The Family Affair: A Made in Savannah Cozy Mystery (Made in Savannah Cozy Mysteries Series Book 9)

by Hope Callaghan

  “I got some stuff to take care of.” He chucked his daughter under the chin. “Me and your Ma will be in Atlantic City next week.” He shifted his gaze to Vinnie. “I’m sure your new husband will have the place in ship shape condition.”

  Vinnie straightened his back. “Yes, sir. You won’t be disappointed.”

  “I’m counting on it.”

  Brittney slipped her arm through her father’s and they slowly made their way to the door. “Vinnie said once the apartment renovations are finished and we get settled in, I can get a pug and name her Petunia. Petunia the pug.” Brittney giggled.

  “That sounds like a real good name.”

  Vito and Brittney exited the apartment, followed by Vinnie, Vito’s goons and Carlita. Mercedes made a move to follow, but Carlita quickly shook her head and motioned her to stay inside the apartment.

  “I’ll go get the car boss.” One of Vito’s bodyguards strode to the end of the alley where a shiny black Cadillac Escalade blocked the alley entrance.

  He climbed into the driver’s seat and then did a quick U-turn, pulling up alongside the back of the apartment building.

  Vito’s other bodyguard stepped to the rear passenger door and held it open.

  “I’ll see you later, Brit. Try to stay out of trouble.” Vito hugged his daughter tight and turned to his new son-in-law. “I see Brit is happy. Let’s keep it that way.”

  Vito didn’t wait for a reply as he slid into the back of the luxury SUV. Vito’s goon closed the door before climbing into the front passenger seat and the vehicle drove off.

  Carlita waited until they were out of sight. “That was a short visit.”

  “Daddy doesn’t stay in one place for too long. He’s a very busy man.” Brittney squeezed Vinnie’s arm. “Daddy really likes you Vin. I can’t wait for him to see our penthouse apartment when it’s done.”

  “Me either.”

  A cold wind whipped around the side of the building and Brittney shivered. “Brr. It’s chilly out here.”

  “Let’s go in.” Carlita started to follow the couple into the apartment when she heard someone holler her name. “Carlita!”

  Carlita spun on her heel and spotted Elvira motioning wildly from her doorway. “You got a minute?”

  “You guys go on ahead.” Carlita walked across the alley,while Vinnie and Brittney disappeared inside.

  “I see you got lots of company.” Elvira nodded toward the empty alley. “That was a mighty fancy SUV that just left.” She rubbed her fingers together. “We’re talking big bucks. Cadillac Escalade ESV platinum version. That baby is a cool hundred k all day.”

  “I wouldn’t know. I’ve never bought a new vehicle. Lots of people drive expensive vehicles.” Carlita turned to go.

  “Wait. That’s not what I wanted to say. It’s about the guy, the boss man.”

  Carlita raised a brow. “Boss man?”

  “Yeah, the one who was calling the shots. I think I heard his henchman call him Vito.”

  “Yes.” Carlita nodded. “His name is Vito.”

  “Yeah, well. I saw them come to the door earlier and the man, he looked very familiar. You know, like I’ve seen him somewhere.”

  “And?”

  “I have. It took me a few minutes to figure it out.” Elvira tapped her finger on the side of her head. “I never forget a face. It was last night. I saw him downtown with those two other men. I was passing by the dive, the Black Stallion over near the riverfront district, on my way to listen to Cool Bones at the Thirsty Crow. I saw them out front.”

  Elvira glanced over Carlita’s shoulder. “I thought you might like to know I saw your son, Vinnie, too.”

  Chapter 9

  “You’re telling me that last night you saw my son, Vinnie, and the other men who just left in front of the Black Stallion?”

  “Yeah.” Elvira nodded enthusiastically. “And the only reason I paid attention was because the men were talking to this other guy. Now that I think about it, he reminded me of Robert Towns, Shelby’s ex.”

  Elvira rocked back on her heels. “I did a little nosing around cuz, like I said the other day, I suspected Robert was Shelby’s ex and he was.”

  “It doesn’t mean Shelby had anything to do with her ex-husband’s death.”

  “True. All of the information I’ve been able to obtain through one of my anonymous sources who works at the PD downtown leads me to believe his murder was a hired hit. Although I also heard a completely different theory and it involves Shelby.”

  “A hit?”

  “You know,” Elvira waved her hand in the air. “A professional hit, mafia style. I thought I should warn you that those men who just left might be mafia.”

  “You have a very vivid imagination, Elvira.”

  “Maybe. Maybe not. What are the chances your son shows up for a visit, the mafia-types who just left here show up and Shelby’s ex-husband is murdered all within hours of each other? Yep, it sure doesn’t look good for Shelby, finding her ex’s body and all. I heard he was staying at the Journey’s End. You ever been by that place?”

  “Not that I can recall,” Carlita said.

  “It’s not far from the river and not in the best part of town. Had a client who was staying there while he was in town. He said it was a shady joint.”

  “I see. I hadn’t heard that tidbit of information.” Carlita glanced at her watch. “I appreciate your concern over my safety, a first for sure, and I’ll keep what you said in mind.”

  She gave Elvira a curt nod and then headed across the alley. Carlita could feel Elvira’s eyes bore into the back of her head as she made her way inside. She quickly shut the door behind her and leaned her head against it.

  Carlita remembered Vito pointedly asking Vinnie if he’d taken care of the “business matter.” Was Robert the business matter Vito was referring to?

  Had Vinnie gotten in over his head with the family? A small sharp pain pierced Carlita’s temple and she began rubbing it. If Vinnie had murdered Robert, why? Why was Robert a target?

  She remembered Shelby telling her that her ex mentioned making fast cash and that he was working on some sort of big deal. Did he owe the mob money? Was it Vito Castellini?

  Carlita was certain Vito and his men were capable of murder, but not her son, Vinnie. Her heart told her that Vinnie was not a murderer. Her mind, on the other hand, wasn’t convinced.

  She knew enough about the family to know loyalty was of utmost importance. If Vinnie’s new father-in-law wanted him to “take care of business,” Vinnie would have no choice but to do exactly that, no matter what the “business” entailed.

  She trudged up the steps, mulling over the events of the past couple of days. Carlita’s world had turned upside down. Shelby and Tony were on the outs, she’d gained a new daughter-in-law, her son was in over his head with the “family” and now she had to wonder if he was a murderer.

  Thankfully, the apartment was quiet when she stepped inside. Carlita needed time to come up with a plan on how to approach her son, to ask him if he was involved in Robert Towns’ death.

  Rambo trotted across the room and nuzzled Carlita’s hand. “Let’s go for a walk, Rambo. It will help clear my head.”

  Mercedes’ bedroom door was shut and she could hear soft music coming from inside. “Hey, Mercedes. I’m gonna take Rambo to Morrell Park,” Carlita hollered through the door.

  She heard a muffled reply and taking it for an okay; she let Rambo lead the way to the alley. He tugged on the leash to hurry them along. They rounded the corner and nearly collided with Shelby, who was coming toward them from the opposite direction.

  Both of them took a quick step back.

  “Whoops. I need to watch where I’m going.”

  “It’s okay, Shelby.” Carlita shifted Rambo’s leash to her other hand. “Are you all right? Your face is red.”

  “No. I’m so stressed out right now.”

  Carlita glanced around. “Where’s Violet?”

  “My aunt and
uncle took her back to their house. We’ve decided to stay with them after all. I needed to take care of a few things here at the apartment.”

  “Does one of those things involve trying to talk to my hard-headed son?” Carlita asked softly.

  Tears filled Shelby’s eyes and she nodded. “Yes. I was hoping I could speak with him alone.”

  “Tell you what; you take a walk with Rambo and me. I think we both could use the fresh air, and when we come back I’ll cover the pawnshop and give Tony a break so you and he can talk.”

  “You will?” Shelby brightened. “Thank you so much.”

  “Of course I will.” Carlita squeezed Shelby’s hand. “Rambo and I are on our way to Morrell Park.”

  The women fell into step. “I was thinking about your situation. You mentioned your ex, Robert, was working on some big deal.”

  “Yes,” Shelby nodded. “It had something to do with Savannah because Robert planned to move back to the area.”

  “Where exactly did you plan to meet Robert, where you found his body?”

  “It was in a small park and not far from…” Shelby’s voice trailed off.

  “Not far from?” Carlita prompted.

  “The Black Stallion Club, now that I think about it.”

  Carlita checked for traffic and tugged on Rambo’s leash as they crossed the street. “I’m no private investigator, but I suspect there’s a link between you finding Robert’s body in the park and the fact he was involved in a business transaction in the same area.”

  “I thought the same thing myself. Looking back, I wish I would’ve pressed Robert for more details on the deal he kept talking about. I figured the less I knew the better off I was.” Shelby sighed heavily. “Now look at the mess I’m in. I still don’t dare tell my aunt and uncle all of the details.”

  The women finished making their way to the park, past the Waving Girl, along the riverfront and to the ferryboat landing. The passengers finished boarding the ferry and they watched as the ferry drifted away from the dock.

  “I wonder…” Carlita’s voice trailed off.

  “Wonder what?”

  “How much time do you have?”

  “Before I’m arrested?”

  “No, I mean today. I was thinking we could head over to where you found Robert and have a look around.” The women began retracing their steps.

  “It’s awful.” Shelby rubbed the sides of her arms. “I still see Robert’s body every time I close my eyes.”

  “I’m sure you do. When we get there, point me in the right direction and you can stay with Rambo while I take a closer look.”

  The women headed up the incline to the main thoroughfare and walked along the busy road, to the other end where the touristy part of the riverfront district began.

  “I don’t think I could live this close to the riverfront district. There are too many people.”

  Shelby nodded. “I love Walton Square and wouldn’t trade it for anything.”

  “Me too,” Carlita agreed. Rambo led the way as they circled the block. “We’re running out of real estate.”

  “We’re getting close. There’s the Black Stallion Club.” Shelby pointed to a brick building with a black awning.

  The women continued walking and Shelby stopped abruptly in front of a sidewalk that led to a small park. “This is it. I found him over by those bushes.” She pointed to a row of sprawling boxwoods. “At first, I didn’t think Robert was here. When I got closer, that’s when I saw him sprawled out and face down.”

  A tear trickled down Shelby’s cheek. “It was awful. I never wanted Robert dead.”

  “I know, Shelby. I’m so sorry.” Carlita squeezed her hand. “Did the authorities find the murder weapon?”

  “No.” She shook her head. “One of the investigators said the killer could’ve easily walked to the river and tossed it in. They tested my hands for gunshot residue. They won’t find any because I didn’t shoot Robert.”

  “Did you point that out to them?”

  “Yes,” Shelby nodded. “Then they said the killer could’ve been wearing gloves and tossed them into the river, along with the murder weapon.”

  “Where exactly…did you find Robert?”

  “Over there.” Shelby pointed to a spot between two boxwoods.

  “I see.” Carlita gazed around the small park. “You stay here with Rambo and I’ll check it out.”

  Carlita handed Shelby Rambo’s leash and took a tentative step toward the bushes. The grass had been trampled, but nothing else appeared suspect.

  She circled the bushes, focusing her attention on the perimeter and then joined the young woman and Rambo. “I’m sure the investigators combed the place.”

  The women began walking up the incline.

  “Wait!” Shelby’s arm shot out. “I just remembered something Robert said.”

  Chapter 10

  Shelby pointed to the street sign. “Robert mentioned Harner Street and the reason I remember it now is it reminded me of a street I grew up on - Haymark Street.”

  Carlita studied the street sign. She shifted her gaze beyond the sign, toward the river. “It’s close to the spot where you found Robert.”

  “Let’s check it out.” Carlita and Shelby turned onto the street and walked to the corner, past a row of boarded up buildings.

  “This is it?” Shelby wrinkled her nose. “There’s nothing here but a couple of abandoned buildings.”

  The brick buildings were close together, so close Carlita could spread her arms and touch the fronts of two of them. Almost all of the windows were boarded up. One of them had a for-sale sign nailed to the plywood. “Our next step should be to try to figure out who owns these properties. If Robert mentioned them, they must be significant.”

  When the women reached the corner, they climbed the small hill until they were standing on a busy thoroughfare that ran the length of the river.

  They started to turn left, to head back to Walton Square when something caught Carlita’s eye. “The Journey’s End.”

  “Where?” Shelby’s head whipped around.

  “Over there. The news story I read mentioned Robert had been staying at a place called the Journey’s End. It looks like a B&B or maybe a hostel.” Carlita pointed at the two-story rambling Victorian house directly across the street.

  The women waited for the light to change and let Rambo lead the way to the other side.

  A white picket fence surrounded the property, giving off a warm, welcoming appearance. As they drew closer, the property showed signs of neglect.

  Stray weeds sprouted between the cracks in the sidewalk. Although the exterior of the Victorian was impressive, Carlita noticed flaking paint and spots where bare wood was clearly visible. The hostel was in desperate need of a fresh coat of paint.

  The women tentatively climbed the steps and approached the front door.

  Shelby peered through the screen. “Hello?”

  “The door is unlocked,” a gruff voice replied.

  Shelby pulled the screen door open and stepped inside while Carlita looped Rambo’s leash around the railing. “We’ll be right back.” She patted his head and then followed Shelby into a dark, cramped entryway. The smell of mothballs, mixed with Pine-Sol filled the air.

  “You gals looking for a place to stay?”

  “No.” Shelby shook her head.

  “Good. Cuz we don’t allow animals.”

  Carlita studied the thin, bearded man seated at the desk. His sharp, gray eyes met hers and crinkled in the corners as he attempted to smile. “We don’t allow solicitation neither.”

  “We’re not selling anything. Are you the proprietor?” Carlita asked.

  “I’m Finch Porter. If you’re asking if I own this fine establishment, then the answer is yes. Who’s asking?”

  “My name is Carlita Garlucci. This is my friend, Shelby. We heard Robert Towns was staying here at the Journey’s End, prior to his untimely death.”

  “The authorities have already been
here, questioning me about the man. I can’t tell you much more than what I told them. The man paid cash for his room and he told me his name was Bob Downs. He stayed here for four nights and left as quickly as he came.”

  Finch snapped his fingers. “One minute he was here, the next he was gone. That was a few days back. As I told the police, I don’t know where he went after he left here.”

  “I see,” Carlita said. “While Mr. Downs was staying here, did he have any visitors?”

  “Nope.” Finch shook his head. “Course that’s not unusual and it’s also not unusual for guests to pay in cash and use fake names, either.”

  Shelby shifted her feet. “Did Mr. Downs say or do anything that struck you as odd?”

  Finch chuckled. “Young lady, nothing strikes me as odd anymore. I get all kinds of guests staying here from all over the world and each has a story. I stopped asking questions years ago. Mr. Downs kept to himself and didn’t cause any trouble.”

  “Thank you, Mr. Finch.” Carlita turned to go. “We appreciate your time.”

  “Wait!” Finch called out. “There is one more thing. I’m not sure what this Downs fella was up to, but this is the third time someone’s been by here asking about him. First, it was the cops, then another guy and now you two.”

  Shelby lifted a brow. “Do you remember what the man looked like?”

  “Kinda short, brown hair. He was wearing jeans and a brown shirt. I couldn’t pick him out of a crowd if I tried.”

  “He was asking questions about Mr. Downs?” Carlita asked.

  “Yep.” Finch nodded. “Pretty much the exact same questions you asked.”

  Carlita reached into her purse and pulled out two twenty-dollar bills. “Thank you for your time, Mr. Porter.” She held out the cash. “If I leave my cell phone number with you, could you please give me a call if the man who stopped by here returns?”

  “You bet.” Finch took the money from Carlita and shoved it into his front pocket before handing her a pen and a notepad.

  She jotted her cell phone number on the pad and handed both back. “Thank you for your time.”