“Nothing makes sense,” Natalie repeated.
James caught her by the shoulders and patted her back gently. He looked down at her with determination on his face. “I know. But that’s all the more reason it’s important for us all to keep our heads, you know? Stay calm.”
“I can’t.” Natalie was trembling.
“Tell me about Brooke,” James said. “What happened? What did she say to you?”
“I was at her house - so was Jess. The three of us were comforting each other,” Natalie said. “Jess has taken this all the hardest. It’s almost strange how fragile she’s become. I thought she was so tough...”
A look of sadness and tenderness shot across James’s face. He nodded. “I’ll try and be there for her. I called her, but I don’t think she was ready to talk,” he said. “At least, she didn’t pick up my call.”
“It’s best to leave her alone, then,” Natalie said. “But you’re a good friend, James. I know I sounded half-mad on the phone when I asked you to come out here. Still, you showed up and you’re ready to help.”
“It’s alright. The situation’s mad, not you. You’re just reacting to it.” James laughed.
“You’re so cool, though,” Natalie said. “I mean, it’s good to have a friend like you at a time like this. Someone strong and sturdy that won’t get knocked over by emotion.”
James shrugged, but he couldn’t hide his pleasure at Natalie’s compliments. His shoulders straightened and his chest puffed out a bit more. “Look, I’m just doing what any friend would do. Now tell me what’s on your mind.”
“Alright. Like I said, the three of us were at Brooke’s house when Nora showed up. Jess got upset and went to the other room, so I went after her. When I got back, I don’t know what Nora had said to Brooke, but Brooke looked really shaken. She practically threw Nora out of the house. And that’s not like her at all, you know?”
“Isn’t it?” James’s eyes narrowed. “Why was she upset? Did she tell you?”
“Well, after Nora left, Brooke sat me and Jess down and said that the three of us have to be really careful. She thinks Nora is investigating Maybelle’s death. I told her that’s ridiculous. That it’s practically guaranteed Tyler did it, after all. What’s there to investigate? He’s the killer, so lock him up.”
“Maybe. Maybe not.” James’ lips tightened. “I personally think he’s innocent. Maybe Nora thinks so, too.”
“But it has to be him,” Natalie said. “I don’t know why anyone would think otherwise. He lost his temper and he killed her.”
“Well, if that’s so, why’s Brooke so worried?”
“She thinks…she thinks that Nora’s dangerous. She could spread rumors that give people the wrong idea,” Natalie said. “She told me and Jess that Nora would probably come around and try to poke into our lives, and that we shouldn’t talk to her.”
“That’s ridiculous and unfair. I know Nora and Harvey and they’re good people. Neither of them is a gossip monger,” James said. “If you’ve got something you’d like to tell her, just say it. Better yet, tell the sheriff.”
“That’s exactly what Brooke told me and Jess not to do,” Natalie countered. “Look, everyone always has things in their lives that they don’t want the world to know, right? Well, May did, too. Brooke’s just trying to protect her, even in death.”
“Maybelle had a secret Brooke’s trying to bury?” James rolled his shoulders. “That doesn’t sound so good, you know. This isn’t a time for secrets.”
“Not just Maybelle. Jess has secrets, too,” Natalie said. “I mean, I guess you had to be there. When Brooke speaks, she can be really convincing. She said that Tyler was obviously the killer but, if Nora started spreading conspiracy theories, it could prevent him from going to jail. After all, all you need is reasonable doubt and the jury lets you off. Brooke said that, right now, the sheriff seems to know what he’s doing and we should just trust him. That makes a lot of sense to me. At least, it did while she was talking. It’s just that, afterwards…well…I don’t know. I felt like I had to talk to somebody. Someone totally neutral, who’d tell me whether it’s okay to hide this stuff from the sheriff, or whether I should tell him.”
“Depends on the secret,” James said. “But I see why you’d need a neutral ear. I’m glad you felt you could come to me.”
“I knew I could trust you,” Natalie said. “We’ve known each other forever, after all. You’re always so loyal to your friends.”
“Not as much as you.” James smiled. “You’re the most loyal friend I’ve ever seen. Even now you’re being protective of May.”
Natalie’s face fell. “I just wish I could have been there. That I could have saved her somehow. Poor May.”
The two of them hugged for a moment then James pulled away. He cleared his throat, and blinked. Natalie sniffed and wiped at the corners of her eyes.
“Now, what’s this secret Maybelle had?”
“She was enrolling in a college course,” Natalie explained. “I know, that doesn’t sound like a big deal, except she was applying for a photography course that would take her to Seattle for a year.”
“Oh…Tyler never mentioned-”
“Tyler never even knew,” Natalie said. “I don’t know what he’d have done, but I don’t think he’d have been a big fan of the idea.”
“Why?”
“Well, would you want your wife away from you for a year? Besides it wasn’t as though the course would end up really doing anything magical for her career. It was just a photography course. Not to mention the cost.”
“Hmm.”
“But Maybelle was sick of Milburn. I think she was really tired of living here and just wanted a change.” Natalie bit her lip.
“Was it just Milburn she was sick of?” James asked. “Or was it Tyler, too?”
“No! She loved Tyler. Of course, she did. She wouldn’t even dream of leaving him. Trust me, I’d know.”
“Would you?” James asked. “I mean, sometimes, the people closest to us are the hardest to tell these things to.”
“Well…” Natalie sighed, looking downcast.
“Look, if it helps, I definitely think you should tell the sheriff this. I don’t understand Brooke, either. If she thinks Tyler did kill Maybelle, she should be urging you to go the sheriff with this. It’s just one more piece of evidence against him, isn’t it?”
“Well, yes…but there’s more,” Natalie said. “See, I mentioned money. I said the photography course would cost money, remember?”
“Yeah?”
“Well, Maybelle had that money,” Natalie said. “A relative of hers died a while back and left her $50,000. She never told Tyler.”
“Why not?”
“Well, at first she didn’t tell Tyler because she wanted to give Jess that money,” Natalie said. “A loan like that wouldn’t be something Tyler would approve of, but it could give Jessica’s business a new lease on life.”
“Whoa...”
“Yeah. Exactly,” Natalie said. “So May agreed to give Jess that loan and then…then she got this idea in her head that she could use the money to take a photography course instead. Further her own career as a photographer, you know?”
“So she backed out of giving Jess the money?”
“A few weeks ago, yeah.” Natalie confirmed. “I didn’t find out till recently. I guess that’s what was actually behind their little feud in our knitting group.”
“That’s why Jess was mad at her,” James said, his eyes contemplative. “It was never about how to spend the dues, it was about how to spend May’s windfall.”
“Right.” Natalie hesitated. “I mean, I never even would have found out but…”
“But what?”
“But…I saw Jessica’s diary,” Natalie said. “I went over to her house a few days ago and she’d written a whole entry about how angry she was at May and how much she hated her for it.”
“Jessica was that angry at May? Our Jess?” James hesitated. �
�Natalie, I do think you need to tell the sheriff all this. Right away.”
Natalie bit her lip. “I don’t know if anyone would believe me, and the weird thing is...”
“Yes?”
“I went over to her house again the other day,” Natalie said, “after May died…”
“And?”
“And the diary was gone,” Natalie said. “It wasn’t where she usually kept it. You see?”
“Nat. Wow. This is huge. How could you even think of hiding something like this?” James said.
“It’s just…I told you, everything’s been so crazy that I didn’t even put it all together until I really sat down and thought,” Natalie admitted. “Then Brooke told me not to talk to Nora and, like I said, what if Brooke is right? What if everything I’m thinking is just nonsense and Jess gets implicated for no reason? Or Tyler gets let off even though he’s guilty? I’d hate myself forever if that happened. And yet…if Jess has done something, Maybelle deserves justice. I’m sorry. I know I should be more…I don’t know…put together. But this still all feels like a dream to me.”
“I understand.” James had a hand in her hair now and was stroking it gently. He leaned down and touched his forehead to hers. “I’m sorry, Nat. I know you really loved May. This must all be so hard on you.”
“You have no idea.” A tear leaked out of Natalie’s eye, dripping onto her cheek. James used a finger to wipe it away.
“I’m here for you,” he said. “Whatever happens, I’m here for you.”
“Oh, James.” Natalie hugged him tight.
Harvey motioned to Nora and she pulled away from the scene, wanting to give the two a bit of privacy. She cocked her head backwards and Harvey nodded in silent agreement - the faster they got out of here, the better. Nora didn’t want Natalie to know what she’d overheard. At least, not just yet. Because, despite what Natalie had just said, Brooke’s excuse seemed really thin to Nora. True, it was possible that Brooke genuinely thought Tyler did it and was doing her own part in trying to get him sentenced. The other possibility, though, was that she was content that Tyler had been arrested and, for whatever reason, didn’t want Nora or anyone else digging into things.
Why? What did Brooke have to hide from the world? It was time to find out.
*****
Chapter 11
What She Didn’t Know
Harvey and Nora talked about what they’d just heard all the way home. As he pulled into the driveway, Nora was already filling his ears with what it might mean, and what Brooke might be up to. They’d both come up with several theories, and struck down several more. Still, nothing really seemed to make sense.
As they got out of the car and went into the house, Nora suddenly stopped. Why was an uneasy feeling blooming inside her?
“I need a drink,” Harvey said, hanging up his coat and heading towards the kitchen. “We both do, I think. Maybe it’ll help us figure out what’s going on.”
“I’ll pass. Just a Coke, maybe,” Nora said.
“Suit yourself. Ice?” Harvey was rolling up his sleeves as he walked across the living room.
The uneasiness Nora had felt since she entered the house suddenly crystallized into knowledge. The house was cold - too cold. She never let the thermostat go this low. The only other explanation was that they’d left a door or window open. Or someone else had.
She screamed out a warning just as a shadow appeared in the kitchen. Harvey instinctively took a few steps back, looking this way and that for the nearest object he could use as a weapon. He grabbed a lamp off a side-table and brandished it, ready to attack.
“Hey, it’s ok. It’s ok. I promise I won’t hurt you.” The shadow stepped forward, hands in the air.
“Tyler!” Nora and Harvey exclaimed together. Harvey didn’t let go of the lamp, however. He just held it tighter.
“You’ve got a lot of explaining to do,” Harvey practically growled.
“How are you not in jail?” Nora asked.
“I posted bail,” Tyler said. “Will you please put that lamp down, Harvey? I am not a murderer.”
“So, you got out of jail and then immediately broke into our house?” Harvey still held the lamp tight and had his eyes firmly following Tyler’s every move.
“I mean, you had a window open,” Tyler said. “It’s not a big deal.” He moved to the sofa and sat down, giving Harvey a pointed look. “Will you two just sit down? We need to talk.”
“I’m calling Sheriff Ellerton and telling him to haul you right back to jail. Last I checked, breaking and entering is a crime,” Harvey said.
“I didn’t break anything,” Tyler protested. “And I am really sorry I upset you, but I’m pretty upset myself. I’m not thinking straight, and I needed to talk to someone. After everything I’ve heard about Nora, well, she seemed like the obvious choice.”
“Your lawyer is the obvious choice. Go talk to him!” Harvey said.
“I did. He told me to shut up, let him do the talking, and let the sheriff do the investigating.” Tyler looked frustrated. “My wife is dead. My life has been ripped from me. Excuse me if I’m not in a cooperative mood. Yeah, call the sheriff if you like, Harvey. But please, just talk to me first.”
Harvey hesitated, then put the lamp down. Nora put a hand on his shoulder.
“You should sit down, Harvey,” Nora said. “I’ll get you that drink.”
“I could use one, too,” Tyler said. “Whisky, if you have it. Neat.”
Nora walked into the kitchen, her mind a whirl. She poured the men’s drinks and took out a can of Coke for herself. Hastily tossing some cookies on a plate and some salted cashews into a bowl, she placed it all on a tray and headed out.
Tyler’s face fell as he saw her walk out. “A tray. Fancy glasses. That’s the kind of thing May would have thought to do. I’d have just brought the drinks out in the bottle. I’ve never in my life thought of using a tray.” His lips quivered. “It’s such a small thing, but it can mean so much.”
“Hey…” Despite herself, Nora put a hand on his thigh and patted it. “It’s alright, Tyler. It’s going to be okay.”
“No. It’s not. She’s gone. And, even if I find the killer, she’ll never come back.” Tyler buried his head in his hands and his shoulders shook as he sobbed. Harvey and Nora gave each other helpless looks. After a little while, Tyler inhaled deeply and sat up straight. He reached out and downed the drink Nora had brought him in one shot. Then, placing it back on the tray, he grabbed the second glass and downed that, too.
“Sorry.” He sniffed. “I needed that.”
“It’s okay,” Harvey said. “Take all the time you need.”
“I’m just such a mess,” Tyler said. “I’m numb and I’m sad and I feel like I’m drowning. But most of all…I’m angry. I want to know - no, I need to know - who killed her! I want my hands around their neck. I want to break them into pieces like they broke me. My beautiful wife...” Tyler’s teeth were bared and his eyes glittered with tears.
“Tyler, you need to calm down,” Harvey said. “The best way to help is to think things through. What do you know? Who could have wanted May dead?”
“I don’t know. I haven’t got much,” Tyler said. “But here’s one thing I need you to know - I’m innocent. I’m absolutely innocent.”
Nora bit her lip. Did she believe him? Could she believe him?
“Tell us about it,” Harvey said.
“I know what you must have heard,” Tyler said. “That I was alone in the house with her, that I had a fight with her.”
“We’ve also heard that you were crazy about her,” Harvey said. “Sometimes love can lead to temporary insanity. Maybe that’s what happened?”
“I’m telling you I didn’t do it!” Tyler clutched his glass so hard that Nora was afraid it would crack. She gently pried it out of his hand.
“How about Harvey and I will stay silent for a while and you can tell us what you remember?” Nora asked.
“Alright.” Tyler too
k a breath. “Yeah. I suppose that would help. I just don’t know where to start.”
“How about your fight at Coach James’s party?” Nora asked.
“First, I did fight with May on the night of James’s party. See, Jess came up to me and asked me what happened to that loan May was planning on giving her. I was flabbergasted. Naturally I asked Jess, 'What loan? Where would May get the money to give you a loan?' And, all of a sudden, Jess turned awkward and quiet and said she’d assumed May would have told me. I tried to get more out of her but, well, when it comes to their friends, those women have a code of silence that’s worse than the mafia.” Tyler laughed insincerely and shook his head. “Well, I confronted May, and she told me about the $50,000 she’d received from a distant relative. First time I ever heard of that. I felt so betrayed, you know? How could my own wife hide things from me? Then May started talking about some class in Seattle that she wanted to take. I thought she’d gone insane. I told her she was nuts to even think about spending all that time and money on a stupid class. She got really angry and said I wasn’t supporting her dreams. That wasn’t fair. I’ve always supported her dreams. I’ve never been stingy with her. But long distances are just not my thing, and there’s no way I could leave Milburn for a year. Not with my business. Well, we were both worked up and it just…it just spiraled, you know? You ever have one of those arguments that comes out of nowhere and suddenly this person you love becomes your worst enemy for the moment?”
Harvey hesitated, looked at Nora, then said, “I think every married couple has had one of those.”
“Every single one,” Nora agreed.
“Exactly!” Tyler said. “But it doesn’t really mean anything, you know? She and I said some mean things to each other - I don’t even remember what - and then some people from the party caught us yelling at each other. That’s when we cooled down and decided to go home. But it doesn’t mean I didn’t love her, or that I’d ever, ever harm a hair on her head. Yet, because of that one fight, the whole town seems to think I killed her.” Tyler ran a hand through his hair. “It’s crazy how quick people were to pin me as the murderer. I loved her.”
The Milburn Big Box Set Page 172
