Still Life and Death

by Tracy Gardner

  Savanna forced a smile. “Parker’s such a sweet boy. I’m sure Mrs. VanHelm didn’t mean to sound overly curious. I’ve really got to run.” She stood.

  “It’s okay, I’ll walk with you.” Tricia turned to Rosa. “Don’t forget we’re going to yoga after school. I’ll meet you out front.”

  Savanna thanked the parents for the delicious lunch on her way out. Tricia walked beside her to her classroom, Savanna gritting her teeth as the teacher continued to chat.

  “Anyway, you should be careful. Not saying you are dating Dr. Gallager, but if you were, a lot of the parents would have a problem with that.” Tricia’s tone was sympathetic, but it was contradicted by the gleeful look in her eyes. “How do they know you won’t give that parent’s child preferential treatment? I’m not saying you would, of course. But you should be aware of what might happen if parents found out.”

  “If parents found out that a single elementary school teacher was dating a single parent.” Savanna looked at Tricia.

  “Yes. Not saying you are!” Tricia touched her arm again, making Savanna disproportionately angry.

  “So, it’s against the district rules?”

  “Oh. Well, no, I don’t think so. But I’m not sure—”

  “And I’m sure there are mandates against any kind of inappropriate displays while at school,” Savanna said. “If someone was dating a student’s parent, they’d mainly need to make certain to keep the focus professional at school, and not show favoritism to the student.”

  “Yes, true—”

  “Because if all boundaries were maintained, there’d be nothing for parents to be concerned about. Right?” Savanna stopped in her classroom doorway, one hand on the doorframe. Tricia Williams was not coming into her classroom.

  “Yes,” the teacher admitted, the wind completely taken out of her sails. She took a deep breath and sighed. “Okay then. I’ll let you do your prep work, Ms. Shepherd.”

  “Sounds good.” Savanna stayed in the doorway as Tricia turned to go.

  “Oh! I just remembered the other thing I wanted to ask you.”

  Savanna pressed her lips together, trying to arrange her expression into something more pleasant than what she felt. “Really? What’s that?”

  “With your uncle being accused in Libby’s murder—”

  “My uncle was never accused, Mrs. Williams.” Savanna’s eyes narrowed.

  “Oh! Of course! I meant, you know, as the police are working through suspects. I’m not sure if your family is worried or not, but I thought you might like a bit of good news. I heard,” Tricia said, coming back over to Savanna and speaking quietly, “Anthony Kent had just increased the life insurance coverage on Libby right before she died. Can you believe that? That’s a pretty fishy coincidence.”

  Oh, boy. Well, the fact that Tricia had heard that was certainly significant. Savanna kept her expression neutral. “That’s interesting.”

  “Interesting? I guess that’s one word you could use. Why would he do that? It certainly makes him look bad.”

  “How do you know this?”

  “Um. A friend told me. She’s privy to some inside information now and then. Don’t say I’m the one who told you!” Tricia’s smug tone said otherwise. She’d probably have loved the whole school to know she had inside information.

  “I won’t.”

  “Your uncle won’t have to worry. I’m sure now the police will be looking into Anthony as the murderer.” The bell rang—thank goodness—and children began pouring into the hallway from the cafeteria down the hall. “Got to run!”

  Literally saved by the bell, Savanna watched as Rosa exited the teachers’ lounge and fell into step with Tricia. The friend with inside information was most definitely Rosa Taylor.

  By the end of the day, Savanna was dying to talk to her sisters or Aidan or Detective Jordan—someone—about what Tricia had said. Not only had George Taylor’s wife likely shared the news with Tricia about the life insurance policy, it seemed as if Rosa also knew who was being investigated as suspects. Why else would Tricia have even known about Max? Savanna would have to let Detective Jordan know about their conversation. Between Rosa and Tricia, important information that would tip off the murderer could be flying around town in no time.

  Savanna was out of the school parking lot before most of the parents, and walking into Anderson Memorial a few minutes later. Carson’s hospital was a small, one-hundred-thirty-bed, two-story-high full-service facility. Only fifteen years old, everything about it was state-of-the-art, and since Dr. Gallager had come to town a few years after it opened, Anderson Memorial had the highest ranked Cardiothoracic Surgery department in lower Michigan. While some complicated or severe medical cases were transferred to the larger Great Lakes Hospital farther north, Aidan’s heart patients came from all over the state for his services.

  Savanna ordered iced coffee at the kiosk in the lobby, a high, clean space full of natural light from the front wall of windows. She turned to see her boyfriend on his way down the open staircase, blue scrubs under his white lab coat. As he approached, she caught a glimpse of something small and pink pinned onto the scrubs under his lapel. Something new from Mollie, she guessed.

  He met her halfway across the lobby, taking his fancied-up whipped cream and caramel-topped coffee from her and hugging her. She knew he typically took his coffee with plain cream and sugar, no frills, but she’d noticed last Saturday at dinner he’d asked for extra whipped topping on his pie. She was always learning something new about him. Including that today, in his scrubs and lab coat, he smelled different, antiseptic overlaying his usual spicy, masculine scent. Savanna reluctantly let go of him first and started to pull back; Tricia’s words were still very loud in her head, despite the fact that she and Aidan were doing nothing wrong and she wasn’t even at school anymore. But maybe he didn’t want everyone at his hospital knowing about his personal life.

  Aidan held on a beat longer, his lips near her ear through her hair. “You’re gorgeous.”

  She laughed. “Maybe it’s just the frou-frou coffee.”

  He held his up, checking it out. “Hmm. That’s new, thank you. Or maybe it’s because you dressed to match me today.”

  “I did?” Savanna glanced down. She was wearing almost the exact shade of blue as Aidan’s scrubs. The white of her belt even matched his lab coat. “I did! That’s so weird. Can I...” She peeked under the edge of his lab coat, curious about the bit of pink. “Oh! It’s a little bunny!” She smiled up at him.

  “Her newest find. Grandma Jean took her shopping Wednesday after the nature center. She got matching barrettes.”

  Savanna nodded. “I noticed them today! She’s such a cutie.”

  “I’ve just finished rounds, and my charts will wait for me. Want to go for a walk? It looks so nice out.”

  “It’s beautiful!” As they headed outside, she told him about her students’ wildflower expedition. “I feel so lucky to have a job now where I can plan occasional nature hikes as part of my work day. In Chicago, I never had a clue what it was like outside most of the time.”

  “You were cut out to be a teacher. Did you ever imagine yourself as one?”

  “A long time ago, when I was still in school. But I was so fascinated by the great artists and their techniques, and that led me to authentication, and I loved it. Well, most of it. I did love working with all of the beautiful pieces that passed through my hands.” She bit her lower lip. “I always had this feeling, mostly in the mornings getting ready to leave for work. Like I was... I don’t know. Living someone else’s life? But now I feel like myself, in every part of my life. I’m not sure if that makes sense.”

  “It makes perfect sense to me.” He took her hand as they walked.

  She sipped her coffee. “So, I have an ulterior motive for coming here.”

  “No!” He tipped his head back and looked at t
he sky. “And I thought you just missed me.”

  “I did!” She laughed as she caught his expression, the slow smile that started with one side of his mouth and then took over his whole face, right up to the crinkles around his eyes. “Are you free Sunday evening? I wondered if you and Mollie would come to dinner at my parents’ house.”

  “We’d love to.”

  “Awesome! Dinner’s at six, but we all get there a little early. Sydney’s taking my night to cook, since it’s my birthday. Oh, and Finn’s coming too.”

  Aidan’s eyebrows went up. “Sydney got Finn to come?”

  “She did. I think he’ll be happy to hear you’re on board now too.”

  His work phone buzzed in his pocket. He checked it and groaned. “I’ve got to go. Call me later? Look, speak of the devil.” He nodded toward the ambulance bay they were approaching, where Finn was loading an empty gurney into the back of an ambulance.

  Aidan left her with Finn, and she saw Aidan put his phone to his ear as he cut through the ER, breaking into a run at the end of the hallway. That couldn’t be good.

  “No coffee for me?” Finn made a sad face at her.

  “I’d have gotten you one if I had known we’d see you.” She stepped quickly to one side as his coworker carried a plastic bin past her and into the back of the ambulance.

  “Ambu bags,” Finn told the young man. “We’re down to two.”

  “Already got ’em,” the coworker said. He climbed into the back of the vehicle and began restocking the metal cabinets.

  The double doors from the ER opened, and a group of scrub-clad hospital staff exited. It must be the end of a shift, Savanna thought.

  “Savanna!” a familiar voice called out. She turned to find Libby’s daughter Rachel waving. The young woman, wearing pink scrubs, came over to the ambulance bay. “I thought that was you. Hey, Finn.”

  “Hey, Rachel,” Finn returned.

  “How are you?” Savanna’s voice softened with concern. It surprised her to see Rachel already back at work. She couldn’t imagine how hard it must be.

  Rachel sighed, shifting her backpack to her other shoulder. “I’m okay, I guess. It still doesn’t seem real.”

  “It doesn’t. I’m so sorry for your loss. Is there anything I can do, anything you or your dad need?” Tricia’s words rang in her ears, but Savanna couldn’t imagine Anthony Kent shooting his wife.

  “No, thank you. We’re okay. And so many people have brought food over, but neither of us feels like eating.”

  “I’m sure; I think that’s normal. I’m sure they’d give you more time off here if you asked.”

  “Oh, they offered,” Rachel said. “I won’t need it. We aren’t having a funeral. Dad wants a memorial service instead, so I’m planning that for next month. I’ll get paid for bereavement days, but I’m just going to pocket the money and work through them. I was already short on my tuition money. I think nursing school might have to wait a while.”

  Ugh. Savanna’s heart hurt for the poor young woman. “I’m so sorry.” She impulsively reached out and hugged Rachel. “I know your mom was so proud you were going to be a nurse. Maybe you could try for student loans?”

  “I already have as much as I can qualify for. My boyfriend thinks he might have a way to help me with the cost. I don’t know.” She took a deep breath, and Savanna watched her force her features into a sunnier expression. “It’s all right. It’ll all work out. I still have my dad, and Mom would love knowing her violet will still make it to the flower show next weekend. That would’ve made her happy.”

  “I saw it,” Savanna said. “My uncle showed it to me. It’s amazing she was able to somehow grow an extinct plant. I bet it’ll win all kinds of awards.”

  “Mom thought it might too. Oh, shoot, that’s my ride!” Rachel pointed to another scrub-clad woman who’d just pulled up in a car outside the ambulance bay. “Thank you, Savanna. You’re a lot like your uncle. We just love him.”

  Savanna was quiet, watching Rachel leave.

  “She’s here all the time. At least it seems like it,” Finn said. “Everyone has told her to take some time off. I mean, come on—her mom died.”

  “I know!” Savanna looked up at him. “It’s awful she’s so worried about money she can’t take time to grieve.”

  All she could think about was that life insurance policy. Did Rosa and Tricia have bad information? Or maybe Anthony hadn’t told Rachel yet about the money—if he’d even received it by now? She had no idea how that all worked.

  Finn spoke, bringing up a good point. “Well, maybe she’s handling it better staying distracted.”

  His words instantly reminded her that he knew what Rachel was going through. And he’d been even younger when he’d lost both his parents. “You’re probably right. I’m sorry, you’re working. I should go,” Savanna said.

  “We’re just hanging out waiting for a run. You’re good.” No sooner had the words left his mouth than the emergency medical service radio crackled in the front of the vehicle. Finn’s partner reached between the seats for it.

  Finn pulled his sunglasses from the collar of his uniform shirt. His demeanor had subtly shifted with the call from dispatch; he was ready. Savanna could see how much he loved his career. It was nice having him here in Carson after his two-month-long absence. “Got something?” he asked his partner.

  “Yep. Lake Haven Mall. Let’s roll.” The man closed the rear doors of the ambulance where Savanna was standing with Finn.

  “I’m driving,” Finn called over his shoulder. “Gotta run. Oh, and happy birthday, Savanna. You won’t believe what my brother’s got up his sleeve.” He winked at her, donned his aviators, and grinned, and for a split second she saw exactly what Sydney must see. There was no one like Finn.

  Chapter Ten

  On Saturday, Savanna woke on the morning of her thirty-second birthday before the sun was fully up. Pink light filtered into her room through her curtains, and she could hear the waves of Lake Michigan in the distance. She’d been sleeping with her window open since the snow had melted. Nothing lulled her to sleep at night like the shore.

  She stared up at the ceiling, thinking of the exciting day ahead. Her mom and sisters would be here at ten to pick her up for her birthday scavenger hunt. She had no idea where they were headed. Then, later, Aidan would pick her up at five to take her out, but he wouldn’t say where, either. Thirty-two must be the year for surprises.

  Last year on this day, she’d awoken in the pink-and-yellow guest room at Sydney’s house, wondering if she’d be living with her little sister forever. She hadn’t known then whether the school was going to keep her on for next fall, with rumors of budget cuts. She and Aidan hadn’t officially been a couple yet; he’d been running back and forth to New York, stretched far too thin with work, and they’d only gone on a few dates. So much could change in less than a year. Thirty-one had been the year of uncertainty. By that logic, thirty was definitely the year of change—a major move out of Chicago to her hometown, a broken engagement, and a career change. Things had gotten progressively better since coming home to Carson. She felt a tingle of anticipation at all the possibilities of the coming year.

  Fonzie stirred at her feet, snoring softly, and tucked his nose under a fold in the bedding. He had the right idea. Savanna turned onto her side and snuggled down under the plush comforter, eyelids drifting closed. She’d sleep a few minutes longer.

  When she opened her eyes again, sunlight streamed through every gap in her curtains. Fonzie was standing on the bed looking down at her and, seeing she was finally awake, he sprang across her and took off toward the stairway, ready to go outside. Savanna sped through her morning routine and was outside on her deck sipping a steaming cup of coffee when Skylar’s car rolled into the driveway.

  Sydney was in the front seat with Skylar, so Savanna got in the back with Charlotte. They were
headed east, out of town, but that was all Savanna knew so far. She’d learned from last year to dress as nicely as possible without being formal, and to make sure to throw a pair of sneakers in her bag. Just in case the birthday scavenger hunt involved a two-mile hike, as it had for one of Sydney’s birthdays.

  Her mother reached into her purse and produced a bright blue envelope with a silver ribbon. “Here you go! You get two for the first destination.”

  Savanna didn’t know who’d invented their birthday tradition, but she loved it. There was no winning or losing, other than the well-earned pride of solving the destination clues before arrival. She tore open the envelope, pulled out a long, narrow slip of paper, and read. “Clue number one: A Sunday afternoon on the island of Water Lily Pond with the flower carrier leads us to a starry night.” She frowned, her gaze going from Charlotte beside her to both her sisters up front. “What does that mean? The Starry Night is Van Gogh. A Sunday—oh! They’re paintings.”

  All three women remained silent.

  “A Sunday afternoon on the—that’s Georges Seurat. A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte is the pointillist piece, the lovely scene in the park on the River Seine.”

  Charlotte nodded. “It’s one of my favorite paintings. And?”

  Savanna read the clue again. “A Sunday afternoon on the island of Water Lily Pond—Water Lily Pond is Claude Monet—with the flower carrier leads us to a starry night. All right, it ends with Van Gogh. This is my first clue? But we’re coming back before nightfall today. Are we going to an island? No, we’re heading east. A pond then? What’s within an hour of Carson?” She drummed her fingertips on her purse in her lap, thinking.

  Sydney spun around in her seat, pointing a finger at Savanna. “No phones! You know the rules.”

  “I know!” She raised her hands in the air, laughing. “Sunday afternoon on the island of Water Lily Pond with the flower carrier leads us... The Flower Carrier is Diego Rivera. So, you’ve got Rivera, Monet, Van Gogh, and Seurat. Maybe I should focus on the artists to solve the clue rather than the titles of the works. Or is it the era they’re from?” Her family was no help.