The Milburn Big Box Set

by Nancy McGovern

  “He got arrested?!” Nora exclaimed, jumping up. “I knew it! The man has an unstable—”

  “Are you forgetting I’ve been arrested for losing my temper, too?” Harvey asked, easing her back down onto the sofa. “Doesn’t mean I’m a bad guy, you know.”

  “Well..that was different,” Nora said.

  “I know it’s hard, but I’m going to trust Hazel’s judgment and let her go forward.”

  “How can you—”

  “Because she’s a smart kid, Nora, and she’s inherited your good instincts when it comes to people,” Harvey explained. “I like her business plan, too. Milburn really does need a good landscaping company. Perry’s company is decent, but the service is a little unreliable and overpriced. If Hazel gets in at the ground floor with Matt, they could go places.”

  “I still don’t like it,” Nora said.

  “You don’t have to. We’re still here, aren’t we? We’ll be waiting and watching and, if Matt makes one false step, I’ll pounce on him. But right now, let Hazel do what she feels she has to do.”

  “Why?” Nora asked. “Why does she have to be so darn obstinate? It would be so easy if she just worked for you or me, you know. We’d all be comfortable and happy.”

  “I agree,” Harvey said. “But I can’t read minds. Who knows what Hazel’s thinking!”

  “She’s thinking I favor Grace over her.” Nora sighed. “She told me so earlier today.”

  “What? That’s crazy.”

  “Parenting is crazy, isn’t it? Every single time I think, ‘This is the easy part’, something new happens. Once the two of them were out of their teens, I really thought you and I could step back and worry less.” Nora laughed. “I don’t know whether I want to push Hazel out of the nest and into the world or just draw her closer for a little while longer. It’s so hard to have her stay, knowing what she’s missing, and so hard to think she’ll leave. I keep wanting one more year.”

  “I know,” Harvey agreed. “It’s going to be so quiet here with both girls gone. The house feels too empty.” With a grin, he put his arms around Nora. “What say we make a third one, eh?”

  “Harvey!” Nora laughed and swatted his arm. “No, thank you. I’m not running around after any more babies.”

  “How about a pup then?” Harvey asked, his face serious. “You’ve always wanted one, and we’ve always had one excuse or another to put it off.”

  “A pup?” Nora considered this. “A pup.”

  “We’ve both got more free time now.”

  Nora straightened. “Wait a minute, you mean you’ve come to a decision? You’re selling your company?”

  Harvey nodded. “I ran the numbers and Perry’s offer is fairly generous. It’s what’s best for us, and it’s what’s best for the company. I think we should go for it.”

  “Hmmm…” Nora searched Harvey’s face, trying to see behind his smile and into his heart.

  “Obviously, I haven’t accepted yet,” Harvey said. “It’ll take another week, at least, and maybe a few rounds of negotiation with our lawyers. But, yeah, eventually I think I’m going to sign that dotted line.”

  “But what are you going to do?” Nora asked. “If you retire, I mean.”

  Harvey grinned. “Well…I was thinking that Hazel’s company might need a secretary...”

  “Don’t even think of it. She’ll accuse you of smothering her.”

  Harvey nodded. “Yeah. She will at that. She’d be right, too. I don’t know. What do you do if you retire at sixty? I’ll take up golfing, maybe.”

  “Maybe you could run for sheriff.” Nora laughed. “I don’t like Ellerton one bit.”

  “If anyone runs for sheriff, it should be you,” Harvey joked. “I think you’d get 90% of Milburn to vote for you real easy.”

  “Only if you’re my campaign manager.” Nora grinned. “Well, what can I say? Congratulations, Harvey. Forty years of working in real estate and this is it. The End.”

  “Oof. That sounds too final,” Harvey said. “The Pause, I’ll call it. I’ll take a gap year like all the fashionable kids do these days. Hey, maybe you and I can rent an RV and chase Sean and Karen across America.”

  “Sure and I—” Nora’s words were cut off by a crashing sound from the kitchen. Startled, she and Harvey both looked up. There was silence for a few moments and then the sound of a car driving off in a hurry. Jumping up, Harvey ran to the kitchen before screeching to a halt.

  The floor was covered with glass and a brick sat in the middle of it all. Nora entered behind Harvey, her eyes wide.

  “Harvey…” Nora tried to step ahead, but Harvey put out a hand, pushing her back gently. Slowly, carefully, he approached the brick and lifted it to find a note underneath. Making sure not to get cut by the glass, Harvey unfolded the paper. As he read it, Nora could see his eyes widen at first, then slowly glaze over with rage. Wordlessly, he handed the note to her.

  Nora’s headache throbbed, and she prepared herself for the worst as she read the note.

  “SHUT UP — or I’ll kill you.”

  Still silent, Harvey had gotten out a broom and was sweeping up the glass. He was biting his lower lip and had a look of concentration that Nora recognized well. Harvey was preparing to go to war.

  “It’s stupid, Harvey,” Nora said, laughing and tossing the note aside. “If the killer thinks he’s going to scare me off with this, he’d better think again.”

  “Not a man of many words, our killer,” Harvey replied. “We’re taking this to the sheriff as soon as I’m done cleaning up. Would you do me a favor? Call Hazel, check that she’s okay?”

  “Harvey…” Nora hesitated. “This means I’m on the right track, doesn’t it? The killer’s getting scared. That’s why he’s trying to terrorize us.”

  “Nobody threatens my wife and gets away with it,” Harvey said. He didn’t raise his voice, but Nora felt a chill down her spine anyway.

  “What are you going to do?” she asked.

  “I’m going to make sure we find this guy and lock him up for murder…after I’ve had a little talk with him,” Harvey said. Then, looking up, he noticed the fear in Nora’s eyes and attempted to lighten the mood. “I’ll also send him a receipt for the broken window. You know how expensive these are nowadays?”

  “I’m calling Hazel and then the sheriff,” Nora said, forcing a small smile. “Maybe there’s fingerprints on—”

  She froze again as there was a knock on the door. She stood still, fear flooding through her. Had the killer returned? Maybe he’d decided to finish the job.

  Harvey dropped the broom and turned to the kitchen drawer, rummaging until he found a butcher knife. Then, finger pressed to his lips, he moved to the front door, ready to attack.

  *****

  Chapter 14

  Midnight Diner

  Harvey swung the door open, his chin up, and then stepped back in surprise. The butcher knife dropped to the floor with a clang.

  “Grace?” Nora’s jaw nearly fell next to the knife at the sight of her daughter. “What are you doing here?”

  “Hey mom!” Grace gave her a dazzling smile and stepped forward for a hug. “I’m here for the weekend, remember? Where’s Hazel? And what smells so good in here?” She raised her nose and gave an exaggerated sniff, then drew her head back in surprise as she caught sight of the butcher’s knife on the floor.

  *****

  Between calling the sheriff and making sure Hazel was safe, Nora forgot all about her ill-health. As soon as she heard what had happened, Hazel came back home, alarmed. She greeted Grace with a big hug and peppered Nora with questions about what had happened.

  Sheriff Ellerton and Deputy James were in the kitchen with Harvey, looking over the note.

  “Yep. We’ll take it in for fingerprints, but the jerk probably wore gloves.” Sheriff Ellerton scowled. “I knew I should have kept Brock Williams under temporary hold. Bet he’s the one who’s done this.”

  “I’ll ask around and see if anyone saw
his car,” Deputy James said. “It’s a beat up old Toyota, out of place in a neighborhood like this. Someone would have noticed for sure.”

  Nora, meanwhile, had gone outside to check on her flowerbeds. She didn’t find any footprints, nor any hint of someone jumping over their hedge. “He never entered,” she muttered to herself.

  “What are you thinking, Mom?” Hazel asked.

  “I think the man parked his car here…” Nora stepped out the gate and stood on the curb, looking in. “He threw the brick…” She made a motion with her arm. “Then, immediately, he jumped back in his car and took off.”

  “He might not have even stepped out of his car,” Grace said. She was still standing on the porch and had an arm around Hazel’s shoulders.

  “How do you know it’s a he?” Hazel asked. “It could be a she. It doesn’t take too much strength to throw a brick.”

  “Whoever it is, I hope the police catch them,” Grace said. “I won’t sleep easy knowing there’s someone out here threatening you.”

  *****

  With all the excitement, it was midnight by the time they went to bed and, when they did, Nora couldn’t sleep. All night, she tossed and turned as she tried to figure out who the killer was.

  Fed up with herself, she got up, glancing at the clock — 3am. She stumbled down to the kitchen, hoping to calm herself down by cooking up a storm. Just entering the kitchen had her heart beating faster as she caught sight of the broken window. Harvey had taped it up with some newspapers for a temporary fix but, to Nora, the sight of it was malignant, poisoning her safe kitchen.

  “Can’t sleep?” Harvey asked from behind her.

  Nora sighed and shook her head. She walked up to Harvey and rested her head on his shoulder. “It feels so scary, you know. I kept feeling like someone was downstairs. My stomach’s still in knots.”

  “I’ll get him.” Harvey took Nora’s hands and kissed them gently, one after the other. “I promise, I’ll figure out who did this somehow.”

  “Dad? Mom?” They heard footsteps coming down the stairs and first Hazel, then Grace walked into the kitchen.

  Harvey sighed. “Aren’t you two asleep yet?”

  “We were talking,” Grace said. “There’s no way we could fall asleep after what happened.”

  “So what now?” Hazel asked.

  “I know,” Nora said.

  Half an hour later, the four of them were seated in a booth at Madness Diner, studying the menu.

  “I feel like a kid again.” Grace laughed. “We’d come here every Sunday. Remember, Mom?”

  “Of course.” Nora smiled. “You only ever ordered one thing: pancakes with strawberries on the side and a chocolate milkshake.”

  “Can’t go wrong with the classics.” Grace tossed her menu onto the table. “Guess I’m having the usual.”

  “I like this,” Hazel said. She was leaning on Grace with her face looking out the picture window. “I always liked being here late at night, just the four of us in the diner. It’s actually kind of cool growing up with a chef for a mom.”

  “It’s the best,” Grace said. “I told my friends about how you treated us to special family dinners at the diner every once in a while and they were always jealous.”

  “There’s something so romantic about diners in the middle of the night, isn’t there?” Harvey asked. “It’d be even more perfect if it were raining outside, though.”

  “I like the full moon more,” Hazel said, raising a finger and a thumb and squinting as though she were trying to pinch it out of the sky.

  “Alright, folks.” Nora stood up and tied an apron around her. “I’ll fire up the grill. Pancakes all around?”

  “French toast for me if it’s not too much trouble,” Harvey said.

  “Done.” Leaving the three of them alone, Nora walked into the kitchen. It really was cozy being alone in the diner with just her family. She could hear Grace laugh loudly as Harvey made one of his usual cheesy jokes, and then Hazel topped it with one of her own.

  “Hey, not so fast.” Hazel appeared at the door. “Get back out there. Dad told me you had a killer headache earlier today.”

  “I did,” Nora said. “But I’m better now.”

  “Nothing doing,” Hazel said, pointing a thumb over her shoulder. “Get out there and sit. I’ll make the pancakes, and Grace will clean up. That is, if you’re sure Aunt Tina and Angela won’t mind strangers in the kitchen.”

  “They’ll be fine. You two grew up in this kitchen, you’re no strangers.”

  “True.” Hazel smiled. “I was always a little in awe of it as a kid. Everything was so huge and metallic. Anyway, I’m not letting you cook if you’re sick. Get out of here and relax.”

  Nora gratefully handed her apron over and went left the kitchen. Grace was showing Harvey something on her phone and she gave Nora one of her wide smiles.

  “You know my boyfriend, Jacob? He’s hiking in Yellowstone this weekend. Check out this pic of him with a bison. I told him I can’t tell which one’s him.”

  They chatted on for a while with Grace talking of work, her boyfriend and her friends. Somehow, the topic moved onto Hazel and Nora told Grace about their little spat.

  “She’s such a natural in the kitchen, too,” Nora said. “I don’t know why she doesn’t just accept our offer.”

  Grace shrugged. “Mom, I know she’s your little kid, but she’s been your kid for too long. I think she’s doing the right thing. She needs to go out, grow up and see the world on her own terms. Then she can choose to come back to the diner if she wants. But she has to stand on her own two feet first. Let her.”

  “Yes, but I’m not about to let her do something silly and dangerous,” Nora argued. “Your sister’s a sweetheart, Grace, but she doesn’t know the world...”

  “And how’s she supposed to know it if you keep her safely tucked in at home?” Grace asked.

  Nora had no answer for this. She frowned, and Grace threw back her head and laughed, knowing she’d won the argument.

  “Ta-da.” Hazel came out with a loaded tray. “For Grace, who’s still a kid at heart, pancakes with strawberries on the side. For mom, who loves breakfast at midnight, scrambled eggs with cheddar and buttery pancakes. And for dad and his sweet tooth, cinnamon french toast.”

  “And for you?” Grace asked.

  “Grilled cheese,” Hazel said. “I keep it simple.”

  They sat together as the world slept around them, a little yellow glow in the darkness. Nora smiled and leaned back as Grace and Hazel teased each other and spoke in high, excited voices about the latest rock star they were obsessed with. Harvey, Nora could tell, was still thinking about the brick that had flown through their window. Even when he laughed with them, there was a certain stillness behind his eyes that told her he was planning his next move. Under the table, she took his hand in hers and squeezed. He looked over at her, pleased and surprised, and she gave him a peck on the cheek.

  Tomorrow they would worry. And think. And search for clues.

  For now, all they could do was relax and enjoy each others company.

  *****

  Chapter 15

  Nosy Nora

  “Nora?” Kim Morris was wrapped in a bathrobe, her eyes still sleep-swollen. “What a surprise.”

  “Hi, Kim.” Nora felt a little nervous standing on her porch. The Morrises were the kind of people who had wealth and liked to flaunt it. Kim’s house was a large, white structure with ionic pillars on each side of its front door. A lush, green lawn, dotted with old marble statues, was visible on either side of the house.

  “I wanted to talk to Perry if he’s around,” Nora said. “It’s nothing serious, but—”

  “Oh, Perry’s not home,” Kim said, moving aside to let Nora in. “But maybe I can help?”

  “Oh…no, it’s alright.” Nora had wanted to ask Perry more about Zoey’s behavior on the last day she was alive. The more she thought about it, the more she felt like even a stray word or two would better
help her piece together Zoey’s mental state.

  “Come on in,” Kim said. “It’s my day off today so I’m being lazy. But I’ve made some stir-fry for lunch if you’re hungry.”

  “Not hungry at all, thanks.” Nora patted her tummy. “I just wanted to ask about Zoey, honestly. I was wondering if maybe she said anything to Perry.”

  “Zoey?” Kim raised an eyebrow. “Haven’t you heard? It was her ex-husband. Sheriff Ellerton’s sure of it.”

  “I’m not so sure myself,” Nora said. “Someone threw a brick through my kitchen window last night.”

  “What?” Kim’s eyes widened. “Who would do that?”

  “Someone who’s not very happy with me, I suppose,” Nora said. “Look, if Perry can remember anything at all—”

  “I talked to him about it,” Kim interrupted. “Actually, why don’t you come into his study with me. I’ve got something to show you.”

  Intrigued, Nora followed Kim past the large grandfather clock in the living room, pausing to admire a photo hanging over the mantelpiece. It was a large portrait photograph of Perry and Kim, taken very recently. Perry, his handsome face unlined despite his age and his eyes bright, stood with an arm around Kim, who was looking at him lovingly. A picture of a truly happy couple.

  Kim led Nora further on into a small, carpeted study with taxidermied animal heads on the walls and framed photos of Perry hunting as a young boy with his father and grandfather.

  “Perry’s old school,” Kim said, seeing Nora glance around. “Personally, I hate the concept of hunting animals. It just seems so barbaric. But Perry just laughs and calls me sentimental.”

  “Well, I’m with you,” Nora said. “I’d rather hunt down criminals than animals.”

  Kim laughed. “Maybe you should have been sheriff instead of Ellerton, then.”

  “What was it that you wanted to show me?” Nora asked.