The Milburn Big Box Set

by Nancy McGovern

  “Actually, he was just…shell-shocked. But he seemed to find God after that. He told me that he was going to get sober, get his life together and take care of his daughter. He was even going to build a horse ranch on his grandmother’s land, just like his son had wanted to. But then Fred came along and stole the land and Eddie just went back to hitting the bottle.”

  “Poor guy. What happened to the daughter?”

  “I met her once. She came in here to tell him she was moving to Florida and never coming back. Eddie was too drunk to even notice. He stayed stone-faced and waved her off. I would have called him cruel, but I saw him crying later when he thought no one was looking.”

  Nora felt pity for the poor girl and, despite herself, she felt anger at Eddie for giving up and choosing the easy way out. “So Eddie blamed Fred for ruining his life?”

  “Pretty much. You know, he really started drinking with a vengeance when Fred took his land. After that, Eddie lost his job. I think he lost his mind a little, honestly. He blamed Fred for everything. If a tree had no leaves, Fred was the one who stole them. If a fruit was rotten, Fred was the one who’d poisoned it. If Eddie’s car had a flat…well, you know the drill.”

  “Where did he work before he was fired?” Austin asked.

  “He worked at a chemical factory up in Jayville,” the barman said. “Eddie’s actually a pretty smart guy underneath all that alcohol.”

  Nora saw Austin’s eyes widen at the mention of a chemical factory and felt her own heart race, too.

  “When’s the last time you saw Eddie?” Nora asked.

  “About five in the morning yesterday. I actually chucked him out of here. He slept in his car in the parking lot. I saw his car drive off at about noon, but I didn’t really see him, you know?”

  Nora was shocked. “Was that typical?”

  “Sadly, yes. He’d generally come back in a few hours ready for another round. Tremendous capacity.” The barman mimed drink after drink and patted his stomach. Nora felt a little sick.

  “You don’t know his address or anything, do you?” Nora asked.

  “Sorry.” The barman shrugged. “Can’t help you there. Even if I could, like I said, he sleeps in his car mostly.”

  “Ok. But if he does come back here, could you give him my number?” Nora scribbled it on a piece of paper and handed it to the barman. “I really want to talk to him.”

  “Sure. I can pass on that news about Fred Bailey, too.” the barman said. “What was it?”

  “Fred Bailey’s dead,” Nora said. “He died earlier tonight.”

  The barman’s eyes widened and his jaw dropped. “No. No way.”

  “It’s the truth.”

  “Eddie did it? The madman went and did it after all!” The barman put a hand to his head. “I thought he was just talking nonsense. I didn’t think—”

  “Wait, we never said Eddie killed him,” Austin cautioned. “Why are you jumping to conclusions?”

  “I mean, Eddie’s talked about killing Fred more than once. He even tried to punch him out some time ago. Got thrown in jail for the night even. Man, I can’t believe this!”

  “Did he ever talk about how he wanted to do it?” Nora asked. “Like…methods?”

  The barman nodded. “Said he’d shoot him or stab him, mostly. Once, he even told me that he’d learned a lot during his time in the chemical factory. ‘I’ve got my methods,’ he said. ‘Fred won’t know what hit him.’”

  That was true, Nora reflected. Fred certainly hadn’t.

  *****

  Chapter 11

  Peanut Butter Bacon Pancakes

  Nora hadn’t thought she was going to be able to sleep at all that night but, somehow, the minute her head hit the pillow she was transported into a deep and dreamless sleep. It wasn’t until sunbeams hit her face hours later that she sat up in bed, blinking. She stretched as she looked around the room.

  Harvey had tossed three or four shirts on the chair near the wardrobe as he’d tried to decide what to wear the night before. They still sat there, crumpled and depressed. Nora reminded herself to take him a clean set of clothes later that day. Or would that not be allowed in jail?

  After more than three decades of waking up next to Harvey each morning, she felt immeasurably lonely to be alone. Nora silently promised herself that, when Harvey was released, she’d make sure she never took him for granted again.

  “Grandmaaa.” Kaylee burst into the room, her hair flying around her face and her eyes shining. “I helped make breakfast. You want some?”

  “What time is it?” Nora asked.

  “Ten. Aunt Hazel and Mom have already gone out. They told me to let you sleep in.”

  “Sweet of them.” Nora smiled. She shifted and patted the side of her bed. “Come on and give your grandma a hug. Or are you too old now?”

  “I kind of am, you know,” Kaylee said. “I’m 13. So I’m a teenager now, not a kid.” But she bounded over and gave Nora a big hug anyway. “Is Grandpa going to be okay?” she asked, looking worried as she snuggled up to Nora.

  In moments like this, Nora could see the child Kaylee had once been. Nora had never actually known her as a baby. Grace had married Jacob and adopted his niece, Kaylee, three years earlier. But, these days, Nora felt as much love for Kaylee as she would have for any grandchild of her own. Still, she was growing up so fast, and sometimes Nora wished she could keep her the way she was forever. At thirteen, Kaylee was still a kid, but sometimes she showed flashes of maturity, signs of the adult she would become. Right now, her emotions were almost transparent on her face. Kaylee had already lost her real grandmother, and the thought of losing Harvey was upsetting, to say the least. Nora patted Kaylee’s hair and soothed her. “Grandpa will be fine. This is all just a big misunderstanding. He’s going to be home soon. A few days more at most.”

  “He really killed a guy with one punch?” Kaylee shook her head. “Grandpa’s crazy strong.”

  Nora didn’t comment on this and decided to change the subject. “How are you doing?” she asked Kaylee. “Excited about having a baby brother soon?”

  Kaylee shrugged. “I guess. Babies are boring. I don’t know.” She shifted so that she was lying on Nora’s lap and began twirling a section of her hair around her finger. Nora smiled down at her. She sniffed.

  “Is something burning?” she asked.

  Kaylee yelped and got up. “The pancakes!” she exclaimed. “I think I left the stove on.”

  They hurried down but it was too late. The pancakes were a charred mess.

  “Mom’s gonna kill me.” Kaylee looked crestfallen.

  “Never mind. Burning things once in a while is just par for the course as a chef,” Nora said. “What say you and I go get some breakfast at the diner instead?”

  Kaylee brightened. “Sure!”

  “Clean up in here, would you? I’ll hop into the shower and then we can be off.”

  *****

  Half an hour later, they were both nestled in a booth at The Madness Diner, poring over the menu. Nora already knew what she wanted, but Kaylee was studying the menu as though she were about to take an exam.

  “I’ll have the scrambled eggs and toast, please,” Nora said to Tina as she came to take their orders.

  “Aunt Tina, can I get the peanut butter bacon pancakes? But with caramelized bananas on the side?” Kaylee asked.

  Tina wrinkled her nose. “I’m not a big fan of bananas with bacon. Are you sure?”

  “It’ll taste amazing,” Kaylee said confidently.

  “She knows what she wants.” Nora laughed. “You know what, cancel my order. I’ll have the same thing. But with a big cup of coffee on the side, please.”

  “Yeah, we all really need some today.” Tina gave her a comforting pat on the shoulder and left.

  Nora leaned back and took a deep breath as Kaylee began tapping away on her phone. Kids! Sometimes Nora thought they were like zombies, permanently attached to their screens. Then again, she looked around the diner and
most of the adults were glued to their phones, too.

  Nora’s own phone buzzed and, seeing that it was Grace, she picked it up hurriedly.

  “Hey, Mom,” Grace said. “How are you?”

  “Good, dear. Kaylee and I are having breakfast at the diner. Where are you?”

  “Jacob, Hazel and I are at the station. No real news about Dad yet. They said they need to keep him in for questioning a while longer. But...”

  “But what?”

  “Well, Fred’s son, Rowan, is down here and he’s making quite a fuss,” Grace explained. “He really seems to have it in for Dad. He’s accused the sheriff of being biased and threatened to get the state police involved. Do you think you could come down here soon?”

  “I’ll be there right away,” Nora said.

  “No, that’s okay. Finish your breakfast first,” Grace insisted. “Just…it’ll be good to have you here. You’ve always been able to calm people down.”

  “Right. I’ll see you soon.” Nora nodded. She shut her phone and got up. Tina, who was approaching with two plates of sizzling hot pancakes, pushed her back down.

  “I heard that call,” she said. “You’re going nowhere till you’ve got something in your stomach, Nora.”

  Nora hesitated, then relaxed in her seat. Steam from the coffee and a mixed aroma of sweet and salt and bacon fat invaded her nostrils, almost hypnotizing her. Kaylee had already gulped down two huge bites and had a very happy look on her face. Nora, as she ate, couldn’t help thinking of her conversation with the barman last night. Eddie Shaw. A man with a known grudge against Fred Bailey. A man who had worked in a chemical factory and presumably knew something about deadly poisons. Where was he now? Would they be able to find him?

  The door jangled and Nora straightened up as Adriana walked in. She caught sight of Nora, hesitated, and nearly walked back out. Then, thinking better of it, she quickly texted someone. Her face cleared and she walked to Nora confidently with a smile.

  Was it Derek she had just texted? Had she been planning to meet him here and cancelled when she saw a familiar face? Nora found herself wondering.

  “Why, hello.” Adriana smiled. “You mind if I join you?”

  For someone who was supposed to be grieving, Adriana looked quite normal. She was wearing a faded denim jacket over a white t-shirt and jeans with minimal make-up. Definitely not her usual “bombshell look”. Kaylee scooted over and Adriana slid into the booth opposite Nora.

  “You look…” Nora hesitated. “Well-rested.”

  Adriana nodded. “I know. I suppose I ought to look more depressed. I should at least make a show of it.”

  “You and Fred had been dating a while, hadn’t you?”

  Adriana nodded. “Yes. And I know what you’re probably thinking - he was older than my father. That’s true.”

  “I don’t judge,” Nora said.

  “You should,” Adriana said. “I’ve been a horrible idiot. I dated Fred purely for his money. Yes, I admit it.”

  Surprised, Nora narrowed her eyes.

  Adriana shrugged. “He wasn’t a bad looking man. He was in good shape. Plus he’d lavish gifts and fancy dinners on me and I was just swept up in it all. You know, at one point yesterday I almost thought he was planning to propose to me. Marriage to Fred would have meant never having to worry about money again.”

  “It isn’t the best reason to get married, but it happens,” Nora said, careful to remain neutral.

  “It’s a terrible reason to get married,” Adriana said. “I see that now. Between yesterday and today, it’s like my entire life has changed. Love is the only reason anyone should ever get married.”

  “Hmm.” Nora didn’t comment. Part of her was wondering what Adriana’s angle was. Why was she telling Nora this?

  “Look...” Adriana hesitated. “I just wanted to let you know, that I truly hope nothing happens to Harvey. It truly was an accident, and I don’t blame him one bit for what happened. I’ll testify on his behalf if your lawyer wants it.”

  “Really?” Now Nora was touched. After the way Rowan and Lillian had reacted, she’d expected nothing but hostility from Adriana, too.

  “Really,” Adriana said. “I…honestly, yesterday I didn’t know whether to laugh or to cry. I really was confident that Fred would marry me this year. When it all vanished and I realized I’m just back to being broke, as usual…well, part of me was devastated. All that money. Millions…” Adriana shook her head. “But a friend of mine explained that it was actually good news, in a way. Now I know that I have to earn whatever I want from life. So part of me was relieved, as well. Being Fred’s wife would have trapped me into a life that wasn’t of my making. Money like that never comes without strings attached. Now…well, I’m broke but I can be myself. You know? Not somebody’s idea of what a wife should be. I was a blind fool and marrying Fred would have been the biggest mistake of my life.”

  A friend of hers? That would be Derek. Nora tried to detect insincerity or sour grapes in Adriana’s words, but she couldn’t. Adriana genuinely looked relieved. Or perhaps, she wasn’t. Perhaps she was only trying to fool herself into believing that it was all for the best. At any rate, it was a development Nora hadn’t expected. The natural thing would have been for Adriana to be furious that the money was lost.

  “You don’t believe me, do you?” Adriana asked.

  Nora shook her head. “Not really, sorry.”

  “I know it’s hard. But, the truth is, I was torn for a while between following my heart and following the money. Now the decision has been made for me, albeit by a very weird twist of fate. Poor Harvey. Poor Fred, too. I can’t believe he just…died. I thought he was fit enough to live until he was ninety.”

  “What kind of man was he?” Nora asked. “Was he good to you?”

  “He was a total gentleman. An old-fashioned man,” Adriana explained. “But he was very headstrong. He wanted me, he chased me, he got me. I don’t think he ever really saw me as a person, you know? Just as a trophy he could show off. But, I’ll be honest, it wasn’t all about the money. There’s something very seductive about a man who’s willing to do anything to have you.” Adriana shrugged. “I really liked the attention, basically.”

  “That’s…awfully honest of you,” Nora said.

  “I experienced an awakening last night,” Adriana said. “I realized how short life truly is, how easily it’s snatched away. My friend explained to me that…” She blushed. “Well, never mind.”

  “Your friend seems to have a great deal of influence on you,” Nora suggested.

  “Oh, he does.” Adriana smiled fondly. “He’s young, but he’s smart. Incredibly smart.”

  “It’s Derek you’re talking about, right?” Nora asked. “Lillian’s son?”

  Adriana paled. “What?!” She looked around. “How do you know?”

  “Milburn’s a small town,” Nora said. “It’s hard to keep secrets here.”

  “Secrets? There’s no secret. Derek’s just a friend, that’s all,” Adriana said. “Nothing more.”

  “Maybe you feel that way,” Nora said. “Does he?”

  Adriana looked genuinely offended and, sweeping her purse off the table, she got up. “Thanks for the talk. I meant what I said about Harvey. As for the rest, I’d be really glad if you didn’t mention my friendship with Derek to his mother. She’s apt to take it the wrong way.”

  “It shouldn’t matter if you’re both adults.” Nora shrugged.

  “Oh, but Lillian...” Adriana shook her head. “Lillian’s not someone I want to mess with, believe me. I’ve never met a tougher woman than her. She’s a shark.”

  With that, Adriana left, giving Nora a lot to consider.

  *****

  Chapter 12

  The Mother

  At the police station, Jacob and Hazel were speaking to a deputy while Grace sat on the bench, a book on babies open in her lap. She greeted Nora with a smile and got a huge hug in return.

  “You should go back home and
rest. I’ll take over,” Nora said. “I saw your dad yesterday and he’s fine. He’s a strong man.”

  “That he is,” Grace agreed. “We’re worried, though. I heard Rowan’s talking about suing you and Dad for civil damages, as well. I didn’t even know that was possible!”

  “What?!” Nora exclaimed.

  “He arrived earlier and was furious. The sheriff has him in for questioning now, but I heard Rowan yell something about how the sheriff was corrupt and clearly favoring Dad.” Grace shook her head and wrinkled her nose. “I suspect he’s a little drunk, too. He didn’t seem right in the head.”

  The door to the station opened and a woman in her 50s with windswept hair and a sharply angular face stepped in. Something about her green eyes felt familiar to Nora. With a start, Nora recognized her. Dana. Fred’s ex-wife and Rowan’s mother. Nora had even met her at charity events once or twice in the past. She’d always been left with an impression of too-dark lipstick, expensive perfume and jangling bangles. Things hadn’t changed much since then, it seemed.

  Seeing Nora, Dana headed right over, chest heaving.

  “Rowan messaged me what happened. I was in New York but I flew right in as soon as I heard. Poor Rowan,” she said, putting out her hands. “I’m sorry for you, too, Nora. Sorry for all of it. Fred was unbearable sometimes. Why, I’ve wanted to punch him more than once myself. But nobody could have predicted this would happen.”

  “Thank you.” Nora smiled. “Rowan doesn’t seem to feel that way.”

  “He was very fond of his father, of course.” Dana nodded. “Where is he? I thought he’d be here.”

  “The sheriff’s taking his statement,” Grace piped up.

  “Again?” Dana was astonished. “But why? They talked to him for hours last night.”

  “You know how the police are.” Nora shrugged. “They like to do things thoroughly.”

  “Yes…yes. I suppose so. But poor Rowan must be in a state of shock right now. I had to come support him. You…Deputy!” Dana hailed a passing deputy down. “Could you go tell the sheriff I’m here? I’m Rowan Bailey’s mother. Fred Bailey’s wife…er…ex-wife. Tell him I want to see my boy immediately.”