4. Almost every story like this has an attractive "starlet," who's there mainly for that reason.
I'm kind of sorry she disappears after the restaurant scene.

13. I don't think it's a po****r idea, but I've heard the idea that Jean was the girl that Al brought home, and after the murder Nora briber her with a job!

#6) Maybe "affection" might be a better word?
#12) I think she might mean in general if she had known there would have been an attack on Jerry, she never would have asked Jean to run those errands for her, or would have tried to keep her from seeing Jerry that night? Kind of an empty thing people say after a tragedy occurs.
#14) I always wondered about Nora ordering the fountain, too. If the ground was all dug up from Nora having buried her husband out there, wouldn't whoever delivered the fountain wonder who already dug it up and why? Wouldn't digging up the lawn be the job of whoever would install the fountain? But with the fountain not having running water anyway, what would be the explanation for any of the lawn being dug up? Unless Nora told the deliveryman to leave the fountain in the front yard and she would move it to the back herself? But again, wouldn't that seem every strange?

IIRC, Nora ordered pretended to have a sentimental attachment to the fountain. It was only a prop so it didn't have to work. In reality, she couldn't have plumbing attached or her husband's body would be discovered.

So she pretended to really want a fountain that doesn't have water. She also wouldn't sell the house, no matter the price.

Yes, that is correct. I was just wondering why nobody at the time seemed to question why the ground was dug up (from Nora burying her husband) if the fountain was not going to be hooked up with running water.

I was about to say that when the lawn started to look unsu****ious again (after she buried husband) then she ordered a fouontain. But now I remember that Columbo said she ordered the fountain the very next day so... the lawn would indeed look su****ious