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

built like a tank, and just as deadly. He’d spent his time on the backs of pick-up trucks,either going mud riding with his gang, or parking in fields and sneaking booze. Still, he’d loved Raquel, hadn’t he? He had to have loved her. They’d been steady for three years. Nora remembered one Valentine’s Day. She’d been feeling particularly low, and Raquel had come to school the next day looking like she would burst with happiness. For Nora’s sake, Raquel had tried to pretend she wasn’t overly happy, but Nora had seen right through it, and pressed her for details.
    She had shown Nora a pendant that Jeremy had given her, one half of a silver heart with Jeremy’s name engraved on it. “He’s got the other piece, with my name on it,” Raquel had said. “God, he took me on the most beautiful date last night. A picnic on a mountain top, and he managed to get a bottle of wine from somewhere! He looks so tough outside, but inside he’s soft as a marshmallow. Find yourself a boyfriend just like him Nora, and then we can all go on a double date.” Raquel had given Nora a hug then and began teasing her about her imaginary future boyfriend.
    Grief found so many ways to stab her. Nora was in her own room again. She saw Raquel’s bright yellow high heels lying in one corner of the room and picked them up. She hadn’t noticed them since she kicked them off that horrible night, Tuesday night. It was just the day before yesterday. Incredible how the world seemed to have shattered and reconfigured itself since then.
    They’d never gone out on a double date together, Nora realized. Funny. She’d always been single in this town, and Raquel had never visited her outside of it.
    Nora lay back on the bed, covering her eyes with her hands. She must have dozed off for a few hours before she felt his presence in the room and jolted awake.  
    Harvey was sitting on the bed, his back turned against her.

    *****

Chapter 14
    “Are you a vampire, secretly?” Nora asked, lifting herself up on her elbows. She had fallen asleep without one, but now a blanket had magically appeared on top of her. She hugged it closer. Harvey had a jacket in his hand. His jacket, the red and white varsity letterman jacket he’d worn on their date, and then draped over her shoulders after the crash.
    “Want it back?” she asked.
    He turned around, and she stopped her questions.
    “You didn’t call all day,” he said.
    “Neither did you.”
    He shrugged. “I didn’t know what to say to you.”
    “Try ‘Hi’ next time,” Nora said.
    “Nora.” He got up, dropping the jacket on the floor, and Nora stood up too. He looked ravaged. His face was creased with worry, and his stubble was almost a beard now, three days unshaven. His hair tickled and waved around the collar of his denim shirt.  
    “What is it?” she asked.  
    “I…” He held her hand, then shook his head and bowed it. “I’m sorry,” he said. “For everything.”
    “It’s not your fault,” she said, drawing him to her. “Harvey, what happened? What is it?”
    “What if it was my fault?” he asked. “What if… Would you ever forgive me?”
    “You didn’t kill her,” she said. “You were with me all along. Harvey. If there’s one person in this town I absolutely know didn’t do it, it’s you. But if you know something – anything – you need to tell me about it.”
    He shook his head. “No,” he said. “I can’t risk it.”
    “Trust in me,” she said.
    He raised his head and stroked her cheek, then embraced her again. They stood like that, Nora with her eyes wide, patting his back as he shivered against her.
    “I’m a coward,” he said to her. “Can you understand that? I’m a weak coward, and I don’t want to be anymore.”
    “You’re not a coward,” she said, a little heated. “Harvey, I’ve been in an accident with you, and you were calm and quick-witted through it. You shouldn’t talk like that about yourself.”
    “I was robbed earlier