The Michaela Bancroft Mysteries 1-3

by Michele Scott

  "You think that maybe the bracelet I found in the stall—which we know is a fake—is connected to this Diamante character and somehow connected to Lucia, who may have been involved with Sterling?" Michaela said.

  She filled him in about what Sheila had told her about the Sinners and Saints club and who Sterling had been with. "I think Marianne was right last night when she said that Lucia has the answers. I had to try and talk to Erin to satisfy all my theories, but this really does come down to Pepe's daughter. Lucia is looking like she's a big part of this, and now I know why she told the cops that I was screwing around with Sterling: It's because she knew that people had seen him with a blonde woman, and because I refused Sterling's advances. She might have murdered him and framed me because it was easy to do. But still, why did Lucia need to go out with the disguise?"

  "Pepe Sorvino. He wants his sweet little daughter to save her virginal self for marriage, and if he had an inkling that she's the little tramp that she is, he'd blow a gasket. I bet she was driving her brother's car the other day when she followed you. She was trying to figure out your next play."

  "Why?"

  "She's a dumb-ass kid, that's why. They do stupid things. Maybe she thought you suspected her of being involved and wanted to know what you were up to."

  "I can buy that, I guess," Michaela replied. "But Lucia is not the mastermind behind all of this. She didn't come after me in the tack shop last night. What should we do next?"

  He shook his head. "I don't know."

  "Let's backtrack. Lucia's uncle could be trading out real jewels for fakes, turning around and selling them on the black market. Where is he getting the jewels, and how is Sterling connected?" Michaela said.

  "Beats me—"

  "Wait! You know what, I think I might know who is behind all of this and why, and also why Carolyn Taber was murdered as well."

  "You do?"

  "Yes. You ready to catch a killer?"

  "Do you have to ask?"

  FORTY-ONE

  THE NEXT DAY MICHAELA, JOE, HIS COUSIN ANTHONY, and Marianne all met at Joe's house. Camden and Dwayne had agreed to watch the Pellegrino kids, which Michaela was sure would prove interesting, while they put their plan of attack into action.

  Phase one began as they pulled up to Sorvino's with Anthony driving and Marianne in the passenger seat. Michaela was in the back covered by a blanket. Joe had called to find out if Lucia would be working, and what her schedule was. He'd asked the hostess these questions under the guise that he was a friend who needed to drop something off for her.

  Joe was also in the backseat and made sure that Michaela couldn't be seen. Michaela didn't really need to be there for the plan to work, but she knew she had to be for her own sanity. She'd dragged her good friends into this and wouldn't miss it for the world. She knew that it was likely going to be through Lucia that they would catch a killer—one who had possibly framed Michaela and then attempted to kill her as well.

  They waited for Lucia to end her shift, which luckily was the lunch shift, because there was still much to be done, and the first thing they needed was to get Lucia Sorvino to cooperate with them.

  When she emerged, she headed toward the black Explorer. "You ready?" Joe asked Marianne and Anthony.

  They nodded and got out of the car. The night before, they'd all rehearsed how this was going to go down. Anthony was as eager as Marianne as they'd sat around the kitchen table.

  "With the attorney general's office, eh?" Anthony had asked. "Don't you think when she looks at my card, she might ask why it don't say nothing about being employed by the attorney general?"

  "It says attorney on it, doesn't it?" Joe said.

  "Yeah, it says tax attorney, though."

  "That's fine," Michaela said. "If she asks about it, then tell her that stealing jewels is not only considered theft, it's tax evasion."

  "She's going to deny it," Marianne added.

  "Of course she will, and that's where you come in," Joe said. "You are an undercover police officer and you're there to help her. If she goes with the two of you, then her father or brother will have to know about it."

  "I like it," Marianne replied. "Playing a cop. Cool. Do I get to carry a gun?"

  "No," Joe said. "No guns."

  Marianne had frowned.

  Now, Michaela and Joe watched as they approached Lucia. Would their plan work? They saw Lucia take Anthony's card, then look back and forth between him and Marianne. "Do you think she's buying it?" Michaela asked.

  "We'll see."

  Marianne then slipped her hand around Lucia's arm and escorted her to the minivan. "Nice move," Michaela said.

  "That's my girl," Joe replied. "I knew she could do this."

  Michaela ducked down in the backseat. Joe had moved up front, behind the wheel, and as Anthony and Marianne opened the side door to the van, Marianne got in first. and Lucia sat between her and Anthony. Joe started the car and locked the doors.

  "Who's that guy?" Lucia asked.

  "The driver," Anthony said.

  "Driver? Do I need a lawyer?"

  "I am a lawyer," Anthony said.

  "I didn't do anything wrong. I didn't," the girl protested.

  "We want to help you," Marianne said. "Here is what we know. We know that your cousin Diamante Pizzini, also known as the Pez, has been trading out valuable jewels for fake ones."

  "I don't know nothing about that," Lucia said.

  "Really?"

  It was all Michaela could do to lie in the back and stay quiet. They needed Lucia to talk. They didn't want her to know that Michaela was there—not yet.

  "Yeah, really."

  "Huh, well that's not what Diamante told the feds."

  Marianne was good at this.

  "Diamante? What do you mean, he told the feds? What did he say?"

  "He said that you're the one who gives him the real jewels and sells them direct to the jewelers."

  "That's not true! No. I don't do that. Sterling did that, not me."

  "Sterling who?" Anthony asked.

  "Taber."

  "The man who was murdered last weekend?" Marianne asked.

  "Yes. Him."

  "So he was trading your cousin real jewels, swapping them out for the fakes, but who was cashing in? Who was Sterling selling them to?" Anthony asked. Joe kept on driving and Michaela laid low.

  Lucia didn't say anything for a while.

  "Lucia, it's your word against your cousin's, and we can help you if you talk to us. We may even be able to keep your father out of this," Marianne told her.

  "And Mario, my brother? If he knew, he'd be so ashamed of me," Lucia said.

  "I think we can arrange that," Marianne said.

  "Fine, I'll tell you what I know if you promise me that my dad and brother don't need to know."

  Marianne opened her cell phone and dialed. Michaela had no idea what she was doing until she spoke into it. "Okay, Miss Sorvino has agreed to work with us. Yes. On the condition that her family is not made aware of the situation. Yes. Okay. Sure. I'll tell her. Yes, sir. Good-bye."

  "Who was that?" Lucia asked.

  "The attorney general. He says he'll do what he can for you, but he can't control what your cousin might say or do. However, I'm sure that whatever your cousin may say, you can convince your family that he's a lunatic. Especially if you have my help."

  Priceless! Michaela wanted to nominate Marianne for an Academy Award.

  And then Lucia spilled her guts.

  FORTY-TWO

  AN HOUR LATER, AFTER ANTHONY AND MARIANNE had versed Lucia on her role, they were ready to go. Michaela's back hurt from being driven all over town in such an uncomfortable position. She'd wanted to whip back the blanket covering her, jump over the backseat, and strangle the brat when she'd said that she only told the police Sterling said he was sleeping with Michaela because she was afraid that, if she didn't say something, the cops would find out about the jewelry scam.

  "I had nothing to do with his mur
der," Lucia protested. "I was scared because I knew what we were doing was wrong. Looks like the police found out anyway."

  "That's our job," Marianne said. "We think we know who murdered Sterling and why, and because it involves the jewels, it's up to you to get a taped confession. That is, if you want to stay out of jail."

  "Wait, no. I can't do that! I don't know how to do that," Lucia said.

  "So I'm going to tell you." Marianne went over everything that she and the others had concocted. "Make the call."

  "Okay," Lucia replied, sounding shaken.

  She dialed a number. "It's me. I need you to meet me at the club. Diamante called and needs us there. No, I don't know why. But you need to be there. Now. I'm on my way. I'll see you there." She hung up the phone. "The club won't be open right now, you know."

  "We know. Everything can take place outside the club. You'll be wired and we'll park around the corner."

  "Wired?"

  "There's nothing to be afraid of," Marianne said. "We do it all the time."

  "Fine, but you better not let me go to jail and you better be right about this."

  "We are."

  Michaela crossed her fingers. What if her theory was wrong? No harm, no foul, other than one irate Lucia Sorvino. It was a risk, but she figured that if they didn't take it, she might eventually wind up dead. Sterling's murderer was ruthless, and after the other night, Michaela feared that the killer still intended to see her wind up the same way.

  The car stopped. Michaela heard everyone get out. Joe helped Marianne wire Lucia. "Play by the book, Miss Sorvino. We'd hate for this to all go wrong for you. Pretty girls like you don't last long in jail," Marianne said. Oh, she was good!

  A minute later, Joe opened the back hatch. "She's around the corner."

  Michaela pulled off her blanket and blew a piece of hair out of her face. "Oh my, you are so brilliant, Marianne. I could kiss you."

  "I was good, wasn't I?" Marianne replied.

  "What about me?" Anthony asked.

  Michaela patted him on the shoulder. "Excellent, all of you."

  "Yeah, well, it ain't over yet," Joe said. "C'mon, get back in the car, let's see what we can hear."

  "Do you think she'll run?" Michaela asked.

  "No. Her family is here, and we've got her on tape now. We've got plenty of leverage on her, and my wife scared her witless. She won't run. Shh, here she is. Listen."

  "Hi."

  "What's this all about? I don't like this. Where's your car?"

  "I parked around the corner. I don't know what it's about. Diamante just wanted to see us."

  Michaela and the others exchanged looks. Joe turned up the volume on the scanner. Michaela was wondering, as she was sure they all were, if Lucia would blow it, or if Tommy would press her about where she'd parked.

  "It better be good. I had to make up some lame excuse why I had to leave work. Ed Mitchell gets a whiff of it, we may not have a jewelry store to use for this stuff. And I need this. We haven't reached our goals. Mitchell thinks I'm so dependable, that's why he likes me. If he knew I was robbing him blind…oh God." Tommy's laughter rang through the scanner.

  Michaela winced. She had no idea the man was so completely calculating and coldhearted.

  "I'm going to tell Diamante that I don't want to do this any longer," Lucia said.

  "What? Why? You're kidding. How much money have we made at this in the past few months? What, a hundred grand each? Come on. Don't be stupid. What's all this about?"

  "Sterling."

  "Honey, we've talked, and even though he's not here any longer we can still go forward with our plans. Come on, you're being ridiculous."

  "No. I'm scared," Lucia replied.

  "Why? There's nothing to be scared of. We have dreams, and this is the way to get them."

  "What about Michaela Bancroft? I followed her, you know, and she's been talking to everyone about Sterling and I don't think she did it."

  "Of course she didn't. Haven't you heard the news? The cops are saying that Sterling's sister-in-law did. We've got nothing to worry about. Michaela Bancroft won't be snooping around any longer."

  "What if she does? She might find out about the jewels."

  "She's not going with the script," Michaela whispered. "What's the deal? I thought she was only supposed to focus on Sterling."

  Marianne shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe she knows what she's doing. She better."

  "You know she found my bracelet," they heard Lucia say.

  "What?" Tommy asked. "That was your bracelet? You're an idiot."

  "What do you mean?"

  "She came into the store the other day and the other salesperson looked at it and told her it was a phony. Luckily, she told me about it. Quit worrying about her. I'll take care of Michaela."

  "What does that mean?" Lucia asked.

  Joe raised his eyebrows.

  "Nothing. You need to quit worrying so much and do what you're told. Now, where the hell is Diamante? I don't have time for this shit!"

  "I'm out. I can't do this anymore. I just can't. I'm gonna tell Diamante when he gets here. You and Sterling had dreams and I went along with all of this because you told me that you could convince Sterling to be with me and that he'd fall in love with me."

  Joe and Michaela eyed each other. "I thought so," Michaela said. "I figured there was something going on between those two. Ed Mitchell indicated it as well."

  "Shh!" Joe said. "They're still talking."

  "Oh babe, love is overrated. Plus, you and I have had some fun together. We got enough cash stored away right now to run off to some Caribbean island and have a party."

  "I don't want to party with you. I want Sterling back!"

  "That isn't going to happen. Now what the hell is wrong with you? You didn't seem all broken up about Sterling after it happened."

  "How could I be? Of course I was, but I couldn't show it. I had to think quick. I was afraid the police would think that I did it."

  "Well, you didn't."

  "Like I just told you, Sterling's sister-in-law looks like the bad guy now after killing herself. They think she hired someone to kill him. We can still make our deals, and like I said, we can go have some fun in the sun. And if that's not your thing…well, no problem, babe. I'll take my share and go have some fun. Don't be so fucking stupid!"

  "You know what scares me is that I still think there's a killer out there. What if it's Ed Mitchell? He could have found out what was going on, and he'll take each of us out one by one. Or that daughter of his."

  "Juliet? Please. The cops think it was a hired gun, and they don't go after people like us. They get paid, they do the job, and they take off." Tommy laughed. "Look, neither Ed nor Juliet had anything to do with it."

  "How do you know? I don't like this. I don't believe that Carolyn Taber hired anyone. How do I know that it's not someone we know? Maybe it's even you."

  "You are acting like a sick little bitch! You're gonna do what you're told to do because that's the way it is! We brought you in on this because we needed you to convince your cousin to work with us. After what happened with Sterling in Santa Barbara when he was a kid, Diamante wasn't too keen on working with him again, but you helped with that, and now you're the middleman since Sterling is fucking dead."

  There was a rustling noise.

  "What are you doing?" Lucia exclaimed.

  "Get in the car!"

  "No!" she screamed.

  "I said, get the hell in the car. I don't like where this is going, and I don't think Diamante is on his way. I don't know what you're up to, Lucia, but get the hell in the car and start talking because we're going for a drive."

  "No! Let go of me!"

  "I should have killed you, too. Dammit. I knew you were trouble."

  "What do you mean…ow!"

  It sounded as if Tommy was hurting her. They heard a car door slam.

  Joe cranked the engine on the minivan as Lucia screamed, "No!" again.

  They squealed ar
ound the corner. Marianne and Anthony fell on Michaela as they scrambled for seat belts.

  "Joey!" Marianne yelled.

  "Get my piece from the glove compartment," he said.

  Marianne did as he said.

  "Anthony, you know how to use a weapon?"

  "Hell no, Joe. I'm a tax attorney."

  "You're also a Pellegrino!"

  "I can use it, honey, I know how," Marianne said.

  "No, Michaela knows how to as well. I need you to drive. Here, trade."

  Michaela watched in awe as Marianne slid under Joe, who moved over to the passenger seat while keeping his hands on the wheel and foot on the gas until Marianne could take over. "You two are scaring me. You're like a regular Bonnie and Clyde," Michaela said.

  "In my bag, in the back, grab the other gun. You remember how to use it?"

  "Yes," Michaela replied. Joe had taken her to the shooting range several times over the past year after her uncle had been killed.

  Marianne spun into the parking lot as Tommy and Lucia took off in his jeep. They all heard Tommy say, "What the hell? Who is that, Lucia? Who the fuck is that?"

  "I swear I don't know. I don't!"

  "Should have never trusted you. You should've kept your questions to yourself!" Tommy screamed. "I'll kill you just like I did Sterling and that stupid sister-in-law of his!"

  "What? No!"

  "Oh my God," Michaela said. "He's spilling it all."

  "She hasn't lost the wire yet," Joe said. "This isn't good. Are you willing to use the gun, Mick?"

  "I…don't know," Michaela said.

  "No time for 'I don't know.' I think this guy plans to kill her," Joe said.

  Marianne punched the accelerator.

  "Lucia!' Tommy screamed. "Tell me! Who is following us?"

  "I don't know," she cried.

  "I'm going to kill you, Lucia, just like I did Rebecca Woodson! And frigging Sterling got all greedy on me and was gonna tell that stupid chick's family that I did it, all because he wanted all the cash from the jewels. Know what? He probably would've figured a way to have ousted you, too. He was a snake, Lucia, and you're being a moron! I'm willing to share with you and now you go and rat me out. Didn't you?"

  "No! No! Diamante did!"

  "He did kill Rebecca," Michaela said.