“Of course.” Carlita led the way down the stairs and held the door for the detective. After he left, she made a beeline for the pawnshop, which had just opened for business.
Tony was inside and helping a customer. Not wanting to disturb him, she returned to the apartment. Mercedes was waiting for her in the upstairs hallway.
“I’m guessing it was Ricco and Luigi that Autumn saw patrolling the neighborhood last night,” Mercedes said in a low voice.
“I’m sure it was. Thank goodness Angelica is the only one who knows about Ricco and Luigi, and she’s on her way out.” Carlita glanced at Autumn’s closed door. “We need to keep them out of sight. Did you mention them to her?”
“No. I’m pretty sure I didn’t, and she was at work when they got here.”
“Involving Brittney’s bodyguards could bring us a whole heap of trouble. I don’t believe they were involved in Davis Rutger’s death.”
“Davis Rutger?” Mercedes’ jaw dropped. “He’s dead?”
“Yes, and I’m not sure how much the authorities want the public to know about the identity of the victim.”
“The ringleader of the Savannah Six is dead.”
“Dead with his body found directly across the street and only feet away from where the trolley incident happened less than twenty-four hours ago,” Carlita consulted her watch. “It’s only a matter of time before Reese shows up on the detective’s radar. I need to give her a heads up.”
Mercedes promised her mother she wouldn’t discuss finding Rutger’s body, Brittney or her bodyguards, and then Carlita headed home to call her friend. The call went to voice mail, so she left a brief message, asking her to call when she had a chance.
She set the phone on the counter and slowly made her way to the balcony doors. Rutger’s killer had been nearby sometime between late last night and early this morning. Had Rutger and his band of thugs been in the neighborhood, breaking into area businesses?
Concerned the Savannah Six may have been messing around, Carlita ran next door to Ravello’s. Although Tony, Shelby and Shelby’s daughter, Violet, lived above the restaurant, it was possible someone could have broken in without being seen or heard.
She checked the perimeter and then the inside of the restaurant. All was in order much to Carlita’s relief. After confirming the property was secure, she returned home to check the surveillance video footage.
Tony installed cameras around the pawnshop and apartment building when they first moved in. After Ravello’s renovations had been completed, Carlita hired Elvira’s EC Security Services company to install cameras in and around the restaurant.
She clicked on the surveillance icon and recent footage. Her heart sank as she caught a glimpse of the grainy images of Luigi and Ricco. Not once or even twice, but several times during the previous evening, the duo had patrolled the area.
Carlita played it a second time, and a disturbing thought occurred to her…if her camera had caught Luigi and Ricco, surely other area business surveillance cameras had caught them too.
It was only a matter of time before Polivich showed up on her doorstep to check her surveillance videos, as well.
She mentally ticked off the list of nearby businesses. Steve Winter’s tattoo shop, Shades of Ink, used surveillance cameras. She quickly crossed him off the list. Steve’s shop was too far away.
Stu and Jan Fischer’s “A Scoop in Time” ice cream shop was up next. As far as she could recall, the shop didn’t have cameras. There was also John Alder’s former property, recently purchased but still vacant. Carlita left a question mark next to the property.
Last, but not least, was Riverfront Real Estate, Annie Dowton’s office. Annie’s real estate office was a virtual fortress after Elvira convinced the woman she needed heavy-duty protection and had installed cameras on nearly every corner, including at least one with a bird’s-eye view of the trolley stop and a partial view of the vacant lot.
She scrambled out of her chair, darting to the back bedroom to see if Brittney was up. The door was still closed, so she jotted a quick note and left it on the counter before hurrying out of the apartment.
Carlita jogged to the end of the alley. Annie’s car was parked out front, and she could see someone moving around. She gave the door a quick knock and stepped inside.
Annie, who was seated at her desk, smiled when she spotted her friend. “Hey, Carlita. I’ve been thinking about you lately, wondering how business is.”
“Not bad.”
“Have a seat.” Annie motioned to an empty chair.
“The new tourist attraction, Spooky Eats & Inns, has been bringing in new business, plus fall seems to be a busier time.”
“Cooler weather,” Annie nodded. “The real estate market is hot right now. I’ve been writing up contracts left and right.”
“That’s good news.” Carlita sank into the chair. “My daughter-in-law, Brittney, is staying for a few days…maybe longer.”
“How is your short-term tenant working out?”
“She’s not. In fact, she should be moving out this morning. Which reminds me - I’m meeting her this morning to return her deposit and collect the keys.”
“You have the worst luck with tenants,” Annie laughed.
“First Elvira and now Angelica, although Cool Bones and Sam Ivey make up for them. Autumn Winter is a good fit.” Carlita shifted in her seat. “I’m sure you’ve heard about the Savannah Six.”
“Heard about them?” Annie rolled her eyes. “That’s all anyone is talking about, and now the ringleader is dead. I can’t believe Tony and Rambo found his body across the street. Detective Polivich left a few minutes ago. He was in here checking out my surveillance camera footage. I never thought I would say this, but I’m glad Elvira talked me into installing them.”
Carlita’s heart plummeted. “They caught something on camera?”
“Two suspicious men. Polivich thinks they may be involved in the murder, so he’s setting up some extra patrols.”
Carlita’s breath caught in her throat. “He is?”
“Yep.” Annie nodded. “I feel a whole lot safer knowing we’ll have extra patrols around here until the killer or killers are caught. That’s the problem with vacant lots…they bring the riff-raff.”
“And apparently killers. Do you mind if I take a look at the footage?”
“Of course not. Maybe you’ve seen them hanging around since you live across the street.”
“You have no idea,” Carlita muttered.
“I’m sure Polivich will be by to ask about your cameras, as well.” Annie reached for her mouse. “I still have it pulled up.”
Carlita scooched around the side of the desk and next to Annie. She stared at the grainy screen. Moments later, the shadowy images of Luigi and Ricco emerged from the alley.
The men stayed close to the side of the building, peering around the corner before strolling onto the sidewalk. Luigi kept one hand tucked inside his jacket as he walked, and Carlita could only guess he was keeping his semi-automatic close at hand.
Ricco was the lookout, his head turning from side to side as he studied their surroundings.
“You can see they’re almost aware there are surveillance cameras. If you study their body language, they’re keeping their heads down trying to hide their faces.”
They stepped out of the camera range, and Annie paused the video. “They show up again a short time later, returning from the opposite direction. They walked past the alley like they were heading somewhere else.”
Carlita let out a sigh of relief. At least it looked as if they weren’t hanging around her alley. “Is that the last of it?”
“Yep.” Annie clicked out of the screen.
“Thanks…thanks for the heads up,” Carlita quickly changed the subject. “I’m hosting a fall bash at the restaurant and would love for you to join us.”
“A party? It sounds like fun.”
“It’s the Saturday after Halloween, but I’ll be sending out invitati
ons. I better get going. I’m sure Brittney is awake by now.”
Annie accompanied Carlita to the door. “Polivich was asking questions about Reese…how well I knew her, if there had ever been any trolley incidents I could recall.”
“Polivich thinks she may have been responsible for Rutger’s death?”
“I got the impression she’s a suspect. I mean, she got into it with him yesterday morning and then his body was found right near her stop.” Annie followed Carlita outside. “I’m sure he’ll clear her soon enough. Rutger had more than his share of enemies. Any number of people had a motive to take him out.”
Carlita thanked Annie for the information and reminded her friend about the upcoming party before heading home. She was almost to the back door when a movement from across the alley caught her eye.
It was Dernice. “Hey, Carlita. You got a minute?”
“Sure.” Carlita changed direction and joined Dernice. “Is Elvira feeling better?”
“No. I’m worried about her.”
“Maybe you should take her to the hospital,” Carlita suggested.
“She won’t listen to me. I was hoping maybe you could talk some sense into her.”
“Isn’t she contagious?” Carlita asked. “I thought you said she had some sort of plague.”
“I lied. Elvira made me promise not to tell anyone.”
“Tell anyone what?”
“I…” Dernice’s lower lip trembled, and she looked as if she was going to burst into tears.
Carlita reached out and grasped her arm. “What’s going on?”
“You need to come inside and see for yourself.”
Chapter 8
The first thing Carlita noticed when she walked inside Elvira’s apartment was the rancid smell, a combination of grease mingled with dirty socks. Her eyes started to water, and she plugged her nose.
“The smell is nasty,” Dernice said.
“It’s making my eyes burn.”
“She’s in here.”
Carlita followed Dernice through the dining room and into the living room. At first, she didn’t recognize the woman curled up on the sofa, a thick layer of blankets covering her body.
The only thing visible was Elvira’s pale face which was almost translucent. Matted to her forehead were sparse patches of gray hair.
“Elvira?”
The woman didn’t acknowledge Carlita’s presence, her eyes blank as she stared straight ahead.
Carlita took a step closer. “Elvira. It’s me…Carlita. Can you hear me?”
“She can hear you,” Dernice said. “Elvira, Carlita is here to see if she can talk some sense into you. You need to get up off the couch. You’re destroying yourself.”
“Is she eating or drinking?”
“Only her nasty natto.” Dernice pointed to a stack of dirty bowls and spoons piled up on the nearby coffee table. “Natto and blue Gatorade.”
“Ma?” A voice echoed from the rear of the apartment.
“It sounds like Mercedes.”
“I’ll go get her.” Dernice hurried out of the room while Carlita dropped to her knees so that she was eye level with the woman.
Their eyes met, and there was an empty look in Elvira’s, a look Carlita had never seen before. It was the look of utter defeat. For whatever reason, the impossible, annoying, overbearing woman who had created more than her share of problems for Carlita was gone.
“Is there anything I can do to help?” Carlita asked softly. “I hate to see you like this. Where’s the old Elvira - the one who drives me crazy?”
She could’ve sworn she saw a flicker in Elvira’s eyes. It quickly vanished. The blank look returned.
“Dernice is worried sick about you. I’m…concerned to see you like this.” Carlita continued talking. She rambled on about the past, about the time Elvira had set her apartment on fire. The time she camped out at Fort Pulaski and Carlita and her children had to rescue her. The time Elvira was trapped upstairs after the fire escape fell and Carlita had once again come to her rescue.
There was zero reaction from the woman on the sofa.
Dernice returned to the room with Mercedes trailing behind, her arm flung across her nose and mouth. “What is that disgusting smell?”
“Natto,” Dernice and Carlita said in unison.
“What’s going on?” Mercedes asked.
“An intervention,” Carlita said. “Elvira needs help.”
“I would need help, too, if I had to breathe in that horrible smell for very long.” Mercedes made a gagging sound and began heaving. “It’s making me sick.”
“Not in here!” Dernice grabbed Mercedes’ arm and dragged her out of the room.
“See? You even got Mercedes going.” Carlita shifted to a sitting position, crossing her legs as she peered at the woman. There had to be some way to reach her.
Dernice was alone when she returned to the living room. “She made it outside before losing her cookies.” She motioned to her sister. “Any luck?”
“No. What happened to cause her to become like this?”
Dernice sucked in a breath. “I promised Elvira I wouldn’t tell anyone.”
“I have to say the nasty smell would depress me. Maybe it would help if it didn’t smell so bad in here.”
“I figured if I left it there, eventually she would get tired of it, drag her butt off the couch and take care of it herself. So far, it hasn’t worked.”
“Did something happen recently to trigger Elvira’s depression?”
“Let’s talk out here.” Dernice gave Carlita a hand up and led her from the room. “It was last week.”
Carlita cast a concerned look toward the living room. “Does it involve family?”
Dernice gave the tiniest of nods.
“I see. I know you mentioned promising not to say anything, but there has to be a way to reach her.” Carlita raised her voice. “I’m gonna head home, Elvira. I’ll be back to check on you later.”
Carlita waited until she and Dernice were in the alley. “Something happened with a family member…something awful and it caused Elvira to fall into a deep funk.”
“Yeah. It was bad. Even worse than in the past.”
“Does it have to do with Elvira’s daughter?” Eons ago, she remembered Elvira mentioning a daughter. Now that Carlita thought about it, she’d never met the woman or heard that Elvira had visited her or vice versa.
She told Dernice as much, and judging by the woman’s reaction, she was on the right track. “Something happened between Elvira and her daughter, and now Elvira is in a deep depression.”
“I gotta respect my sister’s wishes,” Dernice replied. “Let’s just say Elvira’s built this fortress around herself. She pushes people away by being rude and mean like she does to you and your family. She’s scared people will actually like her and then she would end up getting hurt. She acts the way she does to drive people away.”
“You’re telling me Elvira is rude to people because she likes them?”
“Weird, huh.”
“I hate to say it, but she’s perfected the attitude,” Carlita said.
Dernice tapped the side of her forehead. “She needs head help. She flat out refused to talk to anyone or leave the house, and now she’s shutting down.”
“Let me give it some thought. There’s gotta be something we can do.”
“I’m praying for a miracle. I’ve never seen her like this.” Dernice thanked Carlita for trying. With shoulders drooped, she returned to the apartment, slowly closing the door behind her.
Carlita stared at the door for a long time. Elvira had been the biggest pain in the rear. Deep down, she always suspected the woman’s overbearing and obnoxious attitude was some sort of defense mechanism, to keep people at a safe distance by driving them off.
It had worked for the most part. Carlita could only take her former tenant in small doses.
She traipsed back to the apartment and found Brittney in the kitchen, standing in front of the stove. �
��Hi, Ma. I got your note. I hope you don’t mind. I ran next door and one of the kitchen workers gave me the ingredients for my unstuffed cabbage.”
“I certainly don’t mind. There are never too many cooks in my kitchen.”
“I didn’t see Luigi or Ricco around. Do you know what happened to them?”
“I…do. In fact, that reminds me. I’ll be right back.” Carlita ran downstairs to the pawnshop. She passed by Tony and one of the employees as she made her way to the front window.
The police cars, crime scene investigators’ vans and Detective Polivich’s unmarked car were gone. The lot across the street was empty.
Tony joined her. “They took off about half an hour ago. I already called Luigi and Ricco to let them know the coast was clear.”
“It’s not clear. They’re going to have to lay low for a few days.” Carlita told her son about her visit to Annie’s real estate office and how her surveillance cameras caught the men on video. “Polivich told Annie he’s going to step up area patrols.”
“No kidding.” Tony shoved his hands in his pockets. “Luigi and Ricco should know better than to be caught on camera.”
Carlita pointed to the familiar sedan that turned the corner, heading toward the alley. “Speak of the devil. I’ll go talk to them.”
Tony stopped her. “You want me to handle it? I might be able to persuade them to lay low since I know the drill.”
“True.” Carlita gazed at her son thoughtfully. “While you do that, I’ll go see if Angelica is close to packing the last of her bags and vacating. Once she’s gone, Vito’s guys can move in.”
Mother and son parted ways, with Tony heading to the alley and Carlita making her way to the efficiency apartment at the end of the hall.
The door was ajar. Carlita pushed it open. “Hello? Angelica?”
“In here.”
She found the young woman standing in the closet, cramming a floppy flamingo hat into an oversized handbag. “This is the last of my stuff. I’m ready to collect my deposit.”
“I’ll need to check for damages first.”
Turmoil in Savannah: A Made in Savannah Cozy Mystery (Made in Savannah Mystery Series Book 13) Page 6
