Sliced and Toasted With Murder (A Josie Rizzo Cozy Mystery Book 2)
Page 7
"You're headed straight for my closet," he said. Josie laughed, wincing when Tony touched her bruised shoulder.
"You're hurt?" He cupped her cheek before kissing it. Brad stepped forward.
"I’m hurt too. Do I get a kiss?"
CHAPTER TWELVE
Turns out Josie and Brad had just interrupted Brian returning Danny’s name-carved knife, which Brian had used to kill his brother—and which was soon to be used on Josie. She relayed to Detective Evans Brian’s confessing to murdering Gordy, the motive being what she had already suspected.
As for the bullet that ended Brian's life…
Detective Evans questioned Josie and Brad for hours. They had nothing to say regarding Brian’s mysterious gunshot wound. Because there was nothing to say. Neither had carried a gun. Neither saw or heard a gun being fired.
Except for the strange muffled popping sound.
This troubled Evans. He had forensics comb through the whole deli. Nothing was found. The bullet hadn’t passed through any walls or windows. Just flying in the open back door and embedding itself in Brian's head.
They concluded that an anonymous good Samaritan heard Josie’s screams, stepped in, and shot Brian. It would take a few days to determine where the bullet had come from. Detective Evans stated, if the person hadn’t stepped forward to begin with, then it was likely the bullet belonged to an unregistered weapon.
That didn’t stop Josie from giving a silent thanks to her nameless hero.
When hearing of what went down at the deli, Leroy encouraged his friend, a nurse from Healthy Beginnings, to finally step forward and come clean to being paid by Brian to overdose Martha Fitzgerald with a lethal amount of sleeping pills.
Healthy Beginnings immediately shut down. Their residents moved to a friendlier living environment in JewelCove. Greenville police were now working with West Emily agents in investigating Healthy Beginning’s past accusations of foul play. Josie got wind of her twin brothers aiding the case by digging up hidden computer documents that might reveal any criminal wrong-doing. Josie was relieved her tussle with a killer wasn’t passed along to them, and which would've required her mom to show up on her welcome mat.
***
"Where are your bowls?" Tony asked, opening and slamming cabinets in her tiny kitchen. He looked gigantic in the small space.
"Down below." She pointed. "I’m short. I need them where I can easily reach." It was Monday again. Tony had insisted she take the whole day off. But nothing could stop Josie from serving up Greenville tasty dishes. Not even a sore shoulder or missing spots of hair. Though witnessing Tony becoming more and more frustrated, she eventually caved, and accepted a lunch break at her apartment. But if he had just said he was making creamy chicken enchilada soup—laced with boneless chicken breast pieces, black beans, corn, tortilla strips and chunks of tomato—in the first place, then there wouldn’t have been any arguments.
Jade was also here to keep Petey company. When Josie returned home that night from giving her statement at the station, she realized she’d forgotten to turn off the tv, and saw a marathon of jaguar documentaries was on.
Her slippers were demolished.
"Careful. It’s hot." Tony handed her a bowl. With one for himself, he settled next to her on the couch. "Actually, hand it over." He took her bowl back and it set it on the coffee table, along with his. Josie pouted, gazing longingly at the creamy soup. Tony held her hands, turning to face her. He swallowed a few times. Opening and closing his mouth. Josie furrowed her brow.
"Are you okay?" she asked.
He nodded, exhaling. "Since coming to Greenville and taking over my uncle's bistro, I thought I was entering a new realm I knew I could handle," he chuckled. "I had no clue my new beginning would start with you. And I have to admit, I'm pretty damn grateful it did." Josie glanced down at their entwined fingers.
"I care about you...deeply." His voice was husky. Josie's eyes jumped up to meet his. "In a way that I can’t go on as just looking at us being friends," he said quietly. Josie felt her cheeks and neck warm. Was this what he’d meant the other night? He wanted more?
Josie's breath hitched.
She wanted more.
"Jo, what I'm trying to say—"
She grabbed his face and crushed her lips to his. Jade and Petey barked happily. Tony's arms wrapped around her. Petey tugged on Tony's pant leg, while Jade hopped onto the couch and pressed her warm nose into Josie's ear.
"Amazing," Tony said against her mouth. She smiled and nodded. They sat smiling like a couple of drunken sailors, gazing at one another. Tony softly kissed her nose, cheek, neck...
Her stomach growled.
"I know what that means," Tony laughed, handing back her bowl. He cursed. "I forgot spoons."
"I'll get them." She couldn't contain her smile. Or the excitement that surged through her veins. She opened the skinny drawer containing the silverware.
"Uhh, Jo?" Tony called, sounding alarmed. She rushed back into the living room. Petey sat between where she stood and Tony sat. He yipped, wagging his chubby tail. Practically grinning.
"Petey just coughed this up on my shoe," in the middle of Tony's palm, he held a damp lump of mush.
It was the missing lady bug.
"PETEY!"
***
Later that evening, before washing up for bed, Josie reluctantly got off the phone with Tony—reassuring him that she had enough painkiller pills for her shoulder, and agreeing to make plans to have an early breakfast at Sweeney’s café before work.
She sat on her bed, laptop in hand, she began checking her e-mails. Petey snored beside her.
(1) New Message
It was from the food magazine, Forks & Knives—the monthly newsletter she’d subscribed to, a while back.
Submissions Needed!
We’re looking for new aspiring writers and photographers to be a part of the Forks & Knives magazine family!
What we need:
Enter your name and address in the form below
Attach any past works you want us to look at. (Photos may also be included)
Hit that submit button and you’re done!
-Submissions close exactly ONE week from when this e-mail is sent.
If we like what we see, we’ll contact those who’ve tickled our tastes buds in the next TWO weeks.
Good luck and stay hungry!
Petey awoke and licked Josie’s hand that hovered over the keyboard. Her eyes glued to the screen. A moment like this was what she was waiting for. A chance for her dream to become reality.
“Put on the coffee, bud. We’ve got work to do.”
***
EPILOGUE
Mike Santino sucked in a deep drag of his cigar, exhaling in the direction of his trusted aid and longtime friend, Vinny Larkins.
"Did anyone see you?" Mike asked.
Vinny snorted. Only he was allowed to get away with doing that in front of Mike. Anyone one else would end up losing his thumbs.
"Course not," Vinny leaned back in his chair, propping a leg over his knee. "I used a silencer." he said.
Mike nodded, crushing the cigar in a crystal ash tray.
"It was damn lucky you sent me out to check on your son that night," Vinny went on. Several times a week, Vinny—specifically Vinny, since Mike trusted him the most—rode through Greenville and checked that all was well with Tony. Vinny had been on his way out, driving past Danny’s Deli, when he heard a scream. It was of the utmost importance that he remain unseen and not reveal himself—no matter if it involved anyone being in danger. But in this case, Vinny had to step in when he saw the short brunette whom Mike had mentioned before being dragged by a man holding a knife.
In the shadows in the back alley, Vinny attached the sound-suppressing device to his own firearm. Standing in the darkened back doorway, he waited for the man who cried like a damn baby—holding his jewels—to be still enough.
Vinny then pointed and fired.
The short brunette? Jos
ie Rizzo.
Vinny only knew she was a close friend to his boss's son and was under Santino's protection.
Vinny hesitated before saying, "I understand Ms. Rizzo is valuable to your son." he cleared his throat. "But what is she to you, sir?" Mike rubbed his chin, watching Vinny closely, thinking it was time to explain.
"She's the key."
About the Author
J R Pearson loves family movie nights, home-cooked meals, and reading cozy mystery books.