“Hmmm.” Nora considered this.
“Maybe he killed her in a sort of maddened rage, went blank, showered, and then came down. At that point he realized what he’d done and began crying,” Harvey theorized. “I mean, I’ve heard people blanking out and doing heinous things.”
“Yeah…that’s a decent theory. But, if it’s true, where are the clothes he was wearing? When he and Maybelle left from the office, Tyler was wearing a white pinstriped shirt and khakis. I found those in a heap in the hamper with no bloodstains. I didn’t find any other clothes of Tyler’s with blood on them, either. When you stab someone, you always get blood on you,” Sheriff Ellerton explained. “I mean that’s the thing. It isn’t impossible that he killed her. Maybe he changed out of his office clothes, wore different clothes, killed Maybelle, hid the clothes, took a shower, then posed as a grieving husband in only a towel when we burst in.” Sheriff Ellerton was shaking his head as he talked. “It’s just…that sounds nonsensical.”
“But you think it’s more likely that someone snuck in while he was in the shower and murdered Maybelle?” Harvey said. “That sounds improbable, too. Doesn’t it?”
“Does it really? If someone had planned this, if someone knew where Tyler and Maybelle were going that day, maybe they could have done it.”
“What do you mean?” Nora raised an eyebrow.
“The Stitchin' Witches had a knitting meeting today but cancelled it,” Sheriff Ellerton said. “They decided to all meet at Natalie’s house for dinner at 7pm. Tyler and Brooke’s husband, Peter, were invited, too. You see? Someone knew that Tyler and May would be at home by 6pm to get ready. Someone planned this.”
“Planned? A stabbing with a knitting needle sounds pretty unplanned to me.” Harvey frowned. “I’d have said it was a spontaneous killing.”
“I thought that way, too,” Sheriff Ellerton said. “Until I really thought about it. Like I said, I have no proof, this is all just conjecture at this point. Forensics aren’t even in yet. But, here’s the thing - I know for a fact that Maybelle argued with the Stitchin’ Witches. Correct? I also know that her 'friends' all knew exactly where her knitting needles were kept. After all, they’d gathered in her home many times. They also all knew she’d be home by 6pm so she could come to the dinner by 7. One of them could have planned this, murdered her and then run away.”
“The stab…” Nora started. “Was it clean? I mean…stabbing victims don’t usually die in one go.”
“Exactly.” Sheriff Ellerton nodded vigorously. “That’s another thing that makes me think it was premeditated and not a rage-induced murder. One stab and the victim died, near instantly. Whoever this was…they knew what they were doing.”
“I just hope we know what we’re doing,” Harvey said. “If what you’re saying is true, Nora’s putting herself at great risk looking into it. The murderer won’t hesitate to kill again.”
*****
Chapter 8
Taking A Hint
Natalie wasn’t at home when Nora went over the next day. Nor was she at her office. At a loss, Nora headed over to Jessica’s boutique instead. At the door, Nora let out a sigh as she caught sight of the large, red CLOSED sign.
She knew where they were as soon as she pulled up at Brooke’s house. Natalie’s cute convertible and Jessica’s sensible sedan were both parked outside. Nora shifted on her feet as she rang the doorbell, the cookies she’d baked earlier suddenly feeling heavy in her arms.
Where Maybelle’s house was more of a mansion, Brooke lived in a charming Craftsman home with a striped chimney and three gables. A blue and yellow children’s bicycle lay in the garden, while a pair of roller-skates sat next to a potted plant on the porch. A hand-painted sign saying “Peter, Brooke, Andrew & Brady Welsh” with smudges and finger-prints around the words, hung on the door.
“Nora?” Brooke blinked in surprise as she opened the door. “I…what…” She looked down at the container in Nora’s hands and automatically reached out to take it when Nora held it up.
“I had to come over when I heard about Maybelle,” Nora said. “I brought cookies.”
“Oh.” Brooke’s eyes were rimmed with red, and her face looked puffy. She stared down at the cookies for a second, as though she were trying to process a normal way to react.
“You’re probably still in shock, aren’t you?” Nora asked. “I’m so sorry.”
“Yes…no. I don’t know.” Brooke shook her head.
“Who is it, Brooke?” a voice called from inside. Natalie and Jess suddenly appeared on either side of her. They both looked like they’d been crying, too.
“You should come in,” Brooke managed finally. “I’ll make you some coffee. Or iced tea if you prefer.”
“I’d like that,” Nora said, stepping in. Natalie and Jess had sloughed off to the living room without looking at Nora. Both sat on an old, yellow couch, holding hands and looking at the fireplace. Awkwardly, Nora shifted a comic book to a side-table and sat down on an armchair opposite them. Brooke headed off into the kitchen and reappeared shortly with a glass of iced tea for Nora, and the cookies she’d brought on a decorative, red plate. She sat down next to Jess on the armchair and Jess put her head on Brooke’s shoulder. Brooke gently patted her cheek.
“We’ve been here since we heard,” Natalie said. “Peter took the boys to their grandma’s.”
“I don’t want them to see me like this.” Brooke sniffed. “I haven’t even told them yet about May. They really liked her. She played pranks on them…she always pretended to find a dollar in Andy’s ear whenever she saw him.”
“She was great with kids,” Jess agreed. “She would have made an amazing mother.”
“She was supposed to meet us for dinner at my place,” Natalie said. “I had the food ready and everything. I still have it in my fridge...” Her lips began to quiver. “This is my fault. If I’d had my party earlier…or if I’d not cancelled the knitting meet…maybe none of this would have happened.”
“It’s not your fault. Nobody could have seen this coming,” Brooke said fiercely. “How were we to know that someone wanted to kill her?”
“Oh, Maybelle!” With a cry, Jess got up abruptly and ran away to the bathroom. Nora shifted uncomfortably in her chair.
“I’m sorry about all this. Thank you for coming,” Brooke said, turning to Nora. “It was kind of you. We’re all just overwhelmed right now.”
“I’m going to go check on Jess.” Natalie got up and walked away, leaving Nora and Brooke alone. Brooke leaned back, lacing her hands around the back of her neck.
“They’ve taken Tyler into custody,” Brooke said finally. “Peter told me this morning.”
Nora nodded. “Looks like the sheriff is planning to arrest him for murdering Maybelle.”
Brooke winced. “I don’t believe it. Tyler loved her. Someone else must have done it.”
“I don’t know,” Nora said. “I’m not so sure. I mean, who would want to kill Maybelle?”
“Exactly. It all feels so unreal,” Brooke said. “May was so…alive. I mean, you know what they say about some people dying and then being buried seventy-five years later? That wasn’t her. She was so…so colorful and full of energy and ideas.”
“That day at the pool...” Nora said. “What did she say to you?”
Brooke was suddenly alert, her eyes narrow. “What do you mean?”
“Just…how did she seem? Did she talk about Tyler or mention a fight or anything? I know you were upset with her after you talked...”
“No, we talked about something else. A totally stupid thing. She didn’t mention Tyler at all that day.” Brooke’s voice was a little cold. “Why do you ask?”
Nora shrugged. “I’m just trying to make sense of it all, I suppose.”
“That’s up to the police, I think,” Brooke said bluntly. “Why are you asking if May and I fought? What are you implying?”
“Brooke, relax. I wasn’t implying anything.” Nora held up her hands. “You�
��ve got it all wrong.”
“Have I? You and I have never really talked before and now you show up to my house with cookies. I’ve heard stories about you, Nora. Anyone who lives in Milburn has. You fancy yourself a detective.”
“Brooke-”
“No. This was my friend. Do you know what that is? Maybelle was my friend. You’re trying to imply that I murdered her.”
“Why are you being so defensive? I didn’t imply anything like that,” Nora said. “I saw you two fight the other day, and I thought maybe if May told you something important-”
“May didn’t tell me anything important. You didn’t see us fight. She and I just had a conversation, that’s all. Sometimes friends have heated conversations.”
“You said you hated her,” Nora said quietly. “You came to the locker room after talking to her and you looked miserable. Then you said you hated her. More than once. I just wanted to know-”
“You’re just poking your nose where it doesn’t belong!” Brooke exclaimed. “You can take back these cookies. I don’t want them.” She shoved the plate angrily so that it nearly slid off the coffee table in front of her. Nora caught it in time and set it back in the center.
“Brooke, you need to calm down. I think the whole situation has upset you and you’re overreacting,” Nora said. But was Brooke truly overreacting? Or was she panicking because she had something very real to hide?
“I don’t want to talk to you. I don’t even want to look at you right now,” Brooke hissed. “How could you come here at a time like this and…and sniff for gossip? How could you?”
“Brooke.” Natalie came out from the hallway. “Everything alright?”
“Yeah.” Brooke took a shaky breath. “It’s okay.”
“I thought I heard you raise your voice,” Natalie said. “Jess was crying but she’s better now. Are you sure you’re okay?”
“Yeah. I’m okay. Nora’s just asking me about a fight May and I had,” Brooke said.
“A fight? You mean that thing with the Stitchin’ Witches about where to spend this year’s dues?” Natalie shook her head. “That seems so unimportant now, doesn’t it? So long ago.”
Brooke didn’t correct her, although Nora was sure that was not what May had come down to the pool to talk about. “It does seem long ago. A lifetime ago.”
“I’d asked Nora for help to mediate between you guys and May, you know,” Natalie said. “Nora was kind enough to agree.” She gave a bitter laugh. “I guess we don’t need her now.”
“You asked her to mediate?” Brooke raised an eyebrow. “I didn’t know that. Funny. She bumped into me soon after and we did talk about it a bit.” She turned back to Nora. “Was that you trying to mediate?”
“Yes, but that’s not important now, is it?” Nora asked.
Brooke stared at her coldly. “Maybe to you it isn’t. But it helps me see that all of your so called kindnesses are calculated.”
“Brooke!” Natalie looked shocked.
Before Nora could say anything, Jess came out of the bathroom, her face wet. She looked from Nora to her two friends and raised an eyebrow at Brooke. Brooke shook her head.
“You know, it was really kind of you to come all the way here, Nora,” Brooke said suddenly. “But we’d rather be alone right now, just the three of us. You understand, don’t you?” She got up and gave Nora a viciously-sweet smile.
Natalie looked confused. “It’s alright. At least let her finish her iced tea, Brooke.”
Nora, however, could take a hint when she was given one. Brooke wanted her out, and she wasn’t going to overstay her welcome. “No, thank you. I’ve got some errands to run anyway.”
Natalie looked as though she wanted to say something, but she shook her head instead. “Ok. It was very kind of you to come.”
“No, it was just my neighborly duty,” Nora said. “I’m here anytime you want to talk…any of you.” She looked at all three in turn.
Brooke’s face remained cold and stony. Jess sniffed and nodded. Natalie just looked confused.
“Take care of each other and yourselves. Goodbye,” Nora said.
She walked out, casting a last look behind her as Brooke closed the door. It clicked shut with a finality that seemed to imply it would not open again. At least, not for her.
*****
Chapter 9
The Coach’s Story
Since her last attempt at gathering information had been nothing short of disastrous, Nora decided to head over to the diner for some food and a chat with Tina. It frustrated Nora that Brooke had refused to answer anything, and she really wasn’t sure whether Brooke’s anger was a natural result of her grief at Maybelle’s death or something more sinister. Worse yet, since she’d promised Sheriff Ellerton not to say anything to Tina, she couldn’t unload her thoughts to her best friend like she normally did.
Tina was busy chatting with the people sitting at the counter while she dished up pie and coffee. Nora took her place at the end of the counter and smiled at the others. Coach James was sitting next to her.
“Hey, Nora. We were just placing bets on when you’d be along.” Coach James smiled.
In his thirties, James Walter, or Coach James, was considered one of the most eligible bachelors in Milburn. A former college baseball star, he’d developed issues with his knees three years into his career that forced him to abandon his dream of being a professional athlete. If he was ever unhappy at the future he’d lost out on, James never showed it. Around town he was always the life of the party and, in school, most of the kids seemed to love him. He ran a hand through his wavy, black hair and shook it out. Wearing a green, plaid shirt and a khaki jacket, he looked quite different than he usually did in his sportswear.
“James and Austin went to the station this morning to check on Tyler,” Tina said, filling Nora in. “Apparently the sheriff’s trying his hardest to pin Maybelle’s death on him.”
Nora looked at James, her eyes wide. “Did you see Tyler? Did he say anything to you?”
“Tyler’s not talking to anybody, apparently.” James took a deep breath. “I think he’s in shock. I mean, who wouldn’t be, right?”
“I can’t even imagine,” Nora said. “I don’t know whether to pity him or to call him a murderer.”
“He did it.” The man sitting next to James got up and threw a few bills on the counter before putting his jacket on. “Everyone in town knows it’s him. They practically caught him in the act.”
James shifted uneasily.
“Don’t say that,” he said. “This is America, isn’t it? What happened to due process?”
“I know you boys were friends, James, but you have to face facts,” the man said before heading off.
James watched him go with a sad expression on his face. He turned back to Nora and Tina.
“I don’t know what I was expecting but everyone’s turned on Tyler. Nobody can believe it might not be him,” James said. “And just yesterday everyone in town loved him. He had friends everywhere. Or…I thought he did.”
“Maybelle had friends, too,” Tina said gently.
“Do you think I don’t know that?" James said heatedly. "Maybelle was the closest female friend I had. But Tyler’s my bro. I know he wouldn’t kill her. It’s just not possible.”
“Sometimes the simplest explanations are true,” Tina said. “Your friendship may be clouding your judgment. It’s likely that everyone’s right and Tyler did kill her.”
“I suppose that’s looking more and more possible,” James considered. “I just don’t know why he won’t talk and clear everything up. Looks like Austin and I are the only ones who believe he didn’t do it.”
Nora bit her lip. “It’s just strange that he isn’t talking, isn’t it?”
“I guess.” James’s shoulders slumped. “What I don’t understand is how fast people’s stories can change. I mean, you were at my party that day, Nora. You saw the two of them together, how happy they were. Now there’s rumors flying that they w
ere fighting all the time. It takes seconds for people to paint a man as a villain these days.”
“James, you’re very loyal. But what other explanation can there be? Tyler isn’t talking for a reason. He’s protecting himself,” Tina said. “He’s hoping his attorney can get him out of this mess. I mean, don’t forget that it was just him and May in the house when she was murdered. These things happen. I know you feel like Tyler was your friend and wasn’t capable of doing this but face reality. Sometimes the people we think are friends reveal their true colors in the most heinous ways.”
Nora looked up at Tina. “You think that’s possible?” she asked. “You think it’s possible to be friends with someone for years and not know who they truly are?”
“Of course,” Tina said. “Look at all these serial killers whose neighbors say, 'Well he was always so nice to me.'”
Could that have happened to May? Could she have been friends with someone for years, never knowing that she might die at their hands? Had she provoked Brooke somehow and signed her own death certificate in the process? Nora knew she had to find out. She’d make Brooke talk, one way or another.
“If Tyler really killed her I think I’ll lose all hope for ever loving someone,” James said. “I was so convinced those two truly loved each other. Now it turns out love may just be a sham. If the rumors are to be believed, they secretly hated each other.”
“It wasn’t just a rumor that they were fighting, you know,” Nora said. “People saw them fighting after your party. I was there and, while I didn’t witness the fight, I did get the feeling that Tyler wasn’t pleased with May. I saw him step away from her when she tried to lay her head on his shoulder.”
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