Still Life and Death

by Tracy Gardner

  Syd looked at her, and Savanna expected to see tears, but unlike her, Sydney didn’t cry when she got angry. “I know I’m right!”

  “He knows Anthony and Rachel are feeling all of that. And you know he’s doing everything possible to find Libby’s killer,” Savanna said softly, her gaze moving from Sydney to the detective.

  “I know.” Sydney looked at Jordan. “I know you are. I’m sorry. This just isn’t fair.”

  He nodded, his expression sympathetic, and rested his elbows on his desk. “It’s not fair at all. We’ll get to the bottom of this, Sydney. I promise you. I liked Libby too. She was a kind and caring woman. Her family needed her. Carson needed her.”

  The detective walked them out. He stopped them before they parted.

  “I do have a few leads I’m working on.” He looked at Savanna. “You really don’t have anything for me? No tiny detail you spotted Saturday morning that gives away our killer?”

  “I seriously cannot read you sometimes,” she said, shaking her head at him.

  “I’m only half kidding.” He unwrapped a red-and-white peppermint candy and popped it in his mouth. “Want one?”

  She declined. “How long’s it been since you quit smoking?”

  “A long time. Too long,” he said wryly. “But my wife’s happy, and candy helps with the cravings. Anyway, let me know if anything strikes you. I mean it. You were instrumental in getting all the pieces to fall into place with Bellamy. You’ve got the eye.”

  Savanna beamed, feeling her heart swell. Last summer’s race to find John Bellamy’s killer had certainly challenged her attention to detail, from that discrepancy she’d spotted in his office to the crucial clue she’d uncovered with a friend’s cell phone. She knew Jordan had indulged her input with some hesitation, but it was gratifying to know he took her clue-finding knack seriously. “Thank you. That means a lot coming from you, Detective.”

  He cleared his throat. “Talk soon.” He turned and was gone inside the building.

  Savanna smiled to herself. If she knew one thing for sure about the detective, he was perpetually uncomfortable with sentiment.

  But Jordan’s confidence in her only reinforced the idea that had started to take root outside the dance school. She squeezed Sydney’s hand, which she still hadn’t let go of. “We need to talk to Uncle Max tomorrow after school,” she told her sister. “I have an idea.”

  Chapter Five

  Fonzie didn’t greet Savanna when she came in that evening. She went searching, having a hunch where she’d find him. Her dad had been at her house all afternoon, installing a set of French doors from the living room out onto the deck. He’d knocked out the small window and part of the wall to create room for the doors, after completing the vaulted ceiling project from unused dormer space, all based on plans Uncle Freddie had drawn up. It was as if Harlan and Uncle Freddie saw right into Savanna’s head. They completely got her vision for the seventy-year-old home, and little by little, they were helping her make it a reality.

  “Oh, wow! I love them—they look gorgeous,” she said of the doors. Now when she sat on the couch at night, she’d have a full view of the dunes and the lake beyond.

  “They’re also the safest ones on the market. Let me show you how this works.”

  Savanna listened and nodded as her dad ran through all the security features: door sensors, shock sensors, glass break sensors, and even a special bar she could place over the inside handles to prevent a break-in.

  “These doors are connected to the home security system I installed, just like your windows and the front and back doors. I’d recommend keeping the alarm active.”

  She looked up at her dad. She couldn’t fault him for his concern, not after the handful of near misses she’d been involved in since coming home to Carson. She was always careful to make sure her sisters or Aidan knew where she was going, and last year, at Aidan’s urging, she’d made sure to bring someone along when she’d been pursuing a hunch while trying to find the councilman’s killer. But even so, she and Sydney both had landed in the hospital after the killer had targeted her. That incident alone was probably to blame for the new gray at her dad’s temples.

  “Don’t look at me that way,” he said, his voice stern. “Keep the alarm on.”

  “That means every single time I go through these doors to the deck, I’ll have to type in the code?”

  “You’re right, that sounds so exhausting. Your poor fingers.”

  She laughed. “Okay, okay, I’ll keep the alarm on. Unless, like, Aidan or Sydney or you and Mom are over and we’re cooking out and all the bad guys who wanted to break in here agreed to delay their crime spree for another day.”

  He didn’t even crack a smile. “Says the woman who was nearly killed by bad guys twice in less than two years.”

  Savanna bit her bottom lip, looking down at Fonzie. “I’ll keep it on. And I’ll use that special bar thingie. Promise.” She hugged her dad. “Thank you. How do you feel about chicken parm sandwiches?” Her mother was probably not due home until Tuesday or Wednesday. She hated to think of her dad eating dinner alone, though he never seemed to mind.

  “That sounds great—I’m starving. I’m in no rush.”

  At the round kitchen table, steaming, toasted chicken parmesan sub sandwiches on their plates, Savanna speared a forkful of salad and pointed the utensil toward the ceiling. “The skylight you put in makes this room so much brighter. And at night, I can see the stars. I love it.”

  “I’m enjoying the work. Now with the living room finished, we can get to the upstairs.”

  “I’m so happy here, Dad. It’s perfect. Maybe I’ll plan a dinner sometime next week so everyone can see what you’ve done. Don’t worry about the upstairs. Your busy season’s starting. We can wait until you have time.”

  “We’ll see how it goes.”

  They ate together in silence for a bit. Savanna was perfectly comfortable sharing quiet space with her dad. When she was younger, calling to say hello every week from Chicago, she’d found it awkward and difficult to communicate when he’d answered the phone. Harlan said what he needed to say, but he didn’t fill the pauses with small talk the way her mother did. Now that she was home again and older, she liked the quiet pauses between them.

  Fonzie gave up waiting for scraps to fall and curled himself into a ball on Harlan’s feet.

  “He likes you,” Savanna said.

  “He just wants chicken.”

  She laughed. “Maybe. But he also likes you.”

  “I miss having a dog. It’s been years. Your mother and I were throwing around the idea the other day.”

  “You were?” Savanna’s voice rose excitedly. “What would you get? When? You know Sydney does grooming twice a month for that shelter in Lansing, right? Oh! Would you get a big guy this time? Or does Mom want another lap dog?”

  Harlan laughed. “I don’t know about any of that. I’m sure we’d adopt from the shelter if we did get a dog. But we’re just talking.”

  “Okay, okay. I hope you do it! I know you love Pumpkin, but maybe he wants a dog friend.”

  “I’ll keep you updated. Listen, I promised your mother I’d check with you about your birthday plans. We were thinking maybe we’d all go out for Sunday dinner. Giuseppe’s or anywhere else you’d like.”

  “It’s my turn to cook, though. I don’t mind.”

  “She’s not going to let you cook your own birthday dinner. Think about it and let us know. We could even move dinner to Saturday, if you’d like, since that’s your birthday.”

  She shook her head. “No, Sunday’s fine. It’s tradition.” Plus, Aidan had already asked her out for Saturday. At this time last year, they hadn’t been steadily dating yet, what with Aidan’s frequent trips back to New York for work, but somehow he’d remembered it was her birthday.

  “All right.” Harlan finished the
last few bites of his sandwich, frowning.

  “Is that okay? Did Mom want to move dinner?”

  “Hmm? No. I was just thinking.” He met her gaze. “About this Sunday. I don’t know exactly how serious this thing is with Dr. Gallager, but you seem happy. Have you considered inviting him?” He put a hand up. “I know your mom and I joked about it last weekend, but maybe your birthday dinner would be a good time?”

  She tilted her head, assessing her dad and feeling her brow wrinkle. “Oh, wow.”

  He raised an eyebrow. “What?”

  “You want to meet him. Like, officially.”

  “Meet him? I’ve known him longer than you have, Savanna.”

  “Not as the guy who’s dating your daughter.”

  Harlan ran a hand through his hair and chuckled. “That’s true. We’d like it if you invited him. It might help us work on thinking of him less as our doctor, and more as your, um...what did you all decide last Sunday? Boyfriend? Significant other? Special friend?”

  “God, no!” She laughed. “Please never say ‘special friend’ again. Let’s go with boyfriend. Are you going to do the whole third-degree dad inquisition on him?”

  Harlan set his jaw and returned her gaze. He folded his arms across his chest, not gracing her impertinent question with a reply.

  “Like you did with Rob?”

  “A lot of good that did. I had him pegged from the moment I met him; you know that. He was a—”

  Savanna reached over and put a hand on his arm. “I know. I didn’t want to hear it. Don’t worry. I’ve grown up since then.” Rob Havemeyer had done her a favor by breaking off their engagement to travel the world and find himself. The experience had opened her eyes to the fact that she’d chosen a self-absorbed man-child to spend her life in Chicago with. Coming home to Carson had allowed her to get her bearings and start over. The relationship with Aidan still felt new in many ways, as they learned more about each other, but she’d known right away that he was nothing like her former fiancé.

  “I’d never grill Dr. Gallager. I’m just putting it out there as an option. All right?”

  “Yes.” She nodded, having no clue whether she was ready to invite Aidan to Sunday dinner. “What about Sydney and Finn?”

  “Oh. You think they’re serious?”

  “Well, I think she’s more serious about him than I’ve seen her about anyone in a long time.”

  “Finn is just as welcome as Aidan, of course. That whole thing struck me as...temporary, I suppose? I thought he wasn’t here to stay.”

  “I’m not sure. I think he isn’t sure, either.”

  “I hope she doesn’t get hurt,” Harlan said. He stood and carried his plate to the sink. “Mind if I make a quick cup of coffee before I go?”

  It was past ten when she waved goodbye to Harlan from her deck, the night warm for mid-May. She sat on her cushioned bench before going inside, closing her eyes and listening to the waves gently lap the shoreline. Her phone buzzed beside her with a video call.

  “Hi there.” She smiled at her phone screen.

  Aidan’s deep blue eyes crinkled back at her. He must be smiling, but at the moment all she could see was the upper half of his face and a vine-covered trellis behind him. He was on his back porch. “How are you? Hold on, let me—” The perspective shifted, and his head and shoulders came into view as he propped his phone up. He sat back.

  “You’re outside too? It’s a beautiful night.”

  “I’d say your view is probably better than mine,” he said. “I’ll bet the water is still as glass right now.”

  “Almost. I can hear the waves, but it’s very calm. My dad went fishing this morning; he’s glad to have his boat in again. Have you ever taken Mollie out on the lake?”

  “No. We’ve never been.”

  “What? How is that possible?”

  “I don’t know,” Aidan said. “Constantly busy, I guess.” He frowned and scrubbed a hand lightly over his five o’clock shadow, and Savanna swore she could smell his aftershave.

  “Aidan. This is unacceptable. Let’s go Wednesday. Just us, and then we can take Mollie another time.”

  He raised his eyebrows. “I’m not sure it’s that easy. We’ll need a boat, for one thing.”

  “That’s not a problem. You do realize Carson has one of the largest marinas in the area, right? I know a guy.”

  He laughed. “You know a guy?”

  “Gus at Sweetwater Boats. We can rent one. I’ll call him in the morning. I don’t want to take my dad’s boat, not for your very first time on Lake Michigan.” Her mind raced with plans. They could bring a cooler for dinner on the water. Should she take him south, toward Paradise Cove? Or north, toward Grand Pier? She’d have to wait and see how the wind was.

  “Wait a second. Your guy, he’s the captain? He’ll drive the boat?” Something crossed his features, a fleeting look in his eyes Savanna hadn’t seen before. Then it was gone. Was he nervous? About what?

  “I’ll drive the boat. Gus just runs the rental place.” She paused. “My dad taught me, and I got certified when I lived in Chicago. We’ll get a good-sized Catalina for a few hours, we’ll wear life jackets, and the weather this week is supposed to be mild, no storms. It’s perfectly safe, I promise.”

  He locked on her gaze through the screen. “You really want to do this?”

  “If you do,” Savanna said. She leaned toward the phone. “We don’t have to. I didn’t mean to get carried away. Really, if there’s some reason you’d rather not, we’ll drop it.” She was having such a hard time deciphering his expression. He seemed guarded suddenly, which hurt her to see; why would Aidan put his guard up around her?

  “Let’s do it. Call your guy. I’m game.”

  “Have you...Aidan, have you ever been out in a boat? Anywhere? Maybe it’s a bad idea. Everyone is afraid of something. We could just shelve it for now.” She reached out to touch the screen but didn’t. She hated feeling so off-kilter with him, with miles between them.

  He shook his head. “I trust you. I want to go. I’d love to see your captain skills firsthand. Wednesday?”

  “Okay. If you’re sure. Bring a jacket—it’ll be chilly on the water.”

  The right side of his mouth went up in a half smile. “Yes, boss. I’ll pick you up right after work.”

  She stifled a yawn. “Oops! Sorry.”

  “Go to bed. I’m glad I caught you in time to say goodnight.” Now Aidan covered his own yawn with one hand, making Savanna laugh.

  “I made you yawn. You’d better go to bed too. You have early rounds tomorrow, right?”

  “I do. I’ll see you soon.”

  She nodded. “Can’t wait.”

  His screen shifted again as he picked up his phone. “I miss you. Sweet dreams, Savanna.”

  “’Night, Aidan.”

  The vague feeling of worry remained with her after they hung up. After locking up, brushing her teeth, and tucking Fonzie into his blanket by her feet, she dismissed it. She pulled her fluffy comforter up around her ears. Talking with Aidan before bed always promised good dreams.

  Savanna paced outside the door to the teachers’ lounge Tuesday morning. Not only had she forgotten to bring her own coffee this morning, but Jack was gone, at a librarian conference in Lansing today. The only chance of coffee between now and lunchtime was on the other side of that door.

  Her 10:05 prep period seemed like the safest time to zip in, grab coffee, and zip out. Mornings before the first bell were always crowded in the teachers’ lounge, and in another two hours, a good fifteen or so faculty would be in there eating lunch. She’d considered skipping her coffee altogether, but she knew that was a crazy idea. She took a deep breath and went in.

  She was in luck! The large room was nearly empty. Only Rosa Taylor, one of the third grade teachers, sat at a table with a thick stack of ca
rds and envelopes in front of her.

  “Hi, Savanna. How are you?”

  “Doing great, thanks! How about you?” She crossed to the coffeemaker on the counter against the far wall.

  “Oh, shoot, I just took the last cup. I’m sorry. The new pot should be done in a few minutes.”

  “No worries. I’m glad you made more.” She moved to Rosa’s table. “What are you working on?”

  “These? Wedding thank-you notes.” She looked sheepish. “It’s been months. I’m such a procrastinator. Trying to get a few done on breaks. George’s aunt called the other day and yelled at him, thinking we’d skipped hers.”

  Rosa and George Taylor, Nick Jordan’s partner, had gotten married before Christmas last winter. “That’s ridiculous. People are busy! This looks like a big job.”

  “It is. I’ve still got another eighty or so to go, but George is helping. Oh! You were at Libby’s Blooms the other day, right? George filled me in. Was it you who found her?”

  Savanna sat down. What did Rosa mean, George had filled her in? Police officers and detectives couldn’t share details of a case with anyone; at least, her extensive viewing knowledge from Columbo and her friendship with Detective Jordan had led her to believe that. Rosa seemed to have patchy information, so maybe her husband hadn’t actually given her specifics. “My uncle found her. Did you know Libby?”

  “She did our wedding flowers. She seemed like a nice lady, but I didn’t really know her. I was at the bank a few weeks ago with her husband, though.” Rosa lowered her voice and leaned toward Savanna. “I overheard the strangest thing. It popped into my head the moment I heard she’d been murdered.”

  Oh, jeez. Savanna had always been able to stay outside the gossip circle in this room, though it was impossible not to hear bits and pieces flying around. She shouldn’t have come in here. Rosa looked at her expectantly, and Savanna played her role. “What happened?” She justified it to herself. Uncle Max was still a suspect. And Sydney had confided to her that she’d been having nightmares since Libby’s death. Any information that led to the killer was good information to have, right?