The Milburn Big Box Set

by Nancy McGovern

“I will,” Nora promised. She heard footsteps approaching again and straightened up. “I’d better go now. Deputy Jamie will be in big trouble if the sheriff sees me here. Take care of yourself, will you? And phone me if any memories come back to you.”

  “I doubt they will,” Michelle said. “Good luck, Nora!”

  *****

  Chapter 17

  The Basement

  As Nora walked down the hospital hallway, she noticed a door open and Sheriff Ellerton come out. He had a grim expression on his face and was talking to a nurse. He glanced up, caught sight of Nora and did a double take.

  “You? I suppose I should have guessed.” He gave her a smile. “You don’t ever quit, do you?”

  Nora shrugged. “It’s not in my nature.”

  “You’ve got a cut on your cheek,” the sheriff said. “You should have that looked at.”

  “I have had it looked at — by a very experienced ten year old. She offered me a neon-pink band-aid. But I declined.” Nora smiled.

  “Well, I’m glad your injuries weren’t more serious,” Sheriff Ellerton said. “Things could have been bad yesterday, Nora. That rifle was fully loaded and dangerous. It would have taken out a good chunk of you.”

  “I could do with a good chunk getting taken off me.” Nora laughed and patted her belly.

  “It’s not a joking matter, Nora!” The sheriff tried to look gruff for a second, then shook his head and laughed. “Ah, it’s no use preaching to you. Is it?”

  “I just did what I had to, Sheriff. Is Garth okay? And Kenny?”

  “Ah, Kenny.” The sheriff sighed and shook his head. “Garth’s in this room right here, by the way. You can see him any time.”

  “You were saying about Kenny?”

  “As for Kenny...” He sighed. “You knocked him on the head really hard, Nora. He’s still unconscious.”

  Nora gulped. “It’s not serious, is it?”

  “No. The doctor said he’s out more from exhaustion than anything. He should be coming around any time now. But I haven’t been able to question him. Not that I’m expecting any coherent replies from him. For all I know, he’ll act like Michelle and claim he has no memory of anything.”

  “So you don’t believe Michelle, then?” Nora asked.

  Sheriff Ellerton hesitated. “I want to believe her. It’s just that a lot of things don’t add up. It’s very convenient that she forgets everything, isn’t it? Plus, what you said yesterday stuck with me. Does Kenny really seem like the kind of guy who’s smart enough to orchestrate two fires and a murder? Not to me.”

  “You think Michelle manipulated him into helping her?” Nora stared at the sheriff.

  Sheriff Ellerton shrugged. “It’s a theory, isn’t it? He was her strongman, and she was the brains of the operation. I mean, one look at Kenny and you know he’d do anything for her — legal or not.”

  “Sheriff, why are you so fixed on Michelle as the main suspect?” Nora asked. “I mean, she’s just returned to town, she didn’t really have any grudge against Jake. She had no real motive.”

  “No motive?” Sheriff Ellerton grinned. “Did you know Flint was angry when she inherited the bookstore instead of him?”

  “Yes. Why?”

  “Well, he was angry enough that he hired a lawyer and planned to contest the will. Maybe Michelle felt threatened. Or maybe she just wanted revenge on her ex-husband. She’s still bitter about him cheating on her,” Sheriff Ellerton said. “How’s that for a motive?”

  “It’s a very good motive, if Flint was the victim,” Nora said. “How does Jake tie into all of that?”

  “Well, that’s what I’m trying to figure out, isn’t it?” Sheriff Ellerton smiled. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to check on Kenny’s progress. As soon as he wakes up and confesses to his part in all this, we’ll be able to make some actual arrests.”

  The sheriff gave her a friendly nod as he left and Nora decided to go see Garth. She knocked on the door and was told to enter. She opened to see Garth sitting on a bed. A doctor with a stethoscope was checking his breathing. She nodded, scribbled something on a notepad and straightened up.

  “Yes, Mr. Green, everything still sounds fine with your windpipe. No pain besides the bruises, correct? Those should go away in a few days. Now, about the cuts on your arm. You’ll need to apply an antibacterial cream twice a day.”

  “Yes, doctor.” Garth sighed. “Can I just leave this place and have a decent lunch? I’ve only had soup since last night.”

  “Try and avoid any crunchy food like crackers or chips,” the doctor said. “That’ll only irritate your throat. But, yes, I’ll ask the staff to get your discharge papers ready. You’re just fine.”

  “Thank you,” Garth said. Then, turning to Nora, he smiled. “How are you? Thank you for dropping by!”

  “Your voice sounds better.” Nora smiled and gave him a hug. “I’m so glad you’re okay, Garth.”

  “Believe me, I’m glad, too. I’m even more glad that Sheriff Ellerton has Kenny in handcuffs.” Garth shivered. “I might have been all heroic yesterday but today I’m just kicking myself for being such an idiot. If you hadn’t hit Kenny with that rifle, I’d be a dead man for sure. You saved my life.”

  “Rubbish,” Nora said. “You were doing perfectly fine. You smashed a vase on his head!”

  “And it didn’t affect him much, did it?” Garth grinned. “I was more of a damsel in distress than a knight in shining armor, to be honest.”

  “Well, I know one damsel who thinks you’re a hero.” Nora smiled. “You’ll find her in room 205 if you care to drop by.”

  “Michelle?” Garth’s smile grew even bigger. “Is she…I mean…can I go see her?”

  “She’s better now,” Nora said. “And, yes, you can definitely go see her. If Sheriff Ellerton lets you, that is.”

  “Why wouldn’t he let me? Surely she’s a free bird now?” Garth raised an eyebrow.

  Nora shook her head. “I’m not so sure.”

  “Why wouldn’t you be sure?” Garth looked startled. “We caught Kenny—”

  “Sheriff Ellerton doesn’t think so. He thinks Michelle may have convinced Kenny to start those fires and kill Jake.”

  “B—but she had a head wound!” Garth looked positively indignant. “The sheriff’s conducting a witch hunt, not an investigation!”

  “Wounds can be self-inflicted, you know,” Nora said. She sighed. “I don’t know. The sheriff seemed so positive that Kenny couldn’t have done it himself. Plus the way Michelle disappeared...”

  “Doesn’t she remember who bashed her on the head?” Garth asked eagerly. “If she saw the killer then she can—”

  “She has no memory of last night,” Nora said, shaking her head. “So that’s a dead end, I’m afraid.”

  Garth’s shoulders slumped. “Awful. Just when I thought…well…”

  “Garth, you like Michelle, don’t you?” Nora asked.

  Garth grinned. “You know I do.”

  “Well, now’s as good a time as any to tell her,” Nora said. “After all, she really needs the support.”

  “Well...” Garth suddenly looked self-conscious. “I mean, she won’t want anything to do with me. I’m sure she just sees me as a friend.”

  “Oh, I wouldn’t be too sure.” Nora grinned mischievously. “Try your luck, Mr. Knight-in-shining-armor. Your damsel might just favor you with a kiss or two.”

  Garth beamed at Nora. “Did she say something to you?”

  “No. But she did seem awfully eager to know how you were doing,” Nora said. “Plus, she seemed oh-so-grateful.”

  “Aw, I’m sure it’s just gratitude,” Garth demurred. “Not that what I did was special or anything. Any red-blooded man would have done the same.”

  “Garth, will you just ask her out before I lose my patience?” Nora growled.

  Garth laughed. “Fine. But only because you’re forcing me to. If she rejects me, you have to sweep up the pieces of my shattered heart. Deal?”
/>
  “If she rejects you, dinner at the diner is on me tonight,” Nora said. “With as many helpings of apple pie as you like!”

  *****

  Chapter 18

  The Light at the End of the Tunnel

  Nora’s next stop was the bookstore. An unpleasant smell of charred wood and burnt plastic lingered in the air, reminding passersby of the recent fire. Nora went around back and climbed down a few stairs before reaching a door that was surrounded by yellow tape. Ducking under it, she tried the door and found to her surprise that she didn’t need Michelle’s keys after all — the door to the basement was unlocked. Gulping down her last breath of fresh air, Nora walked in.

  The basement was dark, and the smell of burnt wood even more pronounced. Nora took out a flashlight from her purse and shone it on the walls. Large, damp stains still existed where the firemen had used their hose. Soggy books, totally ruined by fire and water, sat in heaping piles all over the room while mud covered the floor.

  What could Jake Tipper possibly have wanted here? He’d been down here looking for something. What?

  Nora noticed a white, chalky dust on the north wall and moved towards it. She remembered the chalk-like dust on Jake the night of the party. It had been on his shoes and knee-caps. More puzzled than ever before, Nora walked to the wall and started searching around it.

  There was nothing for her to find. Nora sighed. Michelle was right- — the sheriff and his men had done a thorough job looking for evidence. Still, Nora wished she could have found some sort of clue. She didn’t know what she’d been expecting — the missing laptop, perhaps.

  Out loud, she said, “Come on, Jake! Help me out here! What were you looking for?” Her voice echoed around the room, bouncing back to her ears eerily. She slammed a fist on one wall in frustration, knowing that the case was at a dead end.

  Her fist bounced off the wall, and the wall made a sound like a drum. Nora stilled. Carefully, she knocked on the wall, and a big smile spread across her face. It was hollow!

  Scrabbling around, Nora looked for a crack in the wall. She pushed and prodded every brick she could reach, wondering what would happen. One particular brick seemed a little off-set and, pressing on it, Nora suddenly heard a deep groan. A section of the wall slid neatly away, revealing a dark tunnel behind it.

  So that’s what Jake Tipper had been looking for — a tunnel! But where would it lead? Nora’s mind filled with stories of treasure hunts as she took her first steps into the tunnel.

  *****

  There was a squeak and a creak as a section of the wall in the center of the room gave way. Hands appeared from behind it, pushing it open. Nora emerged, dust-covered and triumphant. So this was the other end of the tunnel. Nora felt her heart lurch. She was in another basement — quite a familiar one.

  It was Flint’s basement.

  Shaking off the dust that clung to her, Nora took stock of the room. One corner was dedicated to woodworking and a half-made chair sat upturned on a table. In another corner were some paintings stacked together and leaning against a wall. A statue of a Greek goddess sat on top of an old ottoman, while a marble bust of a Victorian gentleman stared disapprovingly at Nora from next to her. The exit was ahead of her — a short flight of stairs that would no doubt lead up to Flint’s art gallery. A pair of elevator doors stood next to it.

  Nora moved around the basement, careful not to touch anything. A smile spread across her face as she caught sight of a vintage suitcase with travel stickers all over it. The bust of the Victorian man sat upon this suitcase, his eyes radiating contempt for the world around him.

  But what interested Nora was that, while everything else was dusty, the bust and the suitcase underneath it were not. Someone had been here very recently. Nora took a breath and tried to lift up the bust. She tried twice, and failed both times. Her arms simply weren’t strong enough. Finally, she had to resort to bringing over a plank of wood, sliding it under the bust, and then using it as a fulcrum.

  The bust toppled over onto a pillow that Nora had strategically placed next to it. The man’s face seemed to grow even more forlorn.

  “Sorry, my lord,” Nora said to him. “I’ll try and have you back on your throne soon.” She grinned to herself as she turned to the suitcase and flicked it open.

  She spotted it immediately and gave a gasp. Inside the suitcase sat a silver laptop, anachronistic in its surroundings. Nora picked it up and slipped it into her purse then banged the suitcase shut. She rose up and wondered how she’d ever manage to lift the heavy bust into its proper place again.

  The elevator dinged and, before Nora could move, Flint stepped out, his arms full of small, metal sculptures. He was lost in thought, his eyes fixed ahead of him as he stepped out into the basement. Nora cleared her throat and Flint looked up, then screamed and back-tracked. He dropped the metal sculptures all around him and slipped, falling heavily on his back. Nora hurried to him and held out a hand.

  “What are you doing here?? You scared the life out of me!” Flint exclaimed.

  “Did I?” Nora had no sympathy in her. She grabbed Flint’s arm and tugged, pulling him off the floor. He stood up, wincing as he touched his lower back.

  “Well?” Flint crossed his arms and stared at her. “Did Betty let you in?”

  “I came in myself,” Nora said, cocking a thumb behind her. “I used the handy little tunnel that you conveniently never told anyone about.”

  Flint paled and took a step back. “Tunn— that old thing? It’s still here?”

  “Don’t act innocent, Flint. We need to talk. Properly this time. I’ve had enough of your lies.”

  “I’m not lying!” Flint exclaimed.

  “No?” Nora asked. “I suppose you had nothing to do with the fire in Jake’s house, then?”

  “I really didn’t.” Flint looked baffled. “I was at a party with Betty. Ten people can testify to the fact. You called us while we were there, by the way.”

  “Michelle was missing and I thought she might be with you,” Nora said.

  “Ah, yes. I heard Michelle got herself into more trouble. I always knew Kenny was a bad sort. I heard you’re the one who rescued her? Good job.”

  “The last time we talked, you were very sure that Kenny was the arsonist,” Nora said. “Remember that?”

  Flint nodded and winced. “The last time we talked, I didn’t know that Jake Tipper was dead. I thought it was some random homeless man who’d broken into Michelle’s basement.”

  “Did you, now?” Nora asked.

  “Of course!” Flint bent down and began picking up the metal sculptures one by one. “Listen, if you’re going to pepper me with questions, can you help me with these? I want to put them next to that statue and…” Flint paused, his eyes falling on the suitcase for the first time. His entire face drained of color as he looked at Nora.

  “Oh,” he said.

  “Yes. Oh,” Nora said. “The game’s up, Flint. I have the laptop now.”

  “Nora, listen to me…” Flint advanced on her and Nora backed away. She looked around her, then bent quickly and picked up one of the metal sculptures that had fallen to the ground. It was a statue of an elephant-headed god, and she gripped it tightly, planning to use it as a weapon if Flint advanced any further.

  Flint must have guessed her thoughts, because he paused and held out a hand, palm up. “Give it back to me, Nora.”

  “The sculpture?” Nora said. “Gladly. If you move out of my way and let me take the elevator up.”

  “You know what I’m talking about,” Flint said, his voice icy. “Give the laptop back to me.”

  “Sure, I will,” Nora said. “If you can prove that it’s yours. But it isn’t, is it? This is Jake’s laptop. You lied to me that day when you said you never found it.”

  “Just give me back the laptop!” Flint shouted. “You’ve got no business poking your nose around in this. Just give it back this instant or I’ll—”

  “You’ll what?” Nora felt fear climb the
back of her throat.

  “I’ll...” Flint looked suddenly helpless. “Oh, I’m in a mess, aren’t I?” To Nora’s surprise, he sank down on the floor and hugged his knees to his chest. Tears began streaming down his face. “You’re going to have me hanged, aren’t you?” He put his head down and began sobbing quietly.

  “That depends,” Nora said. “Are you ready to confess everything to the sheriff?”

  “I just want my life back,” Flint said. “That’s all I’ve ever wanted. My art gallery, my wife, my friends. I was so happy with my life before this whole mess.”

  “Of course.” Nora played along, not wanting to cause any sudden rage in him. Flint was clearly emotionally volatile. “All you have to do is talk it out, Flint. Why did you kill Jake?”

  Flint banged a hand on the floor next to him. “I didn’t kill Jake! How many times do I have to say it! I’m not a murderer!”

  “Alright, then,” Nora said. “Explain why there’s a tunnel connecting your house to where the body was found. Explain why you have Jake’s laptop.”

  “I’d forgotten about that tunnel,” Flint said. “Honestly, the tunnel was a lot of fun when we were kids — we’d spend all summer going back and forth under the road, pretending to be pirates hiding our booty. But I forgot it was even there. I haven’t used it in years and years. I haven’t even thought about it.”

  “Flint, do you really think anyone’s going to believe that?” Nora asked.

  “It’s the truth!” Flint said. “I’m telling you, I have nothing to do with Jake’s death or the fires. I’m innocent!”

  “You have no alibi for Jake’s murder,” Nora said. “You claimed you were breaking into his house at the time.”

  “I was,” Flint said. “Listen, I know I’m in a bind, Nora. But you have to believe me.”

  “I’m not sure I do,” Nora said. “You lied to me every step of the way. Who’s to say you’re not lying now?”

  “I didn’t set fire to Jake’s house,” Flint said. “You believe that, don’t you? I was with Betty all evening at the Smith’s party. Ten people will testify to that. That’s got to mean something, right? I have an alibi.”