A Little Learning by Jane Tesh Page A

still didn’t get it. “But Mrs. Dorman wouldn’t be dancing, even if she could. The students might see her.”
    “The students would join right in. ‘Ding, dong, the witch is dead.’”
    “That’s from ‘Wizard of Oz.’”
    “Correct, Mullins. Ten points to you.”
    “That’s Joey’s favorite movie.”
    I leaned over to Rachel. “Who’s Joey?”
    “Her boyfriend. He works at the hospital. She talks about him a lot.”
    Josh grinned at me. “Have you heard enough of our confessions? Get them all straight now. I hated Amelia because she took a committee position that should have been mine, the P.E. teacher hated Amelia because she voted against new equipment, Rachel hated Amelia because she kept the arts program from getting a grant, DeAnne hated Amelia because—why did you hate Amelia, DeAnne?”
    “Just on general principles.”
    “Brenda, why did you hate Amelia?”
    “Oh, she was always so rude. Joey says it’s because she’s old and worn out.”
    “She’s definitely worn out now.”
    “I understand the universal hatred,” I said, “but did she ever threaten anyone’s life, or do anything truly serious?”
    “No, she was just a miserable old crank.”
    Thad Murphy stuck his head in the door. “We’ll have a brief memorial for Amelia at PTA tonight. I realize she wasn’t the easiest person to get along with, but she was a member of this faculty, and I’d like to see some respect.”
    “Yes, sir,” DeAnne said. “Have you found a replacement for her?”
    “Norma Olsen’s agreed to come in. And Ms. Maclin, if you’d stop by my office, please.”
    After Murphy left, Josh said, “Didn’t Olsen want Lever’s job anyway?”
    “I heard Amelia purposely didn’t retire this year just to spite Norma.”
    “Uh-oh, another motive.”
    “Maybe Amelia slept with Hanover.”
    I didn’t get the reference, but everyone laughed except Rachel, who blushed and whispered, “Alan Hanover is our superintendent.”
    The teachers gathered up their things and left, still laughing.
    “Your lunch bunch is a little on the cruel side,” I said.
    “I suppose they are. You can talk to everyone tonight at PTA,” Rachel said. “And I’m sorry if I don’t seem very upset, Madeline, but you’ve just heard what she was like. She never contributed to our Sunshine Fund. She never came to any faculty parties. You had to be careful when you talked to her because she got offended so easily. She was extremely difficult and hard to know. She probably should’ve retired years ago.”
    Well, she was retired now.
    ***
    Thad Murphy invited me into his office and shut the door. The windows were decorated with children’s drawings and cards. The drawings Rachel had given to Jennifer were stacked on his desk. I recognized the bright jungle scene on top.
    “I just spoke with the hospital, the superintendent, and two school board members. The doctors have some questions about Mrs. Lever’s death. They say it appears she had a heart attack. But I’m concerned about protecting the school and the faculty. I want to make certain Celosia Elementary’s reputation is not compromised in any way, and that there was no careless action on anyone’s part regarding this incident. I don’t want anyone to say we didn’t do everything possible to try to save Amelia’s life.”
    “I understand,” I said. “It seems to me your first responders did the best they could.”
    “I want to make sure of that.”
    “Do you anticipate a problem regarding the fact your school nurse wasn’t here?”
    “It’s common knowledge we share a professional health care provider with the high school. I hope that won’t be an issue. That’s why ten of our teachers are certified in CPR.”
    “I have to say the faculty members in the teachers’ lounge didn’t seem very upset.”
    He sighed. “Unfortunately, Amelia Lever was not very friendly.”
    “Isn’t that unusual for an elementary school teacher? Didn’t parents