“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 were 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.”
“You did?” James stared at Nora. “They just seemed normal to me. But I guess I was too psyched about our team winning to notice anything unusual.”
“Well, there you go. Sometimes we’re so busy in our own lives that the most obvious things about other people can escape us,” Nora said.
“I mean…I know Tyler was mad at her, don’t get me wrong,” James said. “He said something in passing about it.”
“What?” Nora’s eyebrows nearly hit the roof. “Now you tell us?”
James looked uncomfortable. “You know how this town is. I didn’t want to say anything because…well…people will just take it as absolute proof or something. And it could be nothing.”
“What did Tyler say to you?”
“It was during my party,” James said. “I was having a beer and made some joke that I had to find a wife just like May for myself sometime soon. Tyler just laughed and said sometimes he thought I was better off single and that he would be, too.”
“He did?!”
“Yeah but…you know! If every married man who made a joke about being single was a murderer our jails would have more men in them than out. I didn’t pay attention to it.”
“Was he planning to leave her?” Tina as
ked.
“No! I told you, it was just a stupid, drunk joke,” James said.
“Ah, but Tyler wasn’t drinking that night,” Nora said. “He drove home, didn’t he?”
James stared at her with wide eyes. “You’re right,” he said softly. “I didn’t remember that. He never had a single beer.”
“Is it possible? Was he planning on leaving her?” Nora asked.
“Even if he was that’d hardly mean he was a murderer, right?” James shook his head. “No. No. We’re over-analyzing stupid things because we’ve got no proof. I’m sure Tyler loved May. Maybe he was angry about something, but he wasn’t planning to leave her and he certainly wasn’t planning to murder her. I guess we just have to wait and see what happens next. Hopefully he starts talking soon.”
“You’re right,” Nora said. “Time will tell.”
“It’s scary though, isn’t it? Either Tyler killed her - which is scary and horrible to think about - or, well, the other option is even worse, really.”
“What do you mean?”
“If Tyler didn’t kill Maybelle, then the killer is still roaming free, and it’s one of us,” James said. “I think maybe people are latching onto it being Tyler because they’re too scared to think it wasn’t.”
Tina shook her head. “It was. This isn’t a novel, James. There’s no mysterious killer. Angry husband has one too many fights and kills his wife. It’s just one more sad, crime statistic.”
“You know she was killed with the knitting needle, right?” James asked. He lowered his voice. “I don’t want to sound like a conspiracy theorist, but what if it was one of her friends?”
“Who? Jess, Brooke or Natalie?”
James looked uncomfortable. “I mean…don’t ask me how, but maybe. Take Brooke for example.”
“What about her?” Nora leaned in, alert.
“I think she’s hiding something.” James’ voice dropped so low it was barely a whisper. “I know for a fact that she and May were fighting.”
“How?” Nora asked.
“One of the kids at school skipped last period to go swimming yesterday,” James said. “He told me he saw May at the pool with Brooke.”
Nora gasped. “He did? Were they fighting? Did he overhear anything?”
“He recognized Brooke because she’s on the school board, and he got really scared, so he hid,” James explained. “He told me she and May were definitely fighting about something. All he heard was May saying, 'Well you better own up to it fast before I do it for you.'”
“You need to tell the sheriff this!” Tina exclaimed.
“I did, but he didn’t seem to take me seriously,” James said. “Still, I told him the kid’s name, and Sheriff Ellerton will hopefully go talk to him. I don’t think he’ll get much more out, though. It’s Brooke he really needs to talk to.”
“I don’t think he’ll get much out of her, either,” Tina said. “I mean, Brooke is married to Peter Welsh, the sharpest lawyer in town. She’ll know not to say anything that might be incriminating.”
“But do you think it could be her?” James asked. “I mean...”
“I think it’s Tyler,” Tina said. “But you’re right, the police should investigate thoroughly before arresting him. Brooke, though? She really doesn’t seem like a killer to me.”
“Oh, but she’s got quite a temper,” James said. “I booted her kid, Andy, off the team once because he was wise-cracking too much. She came to meet me the next day. She was so charming at first when she was trying to convince me to take him back. When I didn’t budge, she started really losing her temper. By the end of it, she was threatening to use her powers with the school board to have me kicked out of my position.” James shuddered. “I acted tough and all, but I took that kid back on the team eventually. I made sure he ran a hundred laps as punishment, but still. I caved. She was scary.”
“What do you mean she was scary?” Tina asked. “You have nearly a foot and a hundred pounds on her, James.”
“Doesn’t matter. I’ve played enough sports to know that winning a fight is about your determination, not your size,” James said. “That woman has a will of steel, and I pity anyone who gets in her way.”
“Maybelle got in her way, you think?” Nora asked.
James shook his head and took a deep breath. “I don’t know. I don’t know anything about it. I’m being really dumb, aren’t I? So I don’t like Brooke. So she acted like an entitled parent of a bratty child. That doesn’t mean she went ahead and killed her best friend. No. I’m sure I’m just making up theories because I can’t bear not knowing the truth.” He got up. “I guess it’s best not to indulge in idle chatter. We should all go on with our own lives and let Sheriff Ellerton do the investigating. Don’t repeat what I said, will you? I wouldn’t want that.”
“Don’t worry,” Tina said. “You’re right, of course. No need to go spinning theories that could hurt innocent folks. Still…if it turns out she’s not so innocent, well, that’ll be something, won’t it? I wonder what it was that she and May were fighting about. I wonder if Sheriff Ellerton will find out.”
“I sure hope he does. Good luck to him,” James said as he paid his bill.
*****
Chapter 10
A Long Walk
Saturday came and Nora was busy preparing for Hazel’s party the next evening, alternating between texting all the people who would be attending and preparing the menu. Harvey, in turn, was alternating between helping her and watching a game on TV.
“Look at you.” He grinned as Nora poured food coloring into the frosting she’d made. “She’s turning twenty-seven, not seven, Nora.”
“Well, she’s still my baby,” Nora said.
“No doubt.” Harvey laughed. “Are Grace, Jacob and little K coming?”
“They’ll be there,” Nora said. “So will Tina and Sam, and a few more of Hazel’s friends. But that’s it. She wanted a quiet celebration, nothing fancy.”
Harvey gave her a grin. “Nothing fancy, eh? Just like old times. You remember her 14th?”
“How could I forget? She and two of her friends watched five movies back to back and ate enough popcorn to fill a movie theater.” Nora smiled. “I looked up the weather and it should be nice enough to eat out in the backyard tomorrow. Please make sure you remember to move the dining table out there. And set up the lights, too.”
“Where is Hazel anyway? I thought she was going to help you with the cake,” Harvey said.
“She’s out on a hike with Austin,” Nora said. “That’s what the ginger cookies were for, remember?”
“A hike…” Harvey looked out the window at the bright sunshine. “You know, we used to hike once upon a time.”
“Then you got that knee injury of yours.” Nora smiled. “Perils of growing old.”
“Well, give me a stretch of flat land and some nice sneakers and I can still walk farther than kids half my age,” Harvey said defensively. “What about it, Nora? It’s a beautiful day. It’s positively criminal to be sitting in the house on a Saturday like this.”
“You’re sitting, I’m working.” Nora laughed, putting the frosting into the fridge. She paused and looked out the window. It was still chilly outside, but spring was definitely in the air. The tree outside the kitchen was slowly flowering, and she knew that, in a few more days, it would bloom riotously.
Harvey crept up behind her and put his arms around her waist. “Come on.” He kissed her neck. “Let’s be young & spontaneous again, if just for one day! Full of energy. Come for a walk with me.”
She leaned back into his arms and relented. “Okay, but only because you asked so nicely.”
“You know you’re gonna love it.” Harvey had a big grin on his face.
*****
Nora knew he was right as soon as the fresh air hit her face. They’d driven out to a quiet trail and were soon walking side by side, letting nature work its magic on them. Nora glanced at Harvey out of the corner of her eye.
“What?” he asked.
“Nothing. I just like how relaxed you look,” Nora said.
He snuck out his hand and squeezed hers. “As do you.”
“Thanks for getting me out here. You’re right, it would have been a shame to spend the entire day working at home.” They walked on, soaking in the peace around them, when Harvey stopped suddenly and put a finger to his lips. Nora frowned, but then she heard it, too. Right around the bend, two people were talking.
“...don’t want Nora to know,” they heard someone say.
Nora froze and stared at Harvey. Who could be out here talking about her? The voices felt eerily familiar, too. Voices that she should recognize immediately, but couldn’t. An overwhelming curiosity propelled her forward, but Harvey’s arm was around her and he was shaking his head. Best to stay where they were and just listen than to risk being detected.
“Why would Brooke not want Nora to know?” This voice was a male voice, deep and slightly husky. Nora racked her brain, wondering where she’d heard it before. She’d heard it very recently, in fact. In the diner, perhaps?
“Natalie?” the man said. “I don’t get it. Any of it. First you call me out here in the middle of nowhere, and now you’re saying that Brooke’s sworn you and Jess to secrecy about something?”
Coach James! The man was Coach James! And he was talking to Natalie. Nora stared at Harvey wide-eyed and mouthed the names to him. He nodded grimly. His brow was furrowed together in concentration as he tried to listen.
“Look, James, I don’t know myself. I’m just…I feel like I’ve been hit by a truck or something, to be honest. The last two days just don’t make any sense to me. My best friend is gone. Really, just…gone. And Tyler’s in jail, and Brooke thinks…she thinks that Nora might try and poke her nose where it doesn’t belong.”
Nora took a step forward and peeked through some trees. Natalie and James stood in a clearing a little way ahead. James looked befuddled, whereas Natalie was pacing with her hands to her head.
The Milburn Big Box Set Page 171