Still Life

Gamache receives a call from agent Yvette Nichol on Sunday morning, informing him of Jane’s death. Gamache bids farewell to his wife, who leaves to attend their niece’s christening. Waiting for Nichol to arrive, he searches a map for Three Pines, but the village is nowhere to be found.

At home, Nichol searches frantically for her wallet, not knowing that her father hid it. An immigrant from Czechoslovakia, her father made up stories about relatives being killed by political authorities in Czechoslovakia to “fit in, to sound heroic” (30), and his stories inspired his daughter to join the police force. Now, with Nichol assigned to her first homicide case, he regrets inventing the stories but feels it is too late to tell her the truth. Nichol’s sister finds her wallet, and Nichol kisses her father goodbye.

Nichol arrives at Gamache’s home on time. Gamache is impressed to see that she brought his preferred brand of coffee as well as a hard copy of the case files, which he reads on the way. Arriving at the crime scene, they find a crowd of townspeople watching as officers gather evidence. Gamache inspects Jane’s spread-eagled body closely, noting an unusual wound in her chest. He then confers with Jean Guy Beauvoir, his second in command, who tells him that Ben Hadley found Jane’s body during his morning walk. Anxious to impress Gamache, Nichol tries to contribute but occasionally embarrasses herself instead.

Gamache, Nichol, and Beauvoir talk to Ben Hadley, who recounts his actions that morning. After waking up at seven o’clock, he went for a walk shortly before eight o’clock and discovered Jane’s body. After a moment of panic, he called 911. Ben admits that he feels foolish for not calling anyone else afterward, especially Peter and Clara.

At Ben’s suggestion, Gamache heads toward the bistro for lunch. On the way into town, he informs the townspeople of Jane’s death and observes their reactions.

An hour earlier, Peter and Clara arrived at church and heard rumors of a hunting accident. Midway through the service, after Jane failed to appear, Clara sent Peter to find out what happened. When Peter returns, Clara is the only one in the chapel. Seeing his hesitation, she realizes the truth.

After observing Clara’s reaction, Gamache makes his way to the bistro. Ruth appears. After Gamache confirms Jane’s death, Ruth violently strikes the ground with her cane and scolds Gamache for sitting around while he should be solving the case. Gamache assures her that he will find the murderer. Gamache asks about Jane, and Ruth tells him about the manure-throwing incident as well as Jane’s brief romance, decades ago, with a lumberjack. Jane wanted to marry him, but when her parents found out, they ended the relationship. The lumberjack died in an accident soon after, and Jane went to school, then returned to Three Pines to teach. She never married.

Gamache learns that Jane’s next of kin, her niece Yolande Fontaine, lives in nearby St. Rémy. He catches a ride there with Olivier, who has errands to run. On the way, Gamache asks whether anyone disliked Jane. Olivier responds that, during his 12 years in Three Pines, he “never heard anything bad about Jane” (58). Yolande, who thinks Gamache is a customer of her real estate business, welcomes him into her spotless home. When she learns of Jane’s death, she shows little emotion and asks for permission to enter Jane’s house to “tidy up” before the police investigate. When Gamache denies her request, she threatens legal action. On the way back to Three Pines, Olivier describes Yolande as “a triumph of image over reality” (61). He adds that Yolande was close to Jane as a child, but they had a falling out at some point. When Gamache mentions Yolande’s request to enter Jane’s house, Olivier tells him that Jane never allowed anyone, even her closest friends, past the kitchen in her home.

Back in Three Pines, Gamache sits in the village green. Ben, who is walking his dog, approaches. He points out Jane’s home, the Morrows’ adjacent home, his own home, and, on a hill on the outskirts of town, a large house that he inherited after his mother’s death. Ben also tells Gamache that the three pines (later replanted) for which the village is named were historically meant to signal the village as a safe gathering place for British loyalists. He complains of continued discrimination against Quebec’s anglophones and asserts his “faith in individuals, not the collective” (50).

Gamache’s team reconvenes over lunch. Nichol sits by herself. Beauvoir and another agent present information suggesting Jane was killed by an arrow, although no arrow was found. Gamache shares his findings, then makes assignments and takes Beauvoir and Nichol with him to visit the Morrows.

Back at home, Clara is overcome by grief and shock. Unsure how to comfort her, Peter makes tea. Sometime later, the agents arrive. Nichol is offended when Gamache asks her to take notes. Gamache asks the Morrows if anyone would benefit from Jane’s death; they can’t think of anyone. They suggest Gamache use the old schoolhouse, now home to an archery club, for headquarters. After leaving the Morrows, Gamache, Beauvoir, and Nichol stop by the local bed and breakfast, owned and operated by Olivier and Gabri, where they meet Gabri, who offers them muffins. He is unable to think of anyone who might benefit from Jane’s death.

The three agents meet Ben at the archery club, which his family owns. Beauvoir marks the building as a crime scene and tells Ben that they intend to search for evidence, since the arrow that killed Jane may have come from the club.

Gamache returns home that night for Thanksgiving dinner with his wife and friends. Peter, looking in on Clara, is jealous of her grief for a moment, then asks himself what Jane would do to comfort her. He lays beside Clara and embraces her.