Cupcakes, Butterflies & Dead Guys (Gianna Mancini Mysteries Book 3)

by Jennifer Fischetto

  Ma sets her fork down with a bang. Everyone flinches and looks her way. "I know I can be controlling at times."

  Whoa, where is this coming from? I glance to my siblings, who each look equally shocked.

  "But I do it out of love."

  "We know," Izzie says with a frown.

  Ma takes a cleansing breath. "Good. And everyone should live the life they choose."

  Oh, this is about Aunt Stella. Ma's finally seeing it from her dead sister's point-of-view. Too bad she's a couple of decades too late to speak to her directly.

  Ma looks to me, and I shake my head again. It would've been nice for Aunt Stella to hear Ma's speech.

  "Now what's going on with everyone? Someone talk because this silence is giving me agita," Ma says.

  Alice goes on to share how she's going to be in her school's rendition of Grease in the spring. She'll be playing Jan, one of the Pink Ladies. She grins like the Cheshire cat as we congratulate her and drown her in praise.

  This lifts the mood considerably, and everyone loosens up.

  I remember my news and hope it's a good time to tell it. Not that I actually forgot about my new job. It sat behind last night's dinner, the coffee table photos, and my suspicion that Julian is involved in all of this. But I shouldn't wait to tell them. I need to give my parents some notice before quitting.

  "I got a new job," I say.

  Ma and Pop stop eating and stare at me. Maybe I should've told them privately?

  I explain about Valentina and how I already helped with two events. "She offered me a permanent job yesterday."

  The folks grin but look sad too, especially Pop. I know he's happy for me, but he's probably sad I won't be there every day with him also. I'll have to make a point of coming down and visiting him at the deli and here at the house too.

  Cheers circle the table again. Julian looks sad as well. I can't imagine why he feels that way.

  "We'll have to hire someone new," Ma says.

  "I can do it," says Alice.

  Everyone stops chatting and stares at her.

  "You're barely fourteen," Izzie says.

  Alice scrunches up her nose at the 'barely' comment. We recently celebrated her birthday a few weeks ago. "You used to help out when you were a kid."

  "Because they made us," Izzie whispers, but we all hear her.

  Enzo and I exchange knowing glances.

  "Well, I want to," Alice says with enthusiasm.

  "You'll have to wait a few years legally," Pop says. "But don't worry, we have a spot for you."

  Alice giggles. Wonder how long she'll enjoy cleaning up the way Ma prefers it.

  After dinner, I grab Enzo and pull him aside. I pull out my phone and show him the shower photos. Michael sent them to me by the time I got home last night, with a quick note of Thanks for dinner. Let's do it again. I ignored the message when I replied my thanks.

  I explain to Enzo what I remember of the room the night I found Raina and how it looked the night I went over and spoke with Kelly and her mother-in-law.

  He gives me a look. "You really enjoy this sleuthing, huh?"

  A smile creeps up onto my face. I hate admitting it's true because I feel like a troll looking for murder. But there's such a rush of adrenaline.

  I guess the look on my face says it all because he chuckles. "Maybe you should've been a cop too."

  I wince. "Oh gosh, no. Those uniforms are hideous."

  He rolls his eyes and holds my phone closer to his face. "There could be an explanation for it all."

  "Maybe."

  "You want me to get the crime scene photos for a comparison."

  I love that he knows me so well.

  "You're thinking someone staged how she was found?" Enzo asks. "Or cleaned up after?"

  My stomach tightens again. I wish this possibility didn't leave me feeling like crap.

  Enzo doesn't wait for me to reply. He asks, "Who would do that?"

  I can only think of one person. I stare at Julian as he talks to Ma.

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  I leave Ma's and head home. Izzie had brought my movies with her, so tonight feels like the perfect time to re-watch them. I decide to watch them in reverse this time. Raina's latest one first. I'm starting Bloody Mary: The Resurrection when Aunt Stella pops in. Alone.

  I pause the DVD. "Ma gave a mini speech today thinking you were there."

  Aunt Stella raises her brows and sits on the other end of the couch. "Oh?"

  "She apologized for being controlling and not letting others choose their own lives."

  Aunt Stella tilts her head back. She's practically pointing her chin at me. "Interesting. But I wasn't there, so I didn't hear anything."

  I don't defend Ma's actions. It was great that she said it, but she really needs to have a one-on-one with her sister. Through me, of course. I guess that makes it a one-on-two?

  "Why are you here and not making out with Freezer Dude?" I ask.

  Her brows move closer together. "Why do you call him that?"

  I softly giggle. She doesn't know the story, and I guess it sounds weird if you don't. "When I first saw him, I had died. The next time I saw him, he was walking out through the freezer wall. I didn't know his name at first. It stuck."

  She nods and looks off. "Any idea why the freezer is the portal to the other side?"

  I slap my thigh. "No, I was hoping you could tell me."

  No matter how many ghosts I speak to, none can tell me why the deli freezer is the portal. This is getting frustrating. "Do you see anything different about it now that you're dead?"

  Aunt Stella was still alive when Pop started the deli. I'm sure she was in the kitchen plenty of times back then.

  "Stainless steel, big, cold. It looks sleeker than I remember."

  I smirk. "Pop had to replace it after Freezer Dude came through. It started leaking."

  Aunt Stella bursts into laughter. "Leave it to my man to bust it up."

  I giggle at her word choice.

  "So no differences with the freezer?" I ask, wanting to keep the conversation on track and not get into her relationship with Freezer Dude. As happy as I am for my aunt, I do not want deadly-deed details.

  "There is a slight pungent odor, but that could be that your mother hasn't cleaned well enough."

  I cock my head and raise a brow. Aunt Stella knows that's not true. She's still trying to get in a dig.

  "But no, nothing stands out," she says, ignoring my expression.

  Darn.

  I doubt I'll ever figure it out. I glance to the TV and then back to my aunt. Before I continue my movie fest and since we're alone, this is the perfect time to ask her something that's been on my mind.

  "What are your plans?" I ask.

  "What do you mean?"

  "Are you going back to Connecticut when Aunt Angela leaves? She said she'll be going back in a few days."

  Aunt Stella stands and floats around. "I don't know my plans. Mitchell and I haven't discussed it yet. You can't wait to get rid of me, huh?" She smiles.

  "No. I'm just curious." Truth be told, I don't want her to go. I'm starting to love having her here. "Any chance the two of you will be moving on, like to the other side?"

  Aunt Stella shrugs.

  She doesn't want to talk about it. I don't blame her. I don't want to think about it.

  "You never said why you stopped by."

  She comes back to the couch and sits. "I wanted to see my niece. Thank you for helping Mitchell with his daughter."

  "I'm glad she finally listened. Is he okay?" I can't believe I'm asking, but if I've learned anything this past week, it's that people are more than what they show on the surface.

  "Yes, much better. What are you doing now?"

  "Watching Bloody Mary: The Resurrection."

  Her eyes widen. "Is that the one where the witch leaves the mirror and slices open that girl who keeps screaming? Let's watch this."

  I chuckle and press the play button. A night with my aunt s
ounds perfect. I should try to get a good scare in with Aunt Stella. She'd be amazing at it, and I haven't scared Enzo in a while.

  * * *

  Aunt Stella disappeared sometime during the night. I fell asleep on the sofa right before Bloody Mary: The Resurrection ended. I wake up with sunlight blaring through my windows. I roll over, stiff and achy, and force myself to get up. I'll have to watch the next two movies tonight.

  I go to my shift at the deli and then run over to Vargas Events. I don't want to leave my folks high and dry, and Mondays can be busy. Valentina is excited to see me. I fill out all of the necessary employee documents, and we chat about the events she has coming up. Sounds like after this week I'm going to be super busy with more engagement parties, a wedding, and an over-the-top sweet sixteen. The hours are usually full-time. They change with the season, and my paychecks will be sweet. Hello, new boots, new Coach bag, and glorious, sparkly copper eye shadow from Colourpop—an online, totally affordable makeup site with the best, most vivid colors.

  When I'm leaving Vargas Events, Enzo calls.

  I unlock my car door. "Hey, what's up?"

  "I have the photos. Can you come over?"

  "You bet. Are you home?" I glance at the time. It's after four. He should be.

  "Yeah."

  "I'm on my way."

  When I get to Enzo's house, I park on the street directly in front. He lives in a quiet neighborhood. Any time I've ever visited, it's been silent. Even when I see others coming and going, the only sounds are traffic with the occasional dog. I bet my brother and I are the loudest people on the block. It's not like we throw parties when I come over, but we have a habit of scaring one another. Nothing like a good scream to get the blood pumping.

  Now would be a perfect time to get one done, but I doubt I'll get a chance. Enzo knows I'm on my way. There's no way I can sneak inside without him unlocking the door. He doesn't leave the door unlocked anymore, which is fine by me. There are too many crazies in this world. This was easier when he lived at home. I still have a key to Ma and Pop's.

  I open my car door and then click it shut. I don't want to pass an opportunity, though. I don't know if it'll work, but I shut my eyes and concentrate on Aunt Stella. I don't have a connection with her the way I do Freezer Dude. Maybe I can call him, and she'll follow?

  Before I try though, she appears in my passenger seat.

  "You rang?" she asks.

  I widen my eyes and my mouth. "Holy cannoli. It worked. You came. How did you know I was thinking of you?"

  She shrugs. "I heard you. Like a voice in my head."

  Interesting. "And how did you know where I was?"

  She thinks for a second and says, "I thought of you, and here I am. It's not rocket science when you're dead, dear."

  I chuckle. "I guess not. Okay, do you want to have some fun?"

  Her eyes light up. "What do you want to do?"

  I explain how I can only gain access by Enzo opening the door. "But you can get in whenever you want, and you can do things I can't."

  She smiles and starts to drift out of the passenger side door. "Follow my lead."

  Before I get to ask what she's going to do, she's up the walkway and pushes herself through Enzo's front door.

  I scramble out of my car and knock on his door. Footsteps sound across his house.

  The door opens, and he looks quite comfortable in a pair of gray sweatpants, black slippers, and a blue sweatshirt. He steps back. "Come in."

  Aunt Stella is standing behind him. I try to not smile.

  He rubs his arms. "Is it cold in here?"

  I dig my nails into my palms to keep myself from smirking. "No, it feels fine to me."

  I'm gonna have to keep from talking so he doesn't see the condensation billowing from my mouth. I'm used to ghostly cold.

  I shut the door behind me and slowly walk to the living room. I don't know what Aunt Stella is going to do. I don't want to ruin her plan. Wish she told me what it entails. The television is on low, and there's an open bottle of beer beside Enzo's open laptop on the coffee table. He sits on one end of the couch, and I take the other.

  I plop my purse on the floor beside me, kick off my boots, and pulled my feet up under me. I glance behind me and no longer see Aunt Stella. Did she ditch me or is she up to something? Hopefully she's devising a super, mega plan and didn't get called away by Freezer Dude.

  "What did you find?" I ask.

  Enzo pulls the laptop onto his legs. "I found the crime scene photos and took pictures of them on my phone. Then I uploaded them to my computer. Give me your phone, and I'll do the same."

  I pull mine out of my purse and hand it to him, excited for the comparison. "From what you remember, are the differences obvious?"

  He nods. "Yes. But I'm not sure how obvious they are if you're not looking for it."

  I bet that's exactly what the person who ditched the table expected. Now that I think of it, Kelly and Warren have to be in on this, no? It's their house. They'd know if a new coffee table suddenly appeared. Which one had a hand in this, or was it both of them? A husband and wife duo. Why, though? Kelly and Raina were arguing at the shower. It's feasible that siblings have issues. I wouldn't kill any of mine, but they have definitely made me angry. Did Warren have a reason to hurt Raina?

  He was with clients that night. Kelly was at the movies. That seems like a convenient alibi. The theatre may have been busy. Would it be weird if no one remembered her? Perhaps since she's Raina's twin, but she could say she wore a hat or a scarf. Warren's, however, should be easier to check out.

  "Hey, can you check into Warren Monroe's alibi? He said he was at dinner with clients."

  Enzo glances at me. "I can't investigate it. It would look suspicious if I did that. I'm only a beat cop. But I might be able to find out if Detective Sanchez questioned clients."

  I nod. That's better than nothing. My only other option is to ask Julian to look into it, and I'm not sure if he will.

  The worst part of this situation is I can't simply ask Julian if he was a part of this. I mean, I can ask, but he can't tell me the truth, and if I do ask and he says no, I'll wonder if he's lying. We can't live like that. I'm not sure I can live with the nagging suspicions either though. I need to learn how to let it go, or I need to let him go. I don't know if I can go through with either of those choices.

  Enzo completes his task and turns the computer towards me at an angle. "These are the photos Michael gave you." He swipes his fingers across the trackpad. "And these are the ones the police took."

  I take the laptop from him and lean it on my chest, super close to my face. That's one of the good things about big boobs. They can function as a temporary table. I swipe back and forth between the two sets. Like Enzo said, the differences are only noticeable if you know what you're looking for.

  There is no coffee table in the police photos, like I suspected. There is also no area rug, just the hardwood floor.

  "Something happened to that table," I say and hand Enzo back his computer.

  "Yes, but we can't conclude its disappearance is due to foul play."

  "You can't conclude that because you're the police and have to be fair and all of that legal stuff. I can conclude whatever I want."

  He tosses a smirk my way and concentrates on the photos. "Unfortunately your conclusions won't hold up in court."

  They will if I get irrefutable proof of what happened that night. I knew my instincts were right. There's more than just an accident at play, and if I can't find answers through my cop brother or my boyfriend, I'll find them on my own. Between Michael, Kelly, Wilma, and even Warren to a degree, I have both feet firmly planted inside the inner circle. I just have to find the missing pieces to the puzzle. I'm sure they're out there. I haven't a clue where else to look though.

  When I'm ready to leave, I grab my purse and stand up. Enzo promises to get in touch as soon as he looks into Warren's alibi. I nod and take baby steps toward his door in case Aunt Stella pops back in. I
'm hugely disappointed she's disappeared on me. What a perfect opportunity for a scare. Enzo wouldn't see it coming since I'm a foot in front of him.

  He doesn't comment on my turtle-like pace out of the living room.

  When I hit the foyer, I spot Aunt Stella from the corner of my eye. I suck in a breath and try to not react, but, man, I'm suddenly thrilled. I want to bounce on the balls of my feet and squeal. She didn't leave me. She's up to something. I almost laugh manically.

  "Did you forget something?" Enzo asks.

  Shoot. Don't give it away, Gianna.

  I shake my head and reach for his doorknob. "Nope, just tired."

  He nods like he understands. I'm sure he does.

  I grip the cold metal and hear a rattle. I push my shoulders up to my ears, tightening all of my muscles so I don't visibly react.

  Enzo sucks in a breath. That tells me he heard it too. I turn to him. His eyes are wide. He's staring past us, down the hall toward the bedrooms and bath.

  I look over my shoulder and don't see anything. "What's wrong?"

  He frowns. "Did you hear something?"

  "I heard you gasp." Not admitting to hearing the rattle is not a lie. Oh crap, I sound like Julian now. I push him out of my mind, wanting to relish in whatever our aunt has planned.

  He takes two steps forward and then glances into the living room. I'm assuming he's considering grabbing his gun. When home, he keeps his police-issued weapon in a safe.

  I don't want him to shoot his wall or me accidentally, so I say, "You've been home for a while, right? I doubt it's a person."

  "Yeah," he says but sounds distracted. Instead of getting his gun, he walks toward the back of his house.

  Like a nosy little sister, I follow closely.

  When he turns the corner, he stops short. One of his police uniform shirts lies on the beige rung. Well, not exactly.

  It probably looks that way to him, but I can clearly see that Aunt Stella is wearing the shirt. She put it on over her canary yellow bathrobe. I have no idea how she did it, and I don't care because I'm having too much fun. It isn't exactly flat on the rug, like a discarded shirt would be, because she's in it. I'm not sure if Enzo notices that.