The Milburn Big Box Set

by Nancy McGovern

  “Poor Jacob?!” Harvey protested. “You mean poor Grace! She’s right, you know. What did he expect? He can’t just tell her to go away when it’s inconvenient and come back when it’s not. You think your mom and I would have lasted the way we have if we hadn’t stuck by each other through thick and thin?”

  “Yeah, Dad, but it’s his family. And mom tried to tell him one of them is a murderer!”

  “Which is true,” Harvey said. “Obviously.”

  “Well, imagine if I had a boyfriend who told me that about you three?” Hazel asked. “My instant reaction would be to tell him to go to…to go away. Right? I’d need time, at the very least, before I could even re-frame the world and think of you folks as anything but perfect.”

  “Well...” Harvey hesitated. “Yes, I suppose you would.”

  “Of course, I would. And Grace, instead of giving him some time, just went and threw his ring back in his face.”

  “Look here—” Harvey said.

  “I understand, Dad. She got worked up, especially because she thought they were insulting Mom. I’d be furious, too.”

  “They didn’t exactly insult me…” Nora said hastily. “Not all of them, anyway.”

  “Well, of course you’d say that. You’re sweeter than pumpkin cake,” Hazel said, sticking a finger into the bowl of frosting and popping it into her mouth. “I’m going upstairs to have a talk with Grace.”

  “Be gentle, okay?” Harvey looked nervous. “She’s pretty broken up, from what your mom says.”

  “I know how to handle her, don’t worry.” Hazel leaned over and kissed Harvey on the cheek. “Leave that pumpkin cake out once you’ve had your fill. I have a feeling she’ll be starving once we’re done talking.”

  *****

  Chapter 21

  5am

  Nora couldn’t sleep that night.

  Threads of conversation kept spilling over in her brain and joining other, unrelated thoughts. She thought back to everything that had occurred since the day they had found Bobby Black’s body. That was the beginning of this whole affair, wasn’t it?

  No. Nora told herself. That was inaccurate. The murder of Bobby Black wasn’t the beginning. Not from the point of view of the murderer, anyway. It was, in fact, an end. There was a thread stretching behind that point, a thread which, followed to its true beginnings, would reveal the motive and the true killer.

  Well, it was none of her business really. Not anymore. Especially if Grace and Jacob were truly broken up. Except…Nora just couldn’t seem to let it go. Despite everything, Bobby Black’s death held a morbid fascination for her. That the murderer had killed him so cold-bloodedly chilled her.

  Throwing off her blankets, Nora headed downstairs for some water. She glanced at the clock on her night stand — the glowing neon figures showed that it was 5am. Yawning, she padded down the stairs and paused at the kitchen door.

  Hazel and Grace were at the table, eating cake right from the pan with forks. A pint of ice-cream with two spoons in it was open between them.

  “Hey, Mom.” Grace gave her a watery smile. “Come to join us for a midnight feast?”

  “Grace, sweetheart.” Nora gave her a tight hug, kissing the top of her head. “Are you alright?”

  “Oh, Mom…don’t.” Grace’s voice was rough. “I’ll just start crying again.”

  “Did you girls talk?” Nora asked.

  Grace nodded. “She thinks I was overly dramatic for breaking up with Jacob. She’s been trying to make me see the light and go back to Jacob. But I just can’t. He didn’t stand up for me. And he just stood by while his mom insulted you. I can’t marry a man like that.”

  “Oh, sweetheart.” Nora’s heart was breaking for her daughter. “Look, don’t make major life decisions when you’re angry. Okay? That’s all we’re trying to say to you.”

  “It’s done, Mom. I’m not going back to Jacob now. He’s shown me his true colors,” Grace said. “Let’s just…let’s talk about something else okay? Anything else.”

  Nora sighed. “I can’t think about anything else,” she said. “Bobby Black’s murder has been keeping me awake all night.”

  “Oh!” Grace exclaimed. “In all the excitement, I completely forgot to tell you about the diary...”

  Grace began telling Nora everything that Jacob had told her — from him bumping into Bobby Black and the diary Ramona had given him. The sun had begun to rise and, outside, the dark night sky was slowly turning purple. By the time Grace was done with her story, the first birds had begun to chirp and dawn had crept through the windows.

  Nora listened to Grace, her face fiercely attentive. When she was finally done, Nora leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes.

  “That’s…a lot!” she said. “Grace…do you see how bad it looks for Jacob? I don’t buy his story at all. If everything you said is true, Jacob’s most likely the murderer.”

  Grace was instantly angry. “He’s no murderer, Mom.”

  “Isn’t he?” Nora asked. “You have to see how this looks. Ramona gave him that diary. Where do you think she got it from? Do you remember Jacob mentioning that Ramona had been learning to dance at Bobby’s studio?”

  “He did say something like that.” Grace hesitated.

  “Maybe Ramona and Bobby were blackmailing him together,” Nora said. “Or maybe not. Either way, Jacob didn’t want his family’s secrets out in the open.”

  “No. Mom, I know Jacob. He wouldn’t throw away his whole life and murder someone. Not for a hundred year old secret.”

  “How can you be so sure?” Nora asked. “Aren’t you doing the same thing he did? He defended his family blindly the same way you’re defending him now.”

  Grace looked stricken. “I mean...”

  “You’re ready to believe that someone in that family is the murderer. Why won’t you believe it was Jacob?”

  “Because I love him!” Grace exclaimed. “I love him, despite everything, and I know him. I know him better than I know anyone on this planet, and I’d stake my life that he didn’t do it. He isn’t capable of it.”

  Nora sighed. “Everyone’s capable of murder if their back is to the wall, Grace.”

  “I—” Grace paused as her phone began buzzing.

  “Maybe it’s him,” Hazel said. Her face had burst into a bright smile ever since Grace said she loved Jacob and she was still grinning as Grace picked up the phone.

  “Hello?” Grace said. Instantly, her face froze. She fumbled with her phone for a second and then turned the loudspeaker on.

  “… I just can’t bear the guilt anymore.” A woman was sobbing. “I didn’t realize… I didn’t realize what I was being asked to do. You have to believe me!”

  “Who is this?” Grace asked.

  “It’s me. Ramona.”

  “Ramona? I need you to calm down. Take a deep breath, okay?”

  “I killed Bobby Black!” Ramona exclaimed. “I’m responsible for his death!”

  Nora’s eyes widened. She stared at Grace, who looked equally horrified.

  “Y-you?” Grace stuttered. “Are you saying you pushed him down the stairs.”

  “No. I wasn’t even there. But I might as well have been.” Ramona’s voice was thick with tears. “I’ve held it in as well as I could but the guilt has been eating away at me. Poor Bobby’s dead and I’m responsible. I was his student, you know. At the dance studio. I was the one who told him how much money the Giordanos had. I was the one who told him everything! He tried to blackmail them because of me!” She stopped and, in the background, Nora could hear a door slam.

  “Ramona.” Nora’s voice was sharp.

  “W—wha—who is this?”

  “Grace’s mother,” Nora said. “Look, are you safe? Where are you?”

  “At home.”

  “So your mother’s there, too?”

  “No, she’s not home yet. But I—” Her voice rose to a scream and there was a crash as the phone dropped to the floor. “You! How did you get in? I told
you, I’ve had enough! I’m confessing everything!” Nora heard Ramona scream.

  There was a loud crack and then a devastating silence.

  “Ramona!” Grace yelled. “Ramona! Are you alright? Answer me!”

  But the line was dead. So was Ramona.

  *****

  Chapter 22

  The Key

  It was too late.

  They reached Ramona’s home only an hour later, but Chief Andrews’ car was parked in the driveway, its blue lights flashing. Nora had a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. Sophia was sitting on the porch steps sobbing and Uncle Finley had an arm around her. Two men in white coats were carrying a stretcher, a white bedsheet covering the body upon it.

  Grace made the sign of the cross as the men passed by. Nora shuddered.

  “Grace?” Jacob had been sitting next to Sophia and consoling her. He sprang up when he saw Grace and came running down the steps. He stopped just a few feet away, suddenly awkward. Grace reached out a hand to touch him and then dropped it. She looked away.

  “Ramona phoned me,” Grace said. “We heard the killer come in. We heard her get murdered on the phone, Jacob.”

  “What?” Jacob looked confused.

  Chief Andrews appeared out of nowhere, as though he sensed something important was happening. “Care to repeat yourself?” he asked, taking out a notepad and pen.

  Grace told him everything, starting from Ramona’s hysteria to the sound of the door.

  “But you didn’t actually hear anyone else, did you?” Jacob asked. “And she made a confession? She said that she had killed Bobby?”

  “Well, yes. But how does that matter? Clearly someone came into the house and killed her.”

  Chief Andrews cleared his throat. “We’re still considering all angles,” he said.

  “What do you mean?” Grace stared at him. “Ramona was murdered! Probably by the same person who murdered Bobby Black!”

  “Hush.” Jacob looked over his shoulder at a sobbing Sophia. “Not so loud.”

  “Ramona’s body was found with a typed suicide note next to it,” Chief Andrews said. “In her note, Ramona confessed that she murdered Bobby Black. She was in love with him, and he didn’t care for her. She invited him to the Giordano home to talk that night and then she pushed him down the stairs.”

  “That’s rubbish,” Nora said. “I’m prepared to testify and so is Grace. We know what we heard. The murderer clearly tried to plant evidence in order to close the case. The truth is, Ramona was an accessory to the murder, but not deliberately. I think she didn’t realize until afterwards exactly what she had been conned into doing. When she did realize, she regretted it bitterly and threatened to expose the murderer. That’s why she was killed.”

  Chief Andrews nodded, not looking up from his notepad. “Interesting theory.”

  “It’s not a theory, my mom’s right!” Grace exclaimed. “We all heard her. She sounded desperate, but not suicidal. And when she asked whoever was there, ‘What are you doing here?’ there was terror in her voice. She was scared to death.”

  “Maybe she was having a psychotic break,” Jacob said. “She was delusional and she called you.”

  “But that’s interesting, isn’t it?” Nora asked. “Even if Ramona was delusional, why call Grace? She didn’t even like Grace much. It was you she liked. It was you who was best friends with her.”

  Jacob’s face hardened. “So you’re calling me a murderer to my face now? Is that what you’re doing?”

  “Jacob, dear.” Viola appeared at Jacob’s shoulder, her face shadowed with pain. “Come on. This is not the time to get into arguments with self-proclaimed detectives. We need to comfort Sophia. We need to plan the…the funeral arrangements.” Tears sprung to her eyes.

  Jacob put an arm around his mother’s shoulders. “You’re right. There’s a lot of work to do. How’s Sophia?”

  “Devastated,” Viola said. “She’s never going to be the same, not ever again. Oh, poor Ramona. Nothing makes sense anymore.”

  “Wait,” Nora said. “Who found her today?”

  “Hmm? Lucas did. He was on his morning jog when he heard the gunshot. He broke into the house through the backdoor and found Ramona...” Viola shuddered. “It’s too horrible.”

  Nora looked around and saw Lucas sitting under a tree with a deputy next to him. His face was pale and drawn. Striding up to him, Nora immediately began peppering him with questions about what he’d seen.

  Lucas gave her one word answers, only confirming what Viola had already said: he’d been on his morning jog when he heard a gunshot and, upon breaking into the house, he’d found Ramona by the kitchen table, with a gun in her hand and a gunshot wound to her head.

  “Lucas, you came through the back door, but what about the front door?” Nora asked. “Do you remember if it was locked?”

  Lucas frowned. “I don’t…I was in a panic. I just called the police and they told me to wait right there. When they arrived, I opened the front door for them. The door was…yes, I remember now. It was locked,” Lucas said.

  Nora looked around the porch then went up to Sophia, who had her face buried in Viola’s shoulder. Viola looked truly sad as she patted her best friend’s back.

  “An extra key,” Nora said. “Sophia, this is essential. Did Ramona talk to you about a book? A diary?”

  Viola snarled, “This is not the time, Nora! Can’t you see she’s—”

  “I can talk,” Sophia said between tears. She seemed to be calming down.

  “Did Ramona say anything about a diary on Thanksgiving night?” Nora asked.

  Sophia shook her head. “No.”

  Yet that was the night Ramona had supposedly handed Jacob the diary. Nora bit her lip. “Did she seem excited or unusually happy that night?”

  Sophia sniffed. “The truth is…Ramona was in love with Jacob. She always had been. She was furious for most of that night. She didn’t like Grace. But then...” Sophia’s voice trailed off.

  “Yes?”

  “Then, just before we left, she went upstairs to powder her face. When she came down, she did seem…excited,” Sophia explained. “She asked Lucas to walk us home and she was humming all the way.”

  “She asked Lucas? He didn’t volunteer himself?” Nora was thrown off.

  “Why are you asking me all these questions?” Sophia asked.

  Ignoring her, Nora asked, “And your front door, do you have an extra key?”

  “Nora, now is really not the time!” Viola exclaimed again, as Sophia burst into tears once more.

  Sophia, sniffing, looked up. Suddenly mute, she pointed to a potted plant that stood by the door. Nora got Chief Andrews’ attention, and they slowly raised the potted plant. Underneath was the outline of a key in dirt. The key itself was gone.

  Chief Andrews gave out a little whistle but Nora, having found what she’d been looking for, had already darted off to speak to another person. Uncle Finley.

  *****

  Chapter 23

  Gathering

  Uncle Finley stood by awkwardly as Viola and Jacob consoled Sophia. He seemed almost glad when Nora dragged him aside.

  “Horrible,” Uncle Finley said. “I just can’t believe that someone would do this to Ramona.”

  “Never mind that for now,” Nora said, not realizing how cold she sounded. “I want to know where you were on Thanksgiving night.”

  Finley looked taken aback. “Well, that’s my business. Chief Andrews is fine with my alibi. I don’t see why—”

  “Please, Finley. It’s urgent,” Nora pleaded. “I know you didn’t commit these murders. It stands to reason you couldn’t have.”

  “Really? You think I’m innocent?” Finley looked baffled. “But you acted as though you thought I’d done it.”

  Nora shook her head. “Maybe I had. But the keys, you see. The killer knew exactly where they were, which means the killer was someone both Sophia and Ramona had known and trusted for a long time. I know you didn’t get
along so well with either of them.”

  “They never wanted me to move up in the company.” Finley scowled. “They were always trying to drag Jacob back to the business. I think Ramona had some sort of fantasy that she’d marry Jacob and they’d all run the company together. The truth is, Jacob would have been miserable. He just isn’t built for big business. Yeah, I shouldn’t speak ill of the dead, but the truth is that Sophia and her daughter were always on watch, making sure Viola and I never became too close. They never trusted me.”

  “One more thing,” Nora said. “Lucas mentioned that you were an eagle scout once. Did you ever take your nephews out hiking?”

  “Sure. My brother William and I both did,” Finley said. “The boys are excellent hikers themselves. This entire family is, actually.”

  “Alright.” Nora nodded. “One final question. I know you won’t want to answer but I really need to know where you were on Thanksgiving night. Where did you go?”

  Finley hesitated. “I don’t—”

  “Come on, Finley. Can’t you see what the stakes are?”

  “Fine.” Finley sighed. “I drove to a pharmacy. Viola had eaten too much that night and had developed terrible cramps.”

  “That’s what you were hiding in your pocket, right?” Nora asked. “Medicine?”

  Finley nodded. “I didn’t want her to be embarrassed.”

  “But why wouldn’t you just tell me later?”

  “Like I said, I didn’t want to embarrass Viola. And, besides, you were so irritatingly persistent.”

  “Chief Andrews said he was convinced by your alibi,” Nora said. “So it’s true, then?”

  Finley nodded. “He’s got video evidence from the pharmacy.”

  Nora sucked in her breath. “This changes everything,” she said. “Thank you, Finley.”

  Finley looked confused. “Wait, where are you running off to?” he called after Nora.

  “I’m going to talk to the one person who holds the key to all of this,” Nora said.