Swiped in Savannah: A Made in Savannah Cozy Mystery (Made in Savannah Mystery Series Book 12)

by Hope Callaghan

  “City Market. I’m gonna try to track down Glenda Fox, Savannah Architectural Society’s president. I’m hoping she can give me some pointers on drumming up business at Ravello’s.” Carlita cast an anxious glance out the window. “Now that summer is almost over, and we’re in our official end-of-the-summer slump, I need to figure out a way to get more customers through the front door.”

  “I’ve been meaning to call you.” Reese closed the door, and the trolley chugged away from the curb. “I’ve been giving it some thought. What about coupons?”

  “Coupons?”

  “Yeah. I was thinking if you had some coupons printed up, I could pass them out to trolley passengers when they board.”

  “Really?” Carlita leaned forward. “That’s a great idea. Could you? I mean, is it against the trolley company’s policy to promote area businesses?”

  “Nah.” Reese waved dismissively. “I’ve done it before. Pirate Pete gives me some to hand out every once in a while.”

  “Hmm.” Carlita warmed to the idea. “Yes. Coupons might work.”

  “I’ll be happy to help out.”

  “Thanks, Reese. You’re the best.”

  The trolley reached the next stop and a large group of passengers boarded.

  “You’re busy today.”

  “Yep. We will be for the next couple of days. It’s because of the Darbylane Museum’s new exhibit.” Reese waited for the passengers to find a seat before pulling back onto the street. “It’s a mess.”

  “These riders are all trying to get to the museum?”

  “Some of ‘em, I’m sure.” The trolley rounded the corner and turned onto Bay Street, the main thoroughfare that ran parallel to Savannah River.

  “Crud.” Reese hit the brakes, and the trolley screeched to a halt.

  Carlita’s eyes grew wide. “What on earth?”

  Chapter 2

  “Welcome to Cotswold Georgian Exhibit country,” Reese said grimly. “The downtown city streets have been solid gridlock since yesterday.”

  “Because of the exhibit at Darbylane Museum?”

  “Yep.” Reese shifted gears, gunning the engine as she veered into the other lane and careened onto a narrow alley. “I can’t wait ‘til this exhibit thingy ends. It’s making my job of maneuvering around town and reaching my stops a nightmare.”

  “It’s that big of an event?”

  “Today is by far the worst. There’s an important and famous guest arriving soon to tour the exhibit which means the cops and city officials have blocked off even more of the streets.”

  Carlita was curious. “Do you know who the special visitor is?”

  “Nope. Even the boss man is tight-lipped about the honorary guest. My friend, Dixie, the one who works at the Greyhound terminal, said she heard it was a duke or duchess.” Reese attempted her best British accent. “Royalty from across the pond.”

  “A member of the royal family?”

  “That’s what Dixie heard. I don’t care if it’s the queen herself, I’m not going anywhere near that mess…not if I can help it.”

  With a couple quick turns down more narrow alleys and a near miss with a low hanging tree branch, they arrived at the Elmwood Square stop.

  “If you plan to hitch a ride home on my trolley, come back to this stop. I can’t get down the other square, at least for the rest of the afternoon.”

  “Will do. Thanks for the lift.” Carlita gave her friend a thumbs up before making her way down the steps.

  It was a short walk from the bus stop to the Savannah Architectural Society’s office. The office was empty except for a receptionist at the front desk, a young woman Carlita had never met. She approached the counter. “Hi. I was hoping Glenda Fox might be in.”

  “She’s over at Darbylane Museum greeting Savannah’s special guest.”

  “Her, too?” Carlita shifted her purse.

  “Yeah.” The woman scooched forward. “I heard an honest-to-goodness duke from England is coming to town today to view the Cotswold Georgian Exhibit.”

  “I guess I should’ve called first to make sure she would be in the office. Do you know when she’ll be back?”

  “No, but she’s going to be there for a while. I’m sure if you head that way, you’ll be able to track her down.”

  “I took the trolley over here, and the driver had to turn off onto a side alley. We couldn’t even get near the place. It’s a madhouse.”

  “Isn’t it exciting?” The woman beamed. “I wish I wasn’t stuck here working so I could meet royalty.” A dreamy look filled her face. “I wonder if he’s married.”

  Carlita almost replied he was probably a hundred years old but didn’t want to burst the woman’s dream bubble. She thanked her for the information and stepped out of the office.

  It would be at least another hour before Reese and the trolley circled back around. She reluctantly made her way to the end of the block. It was either wait here or join the crowd.

  It wasn’t much of a choice. She turned left and made her way to Bay Street. Pedestrians crowded the sidewalk. She moved from side to side, dodging tourists and bicyclists. There was even a group of tourists on Segways.

  She neared the museum and noticed several local news vans lining the street. The area directly in front of the museum was roped off. A crimson carpet runner ran from the top of the steps all the way down to the end of the sidewalk.

  She caught a glimpse of Glenda, standing off to the side with several other SAS members. Glenda’s husband, Mark, was there, too.

  Carlita’s eyes scanned the clusters of people gathered together and talking loudly. There was a sudden movement near the museum’s entrance as a uniformed security guard escorted a woman down the steps. It was Elvira.

  She eased past several bystanders until she was standing on the other side of the velvet rope and at the bottom of the steps. “Elvira.”

  Elvira motioned for the woman to step beyond the rope.

  Carlita waited until the woman walked away before trying a second time to get her attention. “Elvira.”

  Elvira caught Carlita’s eyes and hurried over. “Hey.”

  “You look pretty snazzy in your uniform,” Carlita teased. “I almost didn’t recognize you.”

  “It’s new.” Elvira brushed imaginary lint from the lapel of her jacket. “I figure I oughta look my best since I’m meeting royalty.”

  “How on earth did you get this job?”

  “It was easy-breezy,” Elvira cleared her throat. “You gotta know how to schmooze the right people. EC Security Services beat out four other bids to get this highly coveted gig. In the end, I presented them with an offer they couldn’t refuse. This place is more secure than Fort Knox.”

  “So you bribed the person in charge of hiring the security company to guard the exhibit.”

  “Let’s just say I greased a few palms. I may have also had to fudge a few things along the way, but you didn’t hear it from me.”

  “It looks like every resident who lives in the city of Savannah is on hand.”

  “The crowds’ll die down soon,” Elvira predicted. “They’re all waiting for prince…err, duke or whatever to show up. Last I heard his plane hadn’t even touched down.”

  “Someone should let these people know.”

  “Mayor Puckett made an announcement, but it hasn’t fazed them. I guess they don’t have anything better to do on a Wednesday morning.” Elvira shot Carlita a curious glance. “What are you doing here? An art exhibit doesn’t strike me as your cup of tea.”

  “I’m waiting for Reese and the trolley to return. What do you mean…this isn’t my cup of tea?”

  “I dunno.” Elvira waved dismissively. “I figured something to do with food or gambling would be more your speed.”

  “My son works at a casino, and I own a restaurant. That doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate the arts,” Carlita said.

  A woman dressed in a uniform identical to Elvira’s and a nametag, Astrid Herve, joined them. “Bonjour.”<
br />
  “Bonjour,” Elvira replied.

  “La carte,” the woman replied.

  Elvira rolled her eyes. “You said menu. You’re gonna have to keep working on your French, Astrid.”

  “I thought I said the crowds.” The young woman eyed the growing masses. “The natives are starting to get restless.”

  “Well, we can’t let ‘em in yet.” Elvira grabbed Carlita’s arm. “I’m taking my neighbor on a quick tour. You stay here and hold down the fort for me until we get back. Try not to order croissants while I’m gone.”

  “Oui.”

  Carlita picked up the pace as Elvira propelled her along the sidewalk to the back of the building. “Astrid is new. Business must be good. You’re hiring more employees.”

  “Astrid was living on the streets. I found her digging through a dumpster and offered her a job. It’s strictly under the table work so she could pick up some quick cash.”

  “No kidding. I think that’s the kindest thing you’ve ever done.”

  “Eh,” Elvira shrugged. “Just don’t go telling anyone because you’ll force me to have to deny it.”

  “You don’t want people to think you’re capable of being nice?”

  “No. It will ruin my reputation. Anyhoo, it’s only temporary until she can save up enough cash to buy a plane ticket out of here.”

  “She wants to move to France,” Carlita guessed.

  “Yep. Astrid is an old soul in a young body, a modern day hippie.” Elvira stopped when they reached the rear entrance. “She reminds me of myself in my younger years.”

  The women climbed a narrow set of steps before entering a long hallway. Their shoes echoed loudly on the gleaming marble floor as they hurried to the other end.

  “Where are we going?” Carlita whispered.

  “To see the Cotswold Georgian Exhibit. I can’t make heads or tails of some of the pieces.” Elvira abruptly stopped in front of a marble column. “The exhibit pieces are in here.”

  As they stepped through the arched doorway, a rush of cool air blasted them, and Carlita shivered. “It’s like the inside of a freezer in here.”

  “The exhibit floors are temperature controlled. Good for the art. Bad for the warm-blooded visitors. I’ll show you the piece de resistance.” Elvira stepped over to the wall and pointed to a small painting. “That’s it…the one that looks like something threw up in a rainbow of colors.”

  Carlita stepped closer to the Plexiglas display case, her eyes narrowing as she studied the splashes of color. A Piece of Renaissance. She repeated the name. “It’s…interesting.”

  “The museum’s curator told me this painting is worth a small fortune.” Elvira chuckled. “My artwork is ten times better than this. In fact, I could probably slip this baby under my jacket, stick one of my own paintings in its place and no one would be the wiser.”

  “I wouldn’t try that.”

  “I wasn’t serious. Of course, I wouldn’t be dumb enough to take this ugly painting.”

  Carlita took a step back. “I must agree it appears to be a bunch of colors flung onto a canvas.”

  “You can have a quick look around if you want.” Elvira followed Carlita around the room.

  They stopped briefly to admire another piece of artwork before returning to the doorway.

  “Thank you for the tour,” Carlita said.

  “You’re welcome. Now for the best part.” Elvira motioned Carlita to follow her. The women retraced their steps, returning to the back of the museum.

  “In here.” Elvira eased a swinging door open. The women stepped into a butler’s pantry. An array of silver platters covered the counter.

  Beyond the pantry, Carlita could hear the loud clanging of pots and pans, and she spied several kitchen workers darting back and forth.

  “They got some good grub in the works.” Elvira lifted the lid of one of the silver serving trays and plucked out a pastry. “These puffed pastries are delish. If these VIPs don’t hurry up, all of these treats are gonna go to waste. Here have one.” Elvira attempted to hand Carlita a tart.

  “No thanks.”

  “Suit yourself.” Elvira popped a lemon tart in her mouth before grabbing two more. She carefully wrapped them in a cocktail napkin and shoved them in the front pocket of her jacket. “We better get back to the festivities. His lordship or whatever he is should be here soon.”

  The women stepped out of the building and returned to the front of the museum. Astrid was standing in the same spot. “It looks like the guest of honor has finally arrived.”

  “I’ll let you get back to work.” Carlita thanked Elvira for the tour and skirted the edge of the large crowd, searching for her friend, Glenda.

  She finally gave up and crossed to the other side of the street before backtracking to Reese’s trolley stop where a long line of passengers stood waiting.

  Reese and her trolley arrived right on time. Carlita let the others board before following them up the steps. A reserved sign blocked her usual spot.

  “This trolley is almost full.” Carlita peered anxiously down the aisle in an attempt to locate an empty seat.

  “That’s why I saved your spot.” Reese plucked the sign from the seat.

  “You saved the seat for me?”

  “Of course. Gotta save the best seat in the house for one of my best buds.”

  “Reese, you’re a doll.” Carlita plopped down. The arches of her feet ached, and she wiggled her toes. “What a zoo.”

  “Told ya.” Reese pulled the door shut and consulted her rearview mirror before steering the trolley onto the street. “I bet the museum is a madhouse…wall-to-wall people.”

  “I just left there. You were right - the city officials were waiting on a guest of honor, a duke or some such thing. Elvira and her gang were on hand.”

  “Better you than me,” Reese quipped. “Elvira’s security company is managing the event?”

  “Yes.”

  “Business must be booming. I see her people all over town these days.”

  “She’s building a name for herself. Whether she’s above board in getting the business is another story.” Carlita thought about Elvira’s company van blocking the alley. “She purchased a new van.”

  “That’s the best news I’ve heard all day. Now I won’t have to worry about her trying to weasel free rides from me.” Reese and Elvira had been at odds ever since the time Elvira attempted to interrogate a couple of Reese’s riders.

  Reese warned her to knock it off; Elvira became angry and filed a complaint against her. “Good riddance.”

  The conversation shifted to talk about the area’s upcoming festivals. “Maybe I should start looking into joining some of the food festivals to get Ravello’s name out there.”

  “I hadn’t thought of that. Yes. You might be onto something,” Reese said. “Have you had any luck renting out your vacant apartments?”

  “We rented the two-bedroom across the hall from me to Autumn Winter, a family friend. In fact, she’s moving in today.”

  “One down, one to go. I better get to work.” Reese reached for the microphone and began narrating their trip, pointing out various points of interest to the trolley riders.

  They reached Carlita’s stop. She gathered her things before carefully navigating the narrow steps. “Thanks for saving me a seat.”

  “You’re welcome. Good luck with your new tenant.”

  “Thanks. I’ll see you later.” Carlita gave her friend a quick wave before hurrying across the street and into the pawnshop.

  The bell chimed, and Tony, Carlita’s middle son, gave her a quick look. She made her way across the store and waited for him to finish helping a customer. “I was lookin’ for you earlier. Shelby wanted me to give you the rest of the keys to her apartment.”

  “I already changed the locks.” Carlita followed her son to the back of the store. He reached inside the desk drawer and pulled out a set of keys before handing them to his mother. “I asked Josh to give Autumn a hand with mov
ing some of her larger pieces of furniture up the stairs.”

  “That’s nice. I’m sure she appreciates it. Isn’t Autumn’s brother, Steve, here to help?”

  “He couldn’t make it over until later. Sam was home. He heard the commotion in the hall, came out to see what was going on and he’s helping, too.”

  “I’m sure Mercedes is thrilled,” Carlita joked.

  “She might not be thrilled, but Autumn doesn’t seem to mind.”

  Carlita lifted a brow. “Autumn told me she was swearing off men for a while.”

  “It’s lookin’ like she may have already changed her mind,” Tony said. “Have you made a decision on my old efficiency?”

  “Yes.” Carlita was having difficulty finding a long-term tenant for Tony’s former unit. Although the efficiency was ready to move into, it was only large enough for one, possibly two people. The few prospective tenants she’d shown it to had turned up their noses when they found out how “cozy” it was.

  The last person to view the unit told Carlita it reminded her of an extended-stay hotel room. When she told Mercedes what the woman had said, her daughter suggested they consider leaving Tony’s furniture in the unit and turning it into a short-term rental.

  “We’re going to turn it into a short-term rental.” Carlita had done her homework and discovered they could double their income if they rented the efficiency short-term. Mercedes agreed it was a wise move and began running ads for weekly and monthly rentals.

  Several promising prospects had submitted applications online. Mercedes had offered to start scheduling appointments to meet with the prospective tenants.

  Carlita thanked her son for the extra set of keys. She made her way into the narrow hall, squeezing past a television stand before climbing the stairs to the second story landing.

  The door to Autumn’s apartment was wide open. Carlita heard a loud thump followed by a cuss word.

  “Is everything okay?” She cautiously approached the doorway and peeked around the corner. Josh and Sam were moving a sofa around the living room.

  Autumn stood off to the side. “Shift a little to the right and…you’ve got it.”

  “Is this thing filled with lead?” Sam joked.