“Stanley,” Mason said, standing up. “Stanley Staten?”
“That’s me.” He smiled, a cruel smile, all teeth and no soul.
Nora, still seated, found herself working hard not to stare. So this was the man who led the “cult” that Raquel’s father belonged to. The cult of supreme truth. He must have been about 50, yet had the energy and looks of someone half his age. Remarkable, really.
“You called one of my flock to see you,” Stanley said. “I’m afraid Davis is sick today. He couldn’t make it.”
Mason looked unperturbed. “Well there was no need to come all the way down here to tell me so,” he said. “I would have understood if you had called. I’m sorry, Nora, looks like we will have to reschedule.”
“There’s no need to reschedule,” Stanley said, his eerie smile still fixed on his face. “I’m here. You can tell me what you wanted to say to Davis.”
“I’m afraid not,” Mason said. “That’s not how it works, Stan.”
“You may refer to me as Mr. Staten,” Stanley said.
Mason’s mouth turned down. “I’m afraid I’m going to have to ask you to leave, Mr. Staten. If it’s convenient for Davis, Nora and I can visit—”
“No,” Stanley snapped. “No visits!”
Mason raised an eyebrow. He and Nora exchanged a troubled glance, each of them thinking the same thing.
“What do you mean?” Mason asked. “Is something wrong? Does Davis need a doctor out there?”
“We believe in our own methods of healing,” Stanley said. “As for Davis, he has no wish to come out here, nor for anyone to come visit him. In fact…” He drew out a paper and handed it to Mason. “Here’s a letter from him. He’s given me the power of attorney.”
Mason looked it over, his face clouding over as he read through the paper. “Yes,” he said. “It does appear that he has.”
“Of course.” Stanley pulled out the chair next to Nora and sat down, his feet spread wide. “So now, talk.”
Mason sighed, and looked over at Nora. For a minute, she thought he was trying to say something, then, defeated, he sat down and ruffled through a drawer.
Stanley, meanwhile, was nakedly leering at Nora, in a way that made her skin crawl. The man was nothing short of deranged! “You must be upset that Raquel is dead,” he said to her. No condolences, she noted.
“It’s been hard on me,” Nora said. “I wanted to meet Davis myself.”
Stanley shook his head. “Not yet.” His eyes drilled into hers. “Unless, of course, you’re interested in attending one of our invocations?”
“Invocation?” Nora asked.
“We’re always ready to invite special ones to join us,” he said, his voice like the pleasant purr of a relaxed cat. He was sizing her up like a used car salesman sizes up a couple who’s just walked on the lot. “You’re new in town, aren’t you?”
“Just been here three months.” Nora nodded. “I grew up here, though.”
“Yes… Davis told me a lot about you.” Stanley smiled. “He said Raquel was very fond of you.”
Just hearing him say Raquel’s name in a casual tone, made Nora want to slap him. She didn’t know what it was that disgusted her more, his arrogance or the predatory way he looked at her.
“Well?” he asked. “If the town hasn’t turned you against us yet, you should come drop by for one of our prayer meetings. See for yourself that we’re good folk. No pressure.” He was trying so hard to sound sincere.
Nora turned away to face Mason, refusing to reply. She could feel his smile dim, as he kept looking at her.
Mason cleared his throat. “Well, here we are,” he said, taking out a folder. “Raquel’s Will.”
“Simple enough, it should all go to Davis, correct?” Stanley leaned forward. “Or the bulk, at least?”
“The money will all go to Davis, Raquel’s father.” Mason nodded. “That is correct.”
Stanley might as well have rubbed his hands and laughed in delight, Nora thought, growing more disgusted by the second.
“But there are some conditions attached.”
“What conditions?” Stanley asked, “And how much did she leave behind?”
“Ms. Raquel was a very frugal young lady,” Mason said. “As such, along with her mother’s money, which passed on to her when she was 21, Raquel had quite a sizable amount of money invested in various long-term stocks. She also had made some property investments in Jackson.”
“Fantastic.” Stanley smiled.
Mason quoted a number, and Stanley’s smiled widened some more. He wasn’t even trying to hide his delight.
“Well, I’m ready to sign anything you need me to,” Stanley said. “The Church of Supreme Truth has its own bank account. We live together, and what belongs to one, belongs to us all, you see. You liquidate all of her assets and transfer the sum to my… to our account.”
“I’m afraid it’s not quite that simple,” Mason said. “You see, Raquel left it all to Davis, but she left it in a trust. A rather unusual trust. It declares that Nora is the main trustee, and I myself will be acting as a guide to her.”
“What?” Stanley was baffled.
“The money goes to Raquel’s father Davis, but Raquel did not feel he was fit to handle it,” Mason said. “Nora will therefore be distributing it to him as she sees fit. I’d recommend an allowance, or perhaps an index fund.”
Stanley’s face turned red, then pink, then white. “What? I don’t understand.”
“If you have a problem with this, perhaps it would be best to hire an attorney to explain the details to you,” Mason said.
Stanley was gripping his chair’s arm so tightly, that Nora was almost sure he was going to break it. His face seemed to be ballooning with anger as he prepared to say something to Mason. One of Mason’s hands was anxiously hovering over a phone in preparation, just in case he needed to call security.
Then, just as suddenly, the moment passed. Stanley’s face, which had been so full of rage, seemed to dissolve into smiles. “Ah well, Raquel was a smart lady. I’m sure she had her own reasons.” He turned to Nora. “I suppose we’ll be seeing a lot more of each other, Nora. We have a lot to discuss. But if you’ll excuse me, I need to gather my thoughts.”
Saying this, he slipped out of the room, seeming to suck all the tension out of it as he left.
*****
Chapter 13
Pancakes With May
Half an hour later, still shaken by the weight of responsibility that Raquel had unwittingly placed on her shoulder, Nora took Mason’s leave. Nora exited the building, coat slung over her hand, her large oval sunglasses hiding the shadows under her eyes. She heard a voice call out to her and turned around.
A silver SUV was parked in the shade of a tree, and May Almand waved to Nora from it. Exiting the car, she walked to the front of it, while Nora moved towards her.
“I was so sorry to hear about Raquel,” May said, the words coming out in a rush. “It’s terrible. A true tragedy. I wanted to see how you were doing. I tried to meet you but Mrs. Mullally wouldn’t let me through.”
Nora’s face hardened. “Are you here to see me as a politician’s wife, or a reporter?”
“As a friend,” May said, taking a step back. “But clearly you don’t want one right now.”
Nora made an effort, and let some of the tightness leave her face. “I’m sorry. I just… I didn’t want to be…”
“Didn’t want to be fussed over.” May nodded. “I understand dear, believe me. When my mother died three years ago, I couldn’t even bear for Brett to come near me, let alone strangers. When we lose the people we love, small talk can feel unbearable, can’t it? As if those strangers, with their smooth words, could ever understand what our loss feels like. Yet even those strangers have all experienced the death of a close one, and more often than not, they know, they can help… if you let them.”
Nora’s lips quivered, and her eyes welled behind her dark glasses. “You loved Raquel too. Sh
e was your friend too.”
“She was on three committees with me,” May said. “I will be honest, we had our differences, her and I. But I respected her, and respect’s not something that comes easy with me. She was a good, decent woman, and this is a horrible crime.”
Nora nodded. “I hope Sean catches the murderer soon.”
“The whole town does,” May said. “Every one of us.”
“Not everyone,” Nora corrected her. “There’s at least one person here, who hopes the truth stays buried forever.”
May’s eyes narrowed. “It was a drifter that did it, Nora. I don’t like what you’re implying.”
Nora bit her lip, wondering if she’d said too much. Sean wouldn’t approve. But the cat was out of the bag now.
May put a hand on her elbow. “You come with me to Anna’s for some pancakes. You look weak. Have you eaten anything at all?”
Despite Mrs. Mullally’s insistence, Nora had not, in fact, eaten anything that morning. She had no appetite, but May was much firmer than Mrs. Mullally had been. She practically shoved Nora into the car, and drove her to Anna’s Pancake House on Main Street.
Entering, Nora wished she hadn’t come. The entire town seemed to have gathered at Anna’s and all eyes were upon Nora as the door opened and a musical chime announced their entrance. In one corner, Sam, a local businessman sat with his pretty brunette wife Tina, holding her hand as he sipped hot chocolate. In another, Harvey’s secretary Ashley sat, with her baby belly now more pronounced, a sensible green cardigan draped around her shoulders. Next to her sat her husband Jeremy, absentmindedly tapping on his phone.
Anna, a large Swedish lady who had emigrated to town thirty years ago but still had her homeland’s accent, gave a grunt from behind the counter and nodded at May. May raised her hand and pointed to some items on the menu, then herself and Nora. She had Nora firmly by the elbow, as if she were leading a child, and half-dragged her to a booth in the very back.
“This was not a good idea,” Nora said. “They’ll all want to speak to me.”
“Never mind that,” May said. “You’ve got your back to them, and if anyone makes a move, I’ll give them a glare that’ll send them packing. Now, what’s all this about it being a local. Did the sheriff say something?”
“No. Sean didn’t say anything,” Nora said. “I thought… well, I was thinking that since Raquel’s car was still parked even though her purse had been stolen, it indicated…” Nora shrugged. “May, please don’t print anything I said in the Milburn Report.”
“I said I came as a friend.” May frowned. “I’d thank you to believe it.”
Nora looked at her, and a small smile upturned her lips. “Thank you.”
May shrugged. She was a small woman, who carried herself big. She was the kind of woman who is almost always prominent in small towns - fiercely intelligent, hyperactive, and loyal. Her chin length hair was cut in a wavy bob, and the few grey streaks in them had been painted over to match her dark brown tresses. She had a pointy chin and prominent cheekbones, but a warm smile that softened the rest of her.
She looked over Nora now, and asked, “You truly think that one of us did it, don’t you?”
“I do,” Nora said. “I… even if the facts didn’t point to it, I’d know. Raquel was far too smart to be done in by a drifter. We had a baseball bat hidden behind the counter for safety, and if someone had broken in, I think she would have at least gotten a few swings in. I’m convinced it was someone she knew; someone who had arranged to meet her, someone who waited for her to turn her back and…”
May put a hand over her mouth and Nora stopped.
“You cannot be serious,” May said in a low, angry whisper. “You have some nerve, coming into town after ten years away and accusing…” She straightened up and smiled as a bubble gum chewing waiter placed two dishes on the table, and filled up their cups with coffee.
“Thanks Cara.” May smiled. “How’s school going?”
“It’s all right,” Cara said, placing the bill on the table. “You guys enjoy the meal.”
May kept the smile on her face as Cara left, and then leaned back towards Nora.
“You cannot be serious,” she hissed, her smile vanishing.
Nora said nothing, feeling very uncomfortable. This all seemed like a terrible mistake. How had she managed to let herself be brought here, where every eye was like a laser drilling into her? She looked down at her plate, saying nothing.
Instead of pancakes, May had ordered the day’s special for Nora - French Toast with buttercream and candied mandarin. Nora paused to admire the golden brown of the toast, and the cream that lay in stripes over it. Paper thin slices of mandarin oranges hid inside the toast, and lay on the sides of the dish, and a generous dose of chunky salt had been sprinkled all over. It was this salt that added the right balance and set the dish apart from the normally overly sweet French toast one found in restaurants. The salt propelled the French toast from humble to divine.
She had to go back to work, Nora realized. Food had taken her away - even if only for a few seconds - from the grief of losing Raquel. Maybe opening the Diner would help her drown out her memories.
“You aren’t listening,” May said, and Nora blinked. How long had she been in a trance?
“Yes. Sorry. Come again?”
“I said that it’s preposterous and I won’t allow it,” May said. “As long as Brett has been Mayor, we’ve had no major crimes in this town.”
Nora felt her mouth compress. “I see, and tragic as Raquel’s death is, you’d rather it be attributed to a drifter, what with elections coming up. It doesn’t matter what the truth is. It doesn’t matter that Raquel deserves justice. No, you just want him to run on a low crime platform. But I’m going to make sure that whoever killed her is found, and hanged!” Unconsciously, she had raised her voice, and if people had stared before, they suddenly all became very interested in their papers or their cell phones. Not a single eye turned towards them, though every ear was perked.
May smiled at everyone, and made a show of patting Nora’s hand. “There there dear, I know you’re upset. Of course justice will be served. I know you’re used to your big cities, and think that a small town like Milburn is ill suited to handle a crime like this. But I have faith in the authorities.” These last words were clearly for the benefit of the others, and Nora felt even angrier.
She shook off May’s hand, and threw ten dollars on the table. “Thank you for your kind words. I’ve clearly found myself a friend.”
“Of course you have my dear,” May said loudly. Then lowering her voice, she added, “You want to be careful, girl. I’m not one to be tangled with.”
Nora gave her a stiff nod, and started to walk out. She was shaking with rage, and it took all her strength to walk with her head held high, looking straight ahead, refusing to meet the eyes of those around her. From the corner of her eye, she saw Ashley whispering something into her husband Jeremy’s ear. Jeremy was sitting next to his wife now, and had a protective hand over her shoulders. As she left, Nora found herself looking into his eyes, and she shivered at the anger in them.
*****
Chapter 14
A Visit
Nora spent that afternoon on Mrs. Mullally’s kitchen table, going over the Diner’s books. The first payment on their loan was due soon, and she barely had the cash to cover it. Raquel had wanted it done that way. Together, they’d had just enough money to cover the costs of buying and opening the Diner, but Raquel had felt safer taking a loan rather than blowing up all their money at once.
“Taking a loan on an investment like this is the best thing,” Raquel had told Nora. “If something happens and our diner does badly, we can pay back the bank piece by piece. Ideally, we will pay back the loan using profits from the diner. But even in the worst case scenario, we have a big safety net with my savings. What I’m saying is, we’ll be safer spending the bank’s money than our own right now.”
Nora had thought t
his sensible advice, and so they had split the costs between them: Nora handling the down payment of the loan, Raquel spending on the permits, the insurance, the food and the design. Raquel was supposed to pay the first few installments on the loan, and after that, they had hoped the diner would have enough profits to pay the loan off.
Now here Nora sat, calculating and recalculating her budget.
“You have to go see them,” Mrs. Mullally said, sitting down next to her. She put a hand on Nora’s shoulders. Underneath the table, Maynard slunk in and curled his tiny warm puppy body on top of Nora’s feet. Nora reached down and petted him. Poor innocent. He was just a puppy, but he understood perfectly that something bad had happened, and in his own way, he was trying to cheer her up.
“I have to think.” Nora put her head down, and took a deep breath. “I haven’t helped myself. The entire town hates me now. First I refused to see anyone when they came bearing food and sympathy. Now, I yelled at May Almand and she’s probably telling everyone how I’m spreading lies about the town by implying someone local did it. As for Raquel’s money, it isn’t mine any more.”
Mrs. Mullally pursed her lips. “That May Almand is a cat. I’m surprised with her. I’ll have a talk with her myself.”
“No,” Nora said firmly. “I don’t want you to trouble yourself, Mrs. Mullally. Besides, I can speak for myself.”
“My dear…”
Nora got up, and went over to the stove. She tied her hair behind her in a bun, and put the water on to boil. “Would you care for some tea, Mrs. Mullally?” Maynard sleepily toddled over to where Nora was standing, and once again curled up on her feet.
“Look at that.” Mrs. Mullally smiled. “Why the way he fawns over you, he’s more your dog than mine, Nora.”
The Milburn Big Box Set Page 7