Free "A Murder In Milburn", Book 1: Death At A Diner by Nancy McGovern

bought out a small cube of cheddar. Halving it, she dropped a piece down to Maynard, who slurped it up. She popped the other half into her own mouth carelessly as she roamed around, gathering ingredients for the tea.
    “Well, you can avoid it as long as you like, dear, but the right thing to do is go see them.”
    “I do want to go see them,” Nora said. “But I only want to give them my condolences. It’s just not … I can’t bear the thought of sounding...” She shuddered. “Of sounding greedy.”
    “Oh, heavens, girl, everyone knows that you’re not greedy. Raquel would have paid her share, wouldn’t she? Everyone knows that too. Her parents will help you out. They know it’s what Raquel would have wanted. The restaurant would have opened tomorrow, and knowing Raquel, she’d want you to open it with or without her.”
    “I can’t manage it myself. Not without Raquel.” Nora shook her head, shuddering at the thought. “First, no one will come. Second, I can’t bear the thought. Every moment I’m there. It was our shared dream, Mrs. Mullally. I don’t know if… I don’t know if I ever want to open the diner now.”
    “Nonsense,” Mrs. Mullally said. “Raquel would come down here and smack you if she heard you talk like this. Delay the opening by a week if you must, but then open the place. Donate everything you earn if you like, but don’t shed your dream just because someone committed a crime. You have to do it, Nora. For her, if not for you.”
    Nora placed a steaming mug of peppermint tea in front of Mrs. Mullally. “You really think it’s the right thing to do?” she said. “Do you really think Raquel would have wanted me to keep going? It seems almost like a betrayal.”
    “The only betrayal would be to give up,” Mrs. Mullally said. “This diner of yours will be Raquel’s legacy. What else will the town remember her by?”
    Nora nodded, but it was a broken nod. Mrs. Mullally was right. Raquel would have wanted it. But Nora didn’t know if she wanted it anymore. With Raquel gone, what was the point?
    She remembered Harvey’s words from the day before. “Raquel matters to you, and you mattered to her. So for her sake, you have to be strong.”
    There was a knock at the door, and Nora sprang up. “I’ll get it.” A part of her heart that had been clenched all day lightened as she pictured Harvey outside the door. He hadn’t called her again, but then, neither had she.
    She swung open the door, a tepid smile slowly widening on her face, and stopped, confused. Ashley Norton, Harvey’s secretary, stood on the doorstep, with a covered dish in her hand. Behind stood her husband Jeremy, the light of his phone illuminating his bent face. He looked up and nodded at Nora.
    “Sorry. I hope we aren’t disturbing you.” Ashley said. “We didn’t find time to come earlier, so I thought…” Her words trailed off, and she held the dish a little higher, pushing it towards Nora.
    “Oh. Oh,” Nora took the dish and smiled. “Ashley, this is a wonderful gesture. Thank you. Do come in, both of you. We were just having some tea.”
    “It’s funny, isn’t it,” Ashley said as they followed Nora in. “We all ought to be going to meet Raquel’s parents, but it’s you everyone knows she was closest to. She rented a place in town but everyone knows she practically lived in this house after you came three months ago. You were both sisters. Bonded by soul, if not by blood.”
    Nora felt her heart jump. House. Raquel’s rented apartment! Someone ought to go there and, clean it? She had to see Raquel’s parents, and soon. There were too many things they probably needed help with. Harvey had been right. She needed to be stronger now, for Raquel’s sake.
    “Have… have you met her parents yet?” Nora asked.
    “Those crazy Supreme Truth folk live on a ranch all together.” Jeremy pulled a face. “Us lot aren’t very welcome there.”
    “Jeremy! Hush.” Ashley nudged him. “Well, we