Free Cracked to Death by Cheryl Hollon Page B

noticed the empty seat in the front row. “Where’s Martin?”

Chapter 8
    Tuesday Morning
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    â€œMartin hasn’t shown up.” Savannah heard the sharp tone in her voice and immediately softened it. “Didn’t he let you know he wouldn’t be here?”
    Amanda stood quietly. Her pale skin turned ashen at the neck, and this color slowly began to rise into her face. “Sure. He said last night that he might be a little late.... A little late for him might be an hour.” Her voice rose to a high tremor. “Even so, he should be here pretty soon.”
    â€œExcuse us for a moment,” Savannah said to the class and then took Amanda by the arm and led her through the door to her office. “Why don’t you get a cup of coffee and calm yourself. I’ll take everyone over to the kiln.” She took Amanda and sat her down in the oak desk chair. After pouring a cup of coffee, she asked, “What’s wrong? Is your mother ill?”
    Amanda shook her head yes but didn’t speak. She sat there, looking down at the floor, the tears in her eyes ready to spill down her cheeks.
    â€œI’ll get everyone started on cleaning up their pieces, and I’ll be back in a jiffy. Are you sure you’re going to be okay?”
    Amanda looked up. “I’ll be fine in a few minutes. I’m feeling a bit disoriented. I didn’t get much sleep.”
    â€œYour mom?”
    â€œUm, yes. It’s getting bad.” Amanda took a drink of the coffee.
    â€œOkay. I’ll be right back.”
    Savannah walked back into the classroom. “Amanda’s a little tired. She was up most of the night, watching over her sick mother, and she’s a little distracted. She’ll be fine after a hit of coffee. Meanwhile, let’s go open the kiln and see what happened to our bottles last night.”
    There was a quick burst of chatter as everyone made their way to the supply room. Savannah stood beside the largest kiln, which was about the size and shape of a small bathtub, and raised the lid with the rigged pulley-and-cable system. She used a mountain climber’s clip to secure the lid in the open position.
    â€œI’ll lift the pieces out and hand them to each of you. Once you have your piece, you need to take it over to the sink and wash the kiln paper residue off it. Also, wash the plaster mold, if you used one.”
    She reached into the depths of the kiln and picked out a Belvedere Vodka bottle that had been slumped in a cracker tray mold. “Which one of you is the owner of this one?” She looked at Rachel, then at Faith.
    â€œThat’s mine!” Rachel pushed to the front. “I’ll take it.”
    Savannah found another Belvedere Vodka bottle, which had been fused flat. “So this must be yours, then, Faith.”
    Faith smiled and took the ash-covered bottle over to the sink to wash it.
    â€œWho has the light green bottle?” Savannah lifted a flattened bottle.
    â€œThat’s mine, darlin’. I’ll take it.” SueAnn stepped in front of the Akron girls and took the dusty cheese tray from Savannah with pinched fingers. “I should have brought an apron. I didn’t realize we’d get dirty.” SueAnn held the flattened bottle away from her clothes, her fingers touching it as little as possible.
    â€œThis is not a particularly dirty craft. But you might get fairly dusty. The kiln work can be a bit messy with all the flying ash.”
    She’ll never be comfortable with the ash.
    Savannah looked at the young cousins and then gazed into the kiln. “There are only three left. Which ones are yours?”
    â€œThe clear wine bottle is mine,” Patty said, pointing, “and the dark yellow one is Yvonne’s.”
    Handing over their bottles, Savannah assumed that the remaining bottle must belong to Martin. It wasn’t one of the unique cobalt blue bottles he had brought in. She picked up