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  “What are you two doing here?” Sheriff Ellerton asked, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. “How did you find out so soon?”

  “In this town, gossip moves faster than lightning and Tina’s the lightning rod,” Nora said.

  “Yes, well, I don’t want gossip, and I don’t want false rumors,” Sheriff Ellerton said. “I know you two and your affinity for murder.” He raised an eyebrow. “Don’t go around town telling people Zoey has been murdered. I’ll have a press conference as soon as we figure out what went down.”

  Tina and Nora gave each other a look, then turned to the sheriff.

  “So, was it murder?” Tina asked.

  Nora bit her lip. Poor Zoey. Poor, poor Zoey. If only she had taken five minutes and talked to her yesterday! She felt a wave of guilt crash over her. She could have been there. She could have saved Zoey. If only she hadn’t been selfish and distracted.

  “A neighbor went into the house at 7am,” Sheriff Ellerton said. “He was the one who found Zoey dead. That’s all I’m saying now. It could be death by natural causes. We aren’t sure yet.”

  “Natural causes? Like what? A heart attack? No way. Zoey was a fitness freak,” Tina said. “She always talked to me about some new fangled diet she was on. Her latest was—”

  The sheriff took off his hat and cradled it under one arm. “Tina, I’m busy now. I’ll take your statement later. For now, would you and Nora clear off? I’m busy interviewing others.”

  “Wait, I met Zoey yesterday evening,” Nora said. “She said she wanted to talk to me urgently.”

  “She did?” Sheriff Ellerton’s eyes narrowed. “What about?”

  “I don’t know, but she seemed really desperate. She said she didn’t want to involve the police because she wasn’t sure, but that maybe I could help.” Nora took a deep breath. “I wish I had. Instead I brushed her off because, well, I had people over.”

  Sheriff Ellerton had whisked out a notepad and was busily scribbling everything down. “So you’re saying she didn’t leave you any clues at all about what was on her mind? Nothing?”

  “Nothing,” Nora said. “I’m sorry, Sheriff.”

  “That’s okay. You have my number if you should remember anything.” Sheriff Ellerton scratched his head. “Meanwhile, we’re going to interview the neighbors and let forensics figure out what happened to her. Thanks anyway, Nora. Now, if you and Tina could...” He cocked his head to their car.

  Tina was looking at the front yard, where a distraught man in a shirt three sizes too large for him was talking to Deputy James. “Is that the neighbor who found Zoey?” Nora asked.

  “Mr. Whitman, yes.” Sheriff Ellerton frowned. “Now, both of you, I know you have a history of stumbling onto cases like this and trying to be sleuths yourselves. Maybe Sean was okay with it. I’m not. If I find you interfering, I’m not going to warn you twice. You’ll be in big trouble. Understood?”

  Tina bristled. “Really? What kind of trouble? I wasn’t aware asking someone questions was a crime. This is America, you know.”

  “Tina, come on, let the sheriff do his job.” Nora pulled at her hotheaded friend’s arm.

  “No! For your information, Sheriff Ellerton, Nora’s been solving cases since you were just a deputy. She’d make a better detective than you any day. Don’t go around getting a big head just because you got a fancy new hat!” Tina exclaimed.

  “Fancy new—” Sheriff Ellerton turned red.

  Nora put herself between the two of them and herded Tina into the passenger seat of her car. “Sorry, Sheriff. Tina’s just not had her coffee yet. We won’t interfere! Have a good day!”

  With that, Nora jumped into the driver’s seat and revved up her engine. Tina glared at Sheriff Ellerton over her shoulder.

  “You’re such a doormat sometimes,” Tina said. “He was totally rude for no reason. He knows how much you’ve—”

  “He’s a new sheriff and he’s got a reputation that needs building,” Nora said. “Naturally, he’s a little bit sensitive right now. You could stand to be a little more sensitive, too, Tina.”

  “Pshaw! We’ve got a murder that needs solving here! I’m not going to hold my tongue to appease some idiot’s fragile ego. Did you hear how he tried to threaten us? Laughable!”

  “You think it’s a murder?” Nora asked. “I mean, don’t you want to wait for the forensics?”

  “Of course, it’s a murder! It’s plain as day. Yesterday she had news she wanted to tell you, today she’s dead. It’s murder, I’m telling you. It’s just that we don’t know how she was killed yet. In any case, the how doesn’t matter so much — not if we figure out the why.” Tina’s eyes had a glow about them, and her whole body seemed to crackle with electricity. “Nora, it’s obvious why she came to you, right? Because she knows your history with murders. Everyone in Milburn does. Heck, I’d bet everyone in Wyoming does.”

  “Come on now, Tina. I was never famous. Besides, I stopped all that when Grace and Hazel came around.”

  “Yeah, motherhood and the diner just left us with no time to breathe,” Tina smiled. “But things are different now. The diner is running smoothly, the kids are grown and our brains are sharp as ever...”

  “Tina, we’re not even sure this is a murder yet.”

  “Oh, not this again!” Tina snorted. “Okay, let’s suppose it’s a tragic, natural death. Fine. So what harm will we do if we ask a few people a few questions? Starting with the neighbor — the mysterious Mr. Whitman.”

  Nora’s lips twisted to the right. Her hands tapped the steering wheel. “You’re right,” she said. “There’s no harm in asking questions.”

  “That’s the spirit!” Tina slapped her on the arm. Then, sobering a little, she added, “Poor Zoey. She was always so obsessed with fitness. I thought she’d live to be ninety. But you never can tell when death will get you.”

  “She was at your house Mondays and Fridays, right?” Nora asked.

  Tina nodded. “And, boy, did my house need her. Not so much now but, when the kids were younger, hoo boy. She was always so efficient, too. I mean, I was always ready to gossip, but she always kept an eye on her watch. That’s how I’ll remember her — mop in one hand, hair pulled up in a bun, eyes sparkling as she talked about the latest scandal.” Tina put her hands up to her face. “I can’t believe she’s really gone.”

  “It is strange, isn’t it? I never even realized how fond I’d grown of Zoey over the years.” Nora’s voice shook a little. “Hazel and Grace loved her, too. Hazel especially. She even spent those few summers working as Zoey’s assistant during high school. She and Zoey were always talking a mile a minute when they got together. Oh, I don’t know how she’s going to take this.”

  “It’ll be quite a shock, I’m sure,” Tina said. “Nora, do you even know if Zoey had any family? I mean all these years and I never even asked her...”

  “She was divorced. No kids,” Nora said. “She never talked much about it, but I got the sense that she never completely got over her ex. I don’t know why. I’m probably imagining it, of course…just a feeling.”

  “Yeah, I know she was divorced,” Tina said. “Zoey told me a million times that dating wasn’t for her.”

  “She never talked about her ex-husband to me,” Nora said. “She always changed the topic if I poked. But she’d get this strange look in her eye...”

  Tina nodded. “Obviously. You know why, right?”

  Nora shook her head. “What? Why?”

  Tina leaned towards Nora. “He was a monster, that’s why.”

  “What?!”

  Tina nodded. “Kim Morris told me. Zoey worked for her and Percy, too.”

  Percy Morris was Harvey’s biggest competitor, a shark of a real estate developer who tended to swallow up the little fish. He and Harvey had a cordial relationship on the surface but, underneath, Nora suspected that both were always looking to one-up the other. As for Kim, Nora had met her several times through the years and always thought she was sweet, if
a little bland.

  “They’re good people,” Tina continued. “Sam’s been friends with Percy since school, you know. Percy was always the lead troublemaker. Ah…those days when we all went out on joyrides in his older brother’s car. Fun times.”

  “Sure, but you’d kill your kids if they had done the same thing as teenagers.” Nora laughed.

  “Of course, I would. Too dangerous.” Tina winked. “Well, anyway, Kim told me that she’d glimpsed a scar on Zoey’s leg by accident once. She asked about it and Zoey got really weird, muttered something about a man...”

  “And from that you presume he’s a monster? That’s a good workout you must have gotten, jumping to conclusions like that.”

  “Well, if her ex-husband was the one who gave her the scar, he’s obviously a monster.”

  “You should tell this to the sheriff, actually. Just in case,” Nora said. “If it is a murder, he’ll want to interview any ex-husbands.”

  “You know it’s the funniest thing — for all her gossip and cheerfulness, Zoey never really talked about herself with me,” Tina said. “I feel like I knew her, and yet never knew the real her. You know? It was all superficial talk.”

  Nora pulled up at the diner and Tina got out.

  Nora paused. “Hey, you can hold down the fort today, right? I think I’m going to take the day off.”

  Leaning down, Tina looked Nora in the eye and, for the first time, noticed just how shaken up her friend was. “Sure, I can handle it. You go home and rest. Try and think hard about what Zoey said to you yesterday. Every single word. Any clue will help.”

  “Thanks. I’ll do that.”

  “And, Nora?” Tina shut the door but paused with her hand still on the handle.

  “Yeah?” Nora looked at her.

  “I know your brain is flooded with guilt right now, but none of this is your fault,” Tina said. “Try and say that to yourself at least ten times today, okay?”

  “Okay.” Nora gave Tina her first real smile of the day and then drove off. But the smile faded as soon as Tina was out of view. If Zoey’s death really was a murder, then it was Nora’s responsibility to catch the killer. She’d already failed Zoey once. She wasn’t going to fail her again.

  *****

  Chapter 3

  Hazel’s Mess

  Nora entered her house through the kitchen door and found Hazel at the dining table with her feet up, a bowl of cereal in hand, chair precariously dangling on two legs. As soon as the door opened, Hazel’s chair dropped down on all fours with a bang and her feet flew off the table. In her haste, she ended up spilling some milk on the floor.

  “Sorry, Mom,” she said, her face flushing.

  “Hazel, I’ve told you a million times not to put your feet up on the table! It’s a horrible habit.”

  “They weren’t on the table, they were dangling off the table,” Hazel said.

  “And the way you lean on that chair, you’re going to break your neck one day!”

  Hazel rolled her eyes. “Whatever, mom. Chill.”

  Nora’s temper flared, as it always seemed to around her younger daughter. “If you’re living here, you’re going to obey my rules. No feet on the table!”

  Hazel shoved back her chair and dumped the rest of her cereal in the sink, leaving the bowl on the edge of the counter.

  “And, tell me, who’s going to clean this mess you made?” Nora asked. “Don’t just walk off.”

  “I was about to clean it!” Hazel’s voice took on the pitch it always did before she was about to break down. “Can you stop treating me like I’m five for ten minutes?”

  “I—” Nora took a deep breath, struggling with herself. “Fine. Just clean it.”

  “What are you doing here, anyway? I thought you’d gone to work,” Hazel said.

  “So, if I go to work that means you can put your feet up on the table?” Nora asked.

  “Moooooom,” Hazel groaned. “What’s up with you today? I thought you’d be cheerful after the party.”

  With a start, Nora realized that Hazel knew nothing about Zoey yet. Her heart sank a little. Of course. She’d meant to break the news gently but, instead, ended up fighting with her. Hazel was on her knees now, blotting up the milk with a paper towel.

  “Er—” Nora hesitated. “Hazel, forget about that for a minute. Come sit down on the sofa with me.”

  “The sofa?” Hazel stared at her blankly.

  “Yeah…we…I need to talk to you,” Nora said.

  Hazel sighed and chucked the paper towel into the garbage. “I knew it. I know what this is about. It’s about yesterday, isn’t it?”

  “What?” Nora led Hazel into the living room by hand and plopped down on the comfortable Chesterfield sofa whose dark red leather cover had slowly begun to split in some places. Nora had a sudden memory of the when they’d first bought this sofa. It was around ten years ago. The four of them had gone together to the furniture store and, while Nora had picked a more practical three-seater, Hazel had absolutely insisted that she wanted this one.

  “It’s so soft, Mom! You gotta sit on it!” She’d given Nora a gap-toothed grin. “You’ll see!”

  Nora had told her no, but Hazel kept insisting they sit on it just once and, one by one, Harvey and Grace had given in, sinking down next to Hazel. Finally, reluctantly, Nora had squeezed in between the three and Hazel had climbed up on one of the arms, her legs sprawling onto Nora’s lap. She’d been sold.

  They’d spent so many hours on the sofa like that, watching games, movies, sometimes even just talking. Till slowly, Grace had gotten too big and preferred to sit solo on the slider in the corner. Then Harvey’s progressive back problems led to the purchase of a firm, form-fitting armchair of his own.

  With a start, Nora realized that this sofa was really one of the last things she and Hazel had in common. Even now, Hazel was propped up on one arm with her legs sprawled out, nearly touching Nora’s. With a gulp, Nora realized she really, really didn’t want to tell Hazel about Zoey.

  Hazel seized her silence and began speaking instead. “Yeah, I get it. Grace bought it up last night, but it’s been on your mind for a year now. What am I doing with my life, what plans do I have, why am I not acting like an adult. Right? Well, I have good news. I have a job and I’ve made arrangements to move out, too. One more month and I’m out of your hair. Happy?”

  “What?” Nora looked at Hazel, startled. “What job? What about college?”

  Hazel’s chin raised up in the air. “I’m quitting.”

  Nora stared at Hazel, her heart simultaneously sinking and somehow beating thrice as fast. “You’re quitting?”

  “It’s just not for me.” Hazel shrugged.

  “You’re. Quitting. College?” Nora’s eyes widened and all other thoughts seemed to have been wiped out of her mind.

  “Yes. I’m. Quitting. College.” Hazel hugged her knees to her chest. “Actually, I’ve already quit college. I’ve handled the paperwork with the registrar. It’s done.”

  “How…” Nora felt rage build within her. “How could you do this? You didn’t talk to me or your dad? You just—”

  “I don’t know, Mom.” Hazel hung her head. “I knew what you’d say. I knew how you’d react. I just didn’t want any of that.”

  “Maybe it’s not too late. Maybe if you talk to them again, they’ll understand and let you back in...” Nora’s mind was working at light speed.

  “Mom.” Hazel’s voice was quiet, but firm. “Let it go. It’s not for me. I’m not Grace.”

  Nora looked up at the ceiling and took a deep breath. Of course Hazel wasn’t Grace. Who knew better than Nora? Grace had graduated high school as valedictorian, then gotten a full ride at the University of Wyoming where she’d earned a 4.0 GPA and her BS before beginning her career as an I.T. manager in nearby Cody.

  Hazel, on the other hand, had never once cared about her studies. It had always frustrated Nora. Hazel was bright — smarter than most of her friends — but all she seemed t
o care about was goofing off or playing video games. When she’d flunked out of the University of Wyoming two years in, Harvey and Nora had patiently sat with her and had long talks about her future. They’d corralled her into applying to the community college, hoping that she’d manage a bachelor’s degree of some sort. What hadn’t they given her? No rent, no bills, all the freedom in the world… and yet, now she’d dropped out.

  Nora looked at Hazel and saw that there were tears in her eyes.

  “I’m sorry, Mom,” Hazel said in a choked voice. “I know you really wanted this, but it just wasn’t working out. I’m not smart enough—”

  “Of course you are!” Nora exclaimed. “You’re a very smart young lady.”

  “Then I’m not interested enough,” Hazel said. “College just isn’t for me. Not right now. Maybe never.”

  “Well, what are you going to do?” Nora asked. “How are you going to pay the bills? Because let me tell you, if you aren’t in college, we aren’t going to let you live here rent free. Certainly not if you’re planning to play video games all day!”

  “I told you already, I’m moving out!” Hazel’s tears vanished and her eyes turned cold. “One more month.”

  “Where? And what is this job?”

  “I talked to Zoey,” Hazel said. “She’s getting older, she’s got more work here than ever before and she needs a partner. She was willing to take me on. I worked for her in high school, right? She always thought I did a great job. As for moving out, she said that she has an extra room in her house and she’d give me a discount on rent. So it’s all set, you see?”

  “Zoey?” Nora gave her a blank look. “I don’t understand.”