Behind the Frame

by Tracy Gardner

  “Aidan.” She stopped before getting in. “Thank you for coming home.”

  He put a light hand at the side of her jaw and leaned in, kissing her temple. “I had to be first in line to sign your cast.”

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Opening day of Art in the Park was a perfect, sunny eighty degrees. Jessamina Carson was now fully restored, proudly watching over the festivities from her clean and gleaming pedestal. Savanna had obediently maintained a strictly supervisory presence last night, directing her able-bodied friends and family members in the event setup, right down to the small, warm white globe lights strung around the gazebo and art display tents. She’d even tasked Nolan with helping hang the flower baskets she’d gotten at the entrance to each tent, and he’d walked back and forth to Harlan’s truck bed, carefully picking up overflowing planters of petunias and carrying them to Travis to hang.

  With a solid forty-eight hours of rest and elevating her arm, it felt much better. As long as she followed Aidan’s Tylenol and ibuprofen schedule, the cast was more a nuisance than anything else. The opening festivities and announcements had gone seamlessly, the artists were still trickling in, as they had until tomorrow to arrive and display their work, and by the first evening, Savanna happily moved between the children in the small group she was helping paint a horse in a pasture scene. She’d left the activity open to all ages, hoping to interest as many kids as possible. It was only day one, with two new projects planned per day, but so far the kids around the long table under her tent were painting and having fun, chattering and giving each other opinions and compliments.

  Sydney had proven a much better patient than Savanna had anticipated, still wearing her walking boot and taking care to keep the weight off her foot with the crutches. Savanna suspected she was being good due to Finn, her constant shadow. Every time she seemed to be getting a little too ambitious, Finn was suddenly there ahead of her, handling what she’d been aiming for or bringing her cups of lemonade. Right now, across the expanse of green lawn at the yoga ministation, Sydney sat in a chair with her foot propped up, giving instruction to four teenage girls and using Willow as a demonstrator.

  Skylar and Britt came over from the art viewing tent next to Savanna. Britt walked around the table, hands clasped behind his back as he admired each child’s work. He pointed out a favorite feature or color combination in this one and that one, making the children look up at him proudly.

  “He’s fantastic,” Skylar told Savanna. “Your friend Britt says he’s going to give me his employee discount for the Lansing Museum of Fine Art, which comes with a free membership to the Children’s Museum!”

  Savanna laughed. “Planning ahead, huh? How’s she doing in there?” She looked at Skylar’s barely noticeable baby bump.

  “She or he is doing great. And I can finally keep breakfast down, thank God! Do you need any help here? The kids seem to love it.”

  She shook her head. “Nope, I’m wrapping this up soon, but thank you.”

  Britt made it around the table to Savanna and gave her a quick hug. “I’m heading home, but I’ll see you here bright and early tomorrow, Ms. Officiator. Absolutely lovely opening day.” He dipped his head and touched the brim of his white summer hat, smiling at her.

  “Thanks, Britt, for everything,” she emphasized. He’d been indispensable last night and today, helping with set up and making sure all ran smoothly.

  “My pleasure.” He and Skylar were already into another topic as they walked away.

  The horse scene session ended, and Savanna collected the paintings, carefully hanging them one by one on clothespins attached to string around the perimeter of her tent. She turned to find Nick Jordan approaching. She met him halfway, eyeing the sticky, cinnamon-sugar elephant ear on the paper plate he held in one hand. “Oh, that looks so good. I haven’t gotten one yet.”

  “Get one soon, before they shut down for the night,” he said, breaking off a portion and popping it in his mouth. He held it out to her. “Try a piece.”

  “Way too messy at the moment.” She put a hand up, tipping her head toward the canvasses and paint supplies she still had to take care of. “But thank you.”

  “I wanted to let you know what happened, after everything came back from evidence. I tried to leave you alone yesterday—you and your sister need a minute to recover from all this,” he said, motioning first at Syd to their right and then to Savanna’s cast. “How’s it feeling, by the way?”

  “It’s not too bad. Much better than it was. I’ve kind of turned it into an art project,” she said, holding her left arm up and showing him. She had a few signatures, Aidan’s the first—he’d scrawled Dr. Boyfriend in black Sharpie across the underside, smart aleck—with Nolan’s name next across the top. Savanna had been filling the rest in with colored wildflowers and butterflies anytime she had a free moment.

  “Very cool,” Jordan said, examining the work.

  “So, you’re going to tell me the partials on Joe Fratelli’s chef’s knife are Landon King’s, as are the ones on the cellar door and my brake lines. And Mayor Greenwood was blissfully unaware of anything, other than his role in taking bribes from Better Living, right?”

  Nick Jordan laughed, looking down and kicking the ground with the toe of his shoe. “I’m still not quite sure how you did that. You’re almost a hundred percent right. The prints on the cellar door match no one. They must belong to one of the workers in and out of Bellamy’s Michigan basement. But yes, the partial prints on the knife and your car are Landon King’s. I believe he did come into the house by the cellar door, but he wore gloves when he killed John Bellamy. The placement of his prints on the knife are consistent with how he’d have picked it up to steal it during your banquet, not when he handled it as a weapon. He probably thought he’d wiped it clean after taking it, but he missed a spot. I’m sure he never thought to conceal any evidence on your brake lines. He didn’t expect you to survive.”

  Savanna shivered. She still had trouble wrapping her mind around the idea of King trying to kill her.

  “Roger Greenwood’s arraignment hearing was this morning. He’ll be tried on twenty-two counts of fraud and embezzlement. His lawyer has already posted bond for him,” Nick Jordan said, rolling his eyes. “Landon King’s arraignment is tomorrow. The prosecutor is pursuing first-degree murder, in addition to extortion and fraud charges. The court won’t set bond for him. You were even right about his vehicle. We pulled Monday’s parking lot footage from Anderson Memorial, and he was so bold, he pulled his SUV right up next to your car. It took him less than two minutes to tamper with your brake lines and get out of there.”

  “Oh, wow. And I just jumped in my car after seeing Yvonne, totally clueless.”

  Jordan chuckled. “You’re anything but clueless. We got a full confession from Landon King, thanks to you. He’s done, and he knows it.”

  “Good. Ugh,” she said, a thought occurring to her. “Mia. She must be so upset.”

  “I’m sure,” he agreed. “Better for her to know, though. King wasn’t a good guy.”

  “She’s had some bad luck in that department,” Savanna said. “Except for Chef Joe.”

  “Except for Chef Joe. We issued a formal apology to him, but he actually seems fine. He was glad to hear Remy was off the hot seat too. Fratelli wasn’t happy we were looking at Mia’s son. He thinks a lot of him. Anyway, thank you for your help.”

  “I enjoyed it. Most of it.” She glanced at her cast.

  “My wife and I will be at your beach scene class tomorrow,” he said, beginning to walk away. He stopped and turned back. “Maybe you should consider moonlighting as my consultant,” he told her, his tone half serious. “I’ll let you know next time I need a sharp eye.”

  “I think you’d need a bodyguard for that job.” Aidan’s deep voice came from behind her, startling her.

  She spun around, looking up at him. “Hey,
you.”

  He wore jeans and a short-sleeve button-down today. He’d gotten his partner to cover the afternoon for him, and he and Mollie had been making rounds here at the festival.

  “Where’s Mollie?” She followed Aidan’s gaze over to the yoga minis area. Mollie had joined the teenage girls, doing her best half-pigeon pose.

  “Are you finishing up here?” he asked. “Finn’s working the first aid tent right now, but he asked if he and Sydney could take Mollie out for ice cream. I think I’m off duty for the night.”

  “Oh, nice! I’m almost done, just need to put this stuff away.”

  With Aidan helping, it only took a few minutes. She walked with him over to Sydney, whose little group was dispersing.

  “You don’t mind if we take Mollie?” Sydney asked Aidan, standing now with the crutches. “Finn wants a sundae from Lickety Split, and then they both want me to watch their favorite movie with them. The Princess Bride,” she told Savanna.

  “I can’t believe you’ve never seen that! Sounds like a perfect evening. How’s your ankle?”

  “So-so. It’ll feel better propped up on pillows while I watch a movie and eat popcorn with these two.” Syd smiled up at Finn as he joined them. “Okay with you?”

  “As you wish.” Finn nodded. He turned and gave Mollie a wink.

  The little girl giggled and spun in circles on the lawn. “As you wish as you wish as you wish!”

  “We’ll leave you to it,” Aidan said, looking from his daughter to Sydney and Finn. “Good luck!”

  Savanna let him lead her away on the path toward the beach. She could stay at the festival until after closing and micromanage every detail, or she could take the opportunity to sneak away for a walk on the beach at sunset. With Dr. Aidan Gallager, whose ability to make her heart race and leave her breathless seemed almost wrong for a cardiac surgeon to do. But she didn’t mind.

  The sky was a masterpiece of color, deep russet oranges and reds fading to yellows, pinks and purples, and the lake was glass, the sheen reflecting the palette of the sunset. They’d walked hand in hand for several minutes when Savanna saw it.

  Her house.

  The house in her mind, the reason she’d turned down every single one she’d seen so far.

  It was perfect.

  Even from here, she knew it. The modestly sized house sat high on the dunes, overlooking Lake Michigan. The colors of the sunset shone in the large windows on the front of the house, a wide deck visible with cushioned benches around a small stone fire pit. And a for-sale sign out front.

  “Savanna?”

  “That’s the house. It’s perfect. I think it might even be the one my real estate agent mentioned. It’s exactly what I’ve been looking for.” She squeezed Aidan’s hand.

  “I love it,” he said.

  “It probably needs work.” She squinted at it. “I don’t mind; it’ll be fun. My dad will help.” Her thoughts were running away with her. “Oh! My Uncle Freddie and Uncle Max are coming this summer. Uncle Freddie’s an architect—I know he’ll help me with plans. I could be in by the fall.”

  Aidan slid one arm around her waist. Savanna looked up to find him watching her.

  “I can see myself there,” she said. “Does that make sense? Do you ever just know you’re supposed to be somewhere?”

  Aidan touched the side of her neck, his fingers in her hair. “Every time I’m with you.”

  Her breath caught in her throat. She moved into his embrace, placing a hand on his cheek.

  He kissed her, and she knew she was home.

  The End

  Acknowledgements

  The Shepherd Sisters series wouldn’t exist without my agent, Fran Black. Thank you, Fran, for pushing me, being honest with me, talking me through tangled plot points, and always believing in me.

  Thank you to my husband and best friend Joe, for being my constant. I couldn’t ask for a better sounding board, champion, or overall source of support on this wild publishing journey and in life. Thank you for knowing things about me that I still sometimes forget about myself. Dude. I love you so much.

  My kids have shaped my life, and I owe them worlds of gratitude. Katy and Joey, you inspire me. I learn from you every day. I’m so proud of the adults you have become, I don’t even have the words to express how constantly amazed I am by you both (and you know I have a lot of words). I gain infinite joy watching you travel your respective paths. Thank you for being mine and for being you. And thank you H, our daughter who came to us later in life. You aren’t technically mine, but I feel fortunate that we were in the right place at the right time for you to become family. You show me what it means to be compassionate, resilient, and strong, and I’m so proud of you. I love you all immeasurably.

  Stacey Donovan at Hallmark Publishing is one of a kind. Thank you, Stacey, for giving me my shot. I’m forever grateful you saw what I see in the Shepherd Sisters. Thank you for your wonderfully positive attitude, your advocacy, and your always insightful creative advice.

  Thank you to fantastic editor Rhonda Merwarth for helping shape the Shepherd sisters stories. I learn so much and am so grateful to work with you. Your talent for seeing the details at the same time as the big picture rivals Savanna’s.

  Several friends and family had a role in bringing Behind the Frame and Out of the Picture to life. Thank you Ann Sullivan for being such a dedicated concert wife and beta reader. I appreciate your assistance with all things wardrobe, style, and food, and your sharp eye and seasoned Hallmark-worthy critique. Thank you Rocsana Oana for pushing me to finish an earlier book when I thought I’d given up; that completion propelled me forward into many more. Thank you Jimmy Doyle for your boundless vocabulary and support. Thanks a million Suzette Nelson and Talia Wiley for allowing me inadvertent use of some cool names. Thanks Josh Howe for very helpful law enforcement advice. Thank you Thia Homer for insider information on elementary art projects. Thank you Jacob and Lilly for being the best cheerleaders ever!

  One of the best surprises along this journey with the Shepherd Sisters books has been discovering the overwhelmingly awesome group of fellow Hallmark authors who support and lift each other up. I’m so fortunate to be part of the Hallmark family. Thank you to all of you.

  My mom Joni Gardner has been a writer ever since I can remember. From short stories and poems to an entire fabricated world about talking plants (Delores and gang), thank you, Mom. You cultivated the writer in me. And I believe my dad David, an English teacher with a deep love of books, would be happy knowing all that dinner table reading I did as a kid finally paid off with me fulfilling my dream.

  To my lifelong friend and fabulous sister Julie Velentzas, thank you for giving me the foundation and tools to create these three loving sisters and their relationships. There’s a little of us in each of them.

  Lastly, thank you to everyone who’s read, talked about, reviewed, shared, or in any way loved these books and characters the way I do. You rock.

  Mini Rhubarb Pies

  A Hallmark Original Recipe

  In Behind the Frame, it’s tradition for the Shepherd sisters to take turns cooking a delicious Sunday dinner for the whole family. At one Sunday dinner, Skylar makes mini rhubarb pies for dessert that the whole family enjoys before delving deeper into the investigation of a terrible murder. You can make this Shepherd sisters favorite for your family or friends, and it just might become their favorite, too.

  Prep Time: 20 minutes

  Cook Time: 50 minutes

  Serves: 4

  Ingredients

  4 10-inch pie crusts, refrigerated, unbaked

  1 cup fresh rhubarb cut in ½-inch pieces

  1 cup sugar

  ½ cup all-purpose flour

  Pinch of cardamom

  ½ teaspoon of freshly ground nutmeg

  1 tablespoon of orange zest

&n
bsp; ¼ cup freshly squeezed orange juice

  1 egg, lightly beaten

  Preparation

  Preheat oven 375°F.

  From each pie crust, cut a small circle to fit as the bottom crust in each of four 5.5” pie plates. Cut long strips out of remaining pie dough about 1/2 an inch in width. Chill both while preparing filling.

  In a large bowl, combine rhubarb, sugar, flour, cardamom, nutmeg, orange zest and juice. Stir to distribute ingredients evenly.

  Fill each pie dish with filling, mounding each one full. Using chilled strips, criss-cross them over each pie making a lattice pattern. Trim excess dough from sides of pies and then crimp the edges together.

  Brush outsides of pies with beaten egg. Bake 50 minutes or until crust is golden and filling is bubbling. Let cool and serve.

  Thanks so much for reading

  Behind the Frame. We hope you enjoyed it!

  You might like these other books

  from Hallmark Publishing:

  Out of the Picture: A Shepherd Sisters Mystery

  Sailing at Sunset

  A Simple Wedding

  A Cottage Wedding

  In Other Words, Love

  Country Hearts

  Love on Location

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  About the Author