Matrimony & Mayhem: A Made in Savannah Cozy Mystery (Made in Savannah Mystery Series Book 11)

by Hope Callaghan

  Chapter 10

  Carlita flung the phone on the table. “Your Uncle Eddie and Aunt Anjelica are with Vinnie and Brittney.”

  “I chatted with them for a few minutes at the wedding.” Mercedes covered her mouth to stifle her yawn. “Uncle Eddie mentioned something about taking care of a small business matter.”

  “That’s what I mean.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “What if Vinnie and Brittney are the business matter?” Carlita glanced at Violet, sprawled out on the sofa and engrossed in a cartoon. “I haven’t heard a peep out of my brother since we moved to Savannah. Next thing I know, he’s on my doorstep.”

  “He’s family.”

  “My point exactly.”

  Carlita glanced at her watch. “I left some decorations in the hall I need to bring inside.” She stepped into the hall, quickly sorted through the box of decorations and then slid the box inside the apartment.

  “Your cell phone was beeping, Nana,” Violet said.

  “It was?” Carlita snatched it off the counter. She had missed two calls and a text, all from Reese. Her eyes squinted as she read the message. Got an interesting story from one of the other trolley drivers. Call me.

  Carlita promptly dialed Reese’s cell phone. It went right to voice mail. “Hey, Reese. I got your message. Call me back.”

  She carried the phone into the living room. Violet crawled onto her lap and placed her head on Carlita’s shoulder.

  Carlita smiled as she pulled her close. Tomorrow, they would visit Pete’s pirate ship. Since Paulie and Gina were spending a few days in town, they offered to take Violet with them to the hotel, so she could play with the kids and swim in the hotel’s swimming pool.

  Chirp. Carlita’s phone chimed. It was Reese. She shifted Violet off her lap and headed to the balcony to talk. “I got your message.”

  “I chatted with the afternoon trolley driver, the one who filled in for my route including Walton Square. Hang on.”

  There was a moment of silence before Reese returned. “Anyhoo, he was asking how the wedding went and then mentioned a couple of passengers who were acting funny. He picked them up at your stop, right around the time of the wedding.”

  “Funny as in ‘haha’ funny?”

  “No. Funny as in odd and acting suspiciously.”

  “Acting suspiciously?”

  “Yes. Like very nervous. They were in a big hurry and asking unusual questions. Hang on again.”

  The line went silent. Reese returned. “Listen, I got too many people on this trolley to talk privately. Will you be riding the trolley in the morning?”

  “Yep. I’ll be on your first run.”

  “Perfect. We’ll talk then. Gotta go.”

  Carlita thanked Reese and disconnected the line.

  She stared at the phone, Megan’s collapse weighing heavy on her mind. It was probably an unfortunate accident, so maybe she was reading too much into it.

  Still, there was the break-in at the restaurant, hours before the wedding, not to mention the mysterious and headless cake topper. As far as Carlita knew, neither Tony nor Shelby had enemies in Savannah, but maybe someone was intent on ruining their wedding.

  She ran inside to grab a piece of scrap paper and an ink pen. Mercedes was in the kitchen, pouring a glass of tea. “What are you doing?”

  “Taking some notes. Reese called. She said the trolley driver who was running the Walton Square route earlier today, picked up a couple of riders who were acting suspiciously and thought it might mean something.”

  “Reese couldn’t elaborate. I’m gonna talk to her first thing tomorrow morning.” Carlita carried the pen and paper to the counter and began a bullet point list:

  - Headless cake topper - in unmarked box.

  - Break-in at the restaurant.

  - Eddie shows up unexpectedly and uninvited.

  - Vito sends bodyguards after threat to family.

  - Trolley passengers - suspicious behavior.

  - Megan Burelli’s collapse during wedding.

  She handed the list to Mercedes. “These can’t all be coincidental.”

  Mercedes scanned the list and handed it back to her mother. “I think you’re a little paranoid. Do you really believe Uncle Eddie is involved?”

  “I’m not counting anyone out. I’ll know more after I talk to Reese.”

  Rambo padded into the kitchen, looking for a treat. “How about a treat and a walk?” Carlita reached into the cupboard and pulled Rambo’s box of special treats out. “Violet, do you want to give Rambo a treat?”

  “Yes.” The young girl bounced off the sofa and skipped into the kitchen. “What about Grayvie? He wants a treat, too.”

  “I’m sure Grayvie does.” Carlita called for her cat, who lay curled up and napping on the dining room chair. He stalked into the kitchen and waited patiently for Violet to offer him a treat.

  “How would you like to take Rambo for a walk?”

  “Okay.”

  “I’ll go with you,” Mercedes said. “The fresh air will do me good.”

  “It’s time to change out of your dress,” Carlita told the child.

  Violet gave Carlita a skulking look. She reluctantly carried her backpack to the bathroom to change.

  “We’ll wait for you in the hall.” Carlita led Rambo out of the apartment.

  Mercedes joined them. She scowled when she noticed Sam Ivey’s apartment door was ajar. “He keeps his door open all of the time.”

  “So?” Carlita shrugged. “Does it matter?”

  “Yes. It’s weird. He’s weird. He has very unusual habits, and it gives me the creeps.”

  Chapter 11

  “Mercedes,” Carlita chided. “Sam is a nice man. I don’t know why you dislike him so much.”

  “You’re blinded by his insincere niceness.” Mercedes pulled her mother closer. “I think he’s spying on us.”

  “And you think I’m being paranoid?” Carlita scoffed. “Maybe he’s spying on you, keeping an eye out, so he can harass you.”

  “I wouldn’t doubt it,” Mercedes muttered. “Anyways, I think it’s weird.”

  “I’m ready.” Violet hopped into the hall.

  “Let’s go.” Carlita and Rambo led the others to the bottom of the stairs and into the alley. “Which way?”

  “I want to wave to the Waving Girl,” Violet said. “Can we ride the free boat?”

  Carlita lifted her eyes. Although the summer sun was starting to set, there was still enough time to visit the Waving Girl. If they hustled, they would be able to squeeze in a quick boat ride to Hutchinson Island and back.

  She wasn’t sure when Vinnie and Brittney were returning, but she didn’t need to be around to let them in. She’d given Vinnie a key to the building and the efficiency. “I don’t see why not.”

  “I guess we’re going to Morrell Park,” Carlita told her pooch.

  Violet held tightly to Mercedes’ hand as she chattered on about the Waving Girl, the ferry and how she couldn’t wait to go swimming in the hotel’s pool.

  Carlita was careful not to mention Shelby or Tony, thinking she might be sad her mother was gone. Violet was the one who brought her up. “Mommy and Tony are going to bring me a surprise.”

  “They are?” Mercedes asked. “What kind of surprise?”

  “I don’t know. A good one,” Violet assured them. “But only if I’m a good girl.”

  When they reached the park, they made a beeline for the statue. Violet and Rambo made a game of running circles around the Waving Girl.

  Carlita and her daughter basked in the mild evening temperatures as they sat on a nearby bench to watch.

  Rambo was the first to call it quits. He plopped down at Carlita’s feet and began panting.

  “You wore poor Rambo out. Shall we head to the ferry?” Carlita pointed to the river. “I see it coming now. If we hurry, we can catch this one.”

  The trio and Rambo cut across the lawn and joined the long line of passengers
waiting to board. The free ferry was the fastest way for Savannah visitors to reach Hutchinson Island. Guests who were staying at the large, luxurious resort used it, as well as others who planned to visit the convention center.

  They were among the last to board and the only seats left were in the back. Violet sat near the window and peered out while Rambo settled in at Carlita’s feet.

  It was a quick ride across the river. After arriving, they waited until the other passengers got off before making their way up the ramp.

  There wasn’t much to do near the dock, other than walk around the convention center and the hotel grounds. The trio looped around the hotel and then returned to the boarding area to wait for the next ferry.

  After finishing their ferry ride, they circled Walton Square, passing by the Book Nook, Colby’s Corner Store and finally, the Shades of Ink tattoo shop.

  “Maybe I should get a tattoo,” Mercedes said.

  “I want a tattoo,” Violet said.

  “It hurts…a lot,” Carlita told her. “It’s like a thousand bee stings.”

  Violet’s eyes grew round as saucers. “I never want a tattoo.”

  “That’s what I thought.”

  When they reached the apartment, Carlita found a note from Vinnie, telling them Brittney was tired and they’d gone to bed early but promised they would see them in the morning.

  “I guess we’re on our own.” Carlita crumpled the note. “Leftovers it is, and we have plenty.”

  While they ate, they chatted about the pirate adventure.

  “I gotta be up early to catch the seven o’clock trolley,” Carlita reminded her daughter.

  “Violet can stay here with me since you’ve got some errands to run,” Mercedes said. “I thought I would get up kinda early, to check on Josh and the pawnshop. Violet can go with me.”

  “Thanks. I shouldn’t be too long,” Carlita glanced at Violet, who was having a hard time keeping her eyes open. “It’s getting late. Time for us to hit the hay.”

  “I’m not tired,” Violet whined.

  “But Nana and Aunt Mercedes are. So is Rambo.” Carlita pointed to the sleeping dog. “We have a busy day tomorrow.”

  *****

  Carlita woke early the next morning. She was careful not to wake Violet, who was sleeping on a cot in the corner, as she slipped out of bed to get ready.

  The skies were still dark as she crossed the street to the trolley stop. Thankfully, there was only a short wait before Reese, and the Big Peach stopped to pick her up.

  “You’re right on time.” Carlita struggled to carry her bulky box up the narrow steps.

  “For heaven’s sake. What have you got inside there? An elephant?”

  “Decorations I rented from Savannah Rental over on the other side of City Market. I need to drop them off early. I’ve got a full day today.” Carlita told her friend they were sailing on board The Flying Gunner for the Pirates in Peril show.

  “I heard it’s a great show,” Reese said. “Pirate Pete has really outdone himself. I plan to go one of these days. Not today, though. I’m pulling a full shift.”

  “Because you took time off yesterday for the wedding?”

  “Yep, and it was worth every minute of it. The food was delicious, the wedding beautiful. You have some swell kids, Carlita.”

  “Thank you. They are good kids. Shelby is a wonderful addition to the family.” Carlita grew silent as she thought about her new daughter-in-law, a small niggle of concern in the back of her mind over Shelby’s recent health issues.

  Reese interrupted her thoughts. “I polished off the leftovers you gave me last night. It’s a shame there weren’t any chicken parmesan sticks left. They were delicious.”

  “The parmesan sticks were one of the favorites,” Carlita said. “They’re not on Ravello’s menu. With so many people raving about them, maybe I should add them.”

  “Definitely. They would sell like hotcakes.”

  The trolley rolled to a stop, and the Big Peach picked up a few more early morning passengers. Reese greeted them by name.

  Carlita waited until they were on their way again. “On the phone yesterday, you told me the trolley driver who filled in for you during the wedding mentioned that he picked up a couple of interesting riders.”

  “Yes. Jim said he picked them up at your stop. Sketchy is what he called them. They weren’t regulars. He’d never seen them before.”

  “I’m sure there are all kinds of interesting people who board the trolleys,” Carlita pointed out.

  “Yep. I can attest to that fact. We get ‘em all of the time.” Reese patted her jacket pocket. “Which is why I pack heat.”

  Carlita lifted a brow. “You…carry a handgun?”

  “Close enough. It’s a Voltek 650, one of the most powerful Taser guns on the market. Cost me a pretty penny. I haven’t used it yet. Just knowing it’s close by gives me peace of mind.”

  “I’ll have to remember that. So the riders were acting suspiciously.”

  “Yep. They asked Jim a bunch of questions about Walton Square, the businesses in the area, if there was a lot of crime in Savannah.”

  “Maybe they were just making conversation.”

  “That’s what I told Jim, and I probably would’ve thought the same thing. It was one of the last questions they asked before getting off that Jim found interesting.”

  Chapter 12

  “They wanted to know where they could purchase a gun.”

  “A gun?”

  “Right, and then they wanted to know how to get to the bus station.”

  “The question about purchasing a gun raises a few red flags, but the question about the bus station isn’t particularly odd, I suppose.” Carlita mulled over Reese’s statement while she waited for passengers to exit and the next group to board the trolley. “Maybe they were in town on vacation or visiting friends and on their way out.”

  “I was thinking the same thing.” Reese tapped the side of her forehead. “I was going down the same path until Jim asked them if they were in town visiting family or friends. One of them said ‘yes.’ The other said ‘no,’ and then they gave conflicting stories.”

  “I wish we could figure out if they were guests at the wedding.” Carlita stared out the window as they passed Colonial Park Cemetery. “Do you think Jim would remember what the couple looked like?”

  “Maybe, maybe not.” Reese glanced at Carlita in the rearview mirror. “The trolleys are equipped with surveillance cameras. Savannah Trolley installed ‘em after a rider claimed they tripped over a rip in the aisle runner and sued. Now if we see anything suspicious, we start recording.”

  “Really?” Carlita clasped her hands. “So do you think he caught them on camera?”

  “I already left a message to find out, but haven’t heard back yet. He did say the couple was in a big hurry to get off the trolley. The woman forgot her small handbag.”

  “What was inside?”

  “Jim said it contained some girlie stuff, but no ID. He turned it in to Buzz, our boss. I asked Buzz about it this morning. He said no one called to claim it yet. Course, if they were hightailing it out on the bus and there was nothing of value inside, I doubt they would come back for it.”

  “So there was no ID?”

  “Nope. He made a point of reminding me employees are not allowed to rummage through the lost and found cabinet.”

  “Another company policy?”

  “Yep. Could be clues inside the bag. Now, all we gotta do is figure out a way to get our hands on it. We’re here.” The Big Peach shuddered to a halt at the City Market stop.

  Carlita stood. “I have a few errands to run. I’ll hop back on in about an hour or so.”

  Reese waited for Carlita and her box of goodies to squeeze down the narrow bus stairs. “In the meantime, I’ll do some thinking on how we can get our hands on the handbag. Before I forget, Jim did mention one other thing about the couple.”

  “What’s that?”

  “The man was c
arrying a purple camo backpack. He almost left it behind, too. Jim tried to hand it to him. The man snatched it up like he didn’t want Jim to get too close to it.”

  “Maybe he was on a gun-buying spree, and there were weapons stashed inside.”

  “I dunno,” Reese shrugged.

  “Thanks, Reese,” Carlita paused when she reached the bottom. “You’re a good friend.”

  “So are you, Carlita. I hate to see bad things happen to good people.” Reese shut the Big Peach’s door, and the trolley rumbled off.

  Thankfully, the rental store was a short walk from the trolley stop. Carlita returned the rented items and then headed toward the bank to take care of the pawnshop’s weekend deposits.

  After finishing her transactions, she headed to a local coffee shop she’d stumbled upon during her last visit to the City Market. She perused the display case before purchasing a baker’s dozen of donuts, figuring by the time she got home, Mercedes and Violet would be awake and hungry.

  Carlita consulted her watch. There was still plenty of time before the Big Peach circled back around, so she wandered to Stalwart Street and to the Savannah Architectural Society’s office to see if her friend, Glenda, was around.

  The bell chimed as Carlita stepped inside.

  She spied Glenda talking to someone standing at the counter. The woman’s nasally voice was easily recognizable.

  Carlita tiptoed across the room and tapped Elvira on the shoulder. “What are you doing here? Trying to get your old job back?”

  “We wouldn’t hire Elvira back if she was the last person in Savannah looking for a job,” Glenda laughed.

  “Very funny,” Elvira huffed. “You wish I would come back to this dump and do your dirty work.”

  “Elvira.” Glenda feigned surprise. “You took great pleasure in telling residents and business owners what they could and couldn’t do.”

  “Yeah, well most of them were morons. I saved Savannah from half a dozen hideous paint jobs.”

  Carlita pointed to a pile of papers. “What are those?”

  “Nothing.” Elvira snatched the papers off the counter.