by Tina Kashian
“I don’t get the connection,” Lucy said. “Why would Anthony Citteroni want to harm Archie? Archie owned a boardwalk T-shirt and novelty shop. Mr. Citteroni owns a lot of businesses, but he’s not in retail.”
Rita shifted on her high heels. “Archie had only been in Ocean Crest for about a year. He was doing well and wanted to expand. He always commented about all the tourists who rode rental bicycles, tricycles, and surreys up and down the boardwalk every morning. Only one shop rents to all of them. Archie often said, ‘Why should Mr. Citteroni’s bicycle rental shop get all of the profits?’”
“Are you saying that Archie wanted to capitalize on the market and open his own bicycle rental shop?” Lucy asked.
“That’s right. Archie said he’d have Neil run it. But when Mr. Citteroni found out, he wasn’t happy,” Rita said.
“You think Mr. Citteroni shot Archie to stop him from opening a competing business?” Katie asked.
Rita looked from Lucy to Katie to back to Lucy. “That mobster is one scary dude. He should be a top suspect.”
After Rita glided away on her stilettos, they sat in Katie’s Jeep. Lucy held the salted caramel cupcake on her lap.
“What do you think about what Rita said?” Lucy asked.
“It makes sense. You’ve always been nervous around Anthony Citteroni.”
He could definitely be “one scary dude” as Rita had described him. “I like him just fine as long as I don’t cross him. He is friendly with my parents as business neighbors. But Mr. Citteroni rarely visits the bicycle shop. Michael runs it.”
“Your motorcycle-riding buddy?”
“Hey, Michael’s fun and a good friend. And riding his Harley can be addictive.”
Katie clamped her lips tight and shook her head. “You couldn’t pay me to get on one of those motorcycles.”
“That’s what I used to say. You never know until you try it.”
“I bet it helps that he’s really good-looking. He could grace the cover of GQ.”
“I suppose.” Lucy wasn’t blind to Michael’s looks, but there was more to their friendship.
“How does Azad like him?” Katie asked.
Lucy let out a puff of air. “Oh, brother. Don’t ask. Now let’s get back to the topic at hand. How far do you think Mr. Citteroni would go to prevent another person from opening a competing business?”
“I’m not sure. You think he’d murder Archie over it? Or would he have one his goons take care of the problem?” Katie asked.
The question hammered at her. She’d had a run-in with one of his “employees” not long ago, and it had been a frightening experience she didn’t want to repeat. Lucy’s mind worked almost as fast as Katie sped down Ocean Avenue. Her friend tended to drive a bit too fast.
“Hey, don’t take me back to Kebab Kitchen. Stop next door,” Lucy instructed.
“The bike shop?”
“Yes. It’s time to talk with Michael to see what he knows about his father.”
* * *
Katie dropped Lucy off outside Citteroni’s bicycle rental shop. Lucy reached for the Jeep’s door handle. “The garage light is on. Michael’s inside.”
“Give me a call when you get back to tell me what you learn,” Katie said.
Lucy waved as Katie drove away. The Jeep’s tires squealed as Katie took off down the street. Lucy shook her head. She’d never get used to her friend’s driving.
Lucy made her way up the driveway to the shop. A shiny black-and-chrome Harley-Davidson was parked in the middle of the driveway, and a black helmet hung from one of the oversized handlebars.
The garage was crammed with bicycles, tricycles, and four- and six-person surreys. A variety of bicycle parts and tires were mounted on the walls. A dark-haired man was squatting down by a bicycle, his back to her, as he replaced a flat tire.
“Hi, Michael.”
Michael turned at the sound of her voice and grinned. “Hey, Lucy.” He stood, his long, lean frame gracefully unwinding. “You want a ride?”
Her heart thumped in her chest. She did. After her first hesitant motorcycle ride where she’d clung to him like a vine out of fear, she’d cracked open an eye and learned something about herself. She loved it. She’d been hooked on motorcycle rides ever since. She eyed him. The company wasn’t too shabby either.
“Yes, I would, but later. That’s not why I stopped by.”
His lips parted in a dazzling display of striking white teeth and Lucy was reminded of Katie’s reference to Michael gracing the glossy cover of a men’s magazine. His piercing blue eyes, the color of a cloudless sky, had always captured her attention.
He wiped his greasy hands on a rag and tossed it on a nearby bicycle. “By the serious look on your face, I take it something’s bothering you.”
She wrinkled her nose. “Is it that obvious?”
“Not to everyone, but I know you by now. What’s up?”
“It has to do with your father.”
Was it her imagination or did he stiffen slightly? “It always does,” he drawled.
She knew there was no lost love between father and son. Mr. Citteroni had often been at odds with his son. It was Michael’s sister, Teresa, who was most like their father and who wanted to take over his businesses—legal and illegal.
“Sorry,” Lucy said. “I didn’t mean to upset you. I just want to ask you about your father’s dealings with Archie Kincaid.”
“His dealings? I didn’t think he had any.”
“I just spoke with Archie’s girlfriend, Rita. She claims Archie wanted to open a bicycle rental shop.”
Michael reached for the handlebars of the bicycle with the newly repaired tire and pushed it to join a row of others. “Hmm. How about we go for a motorcycle ride and I’ll tell you everything I know.”
“Now?”
He cocked his head toward the Harley in the driveway. “I was going to ride right after I finished with this tire. Is that a yes?”
How bad did she want to know? Bad enough to agree to ride in the middle of the day? She wasn’t dressed for it and still wore her work uniform of a white button-down shirt and black slacks.
She needed to learn about Mr. Citteroni’s dealings with Archie. If riding with Michael was the way to get answers, then she’d just have to hop on the motorcycle. “Let’s go.”
Michael grinned. “I’ll get an extra helmet.”
He disappeared in the bowels of the garage and emerged with a helmet in hand, one with a skull and crossbones painted on the sides. She placed it on her head, and he helped her snap it beneath her chin. He sat on the Harley and she climbed behind him and held on to his sides.
The bike roared to life. Her heartbeat pounded in her ears as he drove onto the main road. Cool air rushed by her cheeks and ruffled her shirt. She breathed in the fresh ocean air as they sped past buildings. Riding with Michael never lost its appeal. It was thrilling . . . exhilarating. They usually rode at night, and the headlights of the passing cars and the lights of the brilliant Ferris wheel combined into a brilliant kaleidoscope of color against a dark, velvet sky.
It was a different experience in the day. It was just as adrenaline-fueled and exciting, but different. She could see the drivers’ faces as they passed cars, the pedestrians walking to the beach, and even the blue line of the ocean between buildings. Michael turned onto the Garden State Parkway and headed south toward Cape May. This wasn’t their usual route and she wondered where he was headed. She had forgotten to ask. Several miles later, he exited the parkway and slowed the bike.
“Where are you going?”
“It’s a surprise.”
A surprise? She wanted to ask questions about his father, not tour another South Jersey beach. Then he turned down a rural road, and her pulse leaped at the sight of a tall white tower with a red ball on top. “It’s the lighthouse!”
He stopped the motorcycle, parked, and lowered the kickstand. She stepped off the bike first, then Michael followed. He helped her remove her helmet an
d hung it on one of the Harley’s wide handlebars, his own on the other.
“When was the last time you were here?” he asked.
She gazed up at the Cape May lighthouse. A deep-seated memory returned of when Azad had brought her here when they were both in high school. It was the first time they’d kissed—awkward, but eager—nothing like their recent sizzling kiss beneath a moonlight gazebo. “It’s been a long time. Why here?”
“It’s a nice, cloudless day. I thought it would be fun. We can also talk.”
She couldn’t deny the appeal. As Michael paid the entrance fee, Lucy read the sign. “It says the lighthouse was built in 1859, and is still used today by the U.S. Coast Guard to operate the light as an active aid to navigation. It has one hundred and ninety-nine steps.”
Michael winked. “We better get started then.”
Together they began to climb the tower’s cast-iron spiral staircase. It was warm inside, and the temperature increased as they climbed higher. She was hot and winded by the time they reached the top.
Lucy puffed. “I need to jog more.”
Sweat beaded on Michael’s brow. “It’s hot as Hades inside, but not for long.” They stepped through a red door to the viewing deck and she gasped.
“Look at the view. Isn’t the climb worth it?” Michael asked.
It was. They could see for miles from the top—a stunning view of ocean and white crested waves. A brisk sea breeze cooled her heated skin. In the distance, a ship sailed along. Seagulls cried out, and a crane, searching for its next meal, skimmed the surface of the water. She could also spot the Delaware Bay to the south, Cape May and the Wildwoods to the east, and Cape May Court House to the north.
“It’s beautiful.”
For long minutes they stared at the sea in silence, until he spoke. “We’re the only people up here. Ask me what you want to know.”
Her fingers curled around the railing. The vastness of the ocean view had been calming, and she didn’t want to taint it with questions about his father. She sighed. But that was the entire point of riding with Michael today, wasn’t it?
“Did your father know about Archie’s plans to open a bicycle shop?” she asked.
“He did.”
“How did he take the news?”
“I don’t know. All I can say is that my dad doesn’t deal well with two things: rejection and competition. He’s had the sole bicycle rental shop in town for as long as I can remember.”
“Me, too. Do you think he acted upon Archie’s news?”
The wind blew a lock of dark hair across his brow and gave him a youthful appearance. “You mean do I think he used strong-arm tactics to eliminate the possibility of future competition?”
“Yes.” She would have phrased it differently, but nonetheless, the question hung between them like a heavy cloud.
“Do you want me to ask him what he did about it?” Michael asked.
“Would you?”
“Sure. But if he wants to talk to you himself, I think I should be around just in case.”
Just in case? Michael made his parent sound even more ominous. Anthony Citteroni may have no reason to wish her harm and may even like her, but the man made her heart thud and not in a good way. She’d had limited experiences with the mobster in the past, and the thought of another encounter, even with Michael present, was enough to make her jittery.
Still, she needed to know the truth. “Thank you, Michael.”
Once again, they stood looking out at the view in silence. Lucy was thinking about what she’d learned. She could only assume Michael was deep in thought as well.
“Ready to go down?” he asked.
The climb down was easier than their way up. Once their helmets were secure and Lucy was sitting behind Michael on the Harley, she spoke up. “It was lovely. I’m glad you brought me here.”
“You didn’t exactly learn everything you wanted to know,” he said.
“No, but I know I will. Our dads can be frighteningly similar.”
He laughed, his voice a bit gruff. “You mean overbearing and manipulative?”
“You said it.” They may have come from different ethnic backgrounds, but Lucy had always felt a kinship with Michael. “Hey, I have to get back to work. I told them I’d only be gone for a couple of hours.”
“I don’t want to get you in trouble. I know all about family obligations.”
She nudged his elbow. “I know you do. That’s why you’re such a good friend.”
They rode back and she savored the wind on her hot cheeks. He pulled into the back parking lot of Kebab Kitchen rather than the bicycle shop next door.
Lucy climbed off the motorcycle and Michael attached her helmet to a saddlebag on the side of the bike.
“I’ll talk to my dad and get back to you,” he said.
She gave him a quick hug and a peck on the cheek. “Thanks for today.”
The Harley started with a rumble, and he drove away. Lucy turned to head back, then stopped short at the sight of Azad leaning against the side of the building. His arms were folded across his chest.
“What the heck was that?” Azad asked.
“What?” Alarm slithered along her spine. She knew Azad didn’t like Michael, nor did Michael appreciate Azad.
Both men could be a bit maddening.
Azad pointed to the fence separating Kebab Kitchen’s parking lot from the bicycle shop. “Why are you riding a motorcycle with him?”
She could still hear the Harley-Davidson purring next door. “Michael’s a friend.”
“That didn’t look like a friendly hug or kiss.”
“Well, you’re wrong. It was, not that it’s any of your business,” she added.
Azad’s lips thinned. “After last night, it is my business.”
His tone got her back up. She knew Azad was referring to their date at Le Gabriel. If he thought that gave him a right to decide whom she chose as friends, then he was sorely mistaken. “You’re acting ridiculous.”
“I’m being ridiculous? What if it was the other way around? How would you feel?”
“I’d hope I would understand and not act jealous.”
He straightened from the wall, tall and angry. “Okay. Where did you go?”
Oh, no. She couldn’t admit they went to the Cape May lighthouse. It was sure to bring up memories of their teenage years and their first kiss and sound like a romantic date. Her mind reeled. She also knew she couldn’t confess that she’d sought information about Archie’s murder from Michael, and that she planned to follow up on that information once she received it. Azad had already said she’d given him gray hairs from her last involvement in a murder, and she’d promised she was staying out of the current one.
What am I supposed to do?
“Well, where did you go?” he asked again.
“We just rode around town.”
Azad pushed away from the wall. “You’re not being truthful. Remember, you have a tell.” He tapped his left eye.
Damn. Did he have to know her that well? She clenched her fist to stop her hand from touching her own eye. The fact that he knew she was withholding the entire truth, made everything seem much worse.
She shook her head. “It doesn’t matter where we rode.”
“It does to me. You need to make a choice, Lucy.”
“A choice?”
“Me or him.”
“Are you serious?” she sputtered, bristling with indignation.
His jaw set like granite. “Yes.”
Her temper rose in response to his demand. He wasn’t seriously acting this medieval, was he? They’d recently crossed a threshold, been on one date, shared one kiss—even if it was heated. She was entitled to have friends and Michael was one of her close confidants. If Azad thought he could make her choose, he had a lot to learn about her.
“Fine. I choose friends.” Head held high, she swept past him into the restaurant.
CHAPTER 13
“I just can’t believe Azad’s
nerve. Make a choice!” Lucy said as she stormed into Katie’s kitchen the following morning. Lucy had filled her friend in about her motorcycle ride with Michael and her request to meet with Mr. Citteroni, and then her fight with Azad.
“Maybe you were too hard on Azad,” Katie said as she made a beeline for the coffeepot. Lucy had risen early and made a pastry run to Cutie’s Cupcakes for coffee rolls before making a pot of coffee. She needed caffeine to make sense of yesterday’s events.
Katie reached for the bakery box, but Lucy beat her to it and snapped the lid closed. “What do you mean I was too hard on him? He told me to pick. As if!” Lucy’s outrage returned in a rush.
“He did see you get off Michael’s motorcycle, then hug him and kiss his cheek,” Katie pointed out.
“So?”
Katie lunged for the pastry box again, but Lucy was faster and pushed it out of reach. “Don’t hold out on the pastries!” Katie cried.
“Fine.” Lucy opened the box and slid it across the counter.
Katie licked her lips as she selected a large coffee roll drizzled with white icing. “Azad really likes you. Maybe if you explained that you were with Michael in order to ask him questions about his father regarding Archie’s death, he’d understand.”
Lucy shook her head. “Azad would pitch a fit. He doesn’t want me to investigate. If I told him the truth, he’d worry. Besides, that doesn’t excuse his medieval behavior regarding my friendship with Michael.”
“Okay. I get it. But you can lure him with honey, Lucy. I’ve seen you do it before with others,” Katie pointed out.
“That’s different. They never worked for me, and I never kissed them.”
“You’re in a pickle.”
“I guess I am.” Lucy bit into the coffee roll she’d taken from the box and savored the sugary sweetness, before sipping her hot coffee.
“What are you going to do?”
Lucy sighed and ran a hand through her hair. “I don’t know. I already made a mess of things with Azad. It’s going to be awkward at the restaurant this morning.”
“Think about other things. Like who really killed Archie?” Katie asked.
“I’m thinking about Rita. She said they went shopping for engagement rings at Marion’s Jewelers.”