Contents
Death Of A Psychic
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Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Epilogue
One More Thing
A Recipe For You!
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Disclaimer
A MURDER IN MILBURN
BOOK 8:
Death Of A Psychic
By
Nancy McGovern
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Chapter 1
Green Eyes, Hypnotize
One of Nora’s favorite memories of childhood starred Mac and Cheese. Each Saturday afternoon, her parents would have their little “dates” and leave her alone in the house to do as she liked. Nora’s choice would be to grab the leftover Mac and Cheese from the refrigerator, arm herself with a pile of new comics borrowed from the library, and read at the dining table with her feet thrown up on the chair across from her. Because of it, even now, she preferred her Mac and Cheese cold rather than hot.
“Which makes you an absolute freak, you know,” her best friend and partner, Tina, said. “No sensible person could possibly prefer wet, soggy Mac and Cheese to the hot, crusty, piping, sticky, cheesy food of the Gods!”
“You’ve used up all your adjectives there,” Nora grinned. “I’m just saying… it’s fine when it’s hot, but tastes best when chilled overnight.”
“Thank God you aren’t insisting on cold macaroni at the Gala,” Tina said. “I can just imagine how May Almand would scrunch up her nose, and how the Mayor would look nervous while trying to nicely tell you he didn’t like it.”
Nora laughed. The Milburn Annual Gala was a small but riotous party. Each year, it would start off staid and boring as the Mayor gave his speech and honored two or three upstanding citizens with an award. Soon after, the dancing and party games would begin, and before the night was over, Sheriff Sean inevitably broke up three fights, consoled a break-up or two, and chucked out a dozen teenagers who were trying to sneak a taste of alcohol. It was all in good fun, though, and Nora had always had a blast.
This time, to her pride, she and Tina would be catering at the Gala, serving up a small buffet, with part of the profit going toward repainting the children’s wing at the hospital. To make her even more proud, her husband, Harvey, was one of the two men who was to be given the “Toast of the Town” award this year. Tina, who was a very skilled designer, had helped create the trophies, which consisted of a bronze sculpture of toast standing at a 45-degree angle on a heavy, circular, wooden base.
As they stood behind the counter of The Madness Diner, Tina went over every last detail of their catering plan.
“Tonight’s got to be perfect!” Tina said. “If we can show Mayor Almand that we’re just as good as the Jackson Caterers, and a little cheaper to boot, I think we’ll have all government events locked down for business. Think of the dollars, Nora! I can surprise Sam with that new watch he’s been eyeing. Plus, we can renovate this tired, old interior.”
“I like the look of this place just fine!” Nora exclaimed. She was fond of the Madness Diner’s unique design - a mix of magenta, mint and dark wood that both caught and soothed the eye.
“It’s been three years, and the seats definitely need to be redone,” Tina said. “Plus, I’m sick of the artwork on the wall. We should have some jazzy, modern art instead of these tired old landscapes you like. Or, maybe, we could hang large prints of retro movie posters and band albums!”
“Or maybe we could invest the money in some new kitchen equipment,” Nora said. “The grill is on its last leg, and the dishwasher needs to be replaced before it drowns us all one day. Plus I was thinking-”
“Don’t be boring, Nora! Dishwashers and grills? Marriage has made you ten years older already.”
“Has not!” Nora protested.
“Well, that retort was perfectly juvenile so maybe I’m wrong, after all,” Tina grinned. “How are things with Harvey, anyway?”
“Marvellous,” Nora smiled. “Since finally graduating from our rental and moving into our new house last week it’s been wonderful. That reminds me, I have to throw a housewarming party soon!”
“Let me know if you need help with the interiors,” Tina smiled.
“No, but thank you. Harvey and I want to do it up slowly,” Nora said. “Maybe bring a single unique souvenir each time we travel and fill up the house over the years.”
“It’s a really grand house,” Tina smiled. “I love the red brick with the grey roof and the flowers at every window. It’s a lovely place. And on Mulberry Road. Just beautiful.”
“Yeah, but it just doesn’t quite feel like home yet,” Nora said. “Sometimes I still miss Mrs. Mullally and the little, yellow cottage.”
“Well, you still see your old landlady every other day so you can’t miss her too much,” Tina smiled.
“But it isn’t the same,” Nora said. “You know she’s going to rent my room again? She’s looking for a tenant.”
“Well, speaking of Mrs. Mullally, there she is,” Tina waved, seeing Mrs. Mullally walk by with a brown grocery bag tucked in one arm and a leash with the hyperactive Maynard clutched in the other. Mrs. Mullally waved back, hesitated, then turned and walked into the diner.
“Hello, Mrs. M!” Nora greeted her with a hug. “Isn’t this your usual afternoon nap time? What are you doing, out and about?”
“Oh, I couldn’t sleep today. I’m quite excited about the Gala,” Mrs. M. said. “May Almand called me and said that, as the oldest citizen in town, I’m going to receive an award tonight, too! I had to take a walk to calm myself. Maynard still isn’t over it.”
Maynard, who was now a dignified dog and no longer a puppy, nevertheless broke into a series of excited yaps and began to bounce at the end of his leash.
“Oh, boy, he needs to get all that energy out before he hurts himself!” Tina said, grabbing his leash. “I need a break, too. How about I walk him around the block?”
“That’ll be lovely,” Mrs. Mullally said. “I don’t give him as much exercise as he needs, I think. Though he is messing about in the front yard all day every day.”
“I’ll come by more often to walk him,” Nora said, feeling a pang of guilt.
“Oh, absolutely not,” Mrs. Mullally said. “You’re a newly married woman and you need to focus on settling down in your own home. Though I do really appreciate all of the delicious meals you bring me.”
“Well, you really need it. Everytime I see you, you look thinner,” Nora said. “I’ve got to fatten you up!” Saying this, she served Mrs. Mullally a cup of coffee and a slice of freshly made cherry pie. She added a dollop of ice cream on the side.
“Oh, this is too much!” Mrs. Mullally exclaimed. “I couldn’t eat it all!”
“You have to try it,” Nora said, pointing at the ice cream. “Simone’s made a deal with me. She sends me ice cream at discounted rates and I do research to tell her which flavors sell best. Win-win situation.”
“What’s this flavor, then?” Mrs. Mullally dug a spoon into the scoop then closed her eyes in bliss as she tasted it. “Mmm. Nut and caramel with a hint of cinnamon. I love it.”
“Speaking of nuts…” Nora tensed as the door jangled and two women walked in.
Although there was a twenty five year age gap between them, the mother and daughter looked almost identical. The mother, Rosemary Worth, had dark brown hair cut in a short, sharp bob, a pointed chin and shining green eyes that radiated intensity. She was wearing a sleeveless tank top, revealing beautifully tanned arms, the skin still tight and young, and dark jeans that fit her like a second skin.
Rosemary’s daughter, Donna, had longer hair that she mostly wore in a top-knot, the same pointed chin and identical green eyes. Yet her eyes lacked her mother’s vitality, as did her general demeanour. When Rosemary walked into a room, people would stop and stare. Rosemary would meet each stare with a confident smile and sparkling gaze. Donna, on the other hand, was a meek little thing whose shoulders would droop and eyes would skitter away if anyone gave her much attention. Even now, she blushed and looked down as Nora gave them a friendly greeting. Rosemary, however, ignored Nora completely. With a few haughty strides, she was beside Mrs. Mullally. Then, pointing a finger at Mrs. Mullally, she exclaimed, “You talked to Frank last night, did you? You’re his so-called friend?”
Nora immediately bristled at her tone and was about to berate her for talking to Mrs. Mullally that way, when Mrs. Mullally replied. “Well, so you’re the Rosemary I’ve heard so much about! Your descriptions don’t do you justice.”
Despite herself, Rosemary seemed to puff up at the praise. “Seeing the real thing is always better than hearing about it,” she said.
“Oh, in this case it sure is. I was imagining a crocodile with a wig on, and instead I see you’re a lizard,” Mrs. Mullally said.
Nora’s eyes widened. In all the time she’d known Mrs. Mullally, her landlady had been the sweetest, most down-to-earth person who’d never said an unkind word about even the worst of people. Yet here she was picking a fight with Rosemary Worth. What had ticked her off?
“I don’t know much about crocodiles and lizards,” Rosemary said, her face coloring, “but I know a little something about snakes, and you’re one, Mullally. Don’t come in between me and Frank again! It’s none of your business what he decides. Who are you to interfere anyway?”
“I’m a friend,” Mrs. Mullally said calmly. “You do know what those are, don’t you, Rosemary? Though I doubt you’ve ever had one.”
“Mom, please, let’s just go. I’m not hungry anymore.” Donna pulled on her mother’s sleeve. Rosemary shook it off. Her face was becoming stormy, her eyes flashing lightning bolts at Mrs. M. “I’m warning you, Mullally. Lay off.”
“And I’m warning you Rosemary!” Mrs. Mullally thundered, suddenly getting to her feet. “If you don’t watch out, you’ll come to a nasty end one of these days!”
The doorbell jangled and Sean and his wife, Karen, who had just entered, gaped at Mrs. Mullally as she punctuated her words with a short, sharp jab in Rosemary’s direction. It would’ve been comical if it weren’t so shocking. Rosemary turned around, saw the Sheriff, and dragged her daughter away into a corner booth without another word.
“Entering a boxing match, Mrs. Mullally?” Sean asked, sitting on the counter beside her. His wife, Karen, took the seat on the opposite side of Mrs. Mullally and gave Nora a questioning look. Nora just shrugged, bewildered.
Mrs. Mullally was breathing heavily and her skin was turning red in patches. Sean placed a hand on her shoulder and his eyebrows drew together. “Hey now, are you alright, Mrs. M? Want me to give you a ride back home?”
“I’d very much like that,” Mrs. Mullally said. “Nora, could you drop Maynard off later? And please thank Tina for walking him.” Her lips were pressed together, with not a smile to be had out of them.
“Sure,” Nora said. “But Mrs. M…”
Before she could ask any questions, her old landlady had already marched off with Sean jogging after her to keep up. A minute later, Nora saw Sean’s cruiser pull out of the parking lot.
“What was that?” Karen asked Nora. “I’ve never seen Mrs. M so angry!”
“Me, neither,” Nora said, shooting a look toward the back of the diner where Rosemary and her daughter sat studying their menus. “Looks like she’s not too fond of our new neighbor.”
“Rosemary?” Karen lowered her voice. “I went to her the other day, you know. She’s a really good psychic. She knew at once that I’d faced a tragedy in my life, and that I was scared of spiders!”
“Please, Karen. Everyone in town knows what happened to your ex-husband, and I don’t know a single woman on earth who isn’t scared of spiders!” Nora said. “I don’t mean to be insensitive, but psychics are all scam-artists.”
“Not her,” Karen said with a shudder. “Some people really do have the power, Nora. They’re blessed with it. And she’s definitely one of them. Just try and meet her eyes for more than a second! I guarantee you, you’ll either be hypnotized or forced to look away.”
But Nora, who was already thinking of the logistics for the gala that night, had no time to look into Rosemary’s green eyes, no matter how hypnotic. Forgetting Mrs. Mullally’s outburst, she immersed herself in work.
*****
Chapter 2
Mac & Cheese
“This is amazing!” Harvey said as he scooped up a forkful of Mac and Cheese. “I love it, Nora. I mean it. I could have this every day for the rest of my life!”
“It’s not too sweet, is it?” Nora asked, anxious. The Gala had yet to begin, and her husband, Harvey, had come over early to give her moral support. Nora and Tina had already set up the buffet and both were going to work in tandem, manning it until midnight.
“It’s brilliant. Sweet, sour, spicy,” Harvey marvelled. “What’s the secret?”
Nora smiled.
“Jalapeno and pineapple,” she said. “I made regular Mac and Cheese, too, in case there are purists who want it plain.”
“They’re missing out if they do,” Harvey smiled. He speared a party sausage and popped it into his mouth. “I’m going to eat myself into a coma if you don’t push me away, darling. This is all fabulous.”
Nora reached out and gave his hand a squeeze. Even after years of being a chef, trying out new recipes always gave her stage fright. She’d worked so hard on this one, too. She’d tried incorporating the Jalapeno at various times, adding jalapeno juice in the roux, adding it after the sauce was done, mixing chopped jalapeno pieces with the mac and cheese. After five different versions, she’d settled on the best way to make her new Sweet & Spicy Mac and Cheese.
Her final recipe involved browning the butter first, then making a roux by adding flour slowly. After that, she would slowly pour milk, pineapple juice and jalapeno liquid into the the roux before adding cheese to the sauce and using it to coat the macaroni. Finally, she would mix in some more pineapple and jalapeno bits, top it all off with buttered breadcrumbs and cheese, and pop it into the oven till the crust was golden-delicious.
Tina had loved it and, now, so had Harvey. Nora, herself, thought it was good, as well. But she still wasn’t sure if the combination of sweet and spicy would be as attractive to others.
She didn’t need to worry, though. Even before the mayor gave his speech, an entire pan of the Mac and Cheese had vanished, and more than one person had gotten back in line for seconds. Nora felt the anxiety in her stomach loosen a bit.
“Delicious work, Chef!” Tina grinned at her. The other dishes at the buffet were doing well, too. The roast beef with mushrooms and shallots in plum sauce was popular, as was the vegetable medley with lemon-garlic sauce. For dessert, Tina had baked up a magnificent set of rose-flavored cupcakes and chocolate mousse, while Simone had provided a large vat of mango sorbet.
The town hall was packed. A large dome structure that had been around since Milburn’s founding in 1899, the hall was one of the town’s foremost architectural landmarks. The building had wide steps leading up to Greek-style pillars and a set of thick, chestnut double-doors. Inside, the hall had wooden floo
ring, a diamond-cut chandelier and large French windows that led to a pretty, little garden. The main hall was surrounded by six tiny rooms that had once been used as municipal offices. Now, the door to each room had a poster on it, with a local business advertised. The hall itself looked quite festive, too. Large banners had been set up for the Gala, with streamers and pretty, little colored lights hanging from the walls.
Nora noted that one of the rooms had a long line stretching to it. She nudged Tina.
“Why is there a line outside the room with the blue door?” she asked.
“That? Rosemary, the psychic, has set up a stall inside,” Tina said. “See? There’s her daughter selling tickets for admission.”
Nora recognized Donna, who was standing at the entrance of the hall, a wad of tickets in her hand. She didn’t seem as interested in selling them, however, as she did in speaking to the nervous, young man in a suit who stood looking up at her with puppy-dog eyes. But it was the other man next to her that really caught Nora’s eye. He was tall with an angular jaw and deep green eyes and looked like the male version of Rosemary, only twice as strikingly beautiful. Every girl in the room was checking him out, and the smirk on his face said that he knew it.
Briefly, Rosemary came out of the room and rushed to talk to the man. Immediately, Nora could tell that they were twins. The man’s jaw was harder and his lips a little thinner, but the rest of his face was a carbon copy of Rosemary’s. They looked absolutely gorgeous together.
Rosemary had chosen to wear a red peasant dress that evening, with a flowery shawl covering her shoulders and dangling diamond earrings glinting at her ears. Not a man in the hall could resist looking at her. The smirk on her face showed that she knew it, too.
There was a short burst of static as Mayor Almand tapped on the mic. He cleared his throat and began what was supposed to be a short welcome speech.
“Oh! This is my cue,” Nora said. “Man the buffet, will you Tina? I have to be beside Harvey when he wins. And Mrs. Mullally, too!”
Death Of A Psychic Page 1
