The Milburn Big Box Set

by Nancy McGovern

  “I… I don’t know.”

  “He knows. Harvey knows about Joe. So I need you to tell me where he is right now!”

  Nora swept out her arms, looking for something to hold, something with which to protect herself. Accidentally, she knocked the lamp off Harvey’s bedside, causing a huge clatter.

  From the next room, she heard Sean shout. “Everything okay? Nora?”

  The confusion had the man loosen his hold over her, and Nora shouted, “Sergio’s here!”

  A cold blade pressed around her throat. “I’ll kill you,” Sergio growled. “I’ll kill you if you don’t tell me where he is right now!”

  “Sergio, I don’t know-”

  “She’s my wife!” Sergio growled. “Mine! Harvey has no right to her.”

  “Harvey isn’t seeing her,” Nora choked out. “He isn’t interested in Tiffany.”

  “Oh, isn’t he? Then why did I see her leave his house tonight?” Sergio asked. “I would have followed her, but she got away, so I came back. I came back to get Harvey.”

  “Sergio, I don’t know what you’re talking about. Harvey loves me. He isn’t seeing her.”

  “She was here,” Sergio said. “I can smell her perfume in the air. She was here. You know, you know where Harvey goes to hide. Tell me or I’ll cut you!”

  Sean entered the room, his gun held in front of him, and Sergio let out another roar.

  Never in her life had Nora felt this scared. Sergio’s heart was racing next to her ear. His hand dug into her shoulder, and the cold blade was slowly inching into her skin. She couldn’t even breathe for fear.

  “Sergio!” Sean said. “Drop the weapon. Let her go.”

  “So you can shoot me?” Sergio shouted. “No thanks!”

  “I won’t shoot you. I promise. Just let her go.”

  “Harvey,” Sergio said. “Bring me Harvey first.”

  “I’ll do that,” Sean said. “It’s no secret I don’t like him much either, right buddy? You and me, we’re on the same side. Harvey’s the jerk, isn’t he?” Sean’s voice sounded like that of a circus trainer, whispering to a roaring lion, soothing it.

  Whatever drugs Sergio had inhaled prevented him from being soothed. “I just want Harvey! Or she dies!”

  “We don’t know where Harvey is,” Sean said. “Why are you looking for him?”

  “It’s Joe!” Sergio said, weeping. “It’s always been Joe. Oh, I hate Tiffany, I hate her. She ruined my life. I was a good guy. I wasn’t bright, and I wasn’t strong, but I was good. Then she came into my life. She ruined me. She made me buy her things. She made me do drugs. She made me steal. Everything for her. Everything for us. She said we were a family. But then… then she ran away. She took everything I had-”

  “So now you want revenge,” Sean said. “I understand. I understand. I’d want revenge too.”

  “I just want JOE!” Sergio screamed.

  His grip on her loosened, and Nora kicked him on the shin, simultaneously pushing his hand away from her throat. She dove to the side, and heard the explosive noise of a gunshot.

  For moments after, the world seemed to blur, and her ears were ringing. Then, two strong hands lifted her, and she was drawn into a strong embrace. Kisses rained down on her.

  She pushed away, and was pulled back into the embrace.

  “Nora. Oh, my God, Nora, are you all right?”

  “Harvey?” Nora looked up. “Harvey!”

  He had a cut on his cheek, a long scratch. His eyes were filled with terror as he looked at her. For once, his hands were shaking. “I thought… I thought I’d lose you!”

  “What happened?” Nora tried to look behind him, but he didn’t let her.

  “No, it’s all right. Don’t look,” he said.

  She pushed him away.

  Sergio lay on the ground, a pool of blood spreading out under him. Sean was leaning next to him, measuring his pulse.

  “I shot him,” Harvey said. “I saw he was holding you and I shot him.”

  “Good aim, too,” Sean said. “He’s stone cold. Got him square in the back of his head.”

  “Sean, please!” Harvey said.

  “I’ll have to call the others,” Sean said. “I don’t say this often, Harvey, but good job.”

  “Good job?” Harvey put his hands in his pockets so Sean wouldn’t see them shake. “I didn’t like doing it, Sean.”

  “No one ever does, but it’s necessary sometimes.” Sean sighed. “He was manic. I think he could quite easily have killed her.”

  “Where were you?” Nora asked Harvey.

  “Me? Oh, I was…” Harvey looked blank, completely blank.

  “We were about to swing by your office,” Sean said. “You weren’t home, but Sergio must have been hiding in the bedroom waiting for you. See here? Broken window. That’s how he got in.”

  “Yes,” Harvey said. “I knew something wasn’t right because the lights were on and I always put them out. I went around the side of the house, and crept to the back, then I heard Nora scream from my bedroom. I raced to the window and saw Sergio threatening her. After that, the moment Nora dove away, I shot him.”

  Sean nodded. “There’ll probably be some court work you’ll need to do, but it should be all right. He broke into your house, and was threatening Nora. I think you’ll get off clean.”

  “I don’t care about that.” Harvey sat down on the bed, still looking shaken. “When I think that he might have hurt her-”

  “He kept saying that you know about Joe,” Nora said. “Any idea what he meant?”

  Harvey shook his head. “I don’t have the faintest clue. He was a madman, clearly.”

  “He was looking for Tiffany,” Sean said. “A domestic dispute gone bad. Men like this look so tough, but they’re nothing more than babies inside. He was crazy about Tiffany, clearly. In his madness, he was willing to harm anyone who got in his way.”

  “But why would he think Harvey was in the way?” Nora asked. “Harvey had no relation to Tiffany. He’s never even met her!”

  “Well, Harvey tackled him earlier today,” Sean said. “A man like Sergio, he probably had delusions. Probably thought just because Harvey helped save her in the afternoon, that meant she was his woman.” Sean sighed. “I can’t pretend to understand any of this. I’m just sorry, Harvey. This has been a terrible day for you both.”

  “It’s mad,” Harvey said.

  “Come on.” Sean led them both out. “The clean up team will be here soon. I don’t think you want to stay here tonight, do you, Harv?”

  “You can stay at my place,” Nora said. “I’m sure Mrs. Mullally won’t mind letting you sleep on the couch.”

  Harvey shook his head. “No… I… I think I’ll go sleep in my own office. I have a couch there. I don’t want to disturb Mrs. Mullally.”

  “Don’t be silly, Harvey, she’ll welcome you. Especially after she hears you saved my life. Come over. I don’t want you by yourself tonight.”

  “Nora’s right,” Sean said. “After what you just did, I’d say you probably want to be with her today. You need the company.”

  “No. I don’t,” Harvey said. “What I need is to be alone and think. I’m sorry, Nora, I just… I can’t.”

  Nora felt the sting of tears in her eyes. Why was Harvey behaving this way? What was wrong? In the back of her mind, a voice whispered the name Tiffany. She stifled that voice - Harvey would never cheat on her. She was being ridiculous. Wasn’t she?

  “I’ll drop you home,” Harvey said. “Sean has to stay here, right? Come on. The sooner we’re out of here, the better it will be.”

  “All right,” Sean said. “Hey, Harvey?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Mind giving me that gun of yours? I noticed you slipped it in your pocket afterwards. I know it’s yours free and clear, I just need it for forensics. I want everything above board.”

  “Oh. Of course.” Harvey took it out of his pocket, wrapped it in a handkerchief, and handed it to Sean. “I’m alwa
ys glad to cooperate,” he said.

  “What’s wrong, Harvey?” Nora asked, as soon as they’d got into the car.

  “Nothing’s wrong,” he said. He took a deep breath. “Everything’s wrong.”

  “Harvey…”

  “I’m tired, Nora.” He put his head against the headrest and closed his eyes. “It’s been a bewildering, tiring day.”

  “So why don’t you come sleep at Mrs. Mullally’s?”

  “Because I…” Harvey bit his lip. “I have work to do.”

  “Unfinished business?” Nora asked. “Again?”

  “Yes.”

  She stayed silent. She stayed silent for so long, that Harvey opened his eyes, and turned to look for her. He slid his hand across, and placed it over her.

  “I love you, Nora,” he said. “Do you understand that? I love you very much.”

  She looked up at him. There was not a trace of humor in his eyes. He looked almost as though he were pleading with her.

  “You love me too, right?”

  “Of course,” she said. “You know I do.”

  “Then trust me,” he said. “Please. I need some time alone. Tomorrow… tomorrow we can talk.”

  “I’ll wait for you,” Nora said. “Take as much time as you need.” Leaning over, she kissed him softly. “Did I ever thank you for saving my life?”

  “You don’t need to,” he said. “I don’t even want to think about it. It was horrible.”

  “I know,” Nora said. “You hated shooting him.”

  “But like Sean said, it was necessary.” Harvey sighed.

  *****

  Chapter 6

  Nora woke up the next day, feeling stiff all over. There were bruises down the side of her body, where Sergio had thrown her against the diner’s tables. There was also a bruise on her shoulder where he’d gripped her. Nora observed them carefully, sighing. Still, she considered herself lucky. Things could be a lot worse, a lot worse indeed.

  Downstairs, Mrs. Mullally had prepared a grand breakfast. She’d been horrified when she heard what had happened, and insisted that Nora skip work and sleep late today. While Nora had no problem sleeping late, skipping work was not an option. Keeping the diner running was more than work - it was like a sacred duty for her. Tina had offered to pick up the slack, but Nora had promised she’d be there well before the noon rush.

  She didn’t really feel hungry, but was charmed that Mrs. Mullally had actually baked her custard croissants, her absolute favorite. She’d also taken out the time to squeeze some fresh orange juice into a jar.

  “You shouldn’t have,” Nora said, giving Mrs. Mullally a hug.

  “I had to, of course,” Mrs. Mullally said. “I still can’t believe you’re going in to work like nothing’s happened.”

  “Far better to work and come home exhausted, than spend all day thinking about what happened, and be far too scared to sleep at night,” Nora said. “I’ll be like little Will if I stay home and brood. I’ll keep imagining faces at the window and monsters in the closet.”

  “Ah, Simone and Bernard’s little darling.” Mrs. Mullally nodded. “Last time I saw him he was in a pram. They grow up so soon, the little sweethearts. When are you planning to have one of your own, Nora?”

  Nora choked on her orange juice. “I… ah..”

  Mrs. Mullally laughed. “Don’t worry, I never had any of my own. Never felt the need to, with all the kids I had in school.”

  “Do you regret it?” Nora asked.

  “Not in the slightest,” Mrs. Mullally said. “It’s a fine and respectful thing to have and bring up children. Finest profession in the world, really. But it wasn’t quite for me. Some of us just aren’t meant for it.”

  “That’s hard to believe,” Nora said. “Considering you were so kind and nurturing to your school kids. It isn’t every teacher who works as hard as you did to reach them.”

  “Well.” Mrs. Mullally’s face softened. “I’ll tell you a little secret, Nora. Sometimes, some of us just aren’t meant for it. Not because we don’t want to, but because we can’t.”

  Nora nodded, feeling very bad for her friend. “Poor you.”

  “Tsk. I’ve had a grand old life and don’t let anyone tell you any different.” Mrs. Mullally threw up her head. “I’ve gone on tours around the world. I’ve met musicians and artists and bull-fighters. I’ve even kissed a magician, once.”

  “Did you date him?”

  “I wanted to but couldn’t - he disappeared afterwards!” Mrs. Mullally laughed. “All right, get along. I’ll go give Maynard his walk. He’s been nibbling on my toes trying to catch my attention.”

  Nora was slowly regaining her good cheer as she walked into the diner. The croissants had been lovely, buttery and creamy, with a few almonds sprinkled on top. They sat lightly in her stomach, and made her feel like bouncing instead of walking.

  Somehow, all the adrenaline from last night had transformed into endorphins. She felt gloriously happy. Yes, terrible things had happened yesterday, but she was alive. The weather was finer than it had been in weeks, and every time she took a breath, the fresh alpine air put a new burst of energy through her. In the distance, as always, the Teutons watched over the long flat plains of Wyoming. She was alive, and she was home, in one of the most beautiful places on earth. Not only that, she was on her way to a job she loved, where she got to spread joy by feeding people. What more could she possibly ask for? Privately, she uttered a short Thank You to God.

  But her good cheer vanished as soon as she stepped into the Diner. There was a crowd of people gathered around the counter, and when she opened the door, every eye turned to her. Tina rushed forward, and embraced her.

  “Oh, my God, Nora, I was so scared. I thought… I can’t even tell you what I thought.”

  Nora laughed, and hugged Tina back. “Tina, come on, we talked about this already. I’m fine. I was very lucky. Sergio didn’t harm me.”

  “No,” Tina said. “It’s not that.”

  “What?” Nora looked up, surprised. She looked at the crowd. Each person was pretending to be very interested in their phone or paper, but she could tell that they were listening to every word the friends exchanged.

  “Let’s go to the kitchen,” Tina suggested.

  Nora took great pride in her kitchen. Her countertops were shining chrome, clean enough to eat off. Every shift, she’d disinfect or clean them. She stood leaning against one of them now putting on an apron, as Tina chewed on her fingernails.

  “You’re scaring me, Tina,” Nora said.

  “I’m scared myself,” Tina said. “Scared and confused.”

  “What is it? Come out and say it.”

  “Harvey was arrested today,” Tina said. “Half an hour ago.”

  Nora felt her stomach drop through the floor. For a moment, the ringing in her ears returned. It was painfully obvious what had happened. Sean had pretended to be nice yesterday, but he’d conned Harvey, somehow. He’d convinced him to hand over that gun. Now he was arresting him to get revenge for all the times Harvey had harassed Sean.

  Tina was gaping at her, and about to say more, but Nora didn’t want to listen. Dropping her apron on the floor, she stormed out, attracting stares as she went.

  She slammed the door of the car and flew away, even as Tina called her name from behind her. This wasn’t going to happen, not when she was around. Sean wouldn’t dare to harass Harvey this way. He just couldn’t! She’d thought yesterday, after they talked in the car, that Sean had been a little nicer to Harvey. Clearly, she imagined it.

  Sean - what a hateful, hateful man. Harvey had been right about him all along. How could Sean do this? How could he arrest Harvey for something that was clearly self-defense?

  She screeched to a halt, parking her old Toyota haphazardly and slamming the door once again. With large steps she strode into the sheriff’s office. Once again, heads turned and mouths dropped as she stormed in.

  “Sean!” she cried. “Where are you?”

&
nbsp; He appeared around the corner, his sleeves rolled up, a newspaper tucked under his arm, and a coffee in one hand. “Hey, Nora.” There were bags under his eyes. Clearly he hadn’t slept all night.

  Probably scheming to harass Harvey. Nora fumed. “Sean. We need to talk.”

  “Yes. We do. I was going to call you down, but Mrs. Mullally told me you were asleep, and with her condition, I didn’t want to tell her any details.”

  “Oh, how very considerate of you,” Nora said. “I wish you’d been as considerate before arresting Harvey for what was clearly an act of self-defense!”

  “Nora-”

  “No, Sean. Let me make something very clear. Harvey is my man. I love him, and if you do anything to cause him pain, well, I’ll make sure it comes back to you.”

  “Threatening me in my own office,” Sean said. “Classy, Nora. I didn’t expect this from you. I expected better.”

  “I expected better from you,” Nora said. “I didn’t think you’d arrest Harvey on some half-baked charges just because you have a grudge against him. I thought you were an ethical man.”

  “I’m a perfectly ethical man,” Sean said. “I haven’t arrested or charged Harvey anyway. He’s just being held while we question him.”

  “What are you going to charge him with?” Nora asked. “He had every right to shoot a man who broke into his home and was trying to kill his girlfriend. No jury in the world will pronounce Harvey guilty.”

  Sean took a sip from his coffee. “Nora, you better sit down.”

  “I’ll sit down when you let poor Harvey go.”

  “I know you love him, but calm down a little,” Sean said. “Harvey isn’t everything that he seems to be. You know that. He’s more than a little shady.”

  “How dare you badmouth-”

  “Just be quiet and hear me out,” Sean said. His voice was molten steel, silencing her instantly. “We haven’t arrested him about Sergio’s murder. You’re right, I was a witness. Sergio’s death isn’t going to land him in trouble. But Tiffany’s death might.”

  “Tiffany’s death?” Nora sat down, shocked. “What are you talking about?”

  “A body was found today at the ice-cream factory,” Sean said. “We’ve identified it as Tiffany’s. Her phone lay on the ground next to her. Half an hour before she’s slated to have died, Tiffany made three phone calls, all to one person. Harvey.”