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  “Well, maybe you don’t know this, but bachelors in their fifties tend to be messy,” Sheriff Ellerton said. “Don’t jump to absurd conclusions so easily, will you?”

  “What about Zoey, then?” Nora asked. “Are you sure it was a heart attack, now?”

  “Forensics will be in tomorrow and I’ll do a press conference then. You can find out the same time as the rest of the world,” Sheriff Ellerton said and hung up.

  Nora stared at the phone and wondered if she could have come up with a retort that would have pulled the sheriff down a few notches. As of now, nothing came to mind.

  Tina, who had stepped out behind Nora, gave her a sympathetic pat on the shoulder. “Never mind. We’ll show him. You’ll see.”

  “I don’t care about showing him,” Nora said. “I care about Zoey. If someone did kill her, I don’t think Ellerton is going to be the person to figure it out. It almost feels to me as though he hopes the forensics report comes back clean!”

  “Well…we all do, right?” Tina asked awkwardly. “I mean, I know I was excited about having a case again, but if it comes down to it, I’d rather that Zoey went from a heart attack because it was her time. I’d hate for her life to have been cut down by some psychopath.”

  “Yeah. I know.” Nora was quiet. “The thing is, Ellerton doesn’t really care either way. All he cares about is his own reputation. He wants the forensics to come back clean because he doesn’t want to go through the trouble of an investigation. At least, that’s the feeling I get.”

  “Well, well, well. Look whose opinion of the sheriff took a sharp nosedive since yesterday.” Tina grinned.

  “I mean...” Nora sighed, her shoulders drooping. “I don’t know, Tina. Say, let me ask you something. Did Zoey ever mention Ronnie Shepherd to you?”

  “Ronnie Shepherd?” Tina looked astonished. “No. Why would she?”

  “How about a silver jacket?” Nora asked.

  “A silver jacket?” Tina frowned. “Oh, that’s what Matthew said she talked about, right?”

  “There’s something funny going on,” Nora said. “Zoey didn’t just die of a heart attack. I’m sure of it.”

  Tina nodded. “But who could have killed her? And why would they kill her?”

  Nora rubbed the back of her neck. “There are three theories I have right now. First, her so-called monster of an ex-husband could have come back somehow. Second, Matthew Whitman killed her out of a toxic love. And, third, Zoey found something or heard something or saw something at one of her clients’ houses, and was killed as a result of it.”

  “But what?” Tina asked.

  “That’s what I’m going to find out,” Nora declared.

  “You mean, that’s what we’re going to find out, partner,” Tina replied. “Don’t muscle me out of this one, Nora Nathaniel. If someone hurt Zoey, I want to know who, too. I’m with you all the way.”

  “Deal,” Nora said. “Look, you know Kim Morris, right? What say we go pay her a visit later today?”

  “You know her, too,” Tina said. “She was at your party the other day.”

  “What?” Nora stared at Tina and her mouth fell open.

  “Yeah. She and Perry were both there. I was surprised, considering Harvey isn’t exactly best friends with Perry—”

  Nora stared at Tina. “Were they in the room when I came in with Zoey?”

  Tina tapped her chin. “Probably. Well, look, I was in and out of the house since 5pm to help decorate. I think they came around 6pm. Perry was talking pretty intensely with Harvey—”

  “Ah.” Nora suspected that was when Perry had offered Harvey the deal.

  “Kim was off on one side talking to Hazel,” Tina said. “That’s all I remember.”

  “But later? I came in around 7pm,” Nora said. “Where were they then?”

  “I wish I knew,” Tina said. “I was too excited about the party, and there was quite a crowd.”

  Nora sighed. “So maybe they were the reason Zoey left the party so quickly. This just widens our pool of suspects. All I know is neither Kim nor Perry stayed long enough to personally wish me a happy birthday. I would have remembered if they had.”

  “Huh,” Tina said.

  “Harvey would know how long they stayed,” Nora said. “I’ll have to ask him.”

  “I don’t think you need to,” Tina said. “I know that car. Looks like Kim Morris is coming to the diner for breakfast.”

  *****

  Chapter 8

  History & The Ex

  “Hi, Kim.” Tina waved as the grey Mercedes parked and a woman with blunt-cut hair and dark eyes got out. “What a surprise! I’ve never seen you at the diner this early.”

  Kim gave Tina a cheeky grin. “A pleasant surprise, I hope. It’s a slow day at the clinic so I thought I’d get some breakfast. Besides...” She hesitated. “I was thinking about Zoey all night. The truth is, I needed someone to talk to.”

  “We were just talking about her, actually,” Tina said. “Come on in.”

  They settled down into a booth and Kim ordered a plate of scrambled eggs while Tina poured coffee for all three of them. Apart from a few regulars at the counter, the diner was quiet this time of the morning. Sunlight poured in through the picture window onto the mint and magenta interior that hadn’t seen renovations in quite a few years now. The décor was dated, but none of their customers had ever seemed to mind and, to Nora, it just added a feeling of comfort to be sitting under the same paintings she had picked out nearly thirty years ago now.

  Nora’s eyes lingered on one painting that had been done by her best friend and original partner, Raquel, who had been murdered just days before the diner’s Grand Opening. It was an oil painting of a tree in autumn. Half of it’s branches were bare, and a little pile of orange had gathered under it. But right on top of the tree was a green leaf, triumphantly holding on to the last vestiges of summer. Raquel hadn’t been much of a painter, but that particular canvas had a melancholy air to it that Nora loved. It was largely ignored by most of the patrons, since it hung in a corner above a shelf full of glass knick-knacks. But it stood there faithfully, reminding Nora of lost friends and old times.

  Her attention was drawn back to Kim, who’d finished exchanging pleasantries with Tina, and now asked, “Have either of you heard from the police? They’re going to declare it a poisoning soon.”

  “Really?” Nora’s eyes widened. “Sheriff Ellerton said he’d have a press conference later, but didn’t tell us anything about…well…about what they found out.”

  Kim wrinkled her nose. “Ellerton always feels so dull to me. I preferred Sean, to be honest. He was sharp as a tack. Nothing got past him.”

  Nora silently agreed but it must have shown on her face because Kim grinned. “I guess you feel the same way about our new sheriff. Well my husband, Perry, has some sources in the station, and they told him — and this is just between us, of course — that the forensics are in. Zoey was poisoned. It was in her smoothie.”

  Tina put a hand over her mouth. “I can’t believe it. Poor Zoey! I mean, I suspected. But, still…are you sure, Kim?”

  “Sure as sure can be,” Kim said, her face grim. “The killer mixed white baneberries into the smoothie — instant death, in other words. It’ll be all over town by tomorrow, anyway. You’ll see. That’s why I couldn’t sleep last night. I just can’t figure out who would want to kill Zoey.”

  “I agree,” Tina said. “She was so nice. Still, I suppose you never know what’s going on in someone’s life, do you? All I ever talked about with her were diets and meal prep.”

  “Oh, yeah.” Kim laughed. “Zoey was big on that, wasn’t she?”

  “But who could have gained access to her smoothies? She made them fresh every morning.” Tina scratched her head.

  “Someone snuck into her house,” Nora said. “Someone knew she pre-chopped her fruits & veggies for her smoothies each week, and they poisoned the batch with white baneberries.”

  Kim shuddered. “Sur
ely not. I mean, I pre-chop my fruits & veggies each week, too. Are you saying someone could sneak into my house and...” She looked pale.

  Tina put a hand on hers and patted it gently. “Don’t worry. Nobody’s going to hurt you, Kim.”

  “I suppose not,” Kim said, but she still looked scared. “You two…do you think this has anything to do with her ex-husband?”

  Nora and Tina looked at each other. “I don’t know,” Nora said. “Zoey really never talked about her ex to me.”

  “She told me once that he was in jail,” Kim said. “What if he got out and decided to take revenge or something?”

  “You should tell the sheriff,” Tina said. “He should follow up on this.”

  “I looked it up myself, actually,” Kim said. “I know his name. Brock Williams.” She took out her phone and pulled up a website. “See? Sentenced to twenty years in prison for murder.”

  “Well, that’s a long time,” Tina said.

  “Yeah, but he was put in jail twenty years ago!” Kim exclaimed. “He got out last year.”

  “May I?” Nora took the phone from Kim and, with a few clicks, she had Brock Williams’ entire history in front of her. It was both scary and comforting how little you could hide in the internet age.

  Apparently, twenty years ago, in the neighboring town of Jackson Hole, Brock Williams had attempted to rob a bank and an unfortunate teller had been killed during his getaway. Brock had been arrested the very next day, and sentenced soon after. It was a tragic, pointless crime, it seemed, with grief as its only true outcome.

  “He could be anywhere now, including Milburn!” Kim said. “He has to be the one who did it, right?”

  “Of course.” Tina slapped the table. “My goodness. Poor Zoey! Her ex really was a monster. He committed cold-blooded murder once and, twenty years later, he’s done it again.”

  “We have to show this to the sheriff,” Nora said. “That is, assuming he doesn’t already know.”

  “I don’t think Ellerton knows anything.” Kim sniffed. “He was hoping all along that it was just a heart attack. Perry told me — and this is just between us girls — that Ellerton hates paperwork of any kind, especially the amount that a murder brings.”

  Tina snorted. “I knew it. That man is downright lazy. He should never have been elected sheriff.”

  “Not that we have too many other choices with Sean gone,” Kim said. “There’s Deputy James, of course, but he’s a bit too loudmouthed, in my opinion. At least Ellerton knows how to keep a good public image.”

  “With any luck, Sean will come back from his year-long holiday and be ready to take up the position again,” Tina said.

  “The thing is…” Nora hesitated.

  Both Tina and Kim looked at her eagerly. “Yes?”

  “Why?” Nora asked. “If he was released a year earlier, why kill Zoey now?”

  “Maybe he was trying to reconcile and, when she wouldn’t have it, his frustration boiled over,” Kim suggested.

  “Maybe,” Nora agreed. “Only…did Zoey talk about her ex to you at all? Did she say he was harassing her?”

  Kim sighed. “Well… no. But she did look funny this last week. I don’t know how to explain it.”

  “I mean, maybe Zoey didn’t exactly want to talk to her employers about her ex-husband, you know?” Tina said. “We should find out who Zoey’s friends were, her real friends, and go talk to them. That way, we can dig up some proof and catch the guilty party.”

  “Which reminds me,” Nora turned to Kim. “You were at my party the other day, weren’t you? We didn’t get a chance to talk then.”

  “Oh, yes.” Kim laughed. “We dropped in only for a few moments. Perry said he had an offer for Harvey. And you were so deep in conversation with others while we were there that I didn’t want to interrupt you. But a belated happy birthday to you, Nora. So sorry we couldn’t wish you one then. We were in a rush.”

  “Thanks.” Nora smiled. “Did you happen to bump into Zoey at the party?”

  “Zoey?” Kim looked puzzled. “No. Why? Did you invite her? I didn’t see her.”

  “Never mind.” Nora shook her head. “She was at your house earlier that day though, wasn’t she?”

  “Yes, she was always over on Wednesdays and Saturdays.” Kim nodded. “Why?”

  “Did she seem disturbed in any way?”

  Kim shook her head. “I wouldn’t know. I’m always at the clinic when she comes over. She knows where the key is. I mean, she knew. She’d slip in, do the work, and I’d come home to a clean house. It was a good arrangement.”

  “But Perry was at home, wasn’t he?” Tina asked. “He must be home on Saturdays.”

  Kim frowned. “Maybe…I didn’t really discuss it with him. He probably wouldn’t have talked to her anyway. He’d be watching football or napping. The man’s lazy as a bear in hibernation on his days off.”

  “Ask him, would you?” Tina looked excited. “In fact, ask him if she mentioned anything about a silver jacket!”

  Kim looked astonished. “A what?”

  Nora elbowed Tina in the ribs. “Never mind.”

  “A silver jacket?” Kim looked from Tina to Nora. “Why would Zoey care about a silver jacket? What do you guys know?”

  “We—” Tina was about to speak, but Nora stamped on her foot this time, a little harder than she should have.

  “Nothing much,” Nora said. “It’s just something we heard here and there.”

  Kim waited, but it was plain that neither of them were going to talk. She pouted a little. “I shared my gossip with you and now you two are playing mum. What’s up with that?”

  “Sorry, Kim. We’ll let you know as soon as we find out more about it,” Nora said. “Just forget it, won’t you?”

  “Fine.” Kim sighed. “By the way, at your party, I had a chance to talk to your daughter, Hazel,” Kim said. “Lovely girl you’ve got there.”

  “Thanks.” Nora’s smile was brighter this time.

  “She worked for Perry’s landscaping company last summer, you know. Tell her a job’s open for her anytime she wants it.” Kim fluffed her hair. “To be honest, Perry needs her back. It’s so hard to find reliable workers these days. We had to fire one of our employees recently and, my oh my, did he lose his temper when he got the news.”

  “Anyone we know?” Tina asked.

  “I don’t think so. His name’s Matt Whitman. But I doubt you’d hang out with his type.” Kim wrinkled her nose a little. “The man was positively furious at Perry. He was shouting and swearing and promising to take revenge. It was a big scene.”

  “Really? You should take precautions. You never know who’ll turn psycho these days,” Tina said. “Have Sheriff Ellerton write up a report. The added benefit will be you’ll give him some of that paperwork he hates so much.”

  “Hang on.” Nora raised her hand. “Matt Whitman? Did you say Matt Whitman worked for you?”

  Kim nodded. “It’s a pity we had to fire him, too. He was so good at his job. But his temper...”

  “Did Hazel know him? I mean, did she work with him?” Nora interrupted.

  “Sure. They were on the same team. I think they became good friends, too. It’s not really a large operation, you know. Perry just keeps it because it’s a good revenue stream and helps manage the landscapes in his bigger real estate developments.”

  Nora wasn’t really listening. So that’s how Hazel knew Matt Whitman. She’d worked with him before. Somehow, in that time, they’d grown pally and Hazel had helped set him up with Zoey.

  The bell over the door tinkled and Tina got up as more customers began to come in.

  “I have to go take care of business,” Tina said. “But Kim, ask Perry all about what Zoey was like that day, will you? We really need to know.”

  “Only if you fill me in on this silver jacket business,” Kim said. “I’m intrigued.”

  “Sure, sure.” Tina waved her off and went behind the counter, leaving Kim with Nora, who was still thin
king about Hazel.

  Even if Hazel was twenty and an adult, Nora’s protective instincts were still very strong around her daughter. If Matt Whitman was involved in Zoey’s death in any way, she wanted to know, and she wanted Hazel far away from him. Hazel was still young and so naive, seeing only the best in everyone. Of course, Nora realized she had to be a bit subtle about it. Forbidding Hazel from talking to the man would only complicate things, and it wasn’t like Hazel was in a mood to listen right now.

  Sighing, Nora wondered if things would ever get easier with her daughter. Maybe when she was Mrs. Mullally’s age.

  *****

  Chapter 9

  The Knock

  Nora rubbed her eyes, feeling strangely exhausted. It was only 5pm, but she felt like she was coming down with a fever. Her body was aching a little, and her eyes felt heavy. Just great — what else could go wrong?

  She pulled into her driveway, hoping she’d be able to catch a nap. Making dinner was out of the question today, she’d just order some pizza. Or maybe Harvey could get takeout on the way home…

  Entering the house, she was greeted instead with the wonderful fragrance of garlic and onions sizzling on the stove. She heard a voice humming in the kitchen, singing an old Fleetwood Mac song. Entering silently, Nora spied Hazel, whose back was turned to her. She was stirring something on the stove, with her blonde hair piled up in a bun on top of her head.

  ‘”I didn’t know you liked that song,” Nora said, wondering why her throat suddenly felt tight. “Landslide. Kinda sad.”

  “Mom.” Hazel turned around, startled.

  “Hey,” Nora said. “I tried calling, Hazel.”

  “I know. I’m sorry. I just needed some time to get my head straight.” Hazel bit her lip. Her shoulders were trembling slightly and the long wooden spoon in her hand left a stain on the side of her jeans.

  “Sweetie, I’m sorry. The way I just dropped Zoey’s death in your lap…I don’t know what came over me. It was cruel and insensi—”