Rap. Rap. A small commotion coming from the deck door caught the women’s attention.
“It looks like Gina locked herself out on the balcony again.” Mercedes hurried to the balcony door and flipped the lock. “You got locked out again?”
“It’s your cat.” Gina stepped inside the apartment and pointed at Grayvie, who was lounging on the small table next to the door. “I watched him jump up on this table and flip the lock.”
“Grayvie has been locking you out?”
The cat flopped onto his side and yawned.
“I can’t believe he locked the door.”
“I think he’s got it in for me. Watch this.” Gina stepped onto the balcony and closed the door behind her.
Grayvie scrambled onto all fours and began swatting at the lock. Click.
After flipping the lock, he flopped back down on the table.
“That was cool,” Autumn unlocked the door. “I mean, not cool for Gina, but cool the cat is smart enough to flip the lock.”
“See? He’s doin’ it on purpose.” Gina wagged her finger at him and turned to Autumn. “You must be Autumn. I’ve heard all about you.”
Autumn shook her hand. “And you’re Gina, Paulie’s wife. Nice to meet you.”
“Same here. I better head back downstairs,” Gina said. “Paulie is probably wondering what happened to me.”
“See ya later,” Mercedes waited until Gina closed the door behind her before grabbing the Tupperware container, filled with Italian cookies and placing them on the dining room table. “You wanna Coke?”
“Sure.” Autumn eyed the container of cookies. “What are these?”
“Ma’s Italian cookies. They’re delish.” Mercedes carried two cans of Coke to the table and popped the tabs while Autumn reached inside the cookie container, and grabbed two. “I’m not sure how successful my joining the group was. I only heard your name once, in the beginning, when they told me you were part of the group. Then later, one of them mentioned you were under investigation for murder and then the romance writer, I forgot her name already...”
“Stephanie,” Mercedes prompted.
“Yeah. Stephanie said she wasn’t sure you were gonna come back.”
“I never said that,” Mercedes said. “Besides, why would they go around telling a complete stranger someone in their group was being investigated for murder?”
“That’s what the older dude said. You weren’t there to defend yourself and they changed the subject.”
“Well, at least I know Tom is on my side,” Mercedes muttered. “Nothing else was said that caught your attention?”
“Nope.” Autumn popped the last of the cookie in her mouth. “This frosting is the best. I can taste cream cheese and something else.”
“Lemon zest. Ma’s secret ingredient is lemon zest.”
“The cookies almost melt in your mouth,” Autumn said. “That reminds me. Earlier today, I was talking to my buddy who works down at the precinct. He said they’re at a standstill in Jon Luis’ murder investigation. They went through his apartment and storage unit and couldn’t find anything.”
“That’s it.” Mercedes slammed the palm of her hand on the table. “Let me go grab my phone.” She darted out of the room, returning moments later with her cell phone in hand. “Check this out.” Mercedes handed the phone to Autumn.
Autumn reached for another cookie as she studied the screen. “What am I looking at?”
“The weird looking key attached to the other key ring. I think it’s for a storage unit. Why would Jon Luis keep a storage unit key with his other keys? Most people store stuff and then put the key somewhere for safekeeping.”
Mercedes drummed her fingers on the table. “I need to find out where his storage unit is located.”
“The police already searched it,” Autumn said. “They said there was nothin’ in there but a bunch of magazines and books…” Her voice trailed off.
“Books,” Mercedes said. “We’re onto something. Text your friend and ask him if he can tell you the name of the storage unit.”
“Okay.” Autumn pulled her cell phone from her pocket and tapped the screen. “We’ll see what he says. I’m still hungry.”
“We still have some leftover pizza,” Mercedes said.
“Why didn’t you tell me that?”
Mercedes shoved her chair back and headed into the kitchen where she reached inside the fridge and pulled out a pizza box before carrying it to the dining room table. “I have no idea where you put all this food.”
Autumn lifted the lid, reached inside and grabbed a slice of pizza before taking a big bite. “All of this sleuthing is making me hungry.” Her phone beeped and she picked it up, juggling a slice of pizza in one hand and her cell phone in the other. “He said the unit was at Southern Savannah Storage over off MLK Boulevard. I know exactly where it’s at.”
“Ask him for the unit number,” Mercedes said.
Autumn shook her head. “No way. He’ll know we’re going over there and if he thinks we’re snooping around, he’ll be forced to report us and I’ll risk losing my contact.”
“Crud,” Mercedes stared out the window. “I have an idea on how to find out what unit it is and I’m sure one of my brothers, or maybe even you, can help me find a way inside.”
Chapter 13
“You want me to go with you Mercedes?” Tony asked.
“Nah.” Mercedes gazed at the entrance to the Southern Savannah Storage office and reached for the car door handle. “It’ll look less suspicious if I go in by myself. Wish me luck.”
“You got this.” Autumn leaned over the front seat and patted Mercedes’ arm. “Remember, you’re a grieving niece who wants to look through her uncle’s belongings before you head back home.”
“Got it.” Mercedes gave her brother and Autumn a thumbs-up and slid out of the car. She hurried to the front door and took a quick look back before stepping into the small lobby.
Mercedes approached the counter. “I’m hoping you can help me. My uncle, Jon Luis, recently passed. He rented a storage unit here and I was wondering if there was any way I could take a look inside the unit.”
The man eyed her suspiciously. “I don’t know who Jon Luis is, I mean, was. He’s a popular guy. First, the cops are in here searching the unit and now you.”
“I don’t mean to bother you. I’m heading home tomorrow and hoped to check it out before I leave,” she said. “What happens if the items inside the unit go unclaimed?”
“I gotta wait thirty days after the bill is unpaid to post a notice stating I plan to sell the contents to settle the debt. It won’t be happenin’ to this unit anytime soon. The renter paid a year in advance. If you got a key to the unit, I can’t stop you from lookin’ around inside. It’s a free country.”
“Well, there’s the problem,” Mercedes said. “I don’t have the key.”
“I can’t let you in,” the man bluntly said. “If you got a key, help yourself.”
“But I’m leaving town soon,” Mercedes said. “Please?”
“Sorry. Can’t do it.”
Mercedes’ hands dropped to her side and she turned to go. “I’m going to search my uncle’s place one more time tonight. Can you at least tell me what I’m looking for? Describe the key to me?”
“Sure. It’s orange, oblong and has the unit number on it.” The man paused as he tapped the keyboard in front of him. “It’s unit D62.”
“D62. I’m gonna see if I can find it.” She thanked him and exited the building.
Mercedes slid into the passenger seat and reached for her seatbelt. She could see the man watching her through the store window. “D62, but we’re gonna have to sneak back in. He’s watchin’ me like a hawk. He’s already suspicious since the cops have already been here, checkin’ out the unit.”
“No problem.” Tony backed out of the spot, drove to the exit and turned left, onto the street. “There’s a back alley over here and the fence ain’t too high. I noticed it when we drov
e by. We’ll have to find a way in. It shouldn’t be too difficult.”
“Famous last words,” Autumn said. “You got something to pick the lock on the unit?”
“Maybe,” Tony said.
“If not, I brought this.” Autumn held up a small plastic container. “I borrowed it from Steve. He has a storage unit across town. He lost his key and found this baby on the internet. Said it works like a charm and even showed me how to use it.”
“We’ll keep it as a backup,” Tony said as he eased into an empty parking spot directly behind the storage units. “This is as close as we’re gonna get. We’ll have to hoof it from here.”
The trio exited the car and approached the chain link fence that secured the perimeter of the property.
Tony shaded his eyes and gazed in both directions. “We’re gonna have to find a way in.”
They walked along the sidewalk, all the way to the corner, before turning around and retracing their steps.
When they reached the other corner, Mercedes spotted a gap in the fence. “Over there. It’ll be a tight squeeze. I’ll go first.”
Tony and Autumn tugged on the corners of the fence while Mercedes slipped through the gap. “Piece of cake.”
“You go next,” Autumn said.
“Ladies first.”
She shrugged. “Okay.”
Mercedes pushed on one side of the fence while Tony pulled. Autumn slipped through the opening and joined Mercedes on the other side.
“On the count of three, we both push our side.” Mercedes nodded at Autumn. “One, two, three.”
Tony squeezed through the opening while the women pushed on the fence. His jacket caught on a jagged piece of metal. Rip.
He tugged on the jacket and it ripped even more before he was able to pull it loose. “Great. Good thing it wasn’t my favorite jacket,” Tony added sarcastically.
After a quick inspection of the damage, Tony led the way, along the perimeter of the fence. “What unit are we lookin’ for?”
“D62,” Mercedes said. “We’re in section G. It’s probably over this way.” They strode across the back of the property, passing by a couple of cars parked in front of two end units. “We’re close now.”
When they reached the building marked “D,” they turned right and walked along the front of the large single stall units until they reached a section of smaller units.
“This is it.” Autumn knelt down to examine the lock. “Awesome. This is the exact same lock Steve has on his storage unit.”
“I’ll try first.” Tony waved Autumn to the side and knelt down to inspect the lock. “I think I’ve got the perfect tool.” He reached in his front pocket, pulled out a Swiss Army knife and extended the gutting blade. “Just a little twist here.”
Tony eased the blade inside the opening and twisted the tip. Nothing happened. “I got another blade in here.” He removed the gutting blade, snapped it back in the slot and flicked open a smaller blade, repeating the same steps. Again, nothing happened.
“Let me give it a try,” Autumn said.
“Be my guest.” Tony stepped to the side and Autumn moved closer. She popped the top of the plastic case, reached inside and pulled out a small angled piece of metal.
“Someone’s coming,” Mercedes hissed.
Bright headlights illuminated the side of the storage unit as a vehicle eased along the gravel strip of road. It slowed as it drew closer.
“I hope that’s not the storage manager,” Mercedes whispered, her heart pounding.
The trio watched as a vintage, woodgrain station wagon crept by. An elderly woman stared at them through the driver’s side window and Autumn waved as she drove by.
The vehicle stopped at the end of the row of storage buildings and the woman slowly climbed out of her car. She kept one eye on them as she hurried to the door of one of the larger units. After unlocking the unit door, the woman gave them another hard stare and then disappeared inside.
“Awesome. Now we have Nosy Nellie two doors down.” Mercedes wiped her brow. “Let’s hurry up before she comes back out.”
“I’m trying.” Autumn quickly inserted the small tool inside the keyhole and twisted. “I don’t get it. It worked like a charm on Steve’s lock.” She tried again, this time giving the tool a firm twist. “Great. It’s not working.”
“Let me try.” Mercedes held out her hand.
Autumn dropped the tool into her friend’s hand.
Mercedes dropped to her knees, so that she was eye level with the lock. She slid the tip of the tool into the lock and slowly spun it counter-clockwise. Click.
“Bingo.” The lock popped open. Mercedes handed the tool to Autumn before sliding the bar to the left. Next, she tugged on the bottom of the door. “I think it’s stuck.”
“You gotta use a little muscle.” Tony gave the door a hard tug and it rolled up.
“Thanks bro.” Mercedes’ heart sank as she peered into the murky darkness. “It looks empty.”
“I brought a flashlight with me.” Tony reached in his pocket, pulled out a small flashlight and turned it on. He shined the light around the unit. “There’s stuff in here.”
Propped against the right-hand wall was a small, one-seater kayak. Next to the kayak was a plastic paddle. In front of the kayak were several fishing boxes and an array of fishing poles.
“What are those?” Autumn pointed behind the kayak, at two long pieces of wood with a pattern etched on the front.
“They look like water skis,” Tony said. “We got a similar set for sale in the pawnshop.”
“Mr. Luis was quite the outdoorsman,” Mercedes said. “I read in one of his biographies that he worked for a couple of years as a writer for Lonely Planet publishing. It’s one of the largest travel guidebook publishers in the world. He’s traveled to some exotic locations to document his travels.”
“That’s cool,” Autumn said. “I wonder what’s over here.” She zigzagged around a maze of stacked storage boxes, to the other side of the unit. “Hey. Over here. Check this out.”
Chapter 14
Carlita studied the lock on the balcony door, flipping it back and forth while Grayvie arched his back, appearing to have only a mild interest in what Carlita was doing.
“I’m gonna have to change this lock or risk having to crawl through Rambo’s doggie door if you lock me out,” she scolded.
Grayvie lifted his tail and then leapt off the table before strutting across the wood floors and making his way into the kitchen.
“It’s a good thing I’m nearly an expert at changing locks, thanks to Elvira.” Carlita stepped over to her small dining room desk and added a patio door lock to her growing list of items she planned to purchase on her next shopping trip.
Carlita set the pen on top of the yellow pad and headed into the kitchen when she heard a soft knock on the front door. “Wonder who that is.” She peeped through the peephole and spotted Shelby standing on the other side.
Carlita swung the door open. “Hello Shelby.”
“Hello Carlita. I’m sorry to bother you.”
“You’re never a bother.”
The sound of loud voices followed by a dull thunk echoed in the hall. “Is Elvira at it again? I swear that woman can’t move out of here fast enough.”
Shelby’s eyes widened. “Elvira is moving?”
“Yes. It’s been so hectic around here; since Gina and my grandkids arrived, I haven’t had time to tell you and Cool Bones that Elvira is moving out.”
“That’s why I’m here.” Shelby clasped her hands. “I think Paulie and his wife are in the midst of a heated argument. I can hear them through the floor vents. I-I hesitate to say anything because it’s none of my business, but then I heard one of the kids crying…” Her voice trailed off.
“Ne ho fin sopra i capelli.” Carlita patted her head.
Shelby chuckled. “Did you just swear?”
“No. I said I’m sick and tired of their fighting.” Carlita stepped into the hall, closing
the door behind her. “It’s their hot-blooded Italian tempers. I’m sorry if they’re bothering you. I’ll go tell them to lower their voices.”
Shelby followed Carlita to the top of the stairs. “Violet has been asking if the kids can come over to play. If…your son and his wife need a break, you can send the kids up for a while. We’ve been playing board games and Violet would love someone besides me to play with.”
“You’re a doll.” Carlita squeezed Shelby’s arm. “I’m sure the kids would be thrilled.”
“Perfect. I’ll leave my front door open. Bring them on up,” Shelby said.
Carlita hurried down the stairs and a loud crash, followed by angry voices echoed in the hall. She rapped sharply on the outer door. “Paulie? Gina?”
The door flew open and a red-faced Gina stood on the other side. She sucked in a breath and smoothed her hair. “Yes?”
“We can hear you yellin’ and bangin’ around through the floor vents. You need to tone it down before the neighbors call the cops.”
“It wouldn’t be the first time,” Gina muttered. “Paulie and I are workin’ on ironing out some issues.”
“Iron them out or pound them into the ground?” Carlita shook her head. “Never mind. Shelby and Violet invited the kids to come upstairs and play.”
PJ peeked around his mother’s leg. “Can we go Ma?”
Gina ruffled her son’s hair. “Yeah. It’ll be a lot more fun than stayin’ inside this tiny apartment.” She took a step back. “Noel and Gracie? You wanna go play upstairs with Violet?”
“Who is Violet?” Noel skipped to the door.
“She’s Nonna’s friend,” Gina explained.
“Okay,” Noel said.
“I’ll bring them back later,” Carlita said. “In the meantime, you and Paulie work on whatever you got to, but keep it to a dull roar. We don’t need the cops on our doorstep any more than they already are.”
“Sorry Carlita.” Gina rolled her eyes. “It’s Paulie’s temper.”
“You both come by it rightfully. Vinnie and I used to fight like cats and dogs.” She smiled softly. “Eventually, we got too old to fight. It wasn’t worth it anymore.” Carlita patted her daughter-in-law’s arm. “You’ll get tired of fighting one day. In the meantime, keep the lines of communication open and you’ll be able to work it out.”
Setup in Savannah: A Made in Savannah Cozy Mystery (Made in Savannah Cozy Mysteries Series Book 7) Page 9
