Family Feud in Savannah: A Garlucci Family Saga (Made in Savannah Mystery Series Book 16)

by Hope Callaghan

  Mercedes was in her room. Soft light filtered out from the bottom of the closed door. Carlita gave it a soft rap. “Mercedes?”

  The door flew open, and Carlita stumbled back. “You know how I hate it when you do that.”

  “Sorry.”

  Carlita briefly filled her in on what had happened to Luigi and his ominous warning. “Based on what he told me, I’m wondering if Sandy Sue’s problems aren’t coming from within.”

  “It’s too bad we can’t go over there and get a feel for the atmosphere.”

  “There’s no way she’s going to welcome me into her restaurant. She would probably throw me out.” Carlita shook her head. “Besides, we have enough to worry about right now with Tony and Shelby.”

  “Unless…there may be a way. Let me give it some thought,” Mercedes said.

  *****

  Carlita was up early the next morning and looking forward to seeing Pete. He was returning from his trip and planned to stop by to pick up Gunner.

  She turned the kitchen light on and discovered she had, once again, forgotten to cover his cage.

  He squawked his annoyance as he watched her approach. “I’m sorry, Gunner. I forgot to tuck you in last night and cover your cage.”

  “Cops. Hide the body.”

  “There is no body, but Gunner is handsome,” Carlita said. “Are you hungry?”

  “Fool’s gold. He’s trying to break down the door.”

  “Now, that’s a new phrase.” Carlita fed Gunner and then started a pot of coffee. “Pete will be back today.”

  “Pirate Pete. Don’t let him steal your booty.”

  Rambo and Grayvie were next. After feeding each of them, Carlita poured her first cup of coffee and stepped out onto the balcony. It was a beautiful morning with only a touch of crispness to the air.

  Her gaze fell to the alley below. The dumpster’s lid was up. Certain someone had been messing around, she hurried back inside and hustled down the steps.

  When she reached the dumpster, she teetered on the edge and peered inside.

  There was a thin layer of trash – mostly scraps from the restaurant. The recycle bin next to it was full of flattened boxes and empty cartons.

  With nothing amiss, she carefully closed the lid and turned to go when she decided to check her storage area around the corner.

  The storage area was a project she hadn’t yet tackled. She’d been putting it off, unsure of how to best use the space.

  Her heart skipped a beat when she realized the storage room door was ajar. Carlita braced herself as she eased the door open. The interior smelled damp, a sign it hadn’t been opened in quite some time.

  It was empty except for a handful of antique tools she suspected had belonged to the former casket-making company. Thinking there might be some value in the antiques, she’d hung on to them.

  She pulled the door shut and made a mental note to replace the lock. Carlita walked to the corner and shifted her attention to Sandy Sue’s. All was quiet.

  Continuing on, she made her way to the courtyard. Her heart sank when she realized the gate was wide open. Carlita couldn’t remember if she’d locked it after being distracted by Sandy Sue’s street barricades.

  She cautiously made her way inside. Flowerpots were strewn across the brick pavers. Shattered pieces were scattered about.

  The bistro tables and chairs were in disarray. She righted the furniture and surveyed the rest of the courtyard. The vandals had also spray-painted a large “x” and a symbol on one wall.

  Carlita finished taking inventory of the damages and made her way out. “It’s gonna be one of those days.”

  With a quick check of the pawn shop and restaurant, both of which appeared to be undisturbed, she returned home.

  Gunner greeted her at the door. “Gunner is handsome.”

  “And it’s going to be a long day.”

  “Break down the door.”

  Carlita froze in her tracks. She did an about-face and stared at Gunner. She’d forgotten to cover his cage. Was it possible he had seen something the night before? “Who’s trying to break down the door?”

  Gunner cocked his head and stared at Carlita.

  “Did you see someone messing around out back?”

  A commotion coming from across the alley caught her attention. It was Elvira. She ran out onto the balcony. “Hey!”

  Elvira made her way over. “Hey, Carlita.”

  “Have you talked to Luigi since last night?”

  “Yeah. I’m gonna have to give up Sandy Sue’s gig. It’s not worth it. Not only is it dangerous for my employees, but she’s a pain in the butt.”

  “How so?”

  “She’s obnoxious, demanding and annoying.”

  “So, she’s just like you,” Carlita teased.

  “What?”

  “Never mind.” Carlita motioned toward the end of the alley. “Someone was messing around the dumpster again and vandalized my courtyard. They tore up some stuff and sprayed graffiti on a wall.”

  “I didn’t do it,” Elvira said. “At least not this time.”

  “I’m not saying you did. I was wondering if you may have seen or heard something.”

  “I’ll be checking my cameras again later.” Elvira shoved a hand on her hip. “I hate to say it, but this neighborhood is going downhill.”

  “Or trouble moved in and it’s heading downhill.”

  “Now that you mention it, none of this started happening around here until Loopie Sue and her crew moved in.”

  “If you see anything on surveillance, I would appreciate you letting me know.”

  “Will do.” Elvira gave her a mock salute and began humming a catchy tune as she strolled to the parking lot.

  Back inside, Carlita sent a quick note to Tony and then settled in front of the computer. She was still there when Mercedes emerged from her room.

  She let out a loud yawn as she traipsed into the kitchen.

  “You’re up early.”

  “I couldn’t sleep,” Mercedes said.

  “Me either.” Carlita briefly filled her in on what had happened. “I think Gunner may have seen something. He said, ‘Break down the door.’”

  Mercedes wandered over to his birdcage and peered out through the balcony door. “Gunner can see the dumpster, but there’s no way he can see the storage room.”

  “True. I keep going back to Luigi’s warning. What if Sandy Sue or one of her employees is behind all of this?” Carlita absentmindedly tapped her pen on the desk. “How do you explain her being robbed, not to mention being turned in to the health department?”

  “We go back to the theory of it being one of her employees, if what Luigi said is true.”

  “Which brings up another point,” Carlita said. “Why would she hire employees from her former business if they were troublemakers?”

  “You got me.” Mercedes sipped her coffee, eyeing her mother over the rim of the cup. “We’re being targeted. She’s being targeted. Maybe it’s someone else. We still don’t know what the robber took. Have you checked the local news to find out if they mentioned the robbery?”

  “I did the other day. Maybe there’s more now.” Carlita turned her attention to her computer and typed in “Sandy Sue’s Bar-B-Que.” Several stories popped up. The one at the very top was the most recent.

  It was only a couple of paragraphs long. It mentioned the robbery occurred right after the restaurant closed. Not only had Sandy Sue been robbed of cash, but the perpetrator had also taken an undisclosed item.

  “I wonder what else they took?” Carlita asked. “Not only is this not good to worry about someone lurking in the area, but if residents, not to mention tourists, catch wind of this, it won’t be good for business.”

  “The cop didn’t tell you?” Mercedes asked.

  “Nope. I thought it was just cash. I’m going to check out Sandy Sue’s other business. Something isn’t adding up.”

  “The only way to figure it out is to get in there and see for
yourself. Besides, it’s always good to check out the competition.”

  “I would, except I doubt Sandy Sue is going to welcome me with open arms.”

  “Unless Sandy Sue doesn’t know it’s you,” Mercedes said.

  Chapter 11

  Mercedes insisted she needed to do a little behind-the-scenes work that involved Elvira before sharing her idea about how to snoop on Sandy Sue without being caught.

  “I gotta get going.” Carlita headed downstairs to start her day.

  Her son arrived at nine, sporting the same glum expression from the previous evening. During a lull in business, he told his mother he’d contacted his friend, who promised to track down the owner of the vehicle Shelby had gotten into the night of her disappearance.

  Pete also texted Carlita, giving her a heads up he was home and would stop by late morning. When he arrived, Carlita led him to the back for a quick chat. “How was the trip?”

  “Great. I pitched my pirate ship venture to two Atlanta area investors. We’re meeting in St. Augustine next month to have a look around,” Pete said. “How was Gunner? I hope he didn’t give you too much trouble.”

  “He was as good as gold. There was one minor incident when the police showed up and he told me to hide the body.”

  Pete chuckled. “There’s something about uniforms and Gunner. It could be I’m letting him watch too many criminal investigation shows.” He sobered. “How is it going with the new neighbor?”

  “It’s not.” Carlita briefly filled him in on the latest. “Mercedes has a plan for us to pay a visit to the restaurant. I’m not sure what it is, but it involves Elvira.”

  “Speaking of Elvira, she’s been blowin’ up my phone. Something about wanting me to stop by her place.”

  “I’m sure it involves her basement explorations and excavations.”

  Elvira had stumbled upon a crude drawing in an underground tunnel, mere steps from her basement. She was convinced it was a depiction of a sunken pirate ship.

  During her explorations, she had also discovered a secret, sealed room. She chiseled out a baseball-size hole, giving her a glimpse of what was inside.

  Tucked away in the corner was a wooden box, similar to one Carlita had found in her pawn shop’s basement. Carlita’s box had been full of gems.

  Certain she was onto something; Elvira had tracked Pete down to question him about the area’s sunken pirate ships.

  When Elvira heard about a rumored ship somewhere off Savannah’s coastline, she’d become obsessed with getting her hands on whatever was behind the wall. “I wonder if she finally chiseled through the tunnel wall,” Carlita said.

  “Knowing Elvira, I would say there’s a good chance. Would you care to run over there with me?”

  “Sure. I can’t wait to find out what she’s plotting next.”

  “Perhaps dredging the shoreline?” Pete joked. “In all honesty, I’m certain there are multiple shipwrecks along the coast.”

  Carlita gave Tony a heads up they were leaving, and then she and Pete headed across the alley.

  Dernice answered their knock. “Elvira’s in the basement. She’s waiting for you.” She grabbed a clipboard off the counter and motioned for them to follow her downstairs.

  The basement was dark and dank, with only a dull light emanating from the connecting tunnel. A shiny pair of solid steel support beams was near the tunnel’s entrance.

  “The beams are new,” Carlita said.

  “Elvira took your advice and hired a structural engineer. He told her if she didn’t add support beams, the building was in danger of collapsing.”

  “You mean she actually listened to me?”

  Dernice shot a furtive glance at the tunnel’s entrance and lowered her voice. “She’ll never admit it, but she values your input. Elvira has a tough time making friends. Once she finds one, she latches on and doesn’t let go.”

  Carlita chuckled. “I’m not sure if I should be flattered or frightened.”

  “Probably a little of both,” Pete said. “I can’t wait to see what she’s found.”

  The trio made their way along the tunnel. It narrowed slightly, then “T’d” off. They turned right.

  Up ahead was a wheelbarrow, blocking the tunnel’s path.

  Tink. Tink. Carlita heard a tapping sound. The tinking grew louder as they drew closer. They reached the spot she’d visited before.

  Instead of a baseball-size hole, there was an opening, roughly three feet wide and four feet high. A faint light emanated from the interior.

  Dernice ducked down and made her way inside. Pete followed with Carlita bringing up the rear. She clamped a hand over her mouth as she stepped into the cramped space. Thick dust filled the air, making it nearly impossible to see.

  Elvira pivoted. A red bandanna covered her nose and mouth. She was wearing safety goggles and holding a sledgehammer. “Hey, Pete. Glad you could finally make it. I was getting ready to give you another call.”

  “I got your message. I thought I replied.”

  “You did, but I figured maybe you forgot about me.”

  Pete nodded toward the wall. “What’s going on?”

  “Remember when you told me about the sunken pirate ship?” Elvira asked.

  “The one that went down back in the late 1700s, laden with plunder, and headed to Spain’s king? As I mentioned before, there were only a couple survivors who made it to shore to tell their tale.”

  “Check this out.” Elvira led him out of the room and to the drawing on the tunnel wall. “Doesn’t this resemble a ship on the water?”

  Pete tilted his head. “Could be. I’m sure this would be of interest to local historians. Have you contacted them to get their opinion?”

  “No, but that’s a great idea.” Elvira stepped back inside the room. “Over here.”

  Carlita joined the others as they gathered around a large wooden chest. Thick strips of metal covered the lid. Similar strips of metal ran along all four sides. An iron padlock secured the chest. “You haven’t opened it yet?”

  “Nope. I’ve been chiseling away at the wall in my free time, almost every day. It wasn’t until late last night I finally gained access to this place.” Elvira rubbed her hands together. “Whatever is in here is going to be a game changer.”

  “What if it’s empty?” Carlita asked.

  “Bite your tongue.”

  “You think this is full of treasure.” Pete’s eyes twinkled mischievously.

  “Think it’s full? I know it’s full.” Elvira’s expression grew dreamy as she ran a light hand over the top.

  “Why are you showing it to us?” Carlita asked. “I would think the fewer people who know about it the better.”

  “Why would it matter who I show it to?”

  “This isn’t your property. If the city finds out, they could claim it as historical property.”

  A look of uncertainty crossed Elvira’s face. “The city can’t take this from me. Finders, keepers and all that.”

  “I tried to tell you,” Dernice shook her head. “In fact, you might already be in trouble if someone finds out you busted a hole in the wall.”

  “As soon as I move this chest out of here and make sure there’s nothing else buried in the ground, I’m gonna put this wall back together, like it never happened.”

  Carlita cast a skeptical glance at the pile of rubble nearby. “Good luck.”

  “I have a plan.” Elvira waved dismissively. “Besides, it’s not your problem.”

  “You’re right and please remember that in case you change your mind.”

  Elvira rolled her eyes before turning to Pete. “Well? What’s your expert opinion?”

  Pete kneeled next to the chest. “There are some markings on it.” He pointed to several deep carvings along the front.

  “Do you think it’s some sort of secret code?” Elvira asked.

  “No. Transporting the chest from the ship to the shore may have caused them.” He gave the padlock a firm tug. “It’s a sturdy lo
ck.”

  Carlita crept closer. “I’m surprised you haven’t opened it yet.”

  “She’s been letting the anticipation build,” Dernice explained. “She spent half of last night sitting here, staring at it.”

  “I have a plan.”

  “Uh-oh,” Carlita chuckled. “And it involves Pete?”

  “If this chest is full of treasure, I’m prepared to hire you and your crew to do some targeted exploration of the area’s coastline and the Savannah River.”

  Pete arched a brow. “You’re that confident about the contents of this chest?”

  “I am.”

  “So, I’m going to do all the work and you’ll reap the rewards.”

  “I’ll pay you for your time, every second of it, if there’s treasure in here.”

  “Let me get this straight.” Pete rubbed the stubble on his chin. “You think I might have an inkling of the general vicinity of a sunken pirate ship or ships, which would save you time and money. You could hire someone else, some other crew to dive specific sites, but it could take years, perhaps even a lifetime, to locate the general vicinity.”

  “He’s onto you, Elvira,” Dernice smirked. “I warned you that you wouldn’t be able to pull a fast one over on Pete.”

  “I want a cut, a partnership,” he said bluntly.

  “Even if I paid you handsomely?” Elvira, who was still on her knees, clasped her hands. “I’ve invested countless hours, not to mention cold, hard cash into shoring this area up so I could get to this chest.”

  “And I would invest my crew and ship for what may be a wild-goose chase.” Pete paused. “Let’s say that there is a map in here. You could hire another captain and crew.”

  “But they don’t know the area like you do.”

  “Besides, she’s already tried that route,” Dernice said. “She couldn’t find any takers. They all want a substantial deposit.”

  “Big mouth.” Elvira shot her sister a death look.

  “Which means I’m your last resort.”

  Elvira ignored the comment. “So, will you do it?”

  “I want an agreement in writing,” Pete bargained.

  “I think you’ve met your match, Elvira,” Carlita teased.

  “Clipboard please.” Elvira snapped her fingers.