“I say the next move is to have a chat with Brittney. She’s the one who was closest to Roxy and should be able to give us the most information about her actions before being locked up in the bathroom.”
“Locked up is such a harsh term,” Carlita shifted uneasily. “More like detained.”
“Locked up. Detained. The cops are going to look at it as basically the same.” Elvira looked at the clock. “I have a gig protecting Santa over at the mall. Those kids get downright vicious when it gets close to Christmas. I’m off at six. What time would you like to chat with Brittney?”
“She’s shopping with my other daughters-in-law. They won’t be back until later.”
“Perfect,” Elvira beamed. “We’ll plan on meeting after dinner. Say around seven. Bring Vinnie along. I could stare at that hot hunk all night.”
“You sure you want him to be there? Looking at all of that hunkiness could be a distraction,” Dernice teased.
“I can handle it.” Elvira walked Carlita to the back of the building and followed her into the alley.
They weren’t alone. There was someone else standing there, staring at the back of Elvira’s building.
“It looks like someone has been waiting for you,” Elvira whispered in a low voice. “I gotta get going. Good luck.”
Before Carlita could reply, Elvira stepped back inside and closed the door behind her.
Chapter 13
“Been waiting for you, Mrs. Garlucci.” Jersey Joe folded his arms. “Who was that?”
“My neighbor.”
“I know. Which one? Elvira or Dernice?”
“Elvira.”
“She owns a security company.”
“She does.”
“Were you discussing Roxy’s death?”
“We were. Elvira and her sister were on the ship last night.”
“And they hired Luigi after he moved down here,” Joe said. “Luigi didn’t like Roxy.”
“That was between them.”
Joe pulled a cigar from his pocket and lit the end. “Your daughter struck Roxy in an unprovoked attack.”
“You’re wrong,” Carlita interrupted. “Roxy was coming on to Sam, and Mercedes stopped her.”
“That’s one version, perhaps not necessarily the correct one. If I may continue?” Joe lifted a brow.
“Sure.” Carlita waved dismissively. “Don’t let me stop you.”
“After Mercedes struck her in the jaw, Roxy punched her in the gut, knocking her down. Luigi and Ricco became involved, which is when your boyfriend fired off a shot to break it up. He then had Ricco and Luigi escort Roxy to the back of the ship, where he locked her up.”
“In a nutshell. Listen.” Carlita shifted her feet. “I don’t know how you personally felt about Roxy, whether you even knew her, but I can tell you the woman rubbed everyone she met the wrong way.”
“She had a talent for it,” Joe said. “My opinion of Roxy doesn’t matter. She’s dead. Vito wants to get to the bottom of it, and he sent down the best, which is me, to handle it.”
“You’re an attorney.”
“I am, although I have a small clientele.”
“Mostly ‘family,’” Carlita guessed.
“I don’t discuss my clients.”
“And I don’t discuss my children. My daughter did not stab Roxy, nor did she push her over the side of the ship.”
Joe took a puff of his cigar and blew it straight at her, filling the air with a sickly-sweet ammonia aroma.
“Disgusting.” Carlita coughed as she waved her hand in front of her face. “You’ve assaulted my nostrils.”
“It’s not a smell for everyone.” Joe actually cracked a smile, as if entertained by Carlita’s discomfort, and she briefly wondered if this was one of the tools in his “persuasive” arsenal – intimidation.
“Let’s discuss your boyfriend, Pete Taylor. According to my sources, you accompanied Pete and Roxy to the back of the ship, where he locked her in a small bathroom like a wild animal.”
“Because she was acting like one,” Carlita snapped. “Roxy tried to pull a gun on someone while the ship was offshore. I consider that grounds for containment. She was a loose cannon, and while I hate to speak ill of the dead, she was rude, overbearing, aggressive and confrontational. She left Pete no choice.”
Joe ignored Carlita’s rant. “After the incident where Roxy was placed in the bathroom, do you recall seeing anyone go back there?”
Carlita briefly thought about the photo of Santa on the stairs. “No.”
“No one?” Joe repeated.
“Not until Pete and I went back there after the ship docked. It wasn’t until that moment we realized she was gone.”
“The cops are crawlin’ all over the place,” Joe said. “I need to have a chat with your tenants, the former cop, the chick next door and the guy whose band was playin’ there. The cop interests me the most.”
“Why?”
“Good cop. Bad cop. Maybe he was a bad cop.”
“And what if I tell you I don’t want you talking to them?” Carlita knew she was pushing her luck, but the man was getting on her nerves.
“You won’t,” Joe said confidently. “Or at least, you shouldn’t if you know what’s good for you. Your defensiveness makes me think you have something to hide.”
The threat hung in the air. What if Vito decided to send even more of his “associates” down to investigate?
“I’ll see what I can do.”
“That’s what I thought.” Joe ground the end of his cigar on the exterior of her brick building before casually slipping it into his front pocket and sauntering off.
He stopped when he reached the parking lot and cocked an imaginary pistol before climbing into his rental car and driving off.
Carlita didn’t wait around to find out which way he went. Instead, she headed inside and made a beeline for the pawn shop. Vinnie and Tony were in the back, standing close together.
“Hey, Ma,” Vinnie said. “Joe is lookin’ for you.”
“He found me and then interrogated me. He wants to talk to my tenants. He already has information on them. He also knows what the cops are up to.”
“Vito’s got a local police connection,” Vinnie said.
“I figured as much. While I have you both here, do you remember seeing anybody go to the back of the ship after Roxy was locked up?”
“Nope,” Vinnie shook his head. “Brittney wanted to go back there to check on her, but I talked her out of it. Roxy was the type who needed time to cool off.”
A sudden thought occurred to Carlita. “I wonder if Roxy called anyone while she was locked up.”
“Meaning Vito,” Tony guessed.
“Right.”
“I already thought about that,” Vinnie said. “There wasn’t any cell reception on the river. I tried to make a call myself.”
“So, she was basically locked up and dead in the water,” Carlita said.
“Figuratively and then literally,” Tony grimaced.
“Joe just drove off in his rental car. Do you have any idea where he was going?”
“Not a clue.” Vinnie rubbed the back of his neck. “He’s not one to share his plans. My guess is to his hotel or to have a look around the area. Maybe even meet with his local PD contact.”
A customer approached the counter, and Tony excused himself to go help him.
“Are you hungry, Son?” Carlita hadn’t eaten all day. Her stomach was growling, and she hadn’t checked on Ravello’s since the previous morning…before her children arrived, and chaos ensued.
“Starving.”
“The girls won’t be back for a while. Let’s go grab a late lunch at the restaurant.”
It was a short walk from the pawn shop, past the apartments and Carlita’s cozy courtyard to Ravello’s. The lunch crowd was long gone, and there were only a few diners inside.
Vinnie and his mother wandered to a table near the window. The view from the large picture window was of Sandy S
ue’s Bar-B-Que construction site.
“You worried about Sandy Sue’s?” Vinnie pulled out his mother’s chair.
“Worried? No. Concerned? Maybe. Having a restaurant directly across the street when I’m already fighting for foot traffic has me a little concerned.”
“Looks like it might not happen anyway.”
“Hello, Mrs. Garlucci.” One of Carlita’s servers approached, a wide smile on her face. “Dining in today?”
“I am.”
The young woman turned to Vinnie, fumbling with the menu before placing it in front of him. “Hello.” Her cheeks turned a tinge of pink as she stared at Carlita’s son.
Vinnie was the spitting image of her late husband with his jet-black curly locks and steely gray eyes. Chiseled was the word that popped into Carlita’s mind when she described his rugged good looks.
Her oldest son had never lacked for girlfriends. During his teen years, it was a regular occurrence for pretty, young girls to show up on Carlita’s doorstep, looking for him. Her other sons had their share of female friends popping in too.
“Melanie, this is my eldest son, Vinnie. He’s in town for the holidays.”
“It’s nice to meet you,” she said shyly.
“Same here.”
“Is the special the soup and sandwich?” Carlita asked.
“It is. Today’s sandwich is the meatball sub, and the soup is a cup of minestrone.”
“You know what?” Carlita flipped the menu over. “I’m gonna order for both of us. I want to try the broken spaghetti risotto.”
“Good choice. I tried a small dish when I got here. I think it’s my new favorite.”
“And will become one of mine too,” Carlita said. “With a glass of water. please.”
“I’ll have a Coke,” Vinnie flashed Melanie a dazzling smile.
“Coming right up.” The server leaned in close to Vinnie as she retrieved the menus. She did a slow turn and then strutted off.
Carlita watched her walk away. “You haven’t lost your touch,” she teased.
“My touch?”
“With the ladies. They have always fallen all over you.”
“Tony was the ladies’ man. Speaking of Tony, I didn’t want to put him on the spot, but how are he and Shelby doin’?”
“Shelby’s health is stable.” Shortly after Shelby and Tony married, Carlita’s daughter-in-law had been diagnosed with Addison’s Disease. The disease, a potentially fatal gland disorder, was being controlled with medication but left her unable to handle the stresses of her full-time job at the post office.
She had quit and now helped out part-time at the pawn shop as well as the restaurant.
“Mercedes and Sam are gettin’ along, but don’t ask them about marriage. Mercedes will bite your head off.”
“Too late,” Vinnie laughed. “I already got chewed out when I said something to her in front of Sam.”
“For the life of me, I don’t know why she’s so touchy about the topic.”
The conversation shifted to Vinnie and Brittney and their life in New Jersey. Several months back, Vinnie and Vito had sent Brittney to Savannah while a situation had been “neutralized.”
Carlita was certain it had something to do with the “family.” She had never pressed her son for details and had come to the realization she didn’t want to know. It was one less stress in her life. Besides, even if she did know, there wasn’t much she could do about it. Her son was an adult.
Despite her vow to butt out of Vinnie’s life unless he specifically asked for help, she could still hear her husband’s words ringing in her ears as he lay dying in the hospital bed, “Get my sons out.”
Carlita had done everything in her power to do just that, even going as far as moving from New York to Savannah and starting a new life for her and her children.
Two out of three wasn’t bad, but she still felt a sense of failure. She had failed Vinnie because, not only had she not been able to convince her eldest son to leave the ‘family,’ he was in deep with them – deeper than her husband had ever been.
Vinnie had literally married into the ‘family.’ And if she dwelled on it, the thought that one day, out of the blue, she would get a phone call her son had been murdered terrified her.
“You look happy, Son. The baby is beautiful. Brittney is a good mother. You have a wonderful home and a good job,” Carlita offered him a sad smile.
“But…” Vinnie prompted.
“You know the ‘but.’”
“I also know the score.” Vinnie leaned back in his chair. “Believe me, I have no illusions about my in-laws or my career choice.”
The server returned. She set Carlita’s water in front of her and then carefully placed Vinnie’s large Coke near him.
“Thank you.”
“You…you’re welcome. The food should be out shortly.” This time, she did a small curtsy, backing away from their table and making her way to another one nearby.
“I’m sure you’ve already discussed Roxy’s death with Joe,” Carlita stabbed at her ice cubes with the end of her straw.
“Yeah. Vito musta put some serious pressure on Joe. He’s all business.”
“This doesn’t look good for Mercedes or Pete.”
“Or Ricco or Luigi,” Vinnie added. “There was one incident I keep thinkin’ about. And the more I’m thinkin’, there may be another person of interest.”
Chapter 14
Carlita’s heart skipped a beat. “Who is it?”
“That’s the part I don’t know.” Vinnie shook his head. “Roxy said she thought one of the guests onboard looked familiar. When I asked her who it was cuz’, you know, if Roxy knew them, it was probably someone involved with the ‘family.’”
“What did she say?”
“She said I wouldn’t know the person, it was a stranger. It happened not long after we left the port.”
“And she never mentioned the person again?”
“Nope. Course there was so much goin’ on, I forgot all about it until Joe started hammering me for information.”
The food arrived, and Carlita watched the server place a large bowl of pasta in front of each of them. A thick slice of toasted garlic bread was nestled on the side.
Her mouth watered as the savory aroma of fresh garlic wafted up. “You’re in for a real treat, Son.”
“It looks delicious.” Vinnie unfolded his dinner napkin, gave it a brisk snap and then tucked the tips into the top of his shirt. He scooped up a spoonful of pasta and took his first bite.
Vinnie closed his eyes. “Ma, this is delicious.” He polished off the rest and promptly filled his spoon again. “What is this?”
“Broken spaghetti risotto. It’s made with garlic, red pepper flakes and a variety of cheeses.”
“There’s something else.”
“Pine nuts.”
“That’s the secret ingredient. This one’s a keeper.”
“Thanks. Wait ‘til you sample the dessert.”
The conversation shifted to the rest of the family. Vinnie told her their plan was to return home the day after Christmas so he would be back at the casino in time to catch up and get ready for one of their busiest days of the year…New Year’s Eve.
“You oughta come up for another visit,” Vinnie said. “I’ll even give you some casino cash to try your luck.”
Carlita wrinkled her nose. “I’m not much of a gambler.”
“Then come up to spoil the baby.”
“Now that I can do.” Carlita ate half her bowl of pasta and then asked Melanie to package the rest. “We’ll take two of the cheesecakes for dessert.”
“Another excellent choice.”
Vinnie patted his stomach. “I’m gonna gain ten pounds before this visit is over.”
“You could stand to put a little meat on your bones,” Carlita joked.
Melanie returned with their dessert, Carlita’s leftovers and two cups of black coffee. “Thank you. You read my mind.”
“
Enjoy,” Melanie smiled at Vinnie, and Carlita could’ve sworn she winked. She waited until the woman walked away. “Did she just wink at you?”
“She did.”
“It’s a good thing Brittney isn’t here.”
“She would rip her hair out,” Vinnie laughed.
They lingered over coffee and dessert with Vinnie insisting the tiramisu cheesecake was one of the best he’d ever tasted. Carlita had recently found the recipe online, and after spending several days tweaking it in her kitchen, she deemed it perfect for a rollout at the restaurant. In fact, she planned to make her own cheesecake for Christmas.
The cream cheese and sour cream blended perfectly, and the small amount of coffee combined with the cocoa sprinkled on top was the icing on the cake.
Vinnie ate every bite and scraped the last little bit off with his fork. “You got a real winner here, Ma. I’m glad all of the businesses are doin’ good.”
“So am I.” Carlita dabbed at her mouth and reluctantly placed the napkin on the table. “We better head back. The girls should be returning soon.”
“And I wanna give Tony a break.”
Back at the apartment, Carlita parted ways with Vinnie to check on Mercedes, who was across the hall. She gave Autumn’s front door a gentle rap.
There was a muffled sound, and the door opened. “Hi, Mrs. G.”
“Hello, Autumn. Did you enjoy last night’s boat parade?”
“I did.” Autumn leaned her hip on the door. “Steve and Paisley missed out on an awesome parade. Paisley caught a bug and wasn’t feeling too good.”
“I’m sorry they couldn’t make it.”
Her tenant peered over her shoulder and glanced down the hall. “Some guy in a suit stopped me downstairs and asked me a bunch of questions. Is he one of Vinnie’s employees?”
“Not quite. He’s someone Roxy’s boss, Vinnie’s father-in-law, sent down to find out what happened last night.”
“That Roxy lady was off the charts. I told Mercedes I wouldn’t be surprised if they found out she was on drugs and stabbed herself.”
The idea of Roxy being on drugs hadn’t occurred to Carlita. It was possible. Roxy had been wound up, but she’d chalked it up to her recently being promoted to the position of Brittney’s bodyguard and was gung-ho to prove to the “boss” she could handle it.
Christmas Family Style in Savannah: A Garlucci Family Saga Novel (Made in Savannah Mystery Series Book 15) Page 10
