The Milburn Big Box Set

by Nancy McGovern

  “You know exactly what it means,” Sean said. “Good luck, Nora. Like I said, I’d hire a lawyer if I was you, and maybe even a PR manager.”

  *****

  Chapter 7

  Ex-Boyfriends & Suicide Notes

  Harvey, Simone, Tina and Karen were all waiting for Nora as she exited Sean’s office. Sean stepped out and after a few pleasantries, called Tina in for interrogation.

  “He can’t possibly think Tina’s done anything,” Harvey said impatiently. “Why is Sean wasting his time like this?”

  “Come on, Harvey, even if Tina and Nora haven’t done anything, they might have seen something,” Karen said. “Someone around the kitchen, for example.”

  “The cake was baked fresh today,” Nora said. “And I didn’t see anybody around.”

  “The frosting was made a day in advance though, right?” Karen asked. “Someone could have got into the kitchen and contaminated it.”

  “Like I said to Sean, that’s impossible. I did taste tests once in awhile. I’d be dead if I…” Nora paused. Collapsed against each other, their face streaked with exhaustion, Charlotte and Jeremy waited on two hard metal chairs next to the Deputy’s desk. Jeremy was rubbing his eyes, while Charlotte had her face buried in his chest. She was still wearing her wedding gown. It made Nora’s heart clench a little to think of what they must be going through.

  She went over, and Jeremy looked up at her uncomprehendingly, as if he had no memory of her.

  “I’m so sorry. I can’t begin to imagine how you two must feel,” Nora said. Charlotte looked up, and Nora’s lips pressed together. The poor girl looked as though she had aged ten years in ten minutes. Tears had caused mascara to clump around her eyes, and worry lines were present on her forehead.

  “Nora,” she said, reaching out and grabbing her hand. “Nora, you must have some clue. Did… who did this? Someone must have accessed the kitchen somehow…”

  Nora wanted to comfort her, but didn’t know how. “I’m sorry,” she said again, sitting down next to Charlotte. “Is there anything I can do to help?”

  “Dad’s being interviewed by the Deputy,” Charlotte said. “Everyone else is back at the inn.”

  “Are you planning to stay the night?” Nora asked.

  “We… I don’t know.” Charlotte looked at Jeremy helplessly, and he cleared his throat.

  “The Sheriff advised us to stay in town for a few days more,” he said. “Naturally we’ll do that.”

  The station door opened, and a Deputy came rushing in, clutching his hat with one hand, and carrying a valise in the other. He burst into Sean’s office without knocking, and Nora could hear Sean tell him off.

  “Sorry, Sheriff, it’s just, we found something in room 301,” the young deputy said. “She left a note.”

  Sean replied, in a voice absolutely filled with exasperation, “James, speak a bit louder, will you? I think someone down in Jackson probably didn’t hear you. But everyone in this station certainly did.”

  “It’s just that… chief… it’s a suicide no—”

  “That’s it. Tina, would you please leave and shut the door behind you? James, I’m warning you now, calm down.” Sean’s voice grew harder as a mystified Tina exited the room and shut the door behind her.

  “What was all that about?” Simone asked her, and Tina shrugged.

  From her position across the hall, Nora had heard everything very clearly, and as she looked over at Charlotte and Jeremy, it was apparent that they had heard too. Jeremy looked completely relieved, while Charlotte had a baffled expression on her face.

  “Suicide?” Charlotte said. “That’s impossible.”

  “Impossible or not, that’s for the sheriff to find out,” Jeremy said, but his voice was gaining more confidence. “If it was suicide, that means we’re off the hook.”

  Charlotte stared at him in shock. “How can you say that, Jeremy! How can that be the very first thing you think of? Eliza was not the type of person to commit suicide.”

  Yet… Nora wondered. Was that how it had happened? It was a wild theory, but real life had a way of being surprisingly wild. Could Eliza have been depressed at her sister’s marriage, and tried to act out? She had the opportunity to poison the cake, and then eat it herself so that she was the centre of attention. If they had found a suicide note, well, that probably meant she’d done it. She had decided to take her life in the most miserable way possible, in order to inflict as much pain as she could on her sister.

  But why? Why would Eliza hate Charlotte so much? And did that kind of person - someone desperately attention seeking - really kill themselves? Nora thought it more likely that she would have done something mildly dangerous to herself in order to gain attention. Killing herself seemed too extreme. Then again… the deputy had sounded very happy.

  Jeremy, even though he was trying to pretend otherwise, looked happy too. He mostly looked relieved. He was wiping his face with a handkerchief, and loosening the bow tie that was still around his neck. “Charlotte, I don’t know why you loved Eliza so much,” he said. “After everything she did to tear us apart. In any case, if she committed suicide, at least you or your father or your family members will not be accused of murder. Surely that means something to you?” Charlotte gave him another incredulous stare, and then with her chin thrust in the air, she walked out of the room. Jeremy looked at her, and asked Nora. “Did I say something wrong?”

  “No, you just told her to be happy that her twin sister committed suicide,” Nora said. “Nothing wrong at all.”

  Jeremy winced at the sarcasm in her voice. “All right, I guess there was a better way of putting it. But she has to see—”

  “At this moment, I doubt Charlotte sees anything but grief,” Nora said. “I’ll go talk to her at any rate. She shouldn’t be alone right now.”

  “Thanks,” Jeremy said. “I’d follow too, but she’s in the ladies’ bathroom.”

  Nora nodded. “Jeremy, a piece of advice…”

  “Yes?”

  “You may or may not have liked Eliza, but I’m sure Charlotte had a much more complicated relationship with her,” Nora said. “So in the future, be sure that you aren’t badmouthing Eliza around Charlotte.”

  “Yes. Of course,” Jeremy said. “I didn’t even mean to badmouth her… it’s just… Eliza wasn’t a good person at all! You saw that cruel prank she played, and how she wasn’t even apologetic afterwards. From whatever I’ve heard or seen of Charlotte’s twin, she was nothing like my darling. Eliza was selfish, and downright mean to anybody who she thought was daring to have a better time than her. You know? She wasn’t a good woman.”

  “And yet, we shouldn’t speak ill of the dead,” Nora said.

  “If she died at her own hand, I think that’s really the most convenient thing possible,” Jeremy said. “For one thing that means that nobody was trying to kill us. I was so afraid that Charlotte was the real target, and that Eliza had just saved her life.”

  “I’d say you should still be careful,” Nora said. “After all, we don’t know for sure yet.”

  “You think it’s possible Charlotte was the intended victim?” Jeremy sounded very worried. “Then maybe we shouldn’t listen to the Sheriff. Maybe we should just leave town.”

  “Sean will keep you safe,” Nora said. “Besides, if it isn’t a suicide, the murderer is likely one of your own wedding party members, or at least a guest.”

  “I can’t think of anyone who would be so evil as to poison our cake,” Jeremy said. He paused. “Of course…”

  “Yes?” Nora leaned forward.

  “I mean… I don’t think he’s a murderer,” Jeremy said hastily. “I don’t think that at all.”

  “Who?”

  “Charlotte’s ex-boyfriend Matt Harris,” Jeremy said. “I have never trusted that guy. He and Charlotte dated before she and I got together.”

  “In fact, she left you for him, didn’t she?” Nora asked, remembering the conversation she’d had with Charlotte in th
e car.

  Jeremy nodded. “It wasn’t like Charlotte cheated on him. To be honest, I can’t think why she ever dated him. He was a total loser as far as I could tell. Anyway, she fell in love with me while she was still dating Matt, but as soon as she realized that, she broke up with him. I sometimes feel that Harris never got over her.”

  “But why would you invite him to your wedding?”

  “We had no choice really,” Jeremy said. “I wasn’t keen on it, but Matt was dating Maria, Charlotte’s maid of honor. He started dating her soon after he and Charlotte broke up. To be honest, I don’t even think Matt likes her. I think he is just using her so that he can stay relevant in Charlotte’s life.”

  “Wow,” Nora said. “So you think he got frustrated enough that he decided to get rid of you and Charlotte?”

  “I mean, it’s a wild theory.” Jeremy shrugged. “But it’s possible, isn’t it? He was an obsessive ex-boyfriend. Those types of men are capable of anything.”

  “You’ll excuse me if I reserve my judgment until I actually meet him,” Nora said.

  The door to Sean’s office opened, and he stepped out. The Deputy, next to him, looked like he’d just received an earful. His face was rather red. Sean patted him on the shoulder, said something to him in a low voice, and then nodded. The Deputy nodded back, and disappeared down the stairs to the cellar.

  “Well.” Sean clapped his hands together, and then rubbed them. “Jeremy Norton, would you mind stepping in here for a bit of a chat?”

  “Right.” Jeremy lifted himself up, and shook hands with Nora. “Wish me luck, Nora.”

  “I’m sure you’ll do fine,” Nora said.

  She caught Sean’s eye just before the two of them vanished into his office. Sean seemed excited. Perhaps the Deputy had found a credible suicide note. Perhaps Eliza had killed herself after all.

  “Don’t even think about it,” Harvey said, sitting down next to Nora.

  “Think about what?” Nora asked.

  “Don’t even think about running around investigating,” Harvey said. “We’re getting married in less than two weeks, Nora. You don’t have the time, for one thing! You can’t afford to play detective.”

  “Well, I’d say this is all I can do,” Nora said. “My diner will be shut down while the police investigate it, and the mansion where we’re supposed to get married will have the taint of a possible murder on it. Can you imagine?”

  “It’ll be a hassle but we can change the location of the wedding if you like,” Harvey said. “I mean… I totally understand why you wouldn’t want us to be married on the scene of such a horrible… suicide?”

  “You heard that too, right?” Nora asked. “Do you think it’s possible? That it was suicide?”

  “I met her that day,” Harvey said. “When she played the prank on Jeremy and Charlotte. Eliza seemed like the last person I’d consider suicidal. She was one of those narcissistic types. Purely selfish. That kind of person tends to thrive. The kind of people who are actually suicidal, in my opinion, are the kinds that have a lot of guilt about their place in the world, and a general feeling of worthlessness. Eliza was far too full of herself.”

  “Maybe she just appeared to be full of herself on the surface,” Nora said. “Maybe the selfishness hid a deeper feeling of… of something else.”

  “That’s speculation, though,” Harvey said. “I know there are complex people in the world, but mostly, I believe that what you see is what you get. She acted selfish, implies she was selfish. Still, for Charlotte and Jeremy’s sake, I hope it was suicide. That way, at least no fingers will be pointed at them.”

  “What do you mean?” Nora looked surprised.

  “I mean… if it was a murder, then it was clearly intended for Charlotte. Which means that a) she’s still in danger, and that b) Jeremy is a prime suspect. Husbands are always the number one suspects, aren’t they?”

  His words hit Nora hard. She’d been so shocked by the events so far that she hadn’t really paused to think through the meaning of it all. Harvey was right, she was sure of it. If it wasn’t a suicide, then Charlotte was the intended victim, and that meant Jeremy would be the primary suspect. But then… why would he try and kill his wife in such a public manner?

  She thought back to Jeremy’s behavior. He had seemed relieved at the suggestion of a suicide, and jumped on it. Then, he had tried to point the finger at Charlotte’s ex boyfriend. Was he covering up for himself?

  *****

  Chapter 8

  A Midnight Call

  When she laid her head on the pillow that night, Nora found herself tossing and turning, thinking about what had happened and why. Finally sick of herself, she got out of bed and headed downstairs, treading carefully so as not to wake up Maynard or Mrs. Mullally. She opened the fridge and stood peering in for a few seconds, then finally decided to make herself an omelet.

  What she needed, Nora thought, was to spend a quiet moment just experiencing life, with no thoughts crowding her brain. After that, perhaps her emotions would settle a little and she would be able to sleep.

  The house was dark, since she didn’t want to wake Mrs. Mullally, and the kitchen was lit only by the flashlight on her cellphone. She put the radio on at the lowest possible volume, and a song by The Lumineers began to play.

  There were times when cooking came to her the way a song sometimes comes to a musician. With the moonlight flooding the kitchen floor, she whisked together the eggs, and sautéed the mushrooms. As the eggs cooked, she rummaged through the fridge again and drawing out a block of cheddar, grated it over the pan. She added a few cherry tomatoes, allowing them to split open from the heat, and then plated the whole thing on top of a slice of wholewheat bread.

  A few weeks from now, she’d no longer be here. She and Harvey would be in their own little house, and if she ever felt restless, she’d be able to cuddle him until she didn’t. The thought lifted her spirits up, and she wondered whether he was awake too. Humming along to the radio, she turned back to the kitchen island. She gave a little squeak of fear. Mrs. Mullally was sitting there, an eyebrow raised.

  “Mrs. M!” Nora exclaimed. “Was the radio too loud? I’m so sorry!”

  “It wasn’t,” the lady said. “I wasn’t very sleepy tonight anyway. Maynard is still snoring away by my bedside.”

  “That dog could snore through the apocalypse.” Nora smiled. “He’s a darling, but if you want someone to guard against intruders, you ought to get yourself a German shepherd, as well.”

  Mrs. M. smiled. “I’ll keep that in mind. How are you, Nora? We haven’t spoken in a while, between your job, and Harvey and the wedding. Now this horrible murder today… I knew you must be feeling terrible.”

  “I don’t feel terrible, exactly,” Nora said. “Just annoyed about the damage to the diner’s reputation.”

  “If Eliza committed suicide, there won’t be any damage, right?” Mrs. M. asked.

  “Right,” Nora said, reluctantly. She slid her untouched omelet across to Mrs. M, and said, “Why don’t you have this, and I’ll make myself another?”

  “I’m not really hungry.” Mrs. M smiled. “But if you are making another, perhaps you could make me a nice one with ham and gruyere? I was never very fond of mushrooms.”

  Nora laughed, and went back to the stove. She switched on the lights, opened out the window, and turned up the volume on the radio. “Let’s have a proper midnight feast. Would you like some hash browns with that, Mrs. M? I’m going to make some cocoa, too.”

  “Oh. Well… since you insist.” The lady smiled and flipped her hair back over her shoulders. “I can help…”

  “I command you to sit right there and not move an inch,” Nora said in a teasing voice. Then, softly, she added, “I can’t wait to move in with Harvey, but I’ll really miss cooking for you Mrs. M.”

  Mrs. Mullally, who was stoic to the end, said, “Well, don’t be ridiculous. Believe me, you’ll enjoy cooking for Harvey and your own kids much more than for some
old lady.”

  “But you’re not just some old lady,” Nora said with a smile. “Which reminds me… Mrs. M… I’ve got a request for you.”

  “What’s that, dear?”

  “I know this is very late, but I was nervous… and I didn’t know how to ask you.” Nora coughed. “I still don’t know. But… it’s now or never.”

  “Now you’re just scaring me.” Mrs. M said.

  “See, my parents passed away a long time ago,” Nora said. “I know I’m just a tenant, but I’ve always thought of you as much more than just a landlady. So I thought I’d ask you... Would you walk me down the aisle and give me away?”

  Mrs. M stayed silent.

  “I know I should have asked much earlier, and I know it’s not very traditional for—”

  “Of course I will,” Mrs. M said, her voice throaty. “I’m… honored you asked.”

  Nora had her back turned to Mrs Mullally, and so she couldn’t see the tears sparkling in the lady’s eyes. Her own hands were a little shaky as she lifted the ham and gruyere omelet out into a new plate. Mrs. Mullally could see the muscles tense in Nora’s back as she fought to hold on to her tears of joy.

  “Thank you,” Nora whispered, as she set the plate down.

  The summer air floated in, bringing the smell of mountain pines down with it. For a moment, both women simply smiled at each other, their eyes saying more than their words ever would. Then, Maynard broke the spell, bounding downstairs, and putting a sniffing nose in Mrs. M’s lap.

  “Looks like someone else wants to be included in this midnight feast.” Mrs. M laughed. “Shall we set out some kibble for him?”

  “I’ll toss him some of the leftover ham.” Nora smiled. “Come here you big goof.”

  The Golden-Labrador Retriever mix wagged his tail in excitement, and curled himself against her, shaking in delight.

  “He’s going to miss you,” Mrs. M said. “He’s as much your dog as mine, really.”

  “I’ll come by as often as possible to give him walks,” Nora said. “Won’t I, you silly little goof? Yes. Yes I will! Good dog.”