Annie’s eyes grew wide. “Yeah, I got something.”
Annie’s cell phone chimed. “Hang on a sec. That’s the skip tracer.” She picked up the phone. “Annie Dowton speaking. Yes. Great. What did you find?” Annie reached for her pen. “Can you repeat that?”
She started scribbling furiously on her notepad and Mercedes lunged forward as she attempted to read what Annie was writing.
“I think this is exactly what we were looking for. Go ahead and email the invoice to me along with the other piece of information linked to the Harner Street property. Thank you. I’ll be on the lookout for it.”
“I can’t stand this.” Cindy hopped out of her chair and hustled to Annie’s desk. She peeked over Annie’s shoulder to read the words her boss had jotted down.
Annie held up the scratch pad to show them the list of names. “This is the owner of East Coast Ventures, and the owner of 412 Harner Street.”
“We still have one more piece of pertinent information for you to look at before you start tossing out theories,” Annie warned. “Let me print off what I found on the Black Stallion Club.” The printer began to hum.
“I’ll grab it.” Cindy darted to the printer and pulled off the two sheets of paper. She handed them to Annie.
Annie took a quick glance at the papers. “The skip trace bill is on the bottom. Take a look at the top sheet.”
Carlita took the sheets from Annie. The print was small and she didn’t have her reading glasses, so she handed them to Mercedes. “What is this?”
Mercedes studied the sheet. “The Harner Street property is…was owned by Robert Towns.”
“There’s something else.” Annie slid a second sheet of paper in front of them. “This is the name of the owner of the Black Stallion.”
Carlita’s breath caught in her throat. “Pat,” she whispered.
“Pat Duce,” Annie confirmed.
“I think this is confirmation that we need to pay a visit to the Black Stallion,” Mercedes said.
Annie’s eyes lit. “Can I tag along?”
“Of course. I have to warn you Elvira will be with us.”
“That’s fine.” Annie waved a hand. “I can handle Elvira.”
“I’m not sure anyone can handle Elvira.”
Chapter 21
“I don’t like the looks of this place.” Carlita eyed the flashing neon sign above the entrance to the Black Stallion Club.
She turned to Annie. “You sure you don’t want to change your mind?”
“No.” Annie shook her head and swallowed hard. “This place isn’t in the best part of town, but I’m good to go.”
“This place is a dump,” Elvira said. “Keep in mind we’re not here to critique the charm and allure of the establishment.” She turned to Mercedes. “You packing heat?”
“No. I tried, but Ma pointed out if the doorman searches us or our purses and finds a weapon, they will turn us away.”
“I guess we’ll have to take our chances and keep a low profile.” Elvira squared her shoulders and marched to the front entrance.
Carlita followed Elvira, and Mercedes and Annie brought up the rear.
The doorman’s arm shot out, almost clotheslining Elvira. “Hang on.”
Elvira batted at his arm. “What seems to be the problem?”
“I need to check your ID.”
Elvira reached into her front pocket and pulled out her driver’s license. “Check my ID? I can tell you one thing, I’m over twenty-one.”
“I’m sure you are.” The man glanced at the driver’s license and handed it back. “There’s a five-dollar cover charge.”
“You charge five bucks just to walk into this dump?” Elvira gasped.
Carlita shoved her hand into her purse and pulled out her wallet. “I’ve got the money.” She handed the man a twenty-dollar bill. “There are four of us.”
The man took the twenty. “The cover charge is for the jazz band Smooth Sully and the River Rats.”
“They suck,” Elvira snarled. “Cool Bones and the Jazz Boys are ten times better.”
“No one is forcing you inside.” The man glared at Elvira and she scowled back, grumbling under her breath as she stepped out of the way.
“Let it go Elvira,” Carlita warned. “Remember, we’re not here to cause a scene.”
“Right.” Elvira led them past the bar, circled around the front of the stage and then pointed to an empty table near the back. “Over there. I’ll take the seat facing out.”
She plunked down in the chair and motioned to the others. “You’ll have to slide back so I have an unobstructed view of the patrons.”
Carlita lifted a brow, but did as Elvira said and pushed her chair back to avoid blocking her line of vision.
Annie took the seat on the other side and Mercedes wiggled into the one next to her. “What’s the plan?”
“Our first step is merely to sit back and observe, but a beer might help pass the time. Hey!” Elvira waved the server over. “I’d like to order a round of Bud Lights and my friend over there,” pointing at Carlita, “is paying.”
“Me?” Carlita gasped. “Oh no you don’t. I’ll take a Diet Coke instead.”
“Me too,” Annie nodded.
“Make it three,” Mercedes said.
“Party poopers,” Elvira scoffed. “Make that one bottle of Bud Light and don’t give me one of those nasty tin cans.”
“Coming right up.” The server turned on her heel and disappeared into the crowd.
“You’re drinking on the job?” Carlita wagged her finger at Elvira.
“It’s not like the boss is going to fire me.” Elvira chuckled at her own joke, but no one else joined in. “Oh, lighten up you guys.”
The round of drinks arrived promptly, and Carlita unwrapped her straw and stuck it in the glass. “Show Annie the pictures you took earlier, so she has a general idea of the person we may be looking for.”
Elvira set her beer down and reached in her pocket. She switched her cell phone on and then handed it to Annie, who was sitting next to her. “It’s not a clear shot.”
“This is the guy Elvira spotted lurking around outside our apartment right around the time Shelby’s apartment was ransacked. She followed him here to the Black Stallion. We’re certain it was Quinton Towns, Robert’s brother.”
Annie handed the phone back and glanced around. “Now I know why I’ve never been in here before.”
The women sipped their drinks, all of them focusing their attention on the patrons inside the bar.
After an hour passed, the band began setting up. They started to play a familiar tune, one Carlita was sure she heard Cool Bones practice in his apartment. She had to agree Cool Bones and the Jazz Boys were much better than the River Rats.
When the group started their second song, she was certain Cool Bones was better, to the point that her head was starting to pound.
Carlita glanced at her watch. “How much longer before we call it a day? I have to be home by seven-thirty.”
“Or else what? You turn into a pumpkin?” Elvira smirked. “We’re just getting started.” The server started to pass by the table. “I’ll have another Bud.” She waved her beer bottle at the woman. “That and an order of chicken wings and chips and salsa.”
“I am kinda hungry,” Annie said. “I love chicken wings.”
“That’s my girl,” Elvira nodded approvingly. “We’ll have one of each and don’t skimp on the portions.”
Carlita glanced at her almost empty glass of Diet Coke. “I might as well order another Diet Coke. I need to text Tony and Vinnie and warn them we might be a little late.”
After the server left, Carlita turned to Elvira. “When the food is gone, we’re going to head out with or without you.”
“It’s a deal.” Elvira lifted her nearly empty bottle of beer and then quickly set it back down. “Ladies, I think we just hit pay dirt.”
Chapter 22
“Over there.” Elvira nodded her head towar
d the edge of the dance floor. “That’s the guy I saw snooping around out behind your apartment. I would bet my life on it.”
“Where?” Carlita squinted her eyes and scanned the crowded barroom floor.
“At eleven o’clock, to the left of the piano and in front of the dartboard.”
The brown-haired man casually propped his elbow on the corner of the bar and surveyed the crowd. A heat crept up Carlita’s neck as he paused, his attention focused on the women at the table.
She let out a sigh of relief when he continued his study of the crowd before turning his attention to the bartender, who set a drink in front of him.
The server returned a short time later carrying a large tray. She slid the edge of the tray on the table, and transferred the drinks, the basket of wings and the chips and salsa to the table. “Can I get you anything else?”
“Nope. I think that’ll do ‘er.” Elvira reached for a small plate, scooped three wings onto it and passed the plate of food to Annie. “Ten bucks says he’s not here to listen to the band, not that I would, either. They suck.”
“Elvira,” Carlita chided. “How would you like someone to say that about you?”
Elvira dipped her wing in the blue cheese dressing and shrugged. “They do. You should read the online reviews for EC Security Services.” She bit into the wing, the hot sauce dripping down her chin.
“The reviews are mostly employee-related, so I put Dernice in charge of customer service training for our crew. They’re a hardworking bunch, although a little rough around the edges. With the right training, they’ll be polished and operating like a well-oiled machine.”
Mercedes snorted. “What kind of bad reviews?”
“For the record, you can’t believe everything you read. I’m sure some of the reviews are from my competitor, ‘Savannah Security Services.’”
Elvira took another bite of her drumette. “One fakeroo reviewer claimed they caught my employee sleeping on the job. Another said an employee left their post to grab a bite to eat.” She shook her head. “Of course they stepped out to grab some grub. I’m not running a prison camp.”
Elvira polished off her first chicken wing and reached for a tortilla chip. “Back to our investigation. I thought about stationing someone near the exit, so that if our guy takes off we can follow him to find out where he goes.”
“I hadn’t thought of that,” Carlita said. “Maybe we should’ve picked a table by the door instead.”
“Bad idea,” Elvira said. “There’s a rear exit. I noticed it when we came in. From this vantage point, I can see the front exit and the rear exit. We’ll have to hustle once we see him flying the coop, so you better chow down. I don’t want to leave good food behind.”
The server stopped at the table next door and Elvira waited until she finished taking their order. “Hey, blondie!” she hollered.
The server approached the table. “My name is Holly. What do you need?”
“She needs the check for the food and drinks.” Elvira pointed to Carlita.
“Sure.” Holly opened her notepad, ripped off a ticket and set it on the table. “I can take it up whenever you’re ready.”
Carlita picked up the bill and studied the charges. “Thirteen dollars for thirteen chicken wings? Good grief.” She fumbled in her purse, pulled out her wallet and placed her debit card on top of the bill.
“That’s only a buck a wing, not a bad price for a downtown joint.” Elvira reached for another wing. “I hate to admit it, but they’re not half bad.” She dipped her wing in the dressing again. The wing was halfway to her mouth, and she paused mid-air. “Looks like our guy has company.”
The women turned their attention to the bar and watched as another man approached the bar and squeezed in next to their target. He rapped his knuckles on the bar top and the bartender wandered over.
The new arrival nodded and shook hands with the bartender before the man reached under the bar and set a cold one on top.
“Great,” Elvira groaned. “Now I am confused.”
“That’s a first,” Mercedes joked.
Elvira shot her a dirty look and ignored the comment. “Check it out. The other guy looks a lot like Towns.”
Carlita studied the backs of the men standing at the bar. They were the same height, build and had the same hair color. From their vantage point, it was hard to tell which one was Quinton Towns.
“This meeting was no coincidence,” Elvira commented.
“How do you figure?” Annie asked.
“Body language. You gotta study the body language.” Elvira pointed at two empty barstools toward the center of the bar. “Why didn’t the guy take one of those seats? He walked to the other end for a reason.” She reached for a chip, scooped some salsa on it and shoved it into her mouth.
The newcomer turned to study the bar crowd. “There’s something about the man…the second man. He looks familiar,” Elvira said through her mouthful of food. “I know I’ve seen him before.”
“I was going to say the same thing.” Annie nibbled on the side of her chicken wing. “It could be I’ve seen him on television.”
“No.” Elvira shook her head. “I mean, maybe he’s been on television. I’ve seen him somewhere else. I never forget a face.”
“Oh. I know who he is.” Annie scooched forward. “He’s one of the Savannah city commissioners. I think his name is Pridgen something.”
“That’s it,” Elvira hissed. “His name is Emmett Pridgen. He’s been on the news lately, spearheading a large project near the riverfront. They’re trying to convert one of the old shipping yards into some sort of entertainment complex.”
“Yes, that’s right,” Annie said. “I’ve been keeping up on the story since this project could be huge for the Savannah area. There’s talk of polling county residents to see if they’re interested in introducing gaming lounges.”
“G…gaming lounges?” Carlita stuttered.
“Riverboat casinos, like they do in some of the other states. Gambling would be big business for the Savannah area. From what I’ve heard, some of the city officials are against it, claiming it would attract an unsavory crowd.”
Carlita’s head began to spin and the pieces began to fall into place. Vito Castellini’s comment to Vinnie, asking if he’d taken care of business. Vinnie taking over the casino in Atlantic City. Castellini just so happened to be in town to take care of other business.
This was exactly what Carlita was looking for…the link between bookie Robert, the wads of cash in the backpack, the Harner Street property, how Tony mentioned he thought the tunnel beneath the property Robert owned led to the river.
Was it a coincidence Robert died around the same time Vinnie and Castellini breezed into town? Elvira swore she saw Vinnie in front of the Black Stallion talking to someone. Was it Robert? Did her son meet with Robert and then kill him?
Mercedes squeezed her mother’s arm under the table. Casinos meant mafia, at least it did up north. “We need to take a picture of these men.”
“Make it look natural,” Annie sprang from the chair and grabbed Carlita’s elbow. “Where should we stand?”
Mercedes shifted to the right. “A little more that way and…perfect. Let me get one more shot.” She snapped another photo with her cell phone and slipped it back into her purse. “Not sure who the dude is behind the counter, but he and the other two are on the move.”
“They’re heading to the john.” Elvira shoved her chair back and scrambled around the table.
“Where are you going?” Mercedes asked.
“To the men’s restroom.”
“You can’t go in there,” Carlita gasped.
“Why not? I bet I can walk right in there and no one is going to stop me.”
“Unless some guy decides he doesn’t want a female standing next to him at the urinal and pops you,” Annie said.
“It’s a possibility,” Elvira shrugged.
“Not to mention, if you make a scene the bouncers are goin
g to throw us out,” Carlita pointed out.
“Don’t do it,” Mercedes warned.
“All right.” Elvira rolled her eyes. “Chillax. I’ll go hang out in the hall. Watch and learn.”
She sauntered to the back of the bar and casually leaned against the wall directly across from the restrooms. Elvira pulled her cell phone from her purse and began studying the screen.
The man now identified as Emmett Pridgen exited the bathroom. Instead of returning to the bar, he turned right and disappeared from sight.
Elvira gave the women a thumb-up and then followed Pridgen down the hall.
“Oh my gosh. She’s following him,” Annie gurgled.
“I would say I’m surprised, but I’m not,” Carlita said. “Get ready. We might have to make a quick exit.”
Thankfully, the server returned with Carlita’s card and receipt. She hastily scribbled in a generous tip and signed the bottom.
Several more men entered the hall, passed by the restroom and disappeared from sight.
“Where are they going? Where is Elvira?” Carlita’s armpits grew damp as visions of an injured Elvira filled her head.
There was a small commotion near the back hall. Elvira and two burly bouncers appeared. The bouncers began dragging Elvira across the dance floor.
“Take your hands off of me! I’m perfectly capable of exiting this disgusting dive on my own two feet!”
The men ignored Elvira’s protests and continued escorting her to the exit.
“Let’s go.” Annie, Mercedes and Carlita bolted from the table and hurried after them.
By the time they exited the club, Elvira was standing on the sidewalk. “You have no right to manhandle me like that. I ought to file a police complaint.”
One of the bodyguards took a menacing step towards her. “You entered a restricted area and were asked to leave. Since you ignored our request, we escorted you out. If you ever set foot inside the Black Stallion again, we’ll have you arrested.”
The Family Affair: A Made in Savannah Cozy Mystery (Made in Savannah Cozy Mysteries Series Book 9) Page 13
