SSM01 - School Lunch is Murder

by Zelenka, Cheryl

  “I suggested that she consider making an appointment with a physician or counselor for her symptoms. Depression is nothing to joke about and we all need our sleep. There are all kinds of side effects that come from sleep deprivation. Our brain just doesn’t function well without a proper sleep cycle. I should know, I suffer from insomnia.”

  “Principal Pardon, I’ll have to check her medical records, contact family, friends, and order an autopsy. We don’t know the cause of death, so hopefully the medical examiner will be able to help us with some of our unanswered questions.”

  “Well, before I leave you to your investigating, let me offer one more bit of information. I’m sure you can validate it later. Penny was an only child. Last December, her parents died in that horrible car accident on Hayes Hill.”

  “Oh, I remember that accident! I didn’t work the day it happened, but it was all the buzz when I returned to the police station the following day. I guess their car hit a patch of black ice, which sent their vehicle over a guardrail and down a 150-foot embankment. They were both killed instantly.”

  Daniel shook his head and looked down. “They had a cabin in Selma and were off to celebrate Christmas. Penny was planning to join them as soon as she wrapped up her finals at Oregon State. Tragicilly er holiday was spent making funeral arrangements.

  She stayed with close friends of her parents. They were by her side at the funeral and guided her through all the financial and legal paperwork. Sadly, now the same couple is making her funeral arrangements. This is all so very tragic!”

  ***

  Officer Flores wrote a few notes on her pad while Principal Pardon excused himself to make another phone call to the District Office.

  Upon entering Room 4, Dora had a flashback to last May when she visited Sadie’s classroom as a police force representative for National Police week. All of her students had been excited to meet a real-life policewoman.

  Dora had shared a short presentation with the third graders, ate lunch with them in the school cafeteria, and then took the class out to the parking lot where her police vehicle was parked. She let every student sit in the car, some in the front and some in back behind the partition.

  Several students confided they had a relative in prison. Their confidences tore at Dora’s heart. She hoped her day of volunteer work provided the kids with a positive view of police officers. She wanted Sadie’s students to consider the entire police force in a positive light: as protectors, friends, and defenders of justice.

  She even let some of them hit the siren and turn on the lights. She smiled to herself as she remembered how several of the girls shook her hand saying they wanted to be just like her when they grew up: A policewoman fighting crime. They had given her looks like she was some kind of superhero. Now, fully inside Miss Quiche’s classroom, she looked over at Sadie and saw that same look in her friend’s eye.

  “When did I become a superhero? I don’t wear any stinkin’ cape!” Dora mumbled under her breath. She didn’t want to upset Sadie any further and was hoping this would be an open and shut case: Death by natural causes. However, when she observed the body of the petite young teacher, it gave her pause. She wondered if the teacher had a history of heart trouble, epilepsy, or asthma. What else would have caused such a young woman to collapse and die in the prime of life?

  Sadie knew better than to give Dora a hug while she was on duty. She respected her professionalism and observed Dora as she examined the body and jotted down even more notes.

  “Sadie, did anyone move this body?” Dora gave her a questioning look.

  “Well, yes. I had to roll Penny on her back in order to perform CPR. She was on her side when I found her.”

  “How about this rug in the reading corner. Did anyone walk on it besides you this morning?”

  “Not that I know of, Dora.” The officer noted that her friend seemed fatigued.

  Dora threw a few more questions her way but concluded Sadie was of little help since she had never met Miss Quiche and was just starting back to work that day.

  An ambulance arrived to take Penny’s body to Asante Three Rivers Medical Hospital. After a thorough but quick check of the classroom, Officer Flores gave the paramedics permission to remove Penny from her classroom. She checked her watch and noted it was almost 11 am. She hoped the hallways were clear and that students and parents were no longer on school grounds.

  Always cautious, she put yellow tape around the possible crime scene and sealed the door. She was pretty confident the teacher’s tragic death was nothing other than natural causes, but you could never be too sure. She followed the, “Better safe than sorry” approach when investigating all calls involving a death, accidental or not.

  She’d have the forensic team bring the rug back to the police lab so they could check for fibers and hairs. She would also order tests for the vomitus, salad, and eating utensil found next to Miss Quiche’s body.

  “Nos Vamos, amiga. Te Amo.” Dora reached out and gave Sadie’s hand a quick squeeze, then left Room 4 to interview the other staff members waiting in the school’s library.

  ***

  This was certainly not the way Sadie had imagined her day would go when she left Bosco and Willow chasing squirrels in the back yard.

  Geesh, not only did I discover a dead body today, but I never got to meet my new students. I know life is full of unexpected moments but boy, oh boy, that sure was the case for me today! Since Dan said we could leave after Dora had a chance to interview us, I guess I can call it a day. Hmm, I could really use a stiff drink. I’ll see if Pops is free.

  CHAPTER FOUR: An Odd Couple

  Sadie’s parents met at a Sadie Hawkins dance sponsored by the University of Oregon’s Newman Center. Her mom, reserved by nature, surprised her two girlfriends when she practically ran over to Jerry Sunshine and asked him if he wanted to, “Do The Twist.” Engaged only three months after their first meeting, they married shortly after graduation. A year later, Sadie was born and named after their memorable first date. Together for 57 years, they were soul mates and best friends throughout their marriage.

  Sadly, Sadie’s mother passed away last year due to a brain hemorrhage. It left a big hole in her heart, but an even bigger one in her dad’s. He struggled with loneliness, so she made a point of having him over for dinner several times a week. Sadie was glad he lived so close to her home, just two blocks away. She thoroughly enjoyed his company and especially looked forward to their political discussions and long walks in the woods.

  Hoping her dad had his iPhone nearby she dialed his number. He answered after the third ring. “Pop, do you have an hour to spare? I’d really like to share some news with you.”

  “I have more than an hour to spare, sunshine!” He thought a date at the Grants Pass Pharmacy was a terrific idea. They made outstanding phosphate sodas and both of them appreciated the 25-cent price tag. Her favorite was the raspberry, but her dad always got strawberry.

  The Pharmacy was a fun place to visit and Sadie often found the perfect gift for a friend while picking up a prescription. She liked the wide selection of hand creams and there were always wonderful testers set out for customers to sample. Sandalwood and jasmine were just two of her favorite scents.

  After picking out two stools at the very end of the ice-cream counter, she pulled out her iPhone and checked her email. Completely lost in thought, she jumped in her seat as the booming voice of her father was heard from behind her right shoulder.

  “If I were Big Foot, I could have snuck up on you and tagged a tasty human for dinner!” The voice was attached to a handsome and athletic man of 79 years. His charming smile lit up his blue eyes and made them twinkle like Christmas lights.

  Sadie leaped off her stool and gave him a giant hug. “Pop, Bigfoot doesn’t eat human flesh and please, no more Big Foot jokes for now. Okay? I’m just not in a very good mood and kind of flustered. You’ll never guess what happened at Fort Follyfield this morning. Do you remember I agreed to take Mandy’s lo
ng-term sub position? Well, the job started this morning.”

  Winking at his daughter, Jerry groused, “Sadie, you really are in a foul mood if you can’t appreciate the beauty of a good Big Foot crack. And, if there’s no possibility of guessing what happened, why should I bother? You might as well just spill the beans. But first, I’d like to order my phosphate.”

  “Yes, of course, Pop.” She got the attention of the waitress on duty and sure enough, her dad ordered his usual strawberry phosphate while she went ahead and ordered the raspberry. She couldn’t believe the phosphates were still just 25 cents. What a deal! She appreciated anything nostalgic and from a time gone by.

  After their drinks arrived, she made sure she had her dad’s complete attention by saying, “Something shocking happened at work today.”

  “Shocking’s a pretty strong word, butterfly.” She smiled as he used his pet name for her.

  “Dad, I’m on solid ground when I use the word shocking. Seriously! One of the teachers at Fort Follyfield died this morning, and I was the one who found her body! They took her to Asante this morning. She’s probably having an autopsy as we speak.”

  Sadie took a sip of her phosphate and continued.

  “Miss Quiche, the other third-grade teacher, was laying on the floor in her classroom’s reading corner. A salad was tossed all over the rug. I thought she was napping, but it soon became evident she wasn’t breathing and was…well, dead! The police department was called and Dora was the investigating officer.”

  Looking directly into his daughter’s eyes, Mr. Sunshine whispered with a voice filled with tenderness, “Sadie, no wonder you’re flustered. That would be a shock for anybody. I’m so sorry!”

  Smiling through tear-filled eyes, Sadie silently thanked God for her wonderful father and answered, “Thanks, Pop. I think the chaos of this morning is starting to wear off. I feel a measure of recovery coming on, thanks to this stiff drink.”

  Her dad smiled and took a sip of his own old-time soda. “And the good company you’re enjoying right now, correct?”

  “Yes, to be sure!” They both took a few more sips in silence, quietly appreciating each other.

  Out of the corner of her eye, Sadie noticed Edith Wisp and Dustin Ferril walk into the Pharmacy, arm-in-arm. She noted they were not holding hands. She hadn’t known they were a couple and couldn’t help but think what a weird match they made.

  After working with Edith for several months, she concluded Edith had some obsessive-compulsive tendencies. Her library was always ship shape. The pens in her desk were aligned in the same direction and everything in her office was color-coded. In addition, she had brought in a vacuum from home and made a point of using it several times a day.

  She was also uncomfortable shaking hands, preferring to fist bump students and colleagues. There was an excess of Kleenex boxes throughout the library and when a student sneezed in her direction, she’d scramble for the nearest hand sanitizer.

  Edith’s wardrobe was severe, much more than modest, and often dull and somber…hardly fashion forward. She did, however, have an incredible work ethic and although she sported a dour attitude, she could be charming when she had visitors in the library. For a lady in her mid-20s, she seemed more like a woman in her 40s or 50s. She saw the world as either black or white with no room for grays. They didn’t exist in her world.

  On the other hand, Dustin had a slightly messy appearance. His hair was clean, but it often looked a bit out of place. His shirts were usually wrinkled, so she concluded he didn’t own an iron. ‘Work ethic’ wouldn’t be found in his personal dictionary. Without meaning to be judgmental, Sadie simply thought he lacked motivation.

  Edith was the ultimate rule follower while he was the classic bad boy and rule breaker. The only thing they did have in common, at least in her eyes, was a negative attitude. They both had a tendency to be overly critical of others, without accepting any responsibility themselves. They were always in the right and everyone else was the cause of their problems.

  A bunch of questions started to formulate inside Sadie’s head. When did Dustin and Edith start to date? Why was Edith crying this morning, before Miss Quiche was found dead? Did Penny ever see a doctor for her anxiety and was there a history of poor family health? Was Penny Quiche dating anyone? Did she have any conflicts with staff members and if so, who were they? Was she really wearing an engagement ring on her right hand?

  With a kiss on her dad’s cheek, Sadie paid for the drinks. She left a much bigger tip than the bill itself. After all, the total cost was just fifty cents! There was no sales tax in Oregon and she felt bad leaving a tip of just ten cents. $2.00 seemed much nicer.

  Her dad called out, “Bye-bye, butterfly!

  Sadie grinned and answered back, “I’m out the door, you old dinosaur. Love you!

  CHAPTER FIVE: A Strange Prescription for Anxiety

  Sadie drove to Mandy’s house. She personally wanted to break the news about Miss Quiche. Fanny Truxabee had her hands full at school and was thankful there was one less thing for her to do. They were both worried the news about Penny would trigger early labor pains in Mandy, so they agreed a home visit was necessary.

  Sadie walked up to the Golden’s front porch and noticed the sad planter by the front door. The flowers were wilted, far beyond help. Mandy was interested in gardening but didn’t have a green thumb. She bemoaned her inability to grow tomatoes in her summer garden and flowers in her hanging baskets. Sadie figured she just forgot to water her plants.

  After using the knocker, she rehearsed what she’d say regarding Miss Quiche. It wasn’t long before her old teaching partner answered the door. She was wearing an Oregon Ducks robe and green slippers. She looked fatigued and a smidge bedraggled.

  “My oh my, Sadie, I didn’t expect to see you today! How was your first day back to work, and did my kiddos treat you kindly? I know they can be a handful, but don’t be telling me you’re here to quit. You’ve got two more months, minus a day, to complete. Please don’t say you can’t teach my class. I need you!”

  Sadie felt horrible. She prayed her news about Penny wouldn’t land Mandy in the delivery room that night. Obviously stressed, Mandy continued speaking in the tone of voice she reserved for students who made very poor choices in her classroom.

  “You know my baby’s nursery has yet to be finished, right? I need to get it done before my sweet little girl arrives. I’m also trying to cook up some homemade meals to freeze. As you are well aware, I don’t like junk food, so my plan is to pull out organic meals after I’ve delivered. I’ll be busy enough with my baby and I don’t want to cook the first few weeks I get back from the hospital. So, I do not have time to look for another long-term substitute. You’re it, Sadie Sunshine. You cannot back out on me. Period!”

  “Mandy, don’t get so worked up over finding another sub. I’m not here to bail on you. I’m actually pretty excited about subbing for the next two months, although Bosco Bill gave me a piece of his mind this morning.”

  Mandy smiled, and then hugged her friend out of pure relief. “In that case,” pulling Sadie past her front door, ”I’m gonna make you a special cup of coffee. Do you have time?”

  “Really…you have to ask?”

  Mandy giggled and grabbed her French Press. She turned on the teapot and scooped out a hefty helping of Dutch Brothers private reserve. While grinding the beans on the coarsest setting, Sadie took a seat at the cute kitchen table Mandy’s husband had recently restored. It had a pretty whitewash look and complimented the cottage look of her kitchen.

  When the tea kettle sang, Mandy let the water cool for one minute and then poured it into her press. She then set it on the kitchen table along with two Oregon Ducks coffee mugs. Not able to resist a tease, Sadie lifted her eyebrows and smirked,

  “Um, are you a Ducks fan by any chance?”

  “Ha, ha! Your sarcasm has been missed. Not! You do know the Ducks are 4-0 and going strong, right? You live in Oregon, Sadie. You need to pick a tea
m and stick by them. Beavers or Ducks? Beavers or Ducks?” Mandy asked again emphasizing the Ducks.

  “Geesh, Mandy, you know I’m a Ducks fan. I went to the U of O but I don’t like wearing green and yellow all the time.” Suddenly, a thought popped into her head, “Oi! The nursery, Mandy! Please tell me you’re not painting the baby’s room green and yellow!”

  “Wouldn’t you like to know? I guess you’ll just have to come by after the baby’s born and visit her, and the nursery. But for your information, primary colors are good for infants! Yellow is a primary color. But let it go, girlfriend. Right now I want to focus on the real reason you’re here.”

  Sadie tried to contain the groan in her throat.

  “Oh, wait. Before I sit down, let me move this yum-yum to the table. Nothing goes better with coffee than Genoa salami and cheese.”

  Sadie noted Mandy’s vocabulary was slipping but wisely decided not to comment.

  Looking at the salami, Sadie made a face. “Umm, Mandy, not everyone has a pallet as sophisticated as yours. You know I’d prefer chocolate. By any chance, is there any Cary’s toffee around?

  Mandy sighed and pointed to the pantry. She had just sat down and was not about to lift her pregnant self back up again, at least not until she had enjoyed one cup of her fantastic black brew.

  “Found it!” Sadie removed two large pieces of toffee from the box and sat back down at the table. She then told Mandy about Bosco’s evil eye and shoe inspection that morning. Mandy laughed as she ate a large slice of salami.

  After a few minutes, the voice inside Sadie’s head began to nag. Stop procrastinating! You have to tell her about Penny. You’ve done a great job softening the blow with Bosco’s silliness, but now’s the time to speak the truth. She can handle it.