"A Murder In Milburn", Book 3: Death In The Library (2 page)

“I’ve been good,” Katya said. “It’s all wonderful. Petyr is the most wonderful man I’ve ever met in my life.” Her voice was full of energy as she said this. “I’m so proud of him, you know. His company just hit the five million dollars in sales mark last year. He’s working on an app that lets you create photoshopped images on mobile. He’s also creating photography for his high-end clients. He’s even been featured in a few national architectural magazines.”

“That’s amazing!” Nora smiled. “I’ve never met someone so successful.”

“Me either.” Katya laughed. “His dream was to actually be a director, and he’s taking steps in that direction too. He directed an ad film last year. Someday, maybe he’ll get a break in Hollywood! Though that’s just a pipe-dream for now. This business is all he’s thinking about lately. His aim is to make enough money that he doesn’t need to work for ten years, and he figures he’ll spend those ten years trying to get a break in Hollywood.”

“Well, I’m sure with a family like this, he doesn’t need to save up.” Nora smiled.

Katya’s smile dimmed. “He’s far too proud to take money from them. No, he said he has to earn it himself.”

“That’s really good,” Nora said. “A man of character, clearly. How about the wedding? Everything set?”

“Ah. The wedding.” Katya’s face clouded over. “Well. We haven’t quite broken the news to his family yet.”

“Problems?”

“This is the first time I’m meeting them,” Katya said. “I’ve heard a lot about them, which is why I thought it’d be good to have you along as moral support. To be honest, I’m worried they might not take kindly to the wedding announcement.”

“Hmm.” Nora frowned. “Are they treating you right?”

“They’ve been perfectly friendly so far,” Katya said. “Except…”

“Except what?”

“Nothing,” Katya said. “I’m just being silly, I’m sure.”

“Katya…”

“Why don’t I leave you to get changed?” Katya smiled. “Then we can cook up a good meal. I’ll help you, of course. Just like old times.”

*****

Chapter 2

Just like old times
.
 

Nora smiled to herself as she chopped up shallots. Mentally, she was already plotting what to do for the barbecue later that night. Old school burgers with a watermelon cocktail, she thought. She was making a simple grilled chicken recipe with asparagus and a citrus glaze, while Katya was prepping the salad next to her, throwing in pomegranate seeds on top of the iceberg lettuce and avocado.
 

Like the friendship, their work habits came easy too. There was a flow to the way they worked, obvious to anyone who would want to observe them. The family, though, was out on the porch. They’d all changed out of their clothes. The women were dressed in comfortable summer dresses, while the men wore chinos and polo t-shirts. Lila was handing them iced tea, amidst the laughter.

Petyr came in, and hopped up on the bar. He grabbed two apples from the fruit basket next to him, and began juggling.
 

“I came in to offer you ladies some entertainment while you work.”

Katya laughed.
 

“You don’t need to feel bad, Petyr. Nora and I are having a good time catching up. Besides, I get irritated if people crowd me when I’m in the kitchen.”

“I know. That’s why I do it.” He grinned, and winked. “Funny thing, I realized that this is the last Independence Day I’ll celebrate as an independent man. What with us getting married and all.”

“You and your jokes! Here, pop these bread rolls in the oven.”
 

Katya handed him a tray after she had finished brushing it with a mixture of garlic, olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

“Your wish is my command.”
 

He saluted her, and hopped off the bar, toward the ovens.

“This is an impressive kitchen,” Nora said. “You could operate a restaurant in here.”

“That’s my dad,” Petyr said. “He’s willing to pay more money than others, but boy, the goods better be the
best
. He spent a bomb on this kitchen, and he never spends any time inside it. I don’t understand, really. I remember though, when he was building the house, he used to have hour long fights with the decorator, about things like, the refrigerators have to be top of the line even if it takes a month longer to install them, and the tiles
have
to be hand-painted and imported from Portugal. I don’t think he looked at these tiles for more than two seconds, despite all the fight he put up for them.” Petyr knocked on the blue and white tiles with their intricate design and gold filigree. “I guess I’ll never understand him.”

“Some people want the best things in life, but once they get them, they just don’t know what to do with them.” Katya smiled. “Your dad’s happier with the chase than the gains.”

“I guess.” Petyr smiled. “I’m happy with the gains, not the chase.” He grabbed Katya, who screamed and dropped her spoon on the counter as he swung her around and nuzzled her neck. “You’re going to see some amazing fireworks tonight, Kitkat.”

“Get away! You’re such a beast.” She laughed, whacking him.

“What? I meant at the barbecue,” he said, bending down to kiss her.

“Ugh! Did you take a shower
at all?
”
 

Katya made a silly face and tried to hide her smile.

“Nope.” Petyr hugged her some more. “I’m an all-American male who only believes in one shower a day.”

There was a cough. Katya and Petyr looked up, and his mother Maria stood with a tray of empty glasses in her hands. Petyr leapt away from Katya.

“I just came to see if you three needed any help,” Maria said. “Your father’s hungry, Petyr. He normally eats lunch at one sharp.” There was a reproachful note in her voice. “It’s almost one thirty.”

“Well, it’s his fault for making us all go on that cursed mushroom foraging trip and letting Nora wait outside,” Petyr said, biting into an apple. “Not that we found too many mushrooms.”

“Yes, and he’s a little upset about that. So be nice, Petyr.”

“What’s he going to do, call the real estate agency and tell them he doesn’t want the island any more because there’s no decent mushrooms?” Petyr laughed. “Mother…”

“Petyr. Have some respect,” she said.

Petyr sighed. He took the tray from her hands, and placed it on the counter. “Whatever you say, mother.”

“Oh, Nora, I’m sorry he didn’t mention it before, but Reynold was wondering if you could do something with the mushrooms we did collect?” Maria asked hesitantly.
 

“Sure. I’ll incorporate them at dinner.”

“Oh. No. He meant right now,” Maria said.

“Sorry, but I’m almost finished with the lunch,” Nora said. “Besides, I’m not sure it would match the flavor palette of the meal. Wouldn’t he prefer dinner?”

Maria was looking more and more upset.
 

What’s the problem?
Nora wondered.
 

She was perfectly willing to cook them later on, or would have been to incorporate them, if he’d told her a little earlier. He was a grown man - surely he wouldn’t have a problem with understanding this?

But Maria said, “I’d… I’d much rather you did it right now. He would insist, I think.”

Nora looked at Katya and Petyr. Petyr was eating his apple, refusing to look at anyone else, but his mouth was turned down as if he’d bitten something sour. Katya had paused in her salad-making, and was trying to catch Petyr’s eyes, with a hopeful smile on her face, as if to cheer him up.

“Of course I’ll do it,” Nora said with a smile, and she noticed Maria take a steadying breath.

“Thank you,” Maria said. “Katya, why don’t you help me set the table?”

“Of course,” Katya said, following her out of the kitchen.

Nora quickly sautéed the mushrooms, and plated them on some toast, crumbling brie cheese on top.
 

“Smells good.” Petyr took one, and nearly swallowed it whole. “Tastes good too.”

“Thanks.” Nora smiled.
 

“Hey, Nora, thanks for agreeing to come on such short notice,” Petyr said. “Katya, well… she really is glad to have you here.”

“I’m glad to be here too,” Nora said. “But I’m sure Katya is happy wherever she is, as long as you’re there with her.”

Petyr sighed.
 

“Yes. Well. My family isn’t the easiest to get along with. She’s making a valiant effort.”

“They’re all very nice people,” Nora said.

“Have you met my father yet?” Petyr joked. “Well, I’ll take these mushrooms out, shall I?”

“Sure.”
 

Nora waved him along, focussing on the chicken she was pan-frying.

In minutes, Petyr’s sister-in-law Lila had walked in, carrying her now-empty glass. She smiled at Nora, and made a comment about the weather being extremely hot.

“Yes, it is, isn’t it?” Nora smiled. “All of you must have been covered in sweat by the time you were through foraging for mushrooms.”

“Oh. My father-in-law gets such crazy ideas in his head sometimes.” Lila laughed. “We’d planned to spend the day by the pool. But then, while I was telling him about my childhood in France, all of a sudden, he perked up and decided
he
wanted to try mushroom gathering, too.”

“Is it true that they use pigs to help sniff out truffles in France?” Nora asked.

“Yes. They’re called
cochons
. One of my neighbors had one. He was a nice man, owned a vineyard and stayed perpetually pickled in wine.” Lila laughed. “Of course, we children just thought it was water or coca cola in that flask of his.”

“Sounds like you had a wonderful childhood.”

“It was.” Lila smiled. “My father owned a cement company, of all things. But somehow we managed to live in the countryside. By the time I was 18, I was absolutely aching to see a real city. When I met Johann, I was studying biology in Paris. I was only 20, and he was eight years my senior, but I was quite swept away.”

“Love at first sight, was it?” Nora smiled.
 

“Well… No. Johann was in Paris for a meeting. He helps Reynold run the family business, you know. Anyway, I had a friend who was a friend of Johann’s friend, and we all ended up meeting in the same bar. It was 2 am when we met, and the bar lighting was quite dim. So my first impression of him was that he was going to be bald soon.” Lila laughed. “But then… he and I began talking, and somehow neither of us wanted to stop talking. We spent all night walking around Belleville. He was so passionate about alternative energy. You should see him talk about it- he’s absolutely electric.” Lila blushed, realizing she had talked too much. “How about you? Where did you spend your childhood?”

“Oh, Wyoming,” Nora said. “I’m a little biased, of course, but it’s the most beautiful stretch of land on this planet, I’d say.”

“I’ve been to Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons.” Lila nodded. “I’d have to agree. It’s one of the most wild and free places I’ve ever seen. Personally, I prefer cozy spaces like this island. They feel so much more manageable.”

“Lila!” Johann came bounding in. “Lila, where’s Monty vanished? That dog never strays from my side.”

“He’s probably sleeping upstairs.” Lila smiled. “It’s too hot for him to be outside anyway. He likes the air conditioning.”

“Ugh. He’s getting lazy in his old age,” Johann said. “Someone needs to shake him up, before he deteriorates more.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” a cold voice said from behind Johann.

“Father?” Johann smiled, turning around. “I was just telling Lila that--”

“Oh, I heard you,” Reynold said coldly. “He’s getting lazy in his old age. Someone needs to shake him up.”

“Er, yes. I was telling her that Monty--”

“Oh, don’t you lie to me. I know exactly who you were talking about,” Reynold said.
 

He’d changed into a white Ralph Lauren Polo and light orange twill shorts. He held a smartphone in one hand, and was gripping it so tightly that his knuckles had turned white.

“Oh. No no no.” Johann’s eyes grew wider, and he waved his hands, somehow managing to look more guilty than panicked. “I really was talking about Monty, Dad. We’re all here having such a great time. Why would I talk about anybody but Monty?”

“You were talking about me!”

“I wouldn’t do that! Not in front of a stranger.” Johann gestured to Nora.
 

Reynold’s eyes swept over her as if he was seeing right through her.
 

“She’s just hired help,” he said dismissively.

“Dad, come on. Please don’t get angry.”

“If this is the way you talk to me, how could I
not
get angry?” he asked. “In front of complete strangers!”

“I really didn’t--”

Maria walked in, with Petyr and Katya close behind her.

“You’re shouting, dear,” Maria said. “Did someone upset you?”

“Upset! This young brat” - Reynold pointed one stubby finger at Johann - “is badmouthing me to the help! He’s calling me old!”