Berry The Dead

by Nancy McGovern

  Deputy James shrugged.

  “Just let it be. It’s all over. Okay, Nora?” Kim sighed.

  Nora was lost in thought, her eyes gazing at a painting on the wall. Raquel’s painting of a tree. It was reminding her of something. Her brain prickled, trying to grasp at something just beyond its reach. A thought hidden in shadow. But what was it?

  “Nora?” Perry waved a hand in front of her eyes.

  “Huh?” Nora blinked. “Sorry. I was just thinking of something.”

  Tom Shepherd, who was sitting next to Perry, joked, “How about letting us into those thoughts, then? Maybe we can help.”

  “If you want to help, consider helping Ronnie.” Nora grinned at him, her voice friendly but serious nonetheless. “She’s alone with the kids right now, isn’t she?”

  Tom shifted in his seat, looking grumpy and guilty at the same time. “I’m just picking up some coffee. I’ve been working hard all week. A man’s entitled to some rest, isn’t he?”

  “So’s a woman,” Nora said.

  Scowling, Tom dropped a few notes onto the counter and turned away. “Some way to treat your customers. By the way, Aunt M. asked you to drop by again. Says it’s always fun to see you.”

  Nora nodded. “Sure. Hey, Tom, could you wait for a second? I’d like to talk to you outside. Tina, do you mind?”

  “Go ahead. I’ve got it under control.” Tina smiled.

  Tom didn’t look too pleased at this, but he acquiesced nonetheless.

  *****

  Outside, he turned on Nora, his scowl deeper. “There was no need to humiliate me like that in front of everyone, you know.” His eyes were sparkling. “I get it, I should help Ronnie more often. But who are you to—”

  “I’m a friend, believe it or not,” Nora said. “Tom, Ronnie’s at her wits end. She’s burnt out. Can’t you see that?”

  “I’m burnt out, too!” Tom exclaimed. “All she does these days is nag me. I can’t stand to be around her anymore. She always complaining that the dishes aren’t done or the kids need a bath or whatever and…I don’t know. I’m sick of it. This isn’t the woman I married.”

  “You won’t have a marriage much longer if you stay on this path,” Nora said.

  Tom stared at her, his eyes wide. “What do you mean?”

  “Tom, I’m a mother of two. I’ve been through years when I didn’t have space to breathe for five minutes. I know parenting is stressful, and adulthood is overwhelming. But you know how to get past that?”

  “How?”

  “Work as a team,” Nora said. “Be honest with yourself. Be honest with her. Of course you need time to relax, of course you need space to yourself, to have fun. But she does, too, doesn’t she? Are you on her team as much as you’re on Team Tom? Go home and really think about how many hours you get to yourself, and how many she does. When’s the last time she went out with friends? When’s the last time you did? When did you two last hire a sitter and go on a date?”

  Tom shifted, his scowl deepening. Nora could see guilt blooming in his eyes, only to be immediately covered by defensiveness.

  “It’s hard now but, believe me, this is one of the toughest parts,” Nora said. “Once the kids get to school, it will all get easier.”

  “Since we’re all handing out unsolicited advice, here’s my advice to you,” Tom said. “Stop poking around in other people’s business! You can’t save the world, Nora. Don’t try.”

  “I know I can’t,” Nora agreed. “But boy, do I hate to see good marriages fall apart because people don’t have the patience to tend to them. Just go home and think it over, Tom. Do what’s fair.”

  *****

  Chapter 20

  Red Convertible, Bag Of Cash

  Tom left in a huff as Nora watched him. Perry and Kim Morris emerged from the diner, looking full and happy. Perry had his arm slung around Kim’s shoulders and he gave her a kiss on the cheek as they walked to their car.

  “Hey, lovebirds,” Nora teased. “Got time to answer a few questions?”

  “Again?” Kim laughed. “You’re relentless, Nora.”

  “It’s important, I promise,” Nora said. “And I’ll keep it short, too.”

  “We’ve got all the time in the world for friends,” Perry said. “Go on.”

  “It’s about Matt Whitman,” Nora said.

  “That terrible man.” Perry scowled. “He was a terrible employee, too. He had the cheek to ask me for more money after I’d fired him! Can you imagine? Even threatened to sue me. I just laughed and told him to try it. I don’t like being pushed around.”

  “Did you ever ask him to clear out a bunch of doll’s eye plants?” Nora asked.

  Perry nodded. “Sure. There was a bunch of them growing in a garden on one of our company’s properties. Matt never got around to it, though I reminded him ten times.”

  “I googled it,” Nora said. “I was reminded of it somehow when we were talking inside. That painting of Raquel’s…anyway. Doll’s eyes are the plants that produce white baneberries!”

  “Oh?” Perry looked mildly interested.

  “So, Matt Whitman had access to white baneberries!” Nora exclaimed. “Surely the police will want to know this. That’s the berry that poisoned Zoey!”

  Perry and Kim looked at each other. Perry shrugged. “I mean, I still think Brock did it. But, whatever, go ahead.”

  “But don’t you see...” Nora paused, then gave up. She didn’t want to harass Perry and Kim on their anniversary. “Oh, alright. Off with you two. Happy anniversary! Do you have big plans?”

  “I’ve got work, actually.” Perry sighed. “For a few hours, at least. Then it’s off to a nice spa and maybe a fancy dinner.”

  “Sounds lovely,” Nora said.

  “Hey, tell Harvey I’ll see him tomorrow, will you?” Perry said. “I suppose you know all about it by now.”

  “Sure,” Nora said. “It’s really a generous offer you’re making Harvey, but the company’s worth it.”

  “It sure is.” Perry grinned. “Knowing Harvey, he’s going to make sure his lawyers come down hard on me. That’s the game, I guess.”

  “And nobody plays it better than you, darling,” Kim said. “Now, come on, the sooner you get to work, the sooner you’re done!”

  *****

  Nora watched them drive away then looked down at her phone, which was beeping piteously. With a sigh, she realized she’d forgotten her charger at home, and her phone’s battery was nearly dead. She popped into the diner to tell Tina she’d be back in fifteen minutes, then headed home.

  Her head was buzzing as she drove.

  Brock’s suicide wasn’t a suicide, she was sure of it. It was the killer again, disguising his crime as best as he could. And it had worked, hadn’t it? The town was satisfied with thinking that Zoey’s ex-husband had committed the crime. Anything to return to that normal, safe feeling.

  Only Nora knew that it wasn’t Brock. No way. If he’d been distressed by guilt yesterday, she would have seen it. Yet, she’d seen something hadn’t she? She’d seen something in Brock’s eyes that she couldn’t read. What had it been? She thought back to their conversation, focusing as hard as she could.

  Nora had mentioned the package to Brock and asked him where Zoey could have hidden it. Brock’s eyes had lit up then, just for a second, he’d known where Zoey would have put it. But why had he started acting so funny after that?

  Nora racked her brain, trying to come up with an answer. But all she could think of were Brock’s words to her: “I told you — me, Zoey, a red convertible and a bag full of money. That was my biggest dream in life. But now it’s all gone.”

  But that wasn’t true, was it? No. It wasn’t true at all. Zoey was gone, and maybe Brock was heartbroken about it, but Brock was a hardened criminal. Maybe, just maybe, he’d realized that the parcel held the key to the second part of his dreams: a red convertible and a bag full of money.

  Sure, Zoey had left him some money, but Brock had told her Nora wasn
’t nearly enough. What if he’d thought that, with the contents of the package, he could somehow gain more? That would be reason enough for him to hide its location from Nora.

  Alright, and then what? Somehow, the murderer had gotten to him and created a fake suicide? Nora sighed. She’d hit a wall once again.

  She parked her car in the driveway and went around to the back of the house. At the kitchen door, just as she was about to insert her key into the lock, she paused. She heard a noise inside. A noise that made her freeze.

  *****

  Chapter 21

  The Laughter

  It was laughter that made Nora freeze on her doorstep. It had been a long time since she’d heard Hazel laughing this way — wild and with no restraint. She looked through the window and saw Grace by the stove with an apron on and Hazel leaning on the counter next to her.

  “So then, after you’ve eaten like half of it, you add in the chocolate, bit by bit,” Grace was saying. “Careful not to burn it. Mix it well with the butter and you get this gooey, amazing mixture.”

  “I’d probably just get greedy and end up eating that instead of waiting to make it into a brownie.” Hazel laughed.

  “Patience, young padawan,” Grace said. “Now we sift in the flour and make ourselves a nice batter. You see? It’s thicker than cake batter, that’s the trick with brownies. It’s more buttery, and we put in less flour.”

  “Mmmm.” Hazel sniffed the air. “Wonderful.”

  “And into the oven it goes,” Grace said, placing it in. “A nice surprise for Mom when she’s home.”

  “She’ll love it,” Hazel said. “She loves everything about you.”

  “And I love everything about her,” Grace said. “Even if she is stodgy and old-fashioned sometimes and gives lectures that are way too long.”

  “Oh, you don’t know the half of it.” Hazel sighed.

  “Don’t I? I hear you’ve been fighting with Mom and Dad a lot lately.”

  “Mom, mostly,” Hazel clarified.

  “How come?” Grace asked.

  “I don’t know.” Hazel said. “You wouldn’t understand.”

  “Try me,” Grace urged.

  “It’s just...” Hazel’s voice broke a little. “I feel lost, Grace.”

  Grace cocked her head. “Lost?”

  “Everywhere on Facebook, everyone I went to school with is happy. They’re on vacations or they’re getting promoted at work or they’re graduating college with perfect GPAs. Me? I’m sitting at home eating cereal and struggling to find a job. I feel like a loser every minute of every day.”

  “Hey, that’s just life, Hazel—”

  “No, it’s not. I feel like I messed up, Grace. I’m terrified. Dropping out of college was the hardest thing I’ve ever done but…studying’s just not for me. It was wearing my soul down being there. I’m not like you. I never was.”

  “You don’t have to be,” Grace said. “You’re fine being yourself. If dropping out is what you want to do right now, maybe that’s okay.”

  “Yeah I know. But Mom and Dad don’t get it. They think I’m a loser, too, you know. I’m twenty and I feel like I’ve messed up my life in ways that can’t be undone. Like there’s no hope for me. I disappointed them…and I’ve disappointed me, too.” Tears were pouring down Hazel’s cheeks.

  “Oh, Hazel.” Grace put her arms around Hazel and gave her a tight hug.

  This was all Nora could take. She opened the kitchen door and burst in. Both Grace and Hazel looked up. Hazel immediately tried to hide her tears with a towel but Nora wasn’t having it.

  “Grace, would you mind leaving us alone for a bit?” Nora asked.

  “Sure.” With a slight smile on her face, Grace backed out of the kitchen. They heard her feet stomping up the stairs.

  “Hey, Mom.” Hazel was awkwardly wiping away her tears when Nora enveloped her in a hug. Hazel resisted for a second, then broke down into tears again, sobbing on Nora’s chest.

  “Oh, sweetheart,” Nora said. “Why didn’t you tell me? Why didn’t you tell me you felt that way?”

  “I thought it was obvious.” Hazel sniffed. “The truth is always obvious, isn’t it?”

  “Far from it,” Nora said. “You’re always so prickly and confident, I never guessed what you were feeling.”

  “But it is true, isn’t it?” Hazel asked. “I am a loser. I flunked college twice. I still live at home. At my age Grace had a scholarship and a job.”

  “Sweetheart, everyone has their own path in life,” Nora explained. “I love your sister and I’m very proud of her achievements. But that doesn’t mean I love you any less, or that I’m not proud of who you are, too.”

  “Yeah, right,” Hazel scoffed. “Like there’s anything to be proud of.”

  “Of course, there is. You’re a sweetheart, Hazel. Everyone who works with you loves you. I hear nothing but praises about you. Zoey, Matt, even Kim — they all adore you. You’re hard working and a good person, and that’s what matters in life.”

  Hazel sniffed. “Really?”

  “Really,” Nora confirmed. “Look, darling. You’re young, and you make mistakes. That’s life. At your age, your father was locked up for a bar fight. Did you know that?”

  “No.” Hazel brightened. “I didn’t.”

  “It’s not something he’s very proud of, but there it is,” Nora said. “Everyone makes mistakes. I was a confused, lost soul when I was twenty. And I had a negative bank balance. I didn’t feel much older than ten. The thing is, I didn’t have social media. I didn’t compare the drudging routine of my daily life to a hundred other people’s highlights. That’s what social media shows, really. Just the highlights. The good stuff. Not the tears and frustration and roadblocks.”

  “Yeah… that’s true,” Hazel conceded.

  “I believe in you, okay?” Nora said. “So does your father. We didn’t offer you that job at the diner because we felt you were too useless to succeed anywhere else. We offered it to you because we’d be proud and happy to have you learn under us, and grow to eventually take the place over.”

  “Aw, Mom, I told you. It’s not for me—”

  “And that’s okay,” Nora said. “Just as long as you know we don’t think you’re a loser, or a disappointment.”

  “Not even a little?”

  “Not even a little,” Nora said. “You’ll do fine, darling. You’re a good girl and you’ll find your own way eventually. I know it.”

  Hazel’s face glowed. “Thanks, Mom,” she said.

  “Just remember not to compare yourself to others. The only person you need to compare yourself to is—”

  “Me from yesterday.” Hazel rolled her eyes. “Alright, I’ve heard that speech a million times before, Mom.”

  “Well, why don’t you actually think about it sometime?” Nora kissed her. “I’ll cut my lecture short this time. I know you hate them.”

  “I don’t really. I guess I needed this,” Hazel said. “I’m just a jerk sometimes. Sorry, Mom.” She kissed Nora on the cheek and Nora felt her own heart glow a little, too.

  “I’ve got to go,” Hazel continued. “I’ve got a meeting with Matt about the company. He’s having some money issues. I’ll see you in the evening, okay?”

  Hazel tossed this out casually, but her eyes searched her mother’s face, and Nora knew what she was looking for. She was searching for a reaction. Nora had two choices: she could be protective and forbid Hazel from seeing Matt or she could let her little girl go and trust her to make her own mistakes and recover from them. It was a tremendous struggle. For a split second, Nora wavered. Then she made her decision — it was time to cut the apron strings and let her little chick fly on her own path.

  Quietly, Nora said, “Good luck with it. I’m sure you’ll figure out a way if you put your heads together.”

  Surprise, then joy, bloomed on Hazel’s face. She hugged Nora tightly then skipped out of the door, humming a song as she went.

  Nora smiled as she watched her
go, feeling her heart ache. Something had changed now and things would never be the same again. Without looking back, Nora cleared her throat and blinked away the tears in her eyes.

  Then she said, “You can come out now, Grace. I know you never went up.”

  Grace peeked around the kitchen door and grinned. “That old trick of pretending to stomp away doesn’t work on you anymore?”

  “It never did.” Nora smiled.

  “Well, you’re not the only one with tricks.” Grace grinned. “I guess my little trick worked, too.”

  “What do you mean?” Nora asked.

  “I knew you were on the doorstep, Mom.” Grace laughed. “You think you’re so sneaky but, really, you’re completely transparent sometimes. I brought up the conversation so you and Hazel could talk it out.”

  Nora felt like Grace had bolted her to the floor. Grace’s words opened up a door in her mind and something clicked into place.

  Grace raised her nose and sniffed. “Smells like the brownies are nearly done,” she said.

  Nora clutched at the kitchen table, stumbling a little. Her brain was in overdrive. She’d been a fool. She’d been such a fool!

  “Mom?” Grace looked worried. “Are you alright?”

  “I have to go,” Nora said, her voice tight. “I…I have to go right now.”

  “Where?”

  “To catch a killer!” Nora exclaimed as she raced out of the house.

  *****

  Chapter 22

  To Catch A Killer

  Nora knocked furiously on the door, wondering if it would ever open. She took a deep breath, then another, trying her best to calm down.

  “Nora?” Kim Morris opened the door, looking surprised. She had an apron and yellow house-cleaning gloves on. “I didn’t expect to see you.”

  “May I come in?” Nora asked. “We need to talk. It’s about Perry.”