“They really are. Chef Remy is a magician,” the server agreed.
“Well, then, I’ll have the brussels sprouts,” Aidan said. “And the beef tenderloin medallions. And let’s start with your bruschetta. Good?” He checked with Savanna.
“Mmm. Yes, absolutely. Oh, and could you ask Chef Remy if he has a few minutes to spare at some point? We need to finalize the catering menu arrangements for Art in the Park opening day next week.”
She nodded, dropping her order pad into the pocket of her apron and turned to head toward the kitchen. “I’ll let him know you’re here, Ms. Shepherd.”
“You’re on their radar,” Aidan said. “Is the restaurant handling all the food for the festival?”
“Not all of it. We’ll also have a food truck, plus two booths with carnival-type items, like elephant ears and corndogs. Giuseppe’s is handling the banquet dinner opening night for the judges and participants, and also the closing ceremony dinner for the judges and the winners. Chef Joe was so thrilled to—Hey. Stop distracting me.” She frowned at him. She reached impulsively across the table, lightly tapping the back of his hand. “I really want to hear about the suspenders. And socks. And turtle cufflinks.”
His mouth turned up in a half smile. “I try to keep it subtle. Nobody really notices.”
“I do.”
“It began when we lost Olivia,” he said. “Mollie was so connected to her mom. She was only four. It started small. She’d bring me little gifts as we were going out the door each morning to preschool. A unicorn sticker to wear on my collar for the day, or a fuzzy pen so I wouldn’t forget about her during the day at work—she said it like that.” He swallowed hard, looking away for a moment. “‘So you remember me.’ God. Who really understands what goes on in the mind of a child? I noticed little things, like she’d purposely put a mitten in my suit pocket or a barrette in my briefcase. Maybe it was her way of making sure we wouldn’t lose each other, after she lost her mom.” He stopped, and took a deep breath.
Savanna was silent. She reached across the table and took his hand.
“I took her shopping. We made it a weekend. By then, she was nearly five. We went to Chicago, to the American Girl Doll store, and then a dozen other shops. She loved the doll she chose, the outfits and little accessories, but that wasn’t the purpose of the trip…and it wasn’t the best thing we bought. By the time we came home, we had an entire collection of items for me: ties, socks, suspenders, watches, a money clip.” He reached into a pocket and set a money clip on the table, clasped around a few twenties. The bright, gaudy paint on the clip was beginning to wear off, but Savanna could see it was a bunch of cartoon cats in various colors.
She smiled at him, surprised to feel her eyes welling up. She had no idea what it was like to be a parent, but Aidan obviously cherished his role as Mollie’s dad.
“Anyway.” Aidan cleared his throat. “Every day since then, she selects an item for me to wear. We’ve picked up a few more in the last couple of years. My two bottom dresser drawers are filled with these things. Believe me,” he said, grinning, “some of her fashion choices for me would hurt your eyes. I try to just go with it.”
Savanna’s whole body ached to hug him. She sat across the table from him and tried to settle for less for now. She covered their linked hands with her other one, feeling her chest rising and falling too fast. He’d gotten through that entire story relatively calmly, as Mollie’s father. You will not burst into warm-fuzzy tears like a lunatic, Savanna. She frowned and tried to regain control over her emotions.
She was saved by the bruschetta. The server deposited the plates as they separated their hands, making room on the table. It gave Savanna time to find her voice. “You’re a wonderful father,” she said. “I’d say her fashion sense is actually pretty good. She matched your tie and suspenders today.”
He glanced down. “Yes, she did.”
“I’m glad you told me,” Savanna said softly.
Aidan reached out and interlaced his fingers with hers. “I’m glad you asked.” He met her eyes. “I’ve missed you, Savanna. You have no idea how good it feels to be home.”
She tipped her head to the side, smiling widely. She swore there were little tendrils of electricity zinging through their fingers, and in the air between them. “I know how good it feels to have you home.”
They polished off the bruschetta, and then their meals. Savanna sat back in her chair, one hand on her middle, as Remy came out to their table. “You’re a magician,” she told him, looking up—way up—at the tall, thin man in chef’s coat and hat.
Remy set a clipboard on the table. “Is this a good time?”
“Sure.” Savanna looked over the catering plan on the clipboard he turned around to face her. “This looks good. I have your deposit check.” She reached into her purse and handed Remy an envelope. “Oh, and what about the dessert table?”
Remy flipped the page for her, revealing another, several items listed with quantities, dates and times.
“Perfect. Remy, this is Aidan Gallager. Can you sit for a moment?”
Remy pulled a chair over from the table behind them, facing it backward and sitting, draping his ink-covered forearms over the back rest. “Nice to meet you,” he addressed Aidan.
“Dinner was delicious.”
The young chef nodded. “Thanks.”
Savanna wasn’t sure how to start, but she really wanted to hear what Remy had to say. “Listen, I don’t know if you’re aware, but my sister is defending Chef Joe. She works for the law firm up the street.”
“Yeah, Joe told me. I talk to him every couple of days to go over the books.”
“Oh! Well, good. So, um, I don’t know what you think about the arrest—”
Remy interrupted her. “Arresting Joe was a bogus move. They should know better.”
“Okay! We agree with you. We don’t believe Chef Joe killed the councilman either. Which brings me to my question.” She paused and took a deep breath, mustering courage.
“That detective already talked to me,” Remy said. “I went in and gave a statement this morning. I know they have my fingerprints on the Mondrian reproduction and the safe.”
Savanna blinked at him, trying to catch up. “You know that painting? Or—Right, you probably remember when your dad acquired it?”
Remy shook his head. “Are you kidding? My father doesn’t know art. One of the interior decorators he dated after the divorce got it for him. He likes people to think he has taste. He liked.” Remy’s animosity was apparent in his tone and his expression.
“Oh.” One more example of John Bellamy showing two different faces to Carson versus his family. How willingly Savanna had accepted him as a friend; it bothered her immensely that she hadn’t seen through his act. She’d picked up on the fact that John had been constantly intent on making good impressions, but she’d connected that to his political aspirations. Now she saw it was a much deeper character flaw. She forced her attention back to Remy. “Were you able to explain to the detective how your fingerprints got on the frame?” She raised a hand in a gesture of peace before he got the wrong idea. “Remy, I know you don’t owe me anything. You don’t have to answer any of my questions.”
He shrugged. “It doesn’t bother me. He had my mother’s things. Sentimental items and jewelry she’d kept in a lock box, a diamond ring worth a fortune that belonged to her mother, the deed to my grandparents’ summer home. He refused to be fair and give them to her after my grandparents died. My mother even had a lawyer pursue it, but Ms. Black was never able to prove to the court that the jerk had anything of hers.”
“Oh, wow. So, after you and your mother learned what happened to your father, you went to retrieve the items yourself? You weren’t worried about, um…” She was walking a fine line. How could Remy not have been concerned the police would implicate him in John’s murder? Or at least arrest hi
m for breaking and entering?
“No.” Remy stood abruptly. He stared down at them, scowling, though he kept his voice low; it was still early, but the Friday night crowd was starting to trickle in. “It was just me. Not my mom. I went to get her things Tuesday after he died. And no, I wasn’t worried about what might happen to me when the police found out. I didn’t break in to his house, and the only things I took didn’t belong to him in the first place. I just took back what belonged to my mom.”
“You didn’t break in?” Savanna was pushing him, but he said his mother hadn’t been involved.
“I unlocked the front door and let myself in,” Remy said firmly. “With the key I’ve had since I was a teenager. After the divorce, when he was still acting like a halfway decent dad.” He put the chair back at the table behind him. “Is that everything?”
Savanna sighed. “I had to ask. I’m sorry.” She looked at Aidan, widening her eyes. She hadn’t expected that conversation to escalate the way it did.
“I believe we’re ready?” Aidan asked her. He placed his card in the leather check binder and handed it to their server who was just crossing behind Remy.
“I’ve got to get back to work,” Remy said. He picked up his clipboard. “We’re good to go for next week.”
“I appreciate your help,” Savanna said, but the young man was already heading toward the kitchen. She let out a breath, shaking her head and standing along with Aidan. “I’m sorry to you too. I shouldn’t have prodded him that way. But he was lying.”
Aidan raised an eyebrow at her. “I sort of got that too. He was very defensive.”
“Mia had something to do with him breaking into the safe. He’s protecting her. I think she was with him. Did you notice how quickly he jumped to the conclusion that that’s what I meant when I asked him? It set him off. I wish there was a way to hurry the testing they’re doing on that wine glass.”
She tried to contribute her portion of the bill when the server brought the receipt back to them, but Aidan waved it off.
Savanna led the way out of Giuseppe’s, Aidan a few steps behind her, as their path narrowed through patrons standing around the bar now, waiting for tables. Savanna stopped abruptly, and Aidan bumped into her, nearly knocking her over. He grabbed her shoulders, steadying her.
“Savanna, what—” he stopped, understanding.
She could hardly believe her eyes. At a table directly in front of them, Finn Gallager and Sydney were seated, cozily, on the same side of a booth. Finn’s arm rested along the back of the booth behind Sydney and she leaned into him, absorbed in some story that was quite obviously riveting as she hung on his every word.
Finn saw Savanna and Aidan first. Sydney followed his gaze as he stopped talking, turning in her seat to find Savanna staring at her.
Chapter Twenty
“Savvy!” Sydney shrieked, extending a hand toward her sister. “Dr. Aidan! Sit! Come on, guys, join us!”
Savanna had a split-second thought that Sydney might try to deny what was happening here. Something had definitely changed. The opportunity to see what this was really about was tempting. But one quick glance at Aidan told Savanna everything she needed to know. “Oh, no, that’s all right. We don’t want to interrupt.”
“Right. We were on our way out,” Aidan said. He didn’t sound happy.
“We are. I’m so full. Everything here is delicious.” She looked from Sydney to Finn and then back to her sister, unable to suppress her grin.
Sydney’s cheeks were flushed, and her eyes were bright. She was dressed for dinner in a rich, copper-colored halter dress with sparkly gold necklace and earrings; she looked gorgeous. “Isn’t it funny? We started talking yesterday at Fancy Tails, and Finn asked what was going on with Jessamina—did you notice they’ve got her head back on now? We ended up walking through the park to the lake. And then this morning when I found out he’s never eaten at Giuseppe’s, I had to bring him.”
Savanna nodded, incredulous. “That’s great! You’ll love it,” she said to Finn. “The food is amazing.” Oh, she couldn’t wait to check in with Sydney later tonight.
Aidan spoke up, his gaze on Finn. “Last night?”
“I lost track of time. I figured it was all right. Your in-laws wouldn’t care I was a no-show.”
“Mollie cared.” Aidan’s voice was cutting. Savanna had never heard that edge before.
Finn’s face fell. “Oh.” He looked truly remorseful, worry lines appearing around his green eyes as he cringed. “I’m sorry. I’ll make it up to her.”
Aidan’s expression was stony.
“We should let you have your evening,” Savanna said. She stared at Sydney, her eyes wide. Ugh, she wished she’d never seen them here at all.
Sydney pressed her lips together, remaining quiet now, but too late.
“It was good seeing you again, Finn,” Savanna said, meaning it. “You guys have a nice dinner. Talk to you later, Syd.”
She followed Aidan outside; his long-legged stride made it hard to keep up. He finally stopped just past the long red awning at the side of the restaurant. There was a light but steady stream of pedestrian traffic on the sidewalk, with it being a temperate Friday evening.
“I’m sorry,” she said, taking a few steps off the walkway so they could talk. “Are you all right?”
Aidan had twin creases between his eyebrows, stress written in his features. “This is what he does. He makes casual promises and breaks them. Your sister’s going to get hurt. He probably started out by royally teeing her off with some off-the-cuff remark. Finn loves a challenge. He’s reeled Sydney right in, you saw them. But he’s flighty and unreliable and never stays in one place long enough to see the damage he causes.”
Savanna put a hand on Aidan’s arm, feeling how tense he was. “Sydney’s a grownup. She’s impossible to fool, so don’t kid yourself. I’m sure she saw right through him. I should’ve known she’d go for him—your brother is exactly her type. Oh my gosh, he’s even a paramedic,” Savanna said, laughing. “She can’t help it. Firemen and paramedics are her kryptonite.”
“So you’re not worried?”
“I’m not. Well,” she said, reconsidering, “maybe I’m a little worried about Finn. I love my sister like crazy. But she’s never really gotten serious with anyone.”
Aidan looked visibly more relaxed. He moved to the side to let a couple pass him. “Then they’re perfect for each other. You’re right, they’re both adults and not our problem. Oh, no.” He pulled out his phone as it jingled with a tone she hadn’t heard before. “That’s the hospital.”
“Oh! Go. This was nice, Aidan, thank you.”
“My pleasure,” he said, closing one hand loosely around her forearm as he stepped closer to her, pulling her into a hug.
She hugged him back, self-conscious of the passersby probably gathering gossip about them for later. Or maybe not, she thought. She and Aidan hadn’t tried to hide their…whatever it was they had together.
“Tomorrow, my house, right?” he called as they headed in separate directions.
“Yes! I’ll see you then.” She was looking forward to Elaina Jenson’s party, despite the smidge of nerves she had about what Elaina’s motives were for inviting Aidan.
Savanna was at the Carson Public Library bright and early Saturday morning to check that task off her list. She recalled the delightful anticipation of leaving the stately red brick building and rushing home to dive into the tall stack of borrowed books every Saturday.
“Little Savanna Shepherd.” Violet Lyle beamed at her from the help desk. Violet’s brother Bill and his wife Maggie were neighbors to town matriarch Caroline Carson. Violet had been a librarian here ever since Savanna could remember; as kids, they’d lived in fear of returning their books even a day late. Now, standing in front of Violet Lyle, she instantly recalled the shrinking feeling of that eagle-eyed stare whe
n she had a late fee or, even worse, had dog-eared a book. It was probably no coincidence that now, as an adult, every single book she owned had folded pages. Sometimes, if she read something really gripping or profound, she’d even fold the page and highlight it with marker to go back and read again later.
But she’d never tell Violet Lyle. “Hi, Mrs. Lyle!”
The older woman peered at her over her readers. “You look just as you did the last time I saw you, Savanna!”
Savanna wasn’t sure how to take that; the last time she’d seen Mrs. Lyle, she was probably in high school. “Thank you. So do you!” Now that was true—the woman hadn’t changed a bit in twelve years, right down to her bold, hibiscus print blouse and red-framed glasses.
“What can I help you with today?”
“I’m hoping the library has access to newspaper articles? I can get to some of them at home or on my phone, but so many newspapers now require subscriptions in order to read more than one or two articles online.”
“Of course. We can access anything from almost any paper. Are you looking locally or out of state?”
“Sort of locally? I’m researching a little about that proposed boardwalk and hotel development in Carson, but I’d like a wider perspective, so probably any large-circulation Michigan news source. I’m mostly finding articles in the Allegan County paper. A few came up listed in the Detroit News and the Mid-Michigan Gazette, but I don’t subscribe to those. May I check them out or read them here?”
“You can’t take anything out of the library, but we can print for you if you find something you need. I’ll set you up with our system so you can research your articles.”
“That would be great, thank you!”
Within minutes, Savanna was scrolling through articles in newspapers from all over the state. Searching key phrases “Better Living Properties,” “Better Living Carson Michigan,” and “New Lake Michigan Hotel,” she found several pieces over the last eight to twelve months in the Detroit News, the Mid-Michigan Gazette, and the Lansing Press & Argus, in addition to the Allegan County newspaper. She perused as many as she could, jotting notes as she went and starring the ones she wanted to have Mrs. Lyle print for her.
Behind the Frame Page 21
