I carried the suitcase to the front door of the apartment. "There's no reason for me not to tell Mike. I won't keep any secrets from him." Although he may be keeping one from me—Okay, enough, Sal.
Josie folded her arms. "Sal, you don't really think she had anything to do with Bernardo's death, do you?"
"Gianna would never intentionally hurt anyone." A flicker of panic crossed my mind. "But what if he tried something with her? Maybe things got out of hand. I have to protect her, Jos."
We heard footsteps on the stairs, and Brian appeared. "All set to go? Is everything of value out?"
"Yes, thank you," I smiled. "No laptop or electronics. She must have taken them with her."
He watched me thoughtfully. "Thanks for being honest with me. We'll probably be doing another check later on today, though."
"Knock yourself out," I said boldly. "And Mike's going to stop by and fix the back door at some point today so no one will be able to get in."
He cleared his throat. "You might want to ask Mike when his friend the engineer is supposed to come by and check on the building."
"I think he said the day after tomorrow, but I'll find out when he gets home tonight."
A sly smile spread across Josie's face. "He may be pretty late, right?"
I stared at her in confusion. "Yes, he's working on two different jobs right now—a roof, and he just started a new project."
Josie's eyes moved from Brian then back to me, and she winked. "Guess you'll have to ask him when he comes to bed, then."
Brian's face turned crimson while I gave Josie my best murderous glare. As much as I adored her, she was the world's biggest troublemaker.
I locked the front door of the bakery. It felt like a futile effort since people could still get in through the back door, but I couldn't worry about that right now. If people wanted anything that bad, let them have at it. Perhaps I needed to separate my personal feelings from the place because deep down I was wondering if it would ever be the same again.
"Thanks for letting us in," I said to Brian.
He took the suitcase from my hands and placed it in the back of Josie's van. Then he leaned against the side of it, making it impossible for me to open the door and get inside the vehicle. "Would you like to join me for a cup of coffee?"
I glanced over at Josie, who was wearing that smug smile again. She gestured with her hand. "You should go, Sal."
God, I was going to get her for this. She got behind the wheel without another word and waited patiently.
"I don't think that's a good idea," I said honestly.
Reluctantly, Brian moved away from the door, but his eyes continued to search mine, and I was growing uncomfortable. "Sally, did you find anything upstairs to give you an idea of where Gianna might have gone?"
Man, I was the world's worst liar. I glanced over at the building then at the trees—anything except his gorgeous face and those green eyes with flecks of gold that shone brilliantly in the sunlight. "No, I didn't. How about you?"
A smile formed at the corners of his mouth. "No. But we'll be able to search her phone records. We can get a judge to grant us access to them."
I gave a sudden start. "Why would you do that?"
He gave me a sympathetic smile. "Because there's enough of a reason to label her as a suspect."
Josie's mouth opened wide in amazement.
I was furious. "You can't, Brian. You know she had nothing to do with the murder."
He reached for my hand, which I yanked away. "Sally, this wasn't my doing. Honest. I know Gianna's not guilty. I'm only doing my job."
I tried desperately to control the anger rising in my voice. "I've got to get back to my parents' house."
"Sally, wait—"
I flung open the door to the van. "Thanks again for all of your help."
As soon as I was seated, Josie drove away from the curb. I glanced into the side mirror and saw Brian still standing there, watching us.
"Do you think he bought it?" Josie asked.
I leaned my head back against the seat. "I don't care if he did. Once the police get a hold of Gianna's phone records, they'll be able to track her location. She sent me a text from wherever she is, remember? We have to get to her first."
CHAPTER TEN
Josie and I spent the rest of the day making and freezing doughs and attempting to get things into some sort of semblance of order for the bakery's grand reopening tomorrow. Since we were limited for space, there were some types of cookies we would not be able to make, unless people special ordered them. The smaller display case held less than half of what the other one in my shop had housed. I kept telling myself that working here was only a temporary situation, like having the flu or some other type of illness.
Grandma Rosa was trying to make dinner in the midst of all the confusion. My mother kept walking into the kitchen, asking my opinion on the different bikinis she was modeling and which one I thought she should wear for the pageant's bathing suit competition. When he wasn't cheering or shouting catcalls at my mother, Dad kept yelling from the living room that he was hungry, which only added to my grandmother's fury.
"If he keeps this up," Grandma Rosa growled, "he will be wearing his dinner."
It was six thirty before we had order established. I worried about leaving cookies in the mini display case overnight. "What if Dad tries to eat them?" I asked my grandmother.
She let out a harrumph. "Tell your young man to come by later and install a padlock on the case."
"That seems a little drastic, doesn't it?"
She shrugged. "If you want to have cookies for people to buy tomorrow, then drastic is the way for you to go."
After Sarah had left for the evening, Josie joined me outside and helped me position a new sign next to the mailbox. It announced that Sally's Samples was once again open for business.
Grandma Rosa wagged her finger at both of us. "You should eat. It has been a long day for both of you."
I shook my head. "There's no time. Josie and I have an errand to run. Maybe we can grab something on the way back."
"Nonsense," she said. "Both of you sit down. It is all ready."
When Grandma Rosa opened the oven door and I saw that she had made braciole, I reconsidered. Next to her cheesecake, braciole was my favorite. In my opinion, nothing quite compared to the thin slices of beef, pan fried with a filling of herbs and cheese then dipped into her rich tomato sauce. A definite comfort food ever since I had been a child. "Well, okay. But we have to hurry."
She eyed me suspiciously. "You have found your sister." It was not a question but a direct statement.
"Yes," I confessed. "I haven't told Mike yet, so please don't say anything until I have a chance to tell him. And Josie doesn't want Rob to know. He thinks she's here working late tonight."
Grandma Rosa clucked her tongue against the roof of her mouth in disapproval as she dished out braciole and spaghetti for the both of us. I took the plates into the dining room, and Grandma Rosa followed with glasses and a pitcher of her homemade raspberry iced tea. "It is not good to keep secrets in a marriage."
Josie sat down next to me. "Rob hates it when I play detective, so it's better if he doesn't find out the truth. I don't want him to get his panties in a bunch. We need to warn Gianna about what's going on before the police are all over her. That's all."
"She's my baby sister," I said with my mouth full. "I have to protect her."
Grandma Rosa frowned. "You are a good girl, cara mia. But you do not actually think Gianna was involved in that stupido's murder, do you?"
"Of course not. But she's been through so much lately." I put my fork down and stared at my grandmother in earnest. "I'm afraid for her well-being. She's been under constant stress ever since she started studying for that exam a year ago. I know she wants everyone to see her as this rough and tough lawyer, but with everything that's happened—especially Frank—I know how vulnerable she is." Heck, I had been down that road myself. At least Gianna hadn't caught
Frank cheating on her like I had with Colin, but there had been rumors circulating around town about him and a possible indiscretion.
Grandma Rosa nodded in approval. "I am not sorry the man is dead. I never wanted Gianna to defend him. He threatened people. His family, and especially that stepfather of his, gives Italians a bad name. Furniture shop my foot. Bah."
"Rosa!" We heard Mrs. Gavelli bellow from the kitchen screen door.
Grandma Rosa sighed and rose to her feet. "I must go help Nicoletta with something. I will be back soon. You two enjoy your dinner."
We were finishing up and stacking the dishes in the sink when the doorbell rang.
Josie gestured at me. "I'll hurry and wash these while you grab the door. Probably someone who thinks we're still open. We'll have to put up another sign tomorrow, directing them to come through the kitchen door. I don't want customers coming in contact with your father and his—ahem—new business venture. No offense."
"None taken." I was in full agreement with my friend. As I crossed through the living room, the mahogany coffin displayed in the center of the floor was impossible to ignore. There was even a pillow and blanket inside. I'd actually seen my father napping in it earlier. Good grief. How weird could my family get?
The house, which had always seemed enormous to me as a child, was shrinking fast. Next to the coffin and the couch was a small computer work desk with a laptop that my father had recently bought. His "office" is what he now called the living room. I wasn't sure how long Josie could survive working here before she tried to strangle my father. I knew she loved him but had no patience for his "weirdo antics" as she called them. I couldn't say I blamed her. My patience was wearing thin lately too.
A tall, distinguished-looking man in his late fifties was standing on the front porch. His black hair was slicked back behind his ears. I stared at the snappish, dark eyes underneath a wide forehead. His complexion was a shade lighter than my olive one, and he wore dress slacks with a white shirt opened at the neck, revealing an impressive-sized cross that hung from a thick gold chain. He seemed familiar, but I couldn't quite place him.
He greeted me with a cordial nod. "Sally, right?"
"That's right." I smiled. "Sorry. We're not open until tomorrow."
That drew a small chuckle out of him. "I'm not here about the bakery. I'd like to talk to you about your sister."
As I stared into the dark, calculating eyes, my palms began to sweat. I had a premonition of who this might be, and the thought unnerved me. "I'm sorry, but I didn't catch your name."
He extended his hand. "Luigi Napoli. An honor to meet you. Just as beautiful as your sister."
I knew it. Bernardo's stepfather. This couldn't be good. Reluctantly, I brushed a couple of fingers against his outstretched hand. He reached forward and grabbed mine in a tight grip. "Where's your sister, doll? I'd like to have a little chat with her."
"She's not here." I tried to stay calm. "Please let go of my hand."
He released it and laughed, opening his mouth so wide I could count the gleaming white teeth with prominent gold fillings. This was the master of the so-called Napoli Operation, as my grandmother often referred to it.
"I'm sorry about your stepson, but Gianna had nothing to do with his death."
He cocked his head to one side as he observed me. "Now that's where you're wrong, sweets. Your sister had everything to do with it."
Uneasiness stirred from within as the dark eyes continued to hold mine. I took a step backwards. "I don't know what you think she did, but I can assure you you're dead wrong."
"Ah." A deep voice behind Luigi piped in. "Nice play on words there, huh, Pop?"
I nearly jumped at the sound. Luigi stepped through the doorway and motioned to the younger man who had been standing behind him. "This is my son, Sergio."
The man, who appeared to be in his early thirties, nodded at me. Dark hair and eyes like his father's raked over me, and I suddenly longed for a cleansing shower. I had never met Sergio before, but Gianna had made reference to him once. Good looking, single, and another troublemaker. He was slim and about Mike's height but without Mike's muscular build.
Sergio's mouth turned up at the corners into a sly smile. "My. Beauty does run in the Muccio family."
I glanced uneasily in the direction of the kitchen. Josie could be heard chatting with someone on her cell phone. Grandma Rosa hadn't returned from next door yet. Mom and Dad were upstairs, probably doing things I didn't want to think about. It was silly to feel threatened here—in my parents' home—but right about now I was praying for a panic button to push.
I swallowed nervously. "Like I already said, my sister isn't here."
Luigi and Sergio walked past me and regarded the coffin in the middle of the floor with interest. "Hmm. Maybe we should have come here for Bernardo's casket, my boy."
My feet were frozen to the floor as I watched them. Having no choice, I shut the front door. They settled themselves comfortably on the couch and looked up at me expectantly. Sergio patted the cushion next to him. "Sit down. Let's talk for a while."
Nausea stirred in my stomach at a furious pace. "I-I, um, there's nothing to talk about."
He winked at me. "Sure there is."
"What's going on?" Josie's voice snapped suddenly from the hallway.
I breathed a sigh of relief. My face must have appeared terrified because she was watching me anxiously. She pointed at the Napoli clan. "Who are these two clowns?"
Luigi's smile left his face. "Who's the bombshell with the big mouth?"
Josie placed her hands on her hips and thrust her chest forward. "What did you just call me?"
"Okay." I moved forward, stepping between Josie and Luigi. "Josie, this is Luigi and Sergio Napoli. They want to talk to Gianna."
Luigi's gaze rested on my friend. "Another sister? She don't look Italian."
Josie wrinkled her nose at him. "I'm Sal's partner and friend. What do you want to talk to Gianna for? She was Bernardo's lawyer. She can't reveal any information to you."
Sergio's eyes roamed over Josie, and he grinned. "I do like a girl with attitude."
She stared back at him in amazement. "You haven't seen anything yet, buddy."
"No," he agreed. "And I want to see more."
Josie seemed momentarily flustered, and it was one of the few times I could remember when she didn't have a clever response ready.
Luigi clapped his hands. "Okay. Let's get down to business. You tell me where your sister is, and nobody's gonna get hurt."
Josie's eyes bugged out of her head. "Are you threatening us?"
Luigi raised a hand. "No one said anything about threats, doll face. We just want to talk to her."
"Why?" I asked. "Like Josie said, she can't tell you anything about his case."
"Bernardo's dead," Luigi said in a matter-of-fact tone. "So she can talk. More specifically, she can tell us where the cash is."
Josie and I glanced at each other in confusion. "What cash?" I asked.
"Sweetie," Sergio said to me. "You might be cute, but you'd make one hell of a lousy actress. It's written all over your face."
Josie folded her arms across her chest. "Please explain what you're referring to."
Luigi stuck his index finger in his mouth and then smoothed it over his mustache. I tried to keep from gagging.
"Ladies, there's no need to get hostile." He studied me for a moment. "We know your sister was the last one to see him alive. He told her where he stashed the dough. For all we know, he even gave it to her for safekeeping."
"This isn't making any sense," I said. "What cash? Gianna was his lawyer. She would never take money from him."
Luigi sighed. "You're not very wise to the ways of the world, my dear. Bernardo was in love with your sister. He was planning to leave his wife, Victoria, for her."
Josie gasped. "That's ridiculous. Gianna thought he was scum."
I elbowed her in the side, and she grunted in pain.
"Sorry," I whis
pered.
Luigi moved closer to us. I clutched Josie's arm, and we kept moving backward until we hit the living room wall.
"She didn't mean that," I whispered. "Gianna would never talk bad about her clients. Honest."
He smiled, putting his face next to mine so that the smell of sweat and Aqua Velva mixed together and infiltrated my nostrils, making it difficult to breathe normally.
"But your sister's right," he said. "Bernardo was scum. I'm not sorry he's dead. All I want to know is what he did with the freaking money. My freaking money, to be exact."
Sergio stood next to his father and winked at Josie. "How about you and I go for a drink, hot stuff?"
Josie clenched her teeth together, sucked in a deep breath, and then reached out and slapped him across the face.
Oh man. We were goners for sure now.
Sergio brought his hand to his cheek, momentarily surprised by her response. Then he laughed and elbowed his father in the side. "She's turning me on."
"Don't worry," Luigi growled. "I'll smack you around too if we don't find that money."
My internal alarm went off, and I prayed my fear did not show on the outside. "This money. How much are we talking about? Did it belong to you?"
Luigi ran a hand through his greasy-looking hair and sighed. "Yeah, it belonged to me, honey. My business funds. Bernardo stole it from me. He was planning to leave town and take your sister with him. For all we know, your sister's the one who killed him so she could have the loot all to herself."
Like an electric shock, anger surged through me. "That's ridiculous. My sister would never involve herself in something illegal like that. She is a lawyer, for God's sake, not a criminal."
"Ah." Luigi shook his head at me. "That don't mean anything. Bernardo said they were having an affair."
I shook my head vigorously. "I will never believe that."
Sergio held up a hand. "We ain't gonna hurt her. Not a sweet-looking dish like that. If she gives us the money, we'll let her go."
"And if she doesn't," Luigi gestured toward the coffin, "she's gonna be lying in one of those soon."
There was an angry grunt from the hallway, and we all turned in that direction. Grandma Rosa stood there, poised for action with a broom between her hands. She scowled at Luigi. "Why are you bothering my granddaughter and her friend?"
Burned to a Crisp (Cookies & Chance Mysteries Book 3) Page 9
