Brownies, Bodies & Bad Guys

by Leighann Dobbs

  But then his heart clenched and his stomach turned to lead when he saw the color drain from her face.

  “Lexy, what’s wrong?”

  She snapped the phone shut and looked at him, alarm in her eyes.

  “We have to get to the hospital right away. Ruth’s been attacked!”

  Chapter Eleven

  Lexy’s stomach was tied in knots as she rushed down the hospital corridor in front of Jack, her mind conjuring up images of Ruth, tiny and pale, lying in a hospital bed wrapped in bandages.

  She skidded to a stop in front of the room. Where was that loud laughter coming from?

  Peeking into the room slowly so as not to disturb Ruth if she was sleeping, her eyes grew wide and her mouth dropped open.

  Ruth was propped up in the bed, but she wasn’t frail and bandaged. She was sitting in a blue dressing gown, her back supported by several pillows, her cheeks flushed with excitement and her blue eyes twinkling. Nans, Helen, Ida and Ida’s fiance, Norman were gathered around the bed. The five of them were having a grand old time laughing and talking.

  Lexy looked at Jack who simply shrugged and walked into the room.

  “Ruth! Are you okay?” Lexy made her way to the bed and gave Ruth a kiss on the cheek.

  “Oh, yes. It takes a lot more than a little crack on the noggin to put me out of commission.”

  “What happened?” Jack asked from the foot of the bed.

  Ruth leaned forward, lowering her voice. “Well, I had just gotten home from the grocery store. The last thing I remember is putting my key in the lock to my condo and BAM.” She accentuated the last word by clapping her hands together. “Someone conked me on the back of the head and I went down like a sack of potatoes.”

  Lexy exchanged worried looks with Jack. “Did you see who did it?”

  “No. They hit me from behind. But I must have been out for a while because when I woke up, I was lying on the couch and the house was a mess.”

  “They searched it?” Lexy’s steak sat like a brick in her stomach. If they had knocked out Ruth and searched her condo, would Nans be next?

  Ruth nodded.

  “How did you get to the couch?” Jack asked.

  Ruth spread her hands. “I have no idea … and the other funny thing is that my groceries were put away! Which is a good thing because I had ice cream and frozen peas in there.”

  Jack narrowed his eyes at Ruth.

  “This is good news!” Nans said. “If they are still looking for the will, and we know Ruth didn’t have it, that means whoever it was is still around and we still have a chance of catching them.”

  “Did you say they were looking for a will?”

  Brax’s voice drifted in from the doorway and everyone turned in that direction. Lexy saw Jack’s eyes narrow even further and his back stiffen.

  “Oh, hi there.” Nans craned her neck around the curtain to greet Brax as he walked further into the room.

  “I hope I’m not intruding. I heard about Ruth and wanted to make sure she was okay.” Brax winked at Ruth whose cheeks turned scarlet.

  “Seems I’m no worse for the wear,” she said.

  “Now what’s this about a will?” he asked.

  “The family said Nunzio’s latest will was missing so we assume that’s what they have been looking for.” Nans eyed Brax keenly.

  Brax rubbed his chin between his thumb and forefinger. “That could be. Or it could be something else… something more dangerous.”

  “You mean something to do with his days in organized crime?” Nans asked, looking from Brax to Jack.

  Brax glanced over at Jack. “We don’t know that for certain, but the bottom line is that you ladies shouldn’t be messing with this. I’m sure detective Perillo will agree.”

  Jack nodded. “Ruth wasn’t hurt badly this time, but next time you guys might not be so lucky.”

  Ruth laughed. “Well, I dare say the people behind this can’t be all bad. After all they did carry me to the couch and put my groceries away.”

  “Gentlemen thugs!” Helen said causing a round of giggles.

  Brax rolled his eyes at Lexy then pulled her to the other end of the room. Jack followed right behind her.

  Brax glanced over at the bed where the others had resumed their conversation.

  “Something about this seems off. Why would the family members search Ruth’s place?”

  “She was Nunzio’s girlfriend … of sorts,” Lexy said. “They probably found that out at the memorial.”

  “What do you think, Perillo?” Brax eyed Jack. From the looks the two of them were giving each other, Lexy didn’t think they liked each other very much.

  “I agree. Could be someone much more dangerous than a family member. Or the family members could be more dangerous than we thought.”

  “Yeah … I’d feel a lot better if Ruth had gotten a look at them. Then we’d have a better idea of who we were up against,” Brax said, moving in closer to Lexy. He leaned down toward her, lowering his voice, “I think you better take my advice and keep a close eye on your grandmother.”

  Jack put his arm around Lexy and she got the feeling she was the prize in some sort of invisible battle. Brax narrowed his eyes at them, his brows rising in realization as he glanced down at her engagement ring.

  “She will.” Jack answered for her. Lexy wrinkled her brow at him and pulled away. She was perfectly capable of answering for herself.

  “Yes, I certainly will,” she said, then put her hand on Brax’s upper arm. “Thanks for looking in on Ruth.”

  Brax smiled and turned to leave, giving Jack an unfriendly glare. Then his eyes softened as he aimed them at Lexy.

  “You have my number if you find anything out or need my help,” he said before turning and disappearing out the door.

  “You have his number?” Jack’s question forced Lexy’s attention away from the retreating back of the F.B.I agent.

  “Yes, he gave me his card.” she smiled up at Jack. “For the investigation.”

  Jack furrowed his brow and looked back out into the hall. Lexy wondered if he was jealous of the attention Brax was paying to her. Well, serves him right, she thought. If he can have a woman friend, then she could certainly have a man friend. She figured it wouldn’t hurt Jack one bit to see what that felt like.

  Lexy joined the crowd around Ruth’s bed.

  “Did you get anything we can use from him?” Nans asked.

  “Not really,” Lexy replied.

  “I think his presence here is a telltale sign this has something to do with organized crime, right Jack?” Helen raised her brows at Jack.

  “Not necessarily. We haven’t narrowed down all the suspects yet.”

  “Well, no matter who it is, we know they didn’t get what they were looking for from Ruth’s place so they will keep looking. I have a feeling this case is about to heat up.” Nans rubbed her hands together, a gleam of excitement in her eye.

  “Me too,” Ruth said, pushing the covers back and swinging her legs over the side of the bed. “Now get me my street clothes. We need to get out of here and start investigating before something worse happens.”

  Chapter Twelve

  “This key isn’t the right size for the bus terminal lockers or a post office box.” Nans turned the little silver key that had been in Ruth’s locket over in her hand, then looked up at the other women. “But I think it might be a good fit for the lockers in the fitness center.”

  “We could check there first,” Ida said. “But I also think we should try to get into Nunzio’s condo and see if there is a box or safe with a lock that might fit the key.”

  “Ruth, you wouldn’t happen to have a key to his place, would you?” Nans asked

  Lexy saw Ruth blush. “As a matter of fact, I do.”

  “Okay then, shall we?” Nans stood up and motioned for the others to follow.

  Helen, Ruth, Ida and Lexy all pushed themselves away from Nans’s mahogany dining table and followed her to the door. Lexy brought up
the rear, glad that she had arranged to leave Cassie in charge of the bakery for a few days so she could keep an eye on the ladies and make sure they didn’t get into too much trouble.

  The fitness center was one building over. They followed Nans down a long corridor, two flights of stairs and through the glass doors that led to the large gym that was free for all seniors who lived at the retirement center.

  Nans marched right in heading for the lockers, then stopped short, turning to face the others.

  “What’s wrong?” Ida furrowed her brow at Nans.

  “I just realized Nunzio would have used the men’s locker room,” Nans said holding the key up. “Who wants to go in?”

  The four of them raised their eyebrows and shook their heads.

  Nans narrowed her eyes at the desk which was attended by one of the trainers, a twenty-something muscle bound type who was busy frowning over a calendar.

  “I’m wondering if you can help me,” Nans said approaching the desk.

  Muscles looked up with one eyebrow cocked.

  “You see, my friend gave me this key to his locker and I need to get his belongings from there.” Lexy tried to hide her smile when she saw Nans put her free hand behind her back, her index and middle fingers crossed. “He recently passed away.”

  “Let me see.” Muscles looked at the key then frowned. “This isn’t one of ours.”

  “It’s not?” Nans furrowed her brow.

  “But if you’re friend is Nunzio Bartolli, his brother already came to get the stuff from in his locker.”

  Lexy felt her stomach sink and saw Nans’s brows knit even closer together. “He did? What did he look like?”

  “Old guy with a really long, gray beard.” Muscles illustrated his words by holding his hand at mid chest level below his chin. “His locker was empty though. Nunzio never kept stuff in it.”

  “Oh, okay. Thanks.” Nans held her hand out for the key and Muscles dropped it in her palm. She turned, raising her brows at Lexy and the others and walked toward the door.

  “I didn’t know Nunzio had a brother,” Nans whispered to Ruth as they walked back into the hall.

  “He didn’t,” Ruth answered.

  “He didn’t?” Nans narrowed her eyes glancing back at the gym. “Well then who was the guy with the long beard who wanted to look in his locker?”

  ###

  “I can’t imagine who it could be,” Ruth said as they followed the hallway out to the covered walkway that led to the detached condos.

  “Something doesn’t seem right about this.” Ida held the big glass door open for the rest of them.

  “Did any of you see an old man with a long beard at the memorial?” Helen asked

  Lexy shook her head along with everyone else.

  “Maybe Longbeard isn’t a family member? Maybe he’s a mobster,” Nans said, her face flush with excitement.

  Lexy rolled her eyes as she followed the older women along the walkway. The warm summer air felt good in contrast to the cool air conditioning inside but Lexy didn’t have long to enjoy it since she had to jog to keep up with Nans and the gang.

  “Maybe we’ve been barking up the wrong tree the whole time.” Nans reached the end of the walkway that spilled out onto a flagstone path leading to a cluster of small condos.

  “You mean the family might not have anything to do with it?” Ida asked.

  Nans nodded.

  “But why would mobsters want the will?”

  “Maybe it isn’t the will they are after.” Nans slowed as a chipmunk scurried across the walkway in front of her.

  “Ruth, think carefully. Do you remember if the person who knocked you out had a beard?” Lexy stopped and turned to look at Ruth who pursed her lips in thought.

  “No. I don’t remember anything … one minute I was taking groceries from the car the next I was waking up on my couch. The doctor said it was common to not be able to remember what happened right before a head injury.”

  “That’s right,” Helen said. “The brain has a protection mechanism that disables your conscious memory but your subconscious still knows what happened. And I can tap into that subconscious with hypnotism!”

  “That’s a great idea,” Nans said, “If Ruth got a look at them, she might be able to identify the killer.”

  Lexy remembered how Helen had hypnotized her not that long ago with much success … and also the added side effect of clucking like a chicken when she drank coffee. She hoped that side effect was worn off by now and made a mental note to look out for it the next time she had some of her favorite brew.

  “I guess this one must be Nunzio’s.” They stood in the courtyard where six detached condo’s sat in a U shape. Nans pointed to the one that had a broken strip of yellow crime scene tape hanging down from it.

  “I guess it’s okay if we go in, seeing as the crime scene tape is broken,” Helen ventured.

  Ruth stood at the door, rummaging in her purse for a key.

  “Are you going to be okay?” Nans put her hand on Ruth’s arm and Lexy felt her heart squeeze for Ruth. She had lost a close friend and going in there must be hard for her.

  “Oh I’ll be fine.” Ruth waved her off, produced the key and opened the door.

  ###

  Lexy’s heart sank as she stood in the doorway of Nunzio’s condo. The place was a mess. Couch cushions ripped open and stuffing on the floor. Cabinet doors hanging and drawers pulled out, the contents scattered about.

  “Where do we start?”

  The five of them looked around the room in silence. Finally, Nans spoke.

  “I guess we should look for a box that might take the size key we have. I’d say it would be about the size of a bread box. Ruth, Ida and Helen, look in here … Lexy and I will take the bedrooms.”

  Lexy shivered. The bedroom was where Nunzio had been shot and killed. She followed Nans down the hall, picking her way over the debris. Her gut churned as they approached the bedroom door. She peeked around the doorjamb into the room.

  She didn’t know why she’d felt so apprehensive. Nunzio’s body wasn’t there anymore and she’d certainly seen plenty of dead bodies and pools of blood. She should be used to that by now. But still, the chalk outline and dark stain on the rug gave her heart a jolt.

  Nans, on the other hand, didn’t seem fazed at all. She strode purposefully into the room, looking in the closet and sifting through the debris.

  Lexy started over by the bureau. The drawers had been pulled out and the contents lay in a heap on the floor. She poked through the pile. No box.

  Getting down on her hands and knees she looked under the bed. Nothing under there.

  Lexy noticed a fine black powder over just about every surface; the bureau, the window sills, even the lamps. Finger print dusting powder, she assumed. Looking at her hands she realized she had gotten some on her and wiped it away on her jeans. It was going to be pretty hard not to come out of the condo covered in black dust.

  Standing, she surveyed the room. Something nagged at the back of her mind. Scanning the mess for any bread box sized item her heart jerked when she realized what had been nagging at her. The fingerprint powder was smudged. Not just where she and Nans had been looking but in the other parts of the room.

  She went out into the hallway and looked into the guest room which Nunzio had setup as a den. None of them had been in this room yet, which meant the black powder should be visible in fingerprint sized swatches undisturbed. But it wasn’t.

  “Nans, I think I’ve found something,” Lexy called over her shoulder.

  “The box?”

  “No, something else. Come here.”

  Nans appeared in the doorway, her face anxious. “What?”

  “We haven’t searched in this room yet but look at the black fingerprinting powder. It’s all smudged.”

  Nans scrunched her eyes together and scanned the room.

  “So it is.” She looked at Lexy wide eyed. “That means someone was in here after the police came.

/>   Lexy nodded. “Someone who was searching for something.”

  “Which means we may be looking for two parties—the people who killed Nunzio and tossed the condo in the first place, and the people or person who came in after the police.”

  Nans headed back to the living room. “Any luck?”

  Helen, Ruth and Ida shook their heads. “Nothing.”

  “We think someone has been in here since the police … someone other than the killer.”

  The three ladies looked up at Lexy and Nans.

  “Who?” Ida asked.

  “I have no idea. Maybe the brother with the long beard?” Nans answered with a question.

  “We need to get a better handle on what it is all these people are looking for,” Helen said.

  “And find out who had the means, motive and opportunity,” Ruth added.

  “I did look into some of the things we talked about yesterday.” Helen gingerly lifted the corner of a couch cushion to look underneath.

  “What did you find?” Nans asked crossing over to the kitchen area.

  Helen leaned back on her heels, brushing the dirt from her hands. “I did find that the grandson’s all need money as does the son, Lou. That was the gentleman at the memorial who looked like a thug. Several of them do have guns registered. Gina, Lou, and another grandson, Will, who can be ruled-out since he is in the Caribbean on a treasure hunting expedition.”

  “We still don’t know what kind of gun Nunzio was killed with. Lexy, can you find that out, and get the time of death from Jack?” Nans asked.

  Lexy’s chest tightened. She hated asking Jack investigation details and he never wanted to give them up. She’d have to think of some clever way to get the information from him.

  “Sure,” she said despite her feelings.

  “And I suppose we should start looking into where all the relatives were the night of the murder. We should pay a visit to the daughter, Gina. She might be able to tell us more about the family dynamics and who would benefit from the new will,” Nans said