"A Murder In Milburn", Book 4: Death By Ice Cream Read Online Free
Author: Nancy McGovern
Tags: cozy mystery
see that this isn’t about me having a soft corner for him. It’s about you having an unhealthy obsession with him.”
“I’m only obsessed with making sure the rest of the world sees what I do, that Sean isn’t the golden boy everyone thinks he is,” Harvey said. “I feel like…” He was interrupted by the buzz of his phone. He looked at the screen, and with a grunt, cut the call.
“Nora, I don’t want to fight with you. Not today. You’ve been through a lot, I know.” He put his forehead against her. “Can we just forget about Sean for a little while, and not let him come in between us?”
“All right,” Nora said grudgingly. “Only if you promise to think about what I just said really carefully.”
“I promise to think about it, but I can’t promise it’ll change my mind,” Harvey said. Once again, his phone began to buzz, and once again, he cut it, this time without even bothering to look at the screen. He kissed Nora on the nose, and then both her cheeks. “I love it when you dress up,” he said.
She twirled around, letting the skirt of her red dress fly around her. “This little thing? I bought it years ago.”
“Well, it makes you look like you belong in a perfume ad,” Harvey said. “You know what I’m talking about? The ones where they’re all just lounging about in impossibly fancy places, or stepping out of vintage cars.”
Nora laughed. “Let’s get going, shall we? Simone and Bernard are waiting for us, no doubt. Oh, that reminds me, I offered to bring along a salad for Simone.”
“Looks good.” Harvey took the covered dish from her hands, and peeked inside. “What is that?”
“It’s a grilled peach and Halloumi salad,” Nora said. “I was smoking some ribs anyway for the restaurant, so this was a fun thing to make. I put some mango chutney on the side, and a bed of greens, so we’re all set.”
“Yum,” Harvey said. “I’m tempted to skip dinner and just drive you to a quiet spot. I can always finish off the salad if I get hungry.” He waggled his eyebrows at her, and Nora blushed and laughed.
They set off in relatively good cheer, their hands linked together as Harvey drove his BMW.
*****
Chapter 4
Simone and Bernard’s house was down the lane from the ice-cream factory. The factory itself was just a series of low buildings painted the same as the iconic packaging on Rancher’s Ice ice-creams. An iron gate circled the premises, and as they drove by, Nora spied a night-watchman fast asleep in front of the gate, with his head lolling on his chest.
The house had a circular drive, with a statue in the centre of a small boy wearing striped overalls and licking a heavy, half-melting cone. A red Ferrari was parked nearby, as well as a black Mercedes.
The white and brick mansion overlooked acre upon acre of mowed green grass, and apple orchards. Some of the apples had even ended up being used in special limited editions of the ice-cream. Before Simone had come on the scene, the idea of gourmet ice-cream had been laughed at by retailers. But then she’d produced one of her more famous products - a Tahitian vanilla ice cream with golden champagne macaroons - that had inspired a revolution.
Simone was waiting on the porch, a green silk shawl covering her simple blue slip dress, really bringing out the color of her eyes. She smiled as Harvey and Nora emerged. Bernard came out behind her, with two glasses of champagne in his hand, which he now handed to Nora and Harvey.
“Welcome to our humble home,” Bernard said. “The weather’s been so good, Simone and I were wondering if you two wouldn’t just rather eat outside? We have a river flowing in our backyard. It’s a picturesque place to relax.”
“Perfect,” Harvey said, clinking his glass against theirs.
“That’s champagne, because Simone insisted on it.” Bernard smiled. “I’ve got a great collection of whisky too. I’ve heard you’re somewhat of a connoisseur,
“I’m only obsessed with making sure the rest of the world sees what I do, that Sean isn’t the golden boy everyone thinks he is,” Harvey said. “I feel like…” He was interrupted by the buzz of his phone. He looked at the screen, and with a grunt, cut the call.
“Nora, I don’t want to fight with you. Not today. You’ve been through a lot, I know.” He put his forehead against her. “Can we just forget about Sean for a little while, and not let him come in between us?”
“All right,” Nora said grudgingly. “Only if you promise to think about what I just said really carefully.”
“I promise to think about it, but I can’t promise it’ll change my mind,” Harvey said. Once again, his phone began to buzz, and once again, he cut it, this time without even bothering to look at the screen. He kissed Nora on the nose, and then both her cheeks. “I love it when you dress up,” he said.
She twirled around, letting the skirt of her red dress fly around her. “This little thing? I bought it years ago.”
“Well, it makes you look like you belong in a perfume ad,” Harvey said. “You know what I’m talking about? The ones where they’re all just lounging about in impossibly fancy places, or stepping out of vintage cars.”
Nora laughed. “Let’s get going, shall we? Simone and Bernard are waiting for us, no doubt. Oh, that reminds me, I offered to bring along a salad for Simone.”
“Looks good.” Harvey took the covered dish from her hands, and peeked inside. “What is that?”
“It’s a grilled peach and Halloumi salad,” Nora said. “I was smoking some ribs anyway for the restaurant, so this was a fun thing to make. I put some mango chutney on the side, and a bed of greens, so we’re all set.”
“Yum,” Harvey said. “I’m tempted to skip dinner and just drive you to a quiet spot. I can always finish off the salad if I get hungry.” He waggled his eyebrows at her, and Nora blushed and laughed.
They set off in relatively good cheer, their hands linked together as Harvey drove his BMW.
*****
Chapter 4
Simone and Bernard’s house was down the lane from the ice-cream factory. The factory itself was just a series of low buildings painted the same as the iconic packaging on Rancher’s Ice ice-creams. An iron gate circled the premises, and as they drove by, Nora spied a night-watchman fast asleep in front of the gate, with his head lolling on his chest.
The house had a circular drive, with a statue in the centre of a small boy wearing striped overalls and licking a heavy, half-melting cone. A red Ferrari was parked nearby, as well as a black Mercedes.
The white and brick mansion overlooked acre upon acre of mowed green grass, and apple orchards. Some of the apples had even ended up being used in special limited editions of the ice-cream. Before Simone had come on the scene, the idea of gourmet ice-cream had been laughed at by retailers. But then she’d produced one of her more famous products - a Tahitian vanilla ice cream with golden champagne macaroons - that had inspired a revolution.
Simone was waiting on the porch, a green silk shawl covering her simple blue slip dress, really bringing out the color of her eyes. She smiled as Harvey and Nora emerged. Bernard came out behind her, with two glasses of champagne in his hand, which he now handed to Nora and Harvey.
“Welcome to our humble home,” Bernard said. “The weather’s been so good, Simone and I were wondering if you two wouldn’t just rather eat outside? We have a river flowing in our backyard. It’s a picturesque place to relax.”
“Perfect,” Harvey said, clinking his glass against theirs.
“That’s champagne, because Simone insisted on it.” Bernard smiled. “I’ve got a great collection of whisky too. I’ve heard you’re somewhat of a connoisseur,
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