Dancing With The Dead

by Nancy McGovern

  “That’s ridiculous!” Grace exclaimed. “If any of us have a chance of finding the murderer, it’s you! Tell me exactly what happened.”

  Lucas stepped out of the kitchen, a plate filled with turkey pot pie in his hand. “I’ll tell you what happened,” he said through his full mouth. He pointed his fork at Nora. “She nearly got your boyfriend arrested because she didn’t give me time to talk to him earlier today before going to the cops. After she’d made me a promise, I might add!”

  “Lucas, I can’t impress upon you how important it is that the police know everything about this murder,” Nora said.

  “Would you stop calling it that!” Lucas exclaimed. “This was an accident. An accident. Okay? Bobby Black tripped over his own feet and, unfortunately, chose to do it in our house. Chief Andrews has next to no proof that it’s a murder. Why are you trying to make it one?! This entire thing is just crazy and my poor family’s suffering because of it.”

  Viola came out of the kitchen, too, her face drawn into a scowl. “Lucas is right, Grace. Your mother did a very dangerous thing. She could have gotten Jacob arrested!”

  “She…” Grace hesitated, looking at Nora’s crestfallen face and then Viola’s harsh one. Taking a deep breath, Grace decided to speak plainly. “Viola, it’s obvious to me that someone in this family has murdered Bobby Black. Chief Andrews is trying his hardest to find the killer but you folks need to help him. Mom did the right thing. Even if it’s inconvenient, even if it’s painful. The truth has to be told. We need to find out, or live the rest of our life suspecting each other.”

  “Nobody in this family suspects each other!” Viola snapped. “Maybe in your family there’s so little trust that you’d believe the worst about each other. But not in ours!”

  “Viola—”

  Jacob stepped forward. “My mom’s right, Grace. This is my family, and I know them well. Nobody here is a murderer. Nobody would ever kill — not for all the money in the world, not for any secret from a hundred years ago. I mean look at the way Aunt Eugenie sprang to Lucas’ aid today. Look at the way Lucas was willing to get arrested rather than say anything to Chief Andrews that might get me in trouble. We’re a family that loves each other, and we’re all good people. I’m telling you, Lucas is right. This whole thing is a horrible mess. And maybe…maybe it’s best if you and your mom go back to Milburn until we’ve sorted it out.”

  Grace stared up at him, stricken. “Jacob…you don’t know what you’re asking.”

  “Actually, I do,” Jacob said. His face was grim. “Look, if your mom goes around hunting for a murderer where there is none, she’ll just needlessly complicate the case.”

  “You’re not getting it, Jacob,” Nora said. “Do you really think the murderer will stop at one? When their back is to the wall and they’re scared, people get desperate. They change. Even the people you think you know best can hide the darkest secrets from you.”

  Jacob’s expression was obstinate. He’d clearly made up his mind. “This was just an accident,” he said.

  “And you’re one to be talking!” Viola exclaimed, pointing a finger at Nora. “You’ve already been arrested for murder once before yourself. The charge was dropped and someone else was found to be the killer, but maybe the sheriff messed up. Hmm? How about that? Maybe you’re the common link between that past murder and Bobby Black.”

  “Enough.” Grace stepped between Nora and Viola. “Insult me all you like, but leave my mom out of it.”

  “I’d like her out of my house,” Viola said.

  Nora sighed. She could see they’d made up their minds. “It’s fine. I don’t want to cause trouble. I’ll leave.”

  “If you go, I’m going with you.” Grace turned to Jacob. “And if I go, if you need me so little that you push me away instead of letting me closer right now, then I guess I’m not much of a fiancé to you.”

  Jacob winced. “It’s not that, Grace. I just want—”

  “I know what you want, or what you think you want,” Grace said. “But when you asked me to marry you, you asked me to start a new family with you, Jacob. That means you need to trust me. So trust me when I say that you’re blinded to the situation because you’re too close to it. It’s obvious to anyone on the outside that something highly suspicious is going on in this house. Please. Let me and my mom stay. Let us help you and your family.”

  Jacob shook his head and Grace stepped away from him.

  “Alright,” she said, her lip quivering but her head held high. “We’ll leave, then. And here…” She took off her engagement ring. Jacob’s eyes widened.

  “Why don’t you hold on to this for me?” Grace asked. “Seems like you don’t need a fiancé right now and I don’t like not being needed.”

  “Grace it’s not like that—” Jacob protested.

  “Sure it is,” Grace said. “My mom has been going out of her way to help your family and this is the thanks she gets? I won’t stand for you insulting her.”

  “Grace, dear, honestly—” Nora tried to protest.

  “No, Mom.” Grace put up a hand. “Let’s get out of here. I’ve had enough of this.”

  *****

  Chapter 20

  Pumpkin Spice

  Grace was blank and tight-lipped throughout their drive home. Nora had tried her hardest to convince Grace not to end things so rashly…to no avail. Grace practically dragged Nora out of the Giordano home and into the car.

  They drove in absolute silence, with Nora sneaking peeks at Grace out of the corner of her eye. Grace had her head leaning against the window and was watching the mountains in the distance as the car flew down the highway.

  As soon as they were back home, Grace got into her bed, pulled a blanket over herself and pretended to be asleep. Although everything inside Nora was telling her to hug Grace and kiss away her tears, she knew her daughter only wanted to be left alone. So, even though it hurt, Nora forced herself to close the Grace’s door and give her some privacy.

  When he came home, Harvey found Nora in the kitchen, baking up a storm.

  “Hmmm,” he said, looking at the flour sprinkled all over the countertop and the open container of cream cheese next to a block of butter. “That bad, eh?” He knew Nora. And he knew that, when things were especially tough, she often centered herself by baking goodies.

  Nora, who was mixing together pumpkin, flour, spices and sugar, looked over her shoulder at him and dropped the bowl back onto the counter. Not caring that she was covered in flour and that he was wearing an expensive suit, Nora grabbed him by the waist and put her head against his chest.

  Harvey froze for a split second, sensing that things had gone very wrong, and then his arms were around her, strong and comforting. “It’s going to be fine,” he said. “Whatever it is, we’ll make it better together. Just one step at a time, okay? Breathe.”

  Nora nodded, breathing in his comforting scent of lemongrass and leather. “It’s me. I messed up. Grace…Grace broke up with Jacob.”

  “She did what?” Harvey stared down at Nora. “Are you serious?”

  Nora nodded. “It’s my fault. It’s all my fault.”

  “Whoa now, hold on. How can it be your fault? I’m sure Jacob’s the one who did something wrong. I never did like that guy.”

  “You didn’t?” Nora stared up at him.

  “I mean, he was okay, but he wasn’t good enough for Grace, I thought.”

  Nora shook her head. “Nobody’s ever going to be good enough for your daughter.”

  “That’s true,” Harvey admitted. “Still. It’s heartbreaking, sure. But it’s not the end of the world if he’s out of our lives.”

  Nora smacked him on the arm. “Harvey Nathaniel. Have you no heart?”

  “I have a heart. It’s just that my brain sees better than it does.” Harvey grinned. “The way I see it, a marriage is supposed to be strong enough to face anything and everything that life throws at it. If Jacob chickened out already, it’s guaranteed he’d have dropped the bal
l sometime in the future, maybe when it would have been much more important. So better for Grace to end it now rather than ten years and two kids down the road.”

  “You’re just assuming it’s Jacob’s fault and not Grace’s. Or mine,” Nora said.

  “Well, I know you two.” Harvey kissed her on the top of her head. “You’re both perfect and never at fault.”

  This time, Nora laughed out loud. “Flatterer.”

  “It brought a smile to your face, didn’t it? That’s what counts,” Harvey said. “Where’s Grace?”

  “She needs some time alone,” Nora said. “She’s curled up in her bed right now.”

  Harvey nodded. “Good thing you’re baking something sweet for her then.”

  “Pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting,” Nora confirmed. “It’s her favorite.”

  “Can I help?” Harvey asked.

  Nora shook her head. “No, you know how it is. I like to keep my hands occupied. That way my mind can wander.”

  “Perfect.” Harvey sat down at the dining table and rested his head on his hands. “Go ahead. I’m going to watch you.”

  “You’ll make me self-conscious,” she said.

  “Will I? I love watching you bake, you know that. You’re like a dancer, one quick movement after another. The tongue darts out to taste, your fingers throw in a scoops and pinches of mysterious ingredients, the wooden spoon spins like a ballerina...” Harvey grinned.

  Nora sighed. “What’s the use, though? I don’t think any amount of cake can soothe a broken heart.”

  “Don’t underestimate it,” Harvey said.

  He heard someone fussing with the kitchen door and got up to see who it was. “Aha,” he said. “Reinforcements.”

  “Who’s that?” Nora looked puzzled.

  “Hazel!” Harvey said, opening the door to find his youngest daughter. “Perfect timing! Parents are pretty useless at healing heartaches. But sisters, that’s a different story!”

  He gave Nora a wide grin as he squeezed Hazel. Within minutes, Hazel was leaning against the counter, listening intently and nodding along as Nora told her everything that had happened.

  With the batter finally ready, Nora popped the cake into the oven and the smell of pumpkin spice soon filled the kitchen. Meanwhile, Nora beat the cream cheese, sugar and butter together to get a creamy frosting.

  Hazel winced as Nora came to the part where Grace had handed her ring back to Jacob. “Ah! That’s our Grace. Sweet-tempered and docile as a cow until you wave a red flag in front of her. Then she crashes through a wall and breaks a whole lot of china! Poor Jacob.”

  “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.