The Milburn Big Box Set

by Nancy McGovern

  “Absolutely,” Nora squeezed his hand. “I have you by my side, don’t I?”

  “That you do.” Harvey squeezed back.

  When no-one answered, Nora rang the bell again and knocked twice more.

  “Coming!” an irritable voice said. The door swung open and Frank glared at them. “You again! Thrice today. What’s your problem?”

  “I need to see Donna.” Nora pushed her way inside.

  “Well, she’s actually in the kitchen, along with-” before Frank could finish his sentence, Nora had already rushed past him. When she reached the kitchen, she screeched to a stop. Donna was sitting on the table, tears flowing down her eyes, while Adam and Ray squared off next to her, each man glaring at the other with virulent hate.

  “What’s going on?” Nora said.

  Ray, who had just grabbed a handful of Adam’s shirt, turned around and Adam took the opportunity to suddenly punch him with all the force he could muster. Ray stumbled back, then put his head down and ran at Adam like a furious bull. They both went stumbling back into the kitchen counter, plates raining down around their shoulders and crashing to the floor.

  “I’m calling the sheriff!” Frank called from behind them as the two men continued to grapple with each other. From next to Nora, Harvey sighed, loosened his tie, got rid of his jacket and pushed up his sleeves.

  “Harvey, no, don’t-” but before Nora could stop him, Harvey had launched himself at the two. Ray, by now, had managed to sit on Adam’s chest and was punching him with great fury. Donna was screaming for him to stop. Harvey grabbed Ray by the shoulders and pried him off the poor kid who looked as though he’d gone headlong into a train.

  “Enough!” Harvey said, shoving Ray backwards. “Come near him and I’ll make you sorry.” Ray tried to lunge forward again and Harvey executed a simple, two-step nerve pinch that had him writhing on the floor, clutching his shoulder and shouting in pain.

  “Ok, let’s all take a deep breath and calm down,” Harvey said, raising his hands, palms out. “Cool? Deep breaths everybody.”

  Nora looked at Donna, who looked nearly hysterical, and put a hand on her shoulder. “It’s alright. I’m here now. It’s all going to work out.”

  Adam was shakily getting onto his feet, nodding his thanks to Harvey. “This man killed Rosemary!” Adam shouted, pointing at Ray. “He tried to frame me by lying to the sheriff that I stole the trophy last night. He’s the one who stole it! He’s the one who killed Rosemary!”

  Nora shook her head. “Ray didn’t kill Rosemary,” she said.

  “Thank you,” Ray said, nursing his shoulder. “Finally, someone sensible. Adam broke in here screaming and crying an hour ago, saying that I was trying to keep him from Donna and that I’d set the sheriff on him. He’s clearly crazy. He ought to be locked up.”

  Frank entered the kitchen again. “I’ve called the police!” he said. “Sean will be here in ten minutes.”

  “Good,” Ray said. “I hope he carts this psycho off to a looney bin.”

  “Adam isn’t a psycho!” Donna exclaimed. “Leave him alone, Uncle Ray! I won’t say a word to you ever again if you just leave him alone!”

  “Donna, talk to me.” Adam fell to his knees in front of her. “I love you so much and I know Ray is manipulating you somehow-”

  “Uncle Ray isn’t manipulating me, Adam,” Donna said. “For the last time just…forget about me. I’m leaving town soon, anyway.”

  “I don’t think so,” Nora said quietly. “You’re not leaving town for quite some time, Donna. I think you’ll have a court case to attend to.”

  Donna recoiled. “What do you mean?”

  “I mean that the game is up. I know everything.” She looked at Ray, then Donna. “Do the two of you want to confess or shall I tell your story for you?”

  Ray took a step forward. “You don’t know what you’re talking about?”

  “Oh, don’t I?”

  “Besides,” Ray added, “you said it yourself, I didn’t kill Rosemary. Why would I?”

  “You’re not a murderer, but you helped cover up a murder,” Nora said. “Isn’t that right, Donna?”

  “No!” Adam stepped forward. “I won’t believe it. Donna would never harm Rosemary. You might think she had a motive, but-”

  “Oh, Donna hasn’t harmed Rosemary, either,” Nora said. “Rosemary hasn’t been harmed at all, as a matter of fact.”

  “What do you mean?” Frank looked confused. “I don’t understand.”

  “She’s somewhere in the house still, isn’t she?” Nora asked. “You brought her back last night in the trunk of your car. Right, Ray?”

  Ray’s lips tightened and he made as though to lunge at Nora. But Harvey blocked him with a glare and a hand raised in warning. “Let her speak.”

  “A lot of things didn’t make sense to me, right from the start,” Nora said. “Like why Rosemary had her back to the door, instead of facing it, for one. Or why she was wearing diamond earrings early in the evening yet the body we found had feather earrings on.”

  Ray groaned and put a hand to his face.

  “Then, when Sean asked you if she had needle marks on her skin, I remembered that Rosemary had worn a sleeveless top yesterday and that the skin of her arms was wonderfully blemish-free. That’s when I first wondered,” Nora said, “what if Rosemary was never murdered? What if she’d murdered someone else and staged her own death to get away?”

  Donna groaned and buried her head in her hands.

  “It also explained Donna’s sudden about-face,” Nora said. “She told me about her mother’s blackmailer this morning then turned around and denied it two hours later. Why? Well, here’s why. Frank stayed up all night with you, so Rosemary didn’t dare come out of her hiding spot and talk to Donna. Nor did you get a chance to tell her the truth, Ray. But then, after I’d left, when Frank took a sedative and fell asleep, Rosemary came out of hiding and you revealed your plan to her. Last week, you kidnapped the woman who’d somehow tracked you down and threatened to reveal your past to Frank. Right, Ray? You and Rosemary just didn’t know how to get rid of her. You kept administering sedatives to the poor woman, keeping her locked up in some part of Frank’s huge mansion. Frank himself uses only two rooms - the kitchen and his own bedroom. He didn’t even notice that he was unwittingly living with two kidnappers and their hostage.”

  “Curse you!” Ray spat. “You nosy-”

  “The truth isn’t very pleasant to hear.” Nora smiled. “But it’s the truth all the same. It was probably Rosemary’s idea to use the Gala, wasn’t it? What a brilliant idea! All of us were convinced that the victim was Rosemary even with her face bashed in because we’d all seen her earlier in the evening. I wondered why we didn’t hear any screams but now it’s obvious why. You’d sedated the poor woman so she wasn’t even awake for her own murder!”

  “Well done,” a voice said from behind them. “Brilliantly deduced, my friend. I suppose there’s no point in my hiding anymore.”

  Nora swung around to see Rosemary holding a black duffel bag in one hand and a gun in the other. The gun was pointed straight at Nora. Harvey made a move forward but was pushed back by Ray.

  Ray laughed. “Smart woman, Nora. Yes, we killed Barbara. She was a pest. Always looking for money to feed her habit. We thought moving to Wyoming would throw her off but she managed to track us down even here. You see, she knew about a little murder we’d done way back in ’94. And she just wouldn’t stop pestering us about it. She wouldn’t stop demanding money. She forced our hand.”

  “All I wanted was a fresh start,” Rosemary said. “I thought I’d find it here in Wyoming. But since that didn’t work out, we’ve decided to quit America altogether.”

  “Yep. Maybe a nice Caribbean island will suit us better,” Ray smiled. “Got the money, Rosie? Let’s go. Frank’s called the police. We’ve got less than ten minutes.”

  “I have a question,” Nora said. “Why did you work so hard to frame Mrs. Mullally?”

>   “That old cow!” Rosemary growled. “If it wasn’t for her, Frank would have signed away his fortune to me! She kept getting in his head, telling him to always consult a lawyer. Thanks to her I was only able to steal about 3 million from his account. Otherwise, I would have had all 300 mil. Of course, I wanted to pay her back. Framing her seemed a good way to do it. Nearly succeeded, too.”

  “And Donna?” Adam asked, sounding heartbroken. “Was she with you all along?”

  “She knew nothing until this morning,” Rosemary said. “Donna’s a good daughter. She listens to me. Does what I say.”

  “Not anymore, mother!” Donna exclaimed, shaking with anger. “I’ve had it. I’ve had it with your lies and your scheming and your abuse. You can run away if you like. But I’m not coming. I’m staying here in Milburn with Adam.”

  “You think he’ll want you?” Rosemary laughed. “You think anyone would want you? Don’t be silly, Donna. Come on. Now. We’ve got no time to waste.”

  Donna shook her head. “I’m staying.”

  “Very well, then.” Rosemary shrugged. She tossed her duffel bag to Ray. “Get the car ready, Ray. I’ve got some unfinished business with a certain nosey detective.” She pointed her gun right at Nora.

  Ray caught the bag and ran out the door. “Just kill her and come fast,” he yelled as he went. “Time’s running out.”

  “Time’s already run out,” Nora smiled. “Or did you think we came here alone?”

  Rosemary’s face paled as she heard Sean and his deputies grabbing Ray. With a scream, she pulled the trigger and Nora dropped to the floor. Within seconds, Sean’s men had surrounded Rosemary and subdued her. Harvey rushed to Nora’s side, kneeling down and cupping her face. She groaned in pain.

  “These bullet proof jackets may stop the bullets, but they still hit you like a horse’s hoof, don’t they?” Sean grinned as Harvey helped Nora up onto her feet.

  “Ugh, I’ll say,” Nora sighed. “I’m going to get a nice bruise there. It’s worth it, though. We’ve caught Rosemary and Ray!”

  “Their real names are Drew and Dakota North,” Sean said. “I ran up Ray’s prints. If we’d been one hour later they’d have been gone. Good work, Nora. Fast work.”

  “Phew,” Nora said. “It’s been quite a day, hasn’t it?”

  “I still don’t understand some things,” Adam said. “Like, where did they hide the woman? How did they smuggle her into the gala?”

  “They had her sedated and dressed her in the same clothes as Rosemary earlier that day, only they forgot to change the earrings. Then they bundled her up in the carpet and smuggled her into Rosemary’s psychic room at the town hall. Sometime that night, Ray stole Mrs. Mullally’s scarf and trophy and handed them to Rosemary. She locked herself in the room, dragged the sedated lady into her chair, then murdered her, viciously smashing her face repeatedly so she’d be unrecognizable to anyone,” Nora said. “Her clothes were splattered with blood, but that didn’t matter because she snuck out through the window and into the trunk of Ray’s car, as previously planned. Very convenient.”

  “I feel horrible,” Donna said. “Oh, Adam, you see why I couldn’t bear to be with you anymore? I know you couldn’t possibly love a coward like me. I stayed quiet even after I knew and-”

  “You stood up to your mother at gunpoint. You’re no coward,” Adam said, taking her into his arms. “You broke up with me because you thought you were doing me a favor. Let me tell you, Donna, the only favor you can do for me is agreeing to marry me.”

  Donna looked up at him through teary eyes. “Are you serious?”

  “More than you know,” he said. “I know we’re young and that neither of us has a job yet but I can’t wait anymore to make you my wife.”

  *****

  Epilogue

  Two weeks later, they were all gathered at Nora & Harvey’s house for their housewarming party. Tina and Simone lounged on bean-bags in the living room, ooh-ing and aah-ing over Tuxedo, who had grown a little bigger and a lot cuter since Harvey had brought her home. The kitten was more confident now, although she had upset Maynard greatly when she met his sniffs with an attempt to swipe his nose. The two of them had settled into a mutually cautious relationship, and the pup now sat by Tina’s feet, occasionally raising his head to see what the fuss was all about.

  Harvey and Sam were in the backyard, arguing about last night’s game and drinking beers. Tuxedo, bored with Tina and Simone’s attentions after awhile, padded up to the two men and was met by equally loud “awwws” as she pulled on Harvey’s leg for attention. He scooped her up in his arms and tickled her on the tummy, laughing as she batted her paws in the air.

  “She’s growing so fast,” he said. “Two weeks ago I could hold her in the palm of my hand. She was that tiny.”

  “She’s adorable,” Sam said. “I want to just put her in my pocket and take her home with me!”

  Nora, meanwhile, walked into the kitchen with Mrs. Mullally, only to catch Adam and Donna caught in a passionate kiss.

  “Ah, newlyweds,” Mrs. Mullally said. She winked at Nora.

  “It’s just an engagement,” Adam blushed, his ears turning red. “Donna and I decided to wait a year or two, till we could afford a proper apartment and everything. It shouldn’t be a problem, though, thanks to her awesome new job.”

  Donna looked up gratefully at Nora. “I really owe you, Nora. It means the world to me that you gave me a chance to prove myself.”

  “Oh, we’re getting so much more business now that we can use an extra cook,” Nora said. “Besides, you’re a bargain, Donna. Don’t underestimate yourself. You have the makings of a great chef in you.”

  Donna turned red with pleasure and stuttered out a “Thank you”. Nora smiled. There was a world of a difference in her already, now that she was out of Rosemary’s toxic grasp. Her shoulders no longer drooped and her eyes, especially when she looked at Adam, would sparkle with joy. Their hands were linked together even now, as though the two of them couldn’t bear to be apart for even a second.

  The doorbell rang and Mrs. Mullally greeted Frank, who’d bought her a bouquet of rainbow colored roses in greeting. Nora smiled at him too. She felt a little guilty that she’d ever wondered about his intentions. The more she knew him, the more she was convinced that he’d been completely oblivious to Rosemary’s attempts of pushing Donna in front of him. Frank’s eye had been caught by Mrs. Mullally, it seemed, and was rather fixed on her.

  Harvey put on a record and dragged Mrs. Mullally out to the center of the room, where he began a crazy dance with her, exaggerating each step and making funny faces. The entire room was soon in splits and Tina grabbed Frank and got him on the dance floor, too.

  Frank had changed, too. After he’d seen how easily Rosemary could have ruined him, he was making more of an effort to understand other people, instead of spending all his time wrapped up in machines. He came into town more often now and had joined two new clubs. He even wore normal clothes instead of bathrobes! Though Nora personally thought that was a pity - she’d rather liked his bathrobe look. He was smiling now as he offered Mrs. Mullally a hand and the two of them began dancing in slow circles while “Lady in Red” played in the background.

  “It’s really a lovely house,” Tina said, coming up to Nora and wrapping a hand around her shoulders. “You should be proud.”

  “Thanks,” Nora smiled. “It’s started to feel like home these last two weeks. Especially now that Donna’s moved in with Mrs. Mullally. I tend to spend more time here because of it.”

  “It shows,” Tina said. “I like what you’ve done with the living room - all bean bags and throw rugs and that great big sofa!”

  “It was Harvey’s idea,” Nora grinned. “But I love it, too.”

  “Did I hear Harvey and love mentioned in the same breath?” Harvey snuck up around Nora and put an icy hand down her neck. She screamed, jumped and smacked him. He gave her a devilish grin.

  “I’ll get you back for that,” Nor
a said.

  “I’m sure you will,” Harvey winked. “Now, come on, let’s dance!”

  She sighed, looking out at her friends, who were laughing and dancing together, happiness shining from each face. Mrs. Mullally had been right. In this world, there were good people and then there were the people who took advantage of them.

  But, by and large, Nora thought, by and large, the world was filled with far more good than bad.

  The End (of Death Of A Psychic)

  Continue for Death At A B & B…

  A MURDER IN MILBURN, BOOK 9:

  Death At A B & B

  By

  Nancy McGovern

  Chapter 1

  Cupcakes & Broken Glass

  “What are you hiding?” Nora asked, as she entered Mrs. Mullally’s house.

  Mrs. Mullally, who had a spot of buttercream frosting on her upper lip, and her hands behind her back, turned a shade of pink. “Hello Nora dear, I wasn’t expecting you today.”

  “I came to drop off a copy of your house keys I found last night. Now that Donna’s living with you, I figured she’d need a set.”

  It was a bright September morning, and the yellow polka-dot curtains in Mrs. Mullally’s kitchen seemed to be busy dancing with each other in the breeze. Maynard, wagging his tail, chose to jump up on Nora and shower her with kisses, while she, laughing, scratched the back of his ears.

  “Donna’s out with her fiancé,” Mrs. Mullally said. “Well, er...” She still had her hands behind her back, and Nora raised an eyebrow. Mrs. Mullally shamefacedly brought her hands out, to reveal a cupcake with bright pink frosting.

  Nora burst out laughing. “Honestly Mrs. Mullally! Did you think I was going to mind?”

  “It’s just that I know Mia is your biggest rival right now,” Mrs. Mullally said. “I didn’t want you to think I was betraying you.”

  Mia Madford had moved to the village a year ago, to take over the abandoned historic Bellewood B and B. She had done a decent job of renovating the place, but it hadn’t really taken off, until she’d gotten the idea to market it as a B, B and B — Bed, Breakfast and Bakery. Mia had turned out to be a surprisingly talented baker and soon both locals and tourists were going out of their way to pick up one of Mia’s cupcakes or lamingtons.