's how I felt about The Fixer, it was fast moving, and had me guessing what will happen next. And of course The Fixer did have a great cast of characters, (ooh, more movie references). Introducing Tess Kendrick, determined or headstrong, depending on which way you look at this personal trait of Tess. Whether she's being a loyal friend, or digging for information where she shouldn't, Tess will not be deterred. Tess' current life was...'disrupted' when her big sister Ivy moved her to D.C. and Tess learns her sister is a fixer of problems for Washington's elite. Tess naturally fit into a similar role for her friends as a fixer of problems, being that they were so alike I can easily believe Tess was very capable of doing that. They're both inquisitive, bossy, and both seem to have a need to want to fix things. My favorite thing about Tess was her confrontational skills, her distaste for unfairness and how she constantly freaks out the adults around her with her awareness and knowledge of things, things she probably shouldn't know. As for the rest of the cast, they all had those shinning personalities that make up a stimulating story. So glad this wasn't a mean girl, click type of school interaction situation for Tess. Of course they were not all nice, but that just means they had personality, whether it's likable or not, it made me really like them or really love to hate them.The mystery of the overall story was a good one, it took me a long time to figure that one out, but I did, well maybe a few minutes before Tess did. It was also more grown up than I would have expected. The only problem I had was that I didn't understand the motives of some of the people or should I say supposed villains involved in the mystery. Wish more info was given on why he/she did what they did, not to give anything away, 'but why did you do what you did for the money' for example. Hopefully some of my questions will be revealed in the next book. There was another underlying mystery in the story which I did figure out pretty early on. The Fixer had a lot of unexpected happenings, made me smile, and kept me reading.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    When her grandfather develops dementia, sixteen-year-old Tess, who has been keeping his Montana ranch going, is whisked away to Washington, D.C., by a sister she barely knows and thrown into a world of politics, power, wealth, love triangles, and family secrets.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    THE FIXER took me on an emotional rollercoaster. Tess Kendrick has been trying to hold things together on the ranch even though her grandfather is experiencing memory issues. When her older sister Ivy finds out, she rushes in to fix things. The next thing Tess knows, she's in Washington, DC, living with her sister. Tess is angry. Not just because Ivy rushed in and took over but because Ivy left her when she had promised that Tess could come live with her. Tess has decided that she can't trust or depend on Ivy. Tess also learns that her sister is a noted fixer in DC. When someone has a problem - political, personal, or social - Ivy knows someone who can solve it. When Tess goes to school at Hardwicke, a school filled with the children of the political elite, it is assumed that she is also able to fix things. In fact, almost the first thing Tess does is recover a cell phone that has some inappropriate pictures taken by a bully of a freshman girl - who just happens to be the Vice President's youngest daughter. Tess just hates bullies. She isn't planning to be a fixer.Tess makes a few friends at school. Vivvie is appointed as her guide when she arrives and quickly becomes a good friend. Asher Rhodes, whom she first meets when she sees him standing on the edge of the roof of the chapel, becomes a friend and gadfly. The funniest scene in the book, one that had me laughing until tears were running down my face, happens when Asher and Tess are called to the Headmaster's office after a little science experiment with Diet Coke and Mentos. She also meets Henry Marquette.There is a mystery. Henry's grandfather who is Chief Justice of the Supreme Court dies after suffering a heart attack leaving a vacancy on the court and political insiders want to help determine who gets his seat. Vivvie's father is the President's personal physician and was called in to operate on the Chief Justice. He is the one who announced his death. Tess goes to the funeral with Ivy who was friends with the Justice where she runs into an upset Vivvie and and angry Henry.When Vivvie comes to Tess because she believes her father had something to do with the Justice's death, Tess begins to investigate to help her friend. Ivy is also investigating and orders Tess to keep out of it. That just makes Tess more determined. More deaths follow and the mystery deepens.Tess tells this story and I love her attitude and her voice. She is smart, sarcastic, and hurting. Her whole life has been jerked out from under her and she is dealing with more changes than any one sixteen year old should have to. She is trying desperately to guard her heart by keeping her distance from everyone. It seems that there is a new shattering revelation around every corner. This was a wonderful story filled with excitement, mystery and danger. I can't wait to read more in the series.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I received this free eARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. I was unsure about this book, since it's about politics and I don't know anything about that subject. But I love Jennifer Lynn Barnes and I love Veronica Mars, so of course I loved this book!Yes there was a lot of politics, but that didn't deter me away from this novel. In fact, I was intrigued when Tess was meeting all of the big wigs like the President of the United States and the First Lady. There was no romance in this novel, which I found interesting and refreshing considering most of the novels I read have at least a hint of romance. I do feel a connection between Tess and Henry. At first I thought she might be interested in Archer, but after seeing all of the characters I realize that Henry would be the better fit for Tess. While Tess helped in the case that her sister was doing, she made a lot of trial and error mistakes, which I also liked. Not every detective or cop makes the right choices the first time they are in a case, so Tess making mistakes throughout her search made this novel seem more real and down to earth rather than fictional, oh-I'm-the-best!So glad that I finally got around to reading this - I had no idea what I was missing. I'm a little upset to find out that there is another novel coming in this series, but it was such a great book that I will break my "cannot read series books until they are completed" rule to read the second one when it's released :)
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Tess reluctantly comes to live with her mysterious older sister, Ivy, in Washington D.C. after her beloved grandfather can no longer care for her. She is homesick, not sure if she wants to live with her sister and has no interest in the political scene. Tess quickly learns that her sister is D.C.'s #1 Fixer, that is she is the go-to problem solver for the rich and powerful in Washington. When Tess comes to the aid of a new friend she realizes that she may be more like her sister than she ever imagined.This is one of the best teen thrillers I have read in a long time. It is action packed and lots of twists and turns. I would highly recommend it to teens who are fans of Ally Carter and for anyone who likes a little action and adventure with their mystery. I hope that we see more of Tess in future books, she is a new favorite character of mine! This review is based on a galley copy of the book provided by the publisher via NetGalley.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I loved The Fixer. Tess has been living with her grandfather in Montana, but he has been stricken with Alzheimer's. Tess's sister steps in and takes over moving her to Washington DC and their grandfather to a facility in Boston. It doesn't take long for Tess to get in trouble at her new school. but as it turns out, she gets it naturally. This was a real page turner that was enjoyable from beginning to end - a mystery on a national scale that is wrapped up in the life of a high school student. Highly recommended - Hoping for a sequel.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Amazing! I finished it in a day. Awesome main character, awesome plot, no annoying romance. Just all around great.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Great book! Awesome plot line! Loved the characters. Only problem I had with it was a little cussing. It wasn’t a ton, but it does have a little language when it didn’t have to. You don’t have to ruin a good book with cussing. Otherwise good story!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    "The Fixer" was a great political thriller with lots of action and humour. I thoroughly enjoyed Tess's voice, she was resourceful, intelligent, strong and sarcastic, and never took no for an answer. I also liked the supporting characters, especially her friends Asher and Henry. Overall, this was a fun book that kept me turning the pages, and there is definitely a sequel in the making. Yay!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    The Fixer is a fast paced YA political thriller that’s like Scandal meets Veronica Mars.Sixteen-year-old Tess has spent almost her entire life on her grandfather’s ranch in Montana, when her older sister changes everything by insisting that Tess move to Washington, D.C. with her. Tess soon realizes that her sister is a “fixer,” someone the D.C. elite use to solve their problems. The students at Tess’s high school, Hardwicke Academy, know all about Tess’s sister Ivy, and they’re convinced that Tess is a fixer too. When a conspiracy surfaces, Tess becomes the one who stands at the center of the investigation.The Fixer is a very plot based novel, full of twists and turns. There were a couple twists that I predicted, but there were a few others that I found utterly surprising. Barns does an excellent job ramping up the tension and keeping me fixed to the page. It helps that The Fixer is short enough that I was able to read it in roughly three hours, start to finish.I thought Tessa was an all right protagonist. She has plenty of good qualities and actively drives the story, but I still feel like I’ll probably forget her. I feel like I’m looking through her and not at her, and she doesn’t have the very distinctive voice that can make me love a first person protagonist.Barnes did do a fairly good job on the secondary characters. Tess has various friends at Hardwicke and they all felt distinctive. I never forgot who someone was or mixed up characters.I was also happy to find that Fixer is one of the rare few YA novels that does not include romance. Seriously, there’s no romance at all. Tess is focused on her friends, family, and a political conspiracy, not romantic love. This was so refreshing.I would recommend The Fixer to anyone looking for an enjoyable, plot based YA book. It was a load of fun to read, and I highly recommend it.Originally posted on The Illustrated Page.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I was not expecting to like this as much as I did but I literally couldn't put it down. It's been a while since a book did that to me. Definitely five stars.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Jennifer Barnes -- not always particularly realistic, but always tells a nail-biting story with plenty of action. Politics are deadly, but if you know the right person, anything can be fixed.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This was great. Fast paced, action packed mystery. Basically a young adult version of Scandal. There was no romance which was a refreshing change of pace. Tess was a little closed off and we didn't get huge insight into the other characters either, I would've liked to see more of Emilia as well. It also irritated me Tess was kept in the dark so much (seriously they could tell her nothing? over and over and over again) but overall it was great. And it was really funny. Asher especially. Can't wait to read the sequel. 4.5 stars.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I loved The Fixer. Tess has been living with her grandfather in Montana, but he has been stricken with Alzheimer's. Tess's sister steps in and takes over moving her to Washington DC and their grandfather to a facility in Boston. It doesn't take long for Tess to get in trouble at her new school, but as it turns out, she gets it naturally. This was a real page turner that was enjoyable from beginning to end - a mystery on a national scale that is wrapped up in the life of a high school student. Highly recommended - Hoping for a sequel.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    A fast paced political thriller with a strong teen protagonist at its center. Tess Kendrick, at the beginning: struggling to make sense of her grandfather's advancing mental decline & being wrenched away from her Western ranch life to live with her much older, long gone sister, Ivy Kendrick, in Wash. D.C. It's apparent from the moment she arrives that Ivy is a "fixer", an agent who works quietly to ensure scandal and problems are dealt with - with clients as highly placed as the President & his First Lady. Then Tess must grapple with an entirely different sort of school - the private Hardwicke Academy, with most of the students members of the political elite for US govt, and foreign diplomats. Tess is welcomed by Vivve, who helps her navigate Hardwick's culture, and encounters two other distinctive teens, Asher and Henry, who also provide some of the book's humor and tense character building. "After she inadvertently helps the vice president’s daughter out of a tight spot, everyone seems to think that she’s a fixer in training." (Stacked review) While still steeling herself against reconnecting with Ivy, who she believes left the family abruptly after their parents' death, she still can't help being drawn into Ivy's work. And when a sudden death, Vivve's father, White House physician, follows on the heels of the sudden heart attack death of a standing Supreme Court judge, Tess realizes there may be a conspiracy - and is determined to get to the bottom of it.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Barnes is becoming one of my favorite young adult writers. In this tale, teenager Tess Kendrick goes to Washington, D.C. to live with her older sister after her grandfather develops dementia. Their parents have previously died. Older sister Ivy is a powerhouse in the nation’s capital, a woman who “fixes” things for others who desperately need those services. She trades in information, and the price others will pay for what she knows and what she can make happen makes her a legend whose services are invaluable to many. Tess enrolls in one of the areas most prestigious school and from there the action begins as Harwicke School and Capital Hill collide. I can’t wait for the sequel.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Jennifer Lynn Barnes usually writes engaging novels. I haven’t read all of her novels, but this is my favorite. It’s a suspense, realistic novel.Tess is capable and smart. She’s been raised by her grandfather taking care of abused horses; but, when he begins to get confused and forget who she is, Tess misses school and her grades drop as she tries to keep his decline a secret. Despite her efforts, Tess’s sister arrives and spirits them both away: grandpa to a facility in Boston and Tess to Washington, D.C. Tess finds herself in a prestigious private school with the teens of the highest elite in Washington. Tess’s sister if the “fixer;” for a price she can take care of any problem. Therefore, she is popular in Washington and has the dirt on everyone. The students at Tess’s school figure she is a fixer too, and bring her their problems after she solves a problem for a crying freshman, who turns out to be very well- connected in Washington.Tess and her sister Ivy’s worlds collide when the Supreme Court Chief Justice is murdered. The Justice’s grandson attends Tess’s school. Slowly secrets are revealed, making life more and more dangerous for both Tess and Ivy as the murderer will kill whoever he/she needs to in order to attain his agenda.This is a great thriller. It’s even somewhat believable because kids like this do know a lot and have access to money and power. Although everything is new for Tess, she is so intelligent that she can completely slide into this crazy life of corrupt power and life changing secrets. No one’s life will change more than Tess’s life when she discovers the ultimate secret of her own sister. Read this novel!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Imagine Shonda Rimes’s Scandal (ABC) plunked into the middle of an elite private high school in Washington D.C. Now imagine the younger sister of an Olivia Pope-like character—she has no idea her sister is a “Fixer”, yet possesses some fixer-like qualities herself and is quickly drawn into a political web of intrigue. Now you have Jennifer Lynn Barnes’s The Fixer.Tess comes to live with her much older sister, Ivy, after her grandfather unravels into the throes of dementia. Ivy is busy, strict, and extremely powerful – Tess doesn’t know whether to be scared of her or love her, or both. After Tess becomes privy to some shocking information, she embarks on a life-changing cycle of events that draws her into the underbelly of D.C. political life, showing her that perhaps she is not unlike her sister, after all.Barnes is the master of mystery, and The Fixer is a great “fix” for teens not quite ready to tackle the adult themes of Scandal. Fans of Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepard and the Dead Is...series by Marlene Perez will enjoy Barnes's latest offering.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Review courtesy of Dark Faerie TalesQuick & Dirty: This thrilling, gripping novel kept me engaged and on the edge of my seat.Opening Sentence: As far as I could tell, my history teacher had three passions in life: quoting Shakespeare, identifying historical inaccuracies in cable TV shows, and berating Ryan Washburn.The Review:Lately it’s been finals weeks for me as I wrapped up school this year, so I haven’t been reading much other than before I go to bed at night. When I opened this novel, I didn’t expect to get so gripped and sucked into the story that I stayed up way past what was appropriate considering my approaching geometry final. Tess and her sister have had a complicated relationship ever since her sister stopped contacting her years ago. But now she’s back, and dragging Tess along to live with her in her DC house. Soon Tess learns from her classmates that her sister is considered a “fixer”- she fixes things like permanent records, arrests, and other bad situations using her pleathera of contacts and secrets to get things going. Tess doesn’t admire her sister’s career, but she feels herself falling into the role of the high school fixer, until the secrets get deeper and more dangerous than she bargained for.Tess is a tough character. She’s built up walls to protect herself from pain over the years and has learned to push aside emotion and play a poker face. She sometimes thinks rashly and does things better not done, but she always does them with cunning and craftiness that makes her a formidable enemy. I enjoyed her powerful nature and how she had such a fighting spirit. Not only did she have a relentless curiosity and amazing instincts, she stands up for those who need the help. By the end of the book she has developed and relinquished the walls, but she regained and grew in her stronger aspects. She becomes a force in the Washington politics and it was lots of fun watching her maneuver it. Barnes created such an amazing, rich world in D. C. It was easy falling into the politics and understanding what was going on once you were a few chapters in and had gotten the tons of names down.Tess didn’t even have a love interest in this story, because if there is anything that Tess doesn’t need, it’s a man. Of course, that could change in the second book, and it might. There were a couple male friends that might develop into something more. (I thought this book was a standalone until I finished it. Still really angry I’ll have to wait a whole other year.) This story was focused solely on the bond between Tess and Ivy, her different friendships, and most of all the thrilling mystery aspect. Some mysteries get either too complex to follow or are shockingly obvious from the beginning, but I’m pleased to report that this was neither to me. Every time I thought that there was no way Barnes could shock me again, she’d throw in another twist to mess with my head. There were a few twists that really screwed with me and then turned out to be false alarms.The thing about this book is that it starts out pretty mellow. Yes, there are some looming problems and definitely stuff to hook you in, there isn’t the thriller aspect until Tess arrives in D.C. From there it’s a nonstop thrill ride. Here’s an example of a conversation I had with my brother whilst reading:Brother: So did you hear…Me: Don’t talk to me. Good part.Brother: You’ve said that the last four times I’ve tried to talk to you the past two hours.Me: Every time is a good part!This book was amazing, so incredible and breathtaking and action-packed. I couldn’t help but fall into it. Yes, there were problems with the book. There are things that I definitely could nitpick at. But this was one of those stories that makes you forget all the little things you don’t like because you love everything else so much that it overpowers it. I’m annoyed that I have to wait an entire year for the second book and I’m going to have a Fixer hangover for the next week. The best thing about this novel was that it was so original. Never have I read anything so rich in mystery and politics with the same high school air that defined it as YA.Notable Scene:“Diet coke?” Asher had two cans. He politely offered me one.“No.”“Mentos?” he held out a roll.“Don’t Diet Coke and Mentos -““-explode?” Asher supplied. He opened one of the sodas. “I have a passing fondness for explosions.”That was concerning on so many levels.FTC Advisory: Bloomsbury USA Childrens provided me with a copy of The Fixer. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I got a copy of this book to review through NetGalley. Previous to reading The Fixer I had read both the first book in Barens’ Raised by Wolves series (didn’t like it) and her The Naturals series (loved it). I didn't enjoy this book as much as Barnes' The Naturals series. This was still an engaging YA political thriller. Tess ends up traveling to DC to live with her sister who and finds out she is a “fixer” for politicians and big wigs in DC. What follows is both a mystery and a thriller involving Tess trying to solve the mystery behind the death of a Supreme Court Justice; meanwhile Tess's sister is also working on the case. When people start dying Tess begins to realize how very serious the situation is.This story follows an interesting premise, but I am not a huge fan of reading about politics and conspiracy theory. Aside from all the "fixing" and politics in here there is a nice side plot about the strained relationship between Tess and her sister.Tess is okay as a character; although she makes a lot of bad decisions throughout this book. Her and her sister cause a lot of issues because they don’t talk to and trust each other; which was frustrating for me as a reader. The story is fairly engaging and it’s paced pretty well. I just had some trouble really getting into the subject matter. When I finished the book I was mostly like “eh, that was okay”.Overall this was an okay YA political thriller. Political thrillers really aren’t my thing, so I wasn’t all that enamoured with the subject matter. I ended up thinking everything about the story was okay but not great. I guess I would recommend if you are a fan of political thrillers, personally this book was not really my cup of tea.

Book preview

The Fixer - Jennifer Lynn Barnes

For Allison, sister-in-law extraordinaire

CONTENTS

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

Chapter 33

Chapter 34

Chapter 35

Chapter 36

Chapter 37

Chapter 38

Chapter 39

Chapter 40

Chapter 41

Chapter 42

Chapter 43

Chapter 44

Chapter 45

Chapter 46

Chapter 47

Chapter 48

Chapter 49

Chapter 50

Chapter 51

Chapter 52

Chapter 53

Chapter 54

Chapter 55

Chapter 56

Chapter 57

Chapter 58

Chapter 59

Chapter 60

Chapter 61

Chapter 62

Chapter 63

Chapter 64

Chapter 65

Acknowledgments

The Long Game teaser

About the Author

Praise for The Fixer

Books by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

CHAPTER 1

As far as I could tell, my history teacher had three passions in life: quoting Shakespeare, identifying historical inaccuracies in cable TV shows, and berating Ryan Washburn. "Eighteen sixty-three, Mr. Washburn. Is that so hard to remember? Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation in eighteen sixty-three."

Ryan was a big guy: a little on the quiet side, a little shy. I had no idea what it was about him that had convinced Mr. Simpson he needed to be taken down a notch—or seven. But more and more, this was how history class went: Simpson called on Ryan, repeatedly, until he made a mistake. And then it began.

As Mr. Simpson railed on, Ryan stared at his desk, his head bowed so far that his chin gouged his collarbone. Sitting directly to his left, I could see the tension in his shoulder muscles, the sweat starting to bead up on his neck.

My grip on my pencil tightened.

"Where is that incredible promise I hear my colleagues chatting about in the teachers’ lounge? Mr. Simpson asked Ryan facetiously. You have a lot of fans at this school, Mr. Washburn. Surely they can’t all be mistaken about your intellectual capacity. Perhaps the emancipation of every enslaved human being in this country is simply not significant enough to merit a student of your remarkable caliber taking note of the date?"

I’m sorry, Ryan mumbled. His Adam’s apple bobbed.

Something inside me snapped. It wasn’t all of the slaves, I said evenly.

Mr. Simpson’s eyes narrowed and flicked over to me. Did you have something to share with the class, Ms. Kendrick?

Yes. I’d long since shed the Southern accent I’d had when I’d moved to Montana at the age of four, but I still had a habit of taking my time with my words. The Emancipation Proclamation, I continued, at my own languid pace, "only freed slaves in the Confederate states. The remaining nine hundred thousand slaves weren’t freed until the ratification of the Thirteenth Amendment in eighteen sixty-five."

A muscle in Mr. Simpson’s jaw ticked. ‘The fool doth think he is wise,’ Ms. Kendrick, ‘but the wise man knows himself to be a fool.’

I’d been up working since five that morning. Beside me, Ryan still hadn’t managed to raise his gaze from his desk.

I leaned back in my seat. Methinks the lady doth protest too much.

Want to tell me why you’re here? The guidance counselor scrolled through my file. When I didn’t provide an immediate answer, she looked up from the computer, folded her hands on the desk, and leaned forward. I’m concerned, Tess.

If you’re talking about the way Mr. Simpson victimizes his most vulnerable students, I am, too.

The words victimize and vulnerable were guidance counselor kryptonite. She pressed her lips together in a thin line. "And you think inappropriate backchat—she read the phrase off the slip Mr. Simpson had written me—is the most constructive way of expressing your concerns?"

I decided that was a rhetorical question.

Tess, this time last year, you were on the girls’ track team. You had nearly perfect attendance. You were, by all reports, sociable enough.

Not sociable, but sociable enough.

Now I’m getting reports of you falling asleep in class, skipping assignments. You’ve already missed five days this semester, and we’re not even three weeks in.

I shouldn’t have stayed home when I had the flu, I thought dully. I’d given myself two days to recover. With absences racking up, that was two days too many. I should have kept my mouth shut in Simpson’s class. I couldn’t afford to draw attention to myself. To my situation. I knew that.

You quit the track team. The guidance counselor was relentless in her onslaught. You no longer seem to associate with any of your peers.

My peers and I don’t have much in common.

I’d never been popular. But I used to have friends—people to sit with at lunch, people who might ask questions if they thought something was wrong.

And that was the problem. These days, friends were a luxury I couldn’t afford.

It was easy enough to make people give up on you if that was the goal.

I’m afraid I have no choice but to call your grandfather. The guidance counselor reached for the phone.

Don’t, I thought. But she was already dialing. I gritted my teeth to keep from reacting and tipping my hand. I forced myself to breathe. Gramps probably wouldn’t answer. If he did, if it went badly, I already had a stack of excuses ready to go.

You must have caught him getting up from a nap.

It’s this new medication his doctor has him on.

He’s not much of a phone person.

The fifteen or twenty seconds it took her to give up on someone answering were torture. My heart still pounding in my ears, I pushed back the urge to shudder with relief. You didn’t leave a message. My voice sounded amazingly calm.

Messages get deleted, she said dryly. I’ll try again later.

The knots in my stomach tightened. I’d dodged a bullet. But with Gramps the way he was, I couldn’t afford to sit around and wait for round two. She wanted me to talk. She wanted me to share. Fine.

Ryan Washburn, I said. Mr. Simpson has it in for him. He’s a nice kid. Quiet. Smart. I paused. He leaves that class every day feeling stupid.

It shouldn’t have been my job to tell her this.

Do you know what we do out at my grandfather’s ranch? Other than raise cattle? I caught her gaze, willing her not to look away. "We take in the horses no one else wants, the ones who’ve been abused and broken and shattered inside until there’s nothing left but animal anger and animal fear. We try to break through that. Sometimes we win. I paused. Sometimes we don’t."

Tess—

I don’t like bullies. I stood to leave. Feel free to call my grandfather and tell him that. I’d say it’s a good bet he already knows.

CHAPTER 2

My gamble appeared to have paid off. The phone didn’t ring that night. Or the next. I kept a low profile at school. I got up early, stayed up late, and held my world together through sheer force of will. It wasn’t much of a routine, but it was mine. By Thursday afternoon, I’d stopped expecting the worst.

That was a mistake.

Standing in the middle of the paddock, my feet planted wide and my arms hanging loose by my sides, I eyed the horse channeling Beelzebub a few feet away. Hey now, I said softly. That’s not very ladylike.

The animal’s nostrils flared, but she didn’t rear back again.

Someday, I murmured, my voice edging up on a croon, I’d like to meet your first owner in a dark alleyway. Behind me, the sound of creaking wood alerted me to the arrival of company. I half expected that to send the horse into another fit, but instead, the animal took a few hesitant steps toward me.

She’s beautiful.

I froze. I recognized that voice—and instantly wished that I hadn’t. Two words. After all this time, that was all it took.

My chest tightened.

I’ll be a while, I said. I didn’t let myself turn around. This particular visitor wasn’t worth getting riled up over.

It’s been too long, Tess.

Whose fault is that? I didn’t bother responding out loud.

You’re good with her. The horse. Ivy didn’t sound the least bit angry at being ignored. That was the way it was with her—sugar and spice and everything nice, right up to the point when she wasn’t.

Go away, I thought. The horse in front of me gave a violent jerk of her head, picking up on the tension in my body. Hey, I murmured to her. Hey now. She slammed her front hooves into the ground. I got the message and began to back away.

We need to talk, Ivy told me when I reached the outer limits of the paddock. Like her presence on the ranch was an everyday occurrence. Like talking was something the two of us did.

I jumped the fence. I need a shower, I countered.

Ivy could not argue with my logic. Or more likely, she chose not to. I had the sense that the great Ivy Kendrick was the kind of person who could successfully argue just about any point—but what did I know? It had been almost three years since the last time I’d seen her.

After your shower, we need to talk. Ivy was nothing if not persistent. I deeply suspected that she wasn’t used to people telling her no. Luckily, there were benefits to being the kind of person known for taking my time with words. I didn’t have to say no. Instead, I walked toward the house, my stride outpacing hers, even though she had an inch or two on me.

I got a call from your guidance counselor, Ivy said behind me. And then I made some calls of my own.

Her words didn’t slow me down, but my gut twisted like a wet towel being wrung out and then wrung out again.

I talked to the ranch hands, Ivy continued.

I climbed up on the front porch, flung open the door, and let it slam behind me when I’d stepped inside. There was a time when slamming a door would have drawn my grandfather’s attention. He would have called me a heathen, threatened to scalp me, and sent me back out onto the porch to try again.

Not anymore.

Ivy’s been asking questions. I escaped to the second floor but couldn’t get away from the certainty bubbling up inside me. She knows.

Enjoy your shower, Ivy called after me. Then we’ll talk.

She was like a broken record. And she knew. I’d tried so hard to keep this secret, to take care of my grandfather, to do this one thing for the man who’d done everything for me, and now . . .

I wasn’t sure exactly what Ivy did in Washington. I didn’t know for a fact that she still lived there. I couldn’t have told you if she was single or dating someone—she might have even been married. What I did know—what I was trying very hard not to know—was that if Ivy had deigned to fly out to Montana and grace the ranch with her presence, she’d done so for a reason.

My sister was a mover, a shaker, a problem solver—and right now, the problem she’d set her sights on solving was me.

CHAPTER 3

I gave myself three minutes to shower. I couldn’t afford to leave Ivy alone with Gramps for longer than that. I shouldn’t have left them alone at all, but I needed a moment. I needed to think.

I hadn’t seen Ivy in nearly three years. She used to make it out to the ranch every few months. The last time she’d come to visit, she’d asked me if I wanted to move to DC and live with her. At thirteen, I’d worshipped the ground my sister walked on. I’d said yes. We’d had plans. And then she’d left. Without any explanation. Without taking me with her.

Without saying good-bye.

She hadn’t been back since. If I can convince her that Gramps and I are okay, she’ll leave again. That should have been comforting. It should have been my glimmer of hope.

I wasn’t thirteen anymore. It shouldn’t have hurt.

I tossed on a pair of sweats and a T-shirt and towel-dried my devil-may-care, too-thick hair. Ivy and I were bookend brunettes, my hair a shade too light to be considered black and my sister’s a fraction too dark to be blond.

She met me at the bottom of the stairs. You ready to talk? Her voice sounded like mine. She spoke faster, but the pitch was the same.

I felt a familiar rush of anger. Did you ever think that maybe I don’t want to talk to you?

Ivy’s mask of pleasantness faltered, just for a second. I got that general sense when you didn’t return my last three phone calls, she said softly.

Christmas. My birthday. Ivy’s birthday. My sister called home exactly three times a year. I’d stopped picking up at approximately the same time that my grandfather had started forgetting little things like keys and names and turning off the stove.

Gramps. I willed myself to concentrate on what mattered here. There’s a situation. It’s my job to get it under control. I rounded the corner into the kitchen, unsure of what I would find.

’Bout time, Bear. My grandfather greeted me with a ruffle of my hair and a cuff to the shoulder.

He knows me. Relief washed over my body. Bear had been his nickname for me for as long as I could remember.

Look who’s finally come to visit, Gramps said, nodding toward Ivy. His voice was gruff, but his hazel eyes were sparkling.

This is good, I thought. I can work with this. I’d been covering for my grandfather’s lapses for the past year. More frequently now than a year ago.

More frequently now than a month ago.

But if today was a good day, Ivy didn’t have to know that. If there was one thing experience had taught me, it was that she wouldn’t stick around to find out.

I know, Gramps, I said, taking a seat at the rickety wooden table that had been falling apart in my grandfather’s kitchen for longer than I’d been alive. I can’t believe we actually merited an in-person Ivy checkup.

My sister’s dark brown eyes locked on to mine.

Ivy? Who’s Ivy? My grandfather gave Ivy a conspiratorial grin before turning back to me. You got an imaginary friend there, Bear?

My heart skipped a beat. I could do this. I had to do this. For Gramps.

I don’t know, I replied, my fingers digging into the underside of my chair. Is ‘imaginary friend’ what they’re calling perpetually absent siblings these days?

You’re the one who stopped returning my calls, Ivy cut in.

Good. Let her focus on me. Let her get mad at me. Anything to keep her from realizing that whatever she’d managed to glean from talking to my guidance counselor and the ranch hands—it wasn’t even the half of it. Nobody knew how bad things were.

Nobody but me.

I didn’t return your calls because I didn’t feel like talking, I told Ivy through gritted teeth. You can’t just check out of our lives and then expect me to drop everything when you finally decide to pick up a phone.

That’s not what happened, Tessie, and you know it.

Getting a rise out of Ivy felt better than it should have. It’s Tess.

Actually, she snapped back, it’s Theresa.

For goodness’ sakes, Nora, my grandfather cut in. She’s only here for two weeks each summer. Don’t get your panties in a twist over a few missed calls.

Ivy’s face went from frustrated to gutted in two seconds flat. Nora was our mother’s name. I barely remembered her, but Ivy was twenty-one when our parents died. The age difference between the two of us always felt massive, but the fact that Ivy had spent seventeen more years with Mom and Dad—that was truly the great divide. To me, the ranch was home, and our grandfather was the only real parent I’d ever known. To Ivy, he was just the grandpa she’d spent two weeks with every summer growing up.

It occurred to me, then, that when she was little, he might have called her Bear, too.

He thinks I’m Ivy, and he thinks Ivy is Mom. There was no covering for this, no barbed comment I could toss out that would make Ivy brush it off. For the longest time, she just sat there, staring at Gramps. Then she blinked, and when her eyes opened again, it was like none of it had ever happened, like she was a robot who’d just rebooted to avoid running a program called excess emotion.

Harry, she said, addressing our grandfather by his first name. I’m Ivy. Your granddaughter. This is Tess.

I know who she is, he grunted. I tried not to see the uncertainty in his eyes.

You do, Ivy replied, her voice soothing but no-nonsense. And you also know that she can’t stay here. You can’t stay here.

Like hell we can’t! I bolted to my feet.

My grandfather slammed his palm into the table. Language, Theresa!

Just like that, I was me again, if only for the moment.

Give us a minute, Tess, Ivy ordered.

Go on, Bear. My grandfather looked old suddenly—and very, very tired. In that instant, I would have done anything he asked. I would have done anything to have him back.

I left them alone in the kitchen. In the living room, I paced as the minutes ticked by. Five. Ten. Fifteen. Around the furniture, in little figure eights, from one side of the room to the other.

You used to do that when you were little. Ivy appeared in the doorway, hovering there for a moment before taking a seat on the couch. You’d do loops around Mom’s feet, the coffee table. Other babies learned to walk. You learned to pace. She smiled slightly. It drove her nuts.

Ivy and I had only lived in the same house for that one year, when I was a baby and she was a senior in high school. I wished sometimes that I could remember it, but even if I could, she’d still be a stranger—one who threatened everything I’d worked so hard to protect.

You should have called me when things got bad, Tess.

Called her? I should have picked up a phone and called her, when she couldn’t even be bothered to visit?

I’m handling it, Ivy. I cursed myself, cursed the guidance counselor for making the call. We’re fine.

No, sweetie, you’re not.

She didn’t get to come here, after years, and tell me I wasn’t fine. She didn’t get to insert herself into our lives, and she didn’t get to call me sweetie.

There’s a treatment center in Boston, she continued calmly. The best in the country. There’s a waiting list for the inpatient facility, but I made some calls.

My stomach twisted sharply. Gramps loved this ranch. He was this ranch. It wouldn’t survive without him. I’d given up everything—track, friends, the hope of ever getting a good night’s sleep—to keep him here, to keep things running, to take care of him, the way he’d always taken care of me.

Gramps is fine. I set my jaw in a mutinous line. "He gets confused sometimes, but he’s fine."

He needs a doctor, Tessie.

So take him to a doctor. I swallowed hard, feeling like I’d already lost. "Figure out what we need to do, what I need to do, and then bring him home."

You can’t stay here, Tess. Ivy reached for my hand. I jerked it back. You’ve been taking care of him, she continued softly. Who’s been taking care of you?

I can take care of myself.

The set of her jaw matched my own. You shouldn’t have to.

She’s right, Bear. I looked up to see Gramps standing in the doorway. Don’t you worry about me, girlie, he ordered. He was lucid—and intractable.

You don’t have to do this, Gramps, I told him. My words fell on deaf ears.

You’re a good girl, Tess, he said gruffly. He met my sister’s eyes and something passed unspoken between them. After a long moment, Ivy turned back to me.

Until we get things settled, I want you to come back with me. She held up a hand to cut off my objections. I’ve talked to a school in DC. You start on Monday.

CHAPTER 4

I’d tell you that you can’t stay mad forever, Ivy commented, but I’m pretty sure you’d take that as a challenge.

I hadn’t spoken to my sister once since we’d checked my grandfather into the facility in Boston. She kept telling me how nice it was, how highly thought of the specialists were, how often we could go to visit. None of that changed the fact that we left him there. I left him. He would wake up in the middle of the night, disoriented, and I wouldn’t be there. He would frantically start looking for the grandmother who’d died before I was even born, and I wouldn’t be there.

He would have good days, and I wouldn’t be there.

If the silent treatment was getting to Ivy, she showed no sign of it as we navigated the DC airport. Her heels clicked against the tile as she stepped off the escalator and glided into the kind of graceful power walk that made everyone else in the airport look twice and get out of her way. She paused for an instant when we came to a row of men in black suits holding carefully lettered signs. Chauffeurs. At the very end of the line was a man wearing a navy blue T-shirt and ripped jeans.

There was a hint of stubble on his suntanned face and a pack of cigarettes in his left hand. In his right hand he, too, held a carefully lettered sign. But instead of writing his client’s last name, he’d opted for: PAIN IN THE *%$&@.

Ivy stalked up to him and handed him her carry-on. Cute.

He smirked. I thought so.

She rolled her eyes. "Tess, meet Bodie. He was my driver and personal assistant, but as of five seconds ago, he’s fired."

I prefer ‘Jack-of-All-Trades,’ Bodie interjected. And I’m only fired until there’s a female you can’t sweet-talk or a law you won’t br—

Ivy cut him off with an all-powerful glare. I mentally finished his sentence: I’m only fired until there’s a female you can’t sweet-talk or a law you won’t break. I darted a glance at Ivy, my eyebrows shooting up. What exactly did my sister do that she needed a chauffeur willing to break laws on her behalf?

Ivy ignored my raised brows and plowed on, unperturbed. Now would be a good time to get our bags, she told Bodie.

You can get your own bags, princess, Bodie retorted. I’m fired. He rocked back on his heels. I will, however, help Tess here with hers out of the goodness of my heart. Bodie didn’t wink at me or smirk, but somehow, I felt as if he’d done both. I’m very philanthropic, he added.

I didn’t reply, but I did let him help me with my bags. The cigarettes disappeared into his back pocket the moment my duffels came into view. Muscles bulged under his T-shirt as he grabbed a bag in each hand.

He didn’t look like anyone’s chauffeur.

Ivy’s house loomed over the pavement, boxy and tall, with twin chimneys on either side. It seemed too big for one person.

I live on the second floor, Ivy clarified as she, Bodie, and I made our way into the house. I work on the first.

It was on the tip of my tongue to ask Ivy what work entailed, but I didn’t. My sister had always been mysteriously close-lipped about her life in Washington. Asking for details now would be taken as a sign of interest.

I’m not interested.

Stepping into an enormous foyer, I concentrated on the sight in front of me: dark wood floors and massive columns gave the expanse the look of a ballroom. To my left, there was an alcove lined with bay windows, and behind that, a hallway lined with doors.

The closed doors go to the conference room and my office. Both are off-limits. The main kitchen is through there, but we mostly use it for entertaining.

We? I wondered. I didn’t let myself get further than that as I followed Ivy up a spiral staircase to what appeared to be a sparsely decorated apartment. The kitchen up here is more of a kitchenette, she told me. I don’t cook much. We mostly order in.

Bodie cleared his throat and when she didn’t respond the first time, he repeated the action, only louder.

We mostly order in, and sometimes Bodie makes pancakes downstairs, Ivy amended. I took that to mean that Bodie was definitely part of Ivy’s we.

Do you live here, Bodie? I asked, darting a sideways glance at Ivy’s driver.

He choked on his own spit. Ahh . . . no, he said, once he’d recovered. I don’t live here. I must have looked skeptical, because he elaborated. Kid, I worked for your sister for a year and a half before she even invited me up here, and that was only because she broke the plumbing.

I did not break the plumbing, Ivy replied testily. It broke itself. She turned back to me. Your room is through here.

My room? I thought. She spoke so casually, I could almost believe that I wasn’t just some unpleasant surprise that fate and Alzheimer’s had dropped in her lap.

Don’t you mean the guest room? I asked.

Ivy opened the bedroom door, and I realized that the room was completely empty—no furniture. Nothing.

Not a guest room.

The room was mostly square, with a nook by the window and a ceiling that sloped

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