Behind the Frame Read online

  “—shady was going on with him, and I wasn’t comfortable staying. He’d become more and more demanding, and last Friday he actually asked me to lie for him. Who does he think he is?”

  Savanna opened her mouth to speak and then thought better of it. She had a pang of guilt over the fact that Janice had no idea she was on speaker with most of Skylar’s family, even though Skylar would’ve related the whole conversation to them later, anyway.

  “That’s crazy,” Skylar lamented, leaning toward the phone. “What did he want you to lie about?”

  “It was some stupid thing to do with those property development guys. I was supposed to say the zoning went through, but we were still waiting on the approval letter. He meets with them almost every week…I don’t know why he was so fussed about it last Friday. Between that and him cutting my breaks, and then adding Saturdays, I just had enough. No job is worth your peace of mind, you know?”

  “Absolutely,” Skylar agreed. “So, nothing to do with Councilman Bellamy then?”

  “No, why? Wait, did you say Yvonne’s in the hospital?”

  “Yes. Hold on, Savanna’s here. She has the details. Let me put you on speaker.”

  Savanna mouthed the words thank you to her sister. “Hi, Janice, this is Savanna. I just came from Yvonne’s house—her sister accidentally found her. She’s at Anderson Memorial now. They think she was attacked and pushed down her own stairs.”

  “Oh, no! Poor Yvonne! Who on earth would do that? She’s sweet to everyone!”

  “I know. I’m worried about her. I was—we were—a little worried about you too.”

  “Me? I’m fine. I’ve got to run, I’m with my kids, but Skylar? I’ll see you tonight!”

  Savanna let Skylar take her phone back. “I’m glad she’s okay. I really am. But something’s going on. Whatever happened to Yvonne is related to John’s death, I’m sure of it.”

  Charlotte pushed Savanna’s paper plate over to her. Her club sandwich was wrapped in brown deli paper with a foil-covered pickle beside it. “Have some lunch,” her mother advised. “I’m sure you’ll feel better with some food in you.”

  Savanna unwrapped her sandwich and took a bite. Her mother was probably right; she hadn’t eaten breakfast at all.

  “I hope your friend will be okay,” Sydney said. “Are you going to go see her?”

  Savanna shook her head, taking another bite and a swig of raspberry pop. “No, not yet. She’s still unconscious. But I promised to ask Aidan to check on her.”

  “So are you thinking now that Mayor Greenwood is our prime suspect?” Sydney asked.

  Charlotte shook her head. “Girls. I don’t like this. Let the police do their job. None of you need to be involved.”

  “But we do,” Skylar said. “I do, and I can’t prove Chef Joe’s innocence alone; it’s taking the three of us to make any headway. We’re being careful, I promise.”

  “Honestly, I really was leaning toward Remy as the prime suspect,” Savanna said. “Now I just don’t know.”

  “Remy isn’t a killer,” Charlotte said firmly, as if putting that notion to bed without further discussion.

  “What happened at Mitten Inn four years ago? Do you know Mia’s side of the story?”

  “There really isn’t a story. A guest was killed at Mia’s inn, and her son was an unfortunate scapegoat. There was no truth to it.”

  “The reporter who covered what happened said Remy was the last person to see that man alive,” Savanna said. “And that things were stolen from the room safe, like medications and money.”

  “And John made sure the police knew about Remy’s troubles with the law before he came back to Carson. He had a few shoplifting incidents when he was a teenager, after the divorce. And then more trouble in Paris where Mia sent him for culinary school.”

  “Did he attack someone with a knife?” Savanna remembered Landon King’s words.

  Charlotte rolled her eyes. “No. He and his girlfriend were out to dinner when they were mugged. Remy pulled out a knife he carried with him and used it to discourage the attacker before anything could be stolen. Paris police confiscated the knife as evidence. Somehow that story made it back to the councilman and got distorted in the process.”

  Sydney spoke. “Did he stab the attacker?”

  “No,” Charlotte said. “Mia said the mugger was arrested. Remy not only saved himself and his girlfriend, he also carted the mugger to the police station, where the mugger tried to flip the truth and accuse Remy of attacking him. But there were witnesses outside the restaurant who backed up Remy’s story.”

  “So, Mia’s son stops a mugger, drags him in to be arrested, and by the time the story makes it across the ocean to us, Remy’s become a knife-wielding criminal.” Skylar shook her head. “No wonder he has a love-hate relationship with this town.”

  “To be fair,” Charlotte said, “I don’t think too many people around here believe the darker side of Remy’s history anymore. I know John Bellamy was your friend, Savanna, but he was a very flawed father. With what happened at Mitten Inn, Remy got as far away as possible after Jillian Black cleared his name. We were all surprised when he came back.”

  “Why did he?” Savanna asked.

  “I’m not sure. I know Mia’s happier when her son’s in Carson. And he’s been a great asset to Giuseppe’s, especially lately.”

  “Mom,” Savanna said. “Did Skylar tell you Detective Jordan found Remy’s fingerprints on the safe that was broken into in John’s home office? What do you think that could be about?”

  “People can be ugly.” Charlotte shook her head. “Mia had been after John for years to straighten out their assets; I think there was an estate issue from when Mia’s parents passed away. There was some property, a few investments, that kind of thing. I’m just guessing, but I wonder if Remy and Mia felt they needed to get something from John’s house that he shouldn’t have had. I know you were gone during the time trouble was brewing between the councilman and Mia, Savanna. Mia has always maintained she was treated unfairly in the divorce. I’m guessing whatever was in the safe might’ve belonged to her or Remy.”

  “Wow,” Savanna said, once again forcing herself to imagine John Bellamy as the man he actually had been, rather than the person she’d thought he was. He’d been adept at showing her the face he’d wanted her to see. To say he was a flawed father to Remy was an understatement; Savanna didn’t think she’d have liked the real John Bellamy at all.

  Sydney asked Skylar, “Nothing else was ever discovered about the murder at Mitten Inn?”

  “Not officially. But I looked into the little information I could find in our files. Jillian Black was certain the wife did it. She was smart enough to clear out the room safe too, to make it look like an outside job. But there was no evidence to arrest her. The man was probably pretty easy to drown, with half a bottle of gin in him by the time the wife returned and held him underwater in the bathtub.”

  “There’s an added piece to that theory,” Charlotte said. “The couple had come here together. But the wife was seen at that dance club with another man. The valet at the club swears she left with him, but the wife maintained that she returned to Mitten Inn alone.”

  “What about security cameras at the inn?” Sydney asked.

  Charlotte shook her head. “Only at the front desk. You know the inn has all private, lake-view entrances. I don’t think anyone but that poor man’s wife, and maybe her accomplice, will ever know what really happened that night.”

  Savanna spent the rest of the afternoon in front of a large drawing pad on her art easel, diagramming the festival setup in detail. Fonzie jarred her from her work as she was putting the finishing touches on the itinerary. She followed her dog from Sydney’s sunroom to the front door.

  Aidan stood on the porch, Mollie by his side and shaggy pooch Jersey at the end of a leash. The little girl grinne
d up at her, swinging her arms from side to side.

  “Hi Ms. Shepherd.” Her voice was soft and lilting.

  “We’ve come to escort you to an impromptu picnic in the park. Unless you already have dinner plans?” Aidan wore gray dress pants and a blue pinstriped shirt. His top button was undone, and Savanna spied a hint of five o’clock shadow, but he didn’t look like he’d spent the day catering to needy patients. He handed Jersey’s leash to Mollie, and Savanna caught a flash of green-and-gold turtle-shaped cufflinks. She vowed to ask him soon about his little fashion quirks.

  “I’m totally free,” she said. “Come in for second. Let me grab my purse. And maybe drinks?” She eyed the bag full of paper cartons that hung from Aidan’s right hand. The front of the bag bore the swirly red LILLY’S logo for the Chinese restaurant in town.

  “Ah, drinks,” Aidan said, looking at Mollie. “That’s what we forgot.”

  Savanna left Aidan and his daughter in the foyer with the dogs, who were sniffing and pouncing on each other. She jotted a quick note in the kitchen for Sydney, then reappeared at the front door, carrying a small lunch cooler and Fonzie’s leash.

  Mollie pranced and skipped ahead alongside Fonzie and Jersey on the walk to the park, strawberry-blond hair flying around her head like a halo.

  “This was a great idea,” Savanna said.

  Aidan took her hand. “We thought so.”

  “You said you had something to ask me?”

  He nodded. “I do. I have a barbecue to go to, and I’m hoping you’re free. I’d like you to come with me.”

  “A barbecue? When is it?”

  “Saturday. I think you know the hostess—you teach with her. Elaina Jenson?”

  “Oh! Yes, we’ve crossed paths quite a bit. She’s nice.”

  “Yes,” he said, glancing at her. “Elaina’s son and Mollie are friends, so she invited us. I feel sort of strange. I don’t usually go to these things, but Mollie really wants to go. She loves Carter’s pool.”

  Savanna’s mind raced. She knew Elaina’s son Carter was in Mollie’s grade, so it made sense they were friends. But what if Elaina had invited Aidan—just Aidan—to come with Mollie, because she wanted him there? Was she interested in him? Was Aidan clueless enough not to realize?

  “Savanna?”

  “Sure! I’d love to go.” She hoped she was wrong about Elaina. Either way, she wasn’t going to miss it.

  “Great! Elaina lives four houses down from me. Why don’t you come over Saturday and walk with me and Mollie?”

  “That sounds perfect.”

  They arrived at the park, and after they’d eaten, Mollie took off across the lawn to the play area. Savanna filled Aidan in on the events of the last couple of days, bringing him up to date on her new “role” as part of Skylar’s legal team, along with Sydney, as they worked to prove Chef Joe didn’t kill the councilman.

  She remembered to ask Aidan for a small favor before they parted at Sydney’s front porch, Jersey and Fonzie tangled around their legs and Mollie practicing cartwheels on Sydney’s front lawn. Aidan agreed to check in on Yvonne at the hospital and make sure everything possible was being done for her.

  “I won’t be able to tell you anything, but I promise I’ll see that she’s being taken care of,” he said. “Do you know yet what the police think happened?”

  Savanna shook her head. “I haven’t heard anything. I plan to stop by and see Detective Jordan tomorrow. But I have an idea.” She leaned in a little as she let him in on her plan, not wanting to cause Aidan to have to answer questions later from Mollie.

  He nodded, giving her a look that was half worry, half surprise. “I think that’s a great idea. But be careful,” he stressed as they parted.

  Thursday afternoon, as promised, Savanna arrived at Charlotte’s house to sit in for a missing member of Charlotte’s euchre group. She’d learned to play years ago, and it took a few rounds before she remembered some of the details, but her mother’s friends were so helpful and patient that Savanna enjoyed herself more than she’d expected. By the time the evening began to wind down, she’d gotten to spend small portions of time chatting with Mia here and there. She could see what her mother liked about the woman. Mia James was charismatic and smart, with an easy laugh that seemed to set those around her at ease.

  Savanna almost felt bad about what she was planning. But it was the only way to get answers, one way or another. She reminded herself of this as the ladies began filtering out, amid laughter and promises of coffee dates. Savanna brought dishes and glasses from the large living room to the kitchen.

  Her mother still stood by the front door, saying goodbye. Savanna put two wine glasses in the sink and took painstaking care to set the third one on the counter; she held it in a tenuous grasp through a thin dishtowel, between her thumb and forefinger.

  Harlan came in through the kitchen door, startling her. She jumped a mile, whipping her head around to look at him. He laughed at her, coming over and giving her shoulder a light squeeze. “Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you. I figured things were breaking up by now. Am I allowed to be here yet?”

  She hugged him around the waist. “It’s your house, Dad. I think you’re allowed to be here. There’s a ton of food left. Are you hungry?”

  “I’m stuffed. Travis and I had burgers at Jake’s. But I can eat. These look good,” he said, eyeing the collection of hors d’oeuvres and desserts littering the island countertop.

  She handed Harlan a plate, and he gathered a few of each concoction, carrying his plate around the island and pulling up a stool.

  “Did euchre come back to you pretty easily? I know I get rusty if I haven’t played in a while,” Harlan said, taking a bite of spinach pie.

  Savanna turned on the water and kept her back to him, making motions as if she was washing dishes. She couldn’t toss her plan out now. “It took a few rounds. I had a good partner. How’s Travis doing?” She moved over enough to block the movement of her left hand, covered again in a towel, picking up the wineglass she’d set on the counter. She cleared her throat loudly to disguise the sound as she shook open a small, lunch-sized brown paper bag over the sink and deposited the glass quickly into the bag.

  “Travis is tired,” Harlan said. “Sounds like work’s been busier than usual lately, but he says that’s a good thing.”

  Savanna shut the water off and bent down, keeping the paper bag close to her body. She reached over and opened a bottom cupboard, then banged some pots and pans around, scooting closer to the open door. She chanced a glance over one shoulder at her dad, but he was involved now in a cannoli, trying not to knock all the mini chocolate chips off as he took a bite.

  She stashed the paper bag in her mom’s deep soup pot and shut the door, straightening up. Hopefully she hadn’t just erased whatever fingerprints were on the glass, with all her furtive juggling of the evidence. She faced the counter and her dad. “Well, I’m glad he’s enjoying the busier schedule!”

  Savanna moved to grab the extra-large, slouchy yellow leather purse she’d brought specifically for tonight’s task, and made a concerted effort to drift slowly back to the exact spot she’d just been standing: in front of the cupboard with the package in the soup pot.

  Harlan polished off a second cannoli and rested muscled forearms on the granite countertop. “You’re really digging having some down time this summer, aren’t you? Your Chicago pace sounded a little crazy every time you’d call home and give us updates.” He stirred a spoonful of sugar into his coffee. “I’m glad you’re back home.” His voice became quieter and gruffer at the tail end, and she saw her dad swallow hard, though he was done eating.

  She came around the island and hugged him. She was lucky. She had two of the greatest parents a person could ask for. “I’m glad to be home.”

  Savanna heard Charlotte heading their way, and her gaze darted to her big yellow purse on the
kitchen counter. Her mother would come in, move it out of the way, start washing dishes, and she’d never have a chance to retrieve her package.

  She quickly went to her purse, sweeping it onto one forearm, and bent down and scooped the paper bag into the purse in one smooth motion with her back turned to her dad. She was standing, purse slung casually over one shoulder, when Charlotte entered the kitchen.

  “That was so much fun!” She moved to her mom and hugged her goodbye. “I cleared all the dishes, but I didn’t get a chance to load the dishwasher yet.”

  Charlotte shook her head. “Don’t worry about it. Your dad loves helping me with the dishes.” She winked at Harlan.

  “Thanks for including me tonight. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.” She backed toward the kitchen door, trying not to sound as if she was rushing out. Fortunately, Harlan had come to the rescue and joined her mom at the sink.

  “Bye, honey! Thanks for coming!” Charlotte turned back to the sink, slapping Harlan’s arm with the wet dishtowel.

  Outside, safely in her car, Savanna called Detective Jordan over Bluetooth. It was past nine at night, and she felt bad infringing on his family time, but she wasn’t sure how long fingerprints stayed on glass, and she wasn’t comfortable keeping this until morning.

  He picked up on the second ring. “This had better be important.”

  She let a big breath out she hadn’t even been aware she was holding. “It is. I’m sorry to bother you.”

  “It’s all right, I’m just giving you a hard time. You got the message earlier from my office, right?”

  “No.” Savanna backed out of the driveway. “Should I have?”

  Detective Jordan groaned. “Why can’t people just do their job? Yes. That Stevens kid, the genius who posted the incriminating photo on social media? He definitely vandalized Jessamina. We’re charging him. He’ll get a slap on the wrist and community service. That’s one mystery solved, thanks to you and Sydney. But he didn’t slash your tires, Savanna. The knife was wiped clean.”