Carlita eased onto the cement, her joints aching at the awkward position. “I’m gettin’ too old for this.”
“You done pretty good, Ma,” Tony grinned. “You didn’t even smack me when I pushed you back.”
“Cuz you were tryin’ to protect Mercedes and me.”
They stayed hidden from sight for some time, watching as the authorities placed several people inside the back of the police cars. Carlita’s cell phone vibrated again. It wasn’t her tracking app this time. It was Detective Polivich.
“Carlita Garlucci speaking.”
“You can come out now. The area is secure.”
“I figured you were gonna come over here and get me.”
“Fine. I guess I could.” One of the taller men stepped away from a patrol car and made his way to their hiding spot. “Why do you always gotta be in the middle of these messes?”
“Why do you gotta be following me around?” Carlita shook her head. “I was down here having a nice dinner with my children, listening to some good music. Next thing I know, the cops are surrounding people and making arrests.”
“I don’t buy it for one minute,” the detective said. “You knew we were following you.”
“Of course. You’ve been staking out my place for days now.” Carlita extended a hand, and the detective pulled her to her feet.
“So how did you know?” The detective motioned to the cars.
“Know about Lisa Zant and the carving on Davis Rutger’s chest? We heard about it in a roundabout way, did a little snooping around and discovered Zant was the one who was asking about the design.”
“Mick at West End Tattoo Shop. You know him?”
“He’s a friend of a friend. At first, I figured it was Phil Duce,” Carlita said. “He had the perfect alibi.”
“He’s not off the hook. He has some shady dealings. We’re still looking for a couple of his ‘business associates.’ You know anything about them?”
“Business associates of Phil Duce?” Carlita raised a brow. “Now why would I have any dealings with Phil Duce?”
“You tell me,” the detective shot back.
“What I would rather know is the motive for Lisa Zant killing Davis Rutger and if someone else was involved.”
“Kellen Saylor,” Polivich said. “We tapped his phone. We were waiting to figure out who else was involved. The crime scene showed more than one person involved in Rutger’s death. When we found a hair sample in the duct tape securing Rutger, we figured we had something. We got the results back today. It belongs to Lisa Zant.”
“So, you had the carved marking, you had the hair sample, and yet you were still looking for two mysterious men lurking around my place,” Carlita said.
“I was covering all of the bases, doing my job to protect area business owners like yourself.”
“Indeed,” Carlita said. “Are my children and I free to leave or do you plan a police escort home?”
“As free as a bird…unless you have some sort of confession.” The detective crossed his arms, waiting expectantly.
“Confession? I have nothing to confess.”
Tony extended a hand to the detective. “I appreciate the extra patrols in our area. You never know who might be hangin’ around waitin’ to start trouble.”
The detective shook Tony’s hand. “You never know who might be hangin’ around.”
Chapter 22
“Are you sure Tori doesn’t want to keep Brittney, Luigi and Ricco for a few more days?”
“Mercedes,” her mother chided. “They’re only going to be with us until tomorrow. We need to spend some time with Brittney before she leaves.”
Mercedes followed her mother out of the apartment and down the stairs. “Why are we meeting Tony?”
“He said it’s a surprise.” Mother and daughter reached the pawnshop and slipped in through the back door.
Tony caught his mother’s eye and made his way over. “You hear from the cops yet?”
“Detective Polivich was on my doorstep first thing this morning,” Carlita said. “He claims it was to give me the information firsthand about the arrests.”
“What’s the scoop?” Tony asked.
“Kellen Saylor, one of the Savannah Six, was romantically involved with Lisa Zant. Not long after Davis Rutger arrived in Savannah, he began hanging around the couple. Kellen admitted to Rutger he was involved in an unsolved drug deal gone wrong murder in Macon, Georgia earlier this year. Rutger decided to use this to his advantage to gain power in the group by holding it over Kellen Saylor’s head, threatening to notify authorities. After Rutger started threatening Kellen, he and Lisa hatched a plan to get rid of Rutger.”
Carlita continued. “According to Polivich, the couple was waiting for the perfect opportunity which presented itself when Davis Rutger was confronted by Phil Duce on board Reese’s trolley. Initially, Kellen and Lisa figured the police would zero in on Duce and his men. Duce was on the investigator’s radar, but so was Reese after finding out about her previous record.”
“Then along comes the footage of Luigi and Ricco and the police have even more persons of interest,” Mercedes said.
“Talk about being in the wrong place at the wrong time,” Tony grunted.
“Not only Reese but for Luigi and Ricco, too. Lisa Zant, who had gone into hiding, surfaced last night. The cops got her.”
“She wasn’t very smart,” Mercedes said. “She and Kellen Saylor branded Rutger and didn’t think the police would trace it back to her?”
“Some criminals are pretty dumb.” Tony pointed to the covered trapdoor. “Whatcha gonna do about this?”
Carlita followed her son’s gaze. “I think I’m gonna leave it for now. There’s no way anyone can sneak upstairs with the tunnel gate locked not to mention the cabinet on top of the trapdoor.”
“Suit yourself.” Tony glanced over his shoulder to the large picture window in the front. “Your surprise is here.”
“Surprise?” Carlita turned and caught a glimpse of her eldest son strolling toward the front entrance. “Vinnie?”
“He decided to drive down and pick up his bride.”
Carlita darted to the door and flung it open.
“Hey, Ma. Tony and I figured we’d surprise you and Brit. Is she back from her stay on the island?” Vinnie gave his mother a warm hug.
“Not yet. They’re on the way.” Carlita held her son at arm’s length. “You’re the spittin’ image of your father.”
“Vito says the same thing. Can I come in?”
“Yes. Yes. Come in.” She waved her son inside, and they joined the other Garlucci siblings. Mercedes hugged her brother while Tony gave him a slap on the back.
“Thanks for takin’ such good care of Brittney and the guys.”
“I gotta say it was a full-time job keepin’ them away from the cops.” Carlita rolled her eyes. “They were their own worst enemy.”
“Sounds like Luigi and Ricco.” Vinnie nodded toward his brother. “You tell Ma the news?”
“I figured I would wait until you got here.”
“What news? You’re having twins…or triplets?”
“No. Only one baby. I don’t think I could handle more than one,” Vinnie laughed. “It’s about Luigi.”
“What about Luigi?” Mercedes asked.
“He’s thinkin’ about leaving the family.”
“Leaving the family? Oh, no.” Carlita started shaking her head. “You ain’t sending a family member to live under my roof.”
“You already got Tony,” Vinnie pointed out.
“Tony is officially out of the family business.” Carlita made a slicing motion with her hands.
“Luigi wants out,” Tony said quietly. “He’s tryin’ to go straight. To distance himself from the family.”
“This is his way of separating himself,” Vinnie said. “He’s gonna ask you if he can stay and find a job here in town, but we figured we should give you a heads up.”
“I can always use an e
xtra hand here at the pawnshop, and I hear his father owns an Italian restaurant up in Queens,” Tony said. “Luigi was one of the cooks before he started workin’ for Vito.”
“No kidding.” Carlita thought about her vow to Vinnie to get her sons out of the family. She liked Ricco. She liked Luigi. They were good guys as far as family went, but allowing one to move into her building on a more permanent basis? That was another story. “I…”
“Why not, Ma? Luigi would liven the place up.”
“Like we need any more,” Carlita groaned.
“If anyone can help Luigi get away from the family, it’s you,” Mercedes chimed in.
Carlita studied the faces of her children and could feel herself starting to cave. “Give me a minute to think about it.”
She slowly wandered to the window. She could still hear Vinnie’s words, clear as a bell, ringing in her ears. “Get them out…”
In some ways, Carlita had succeeded in keeping her husband’s dying request. Tony was out. Mercedes was away from the influences. Paulie, her youngest, had never been in it. Vinnie, Jr. was another story. He had married into the family.
What if she refused, Luigi returned to the family and then something happened to him? She would always carry the guilt, knowing she could’ve…should’ve done something to help him.
Vinnie’s voice whispered in her ear. “What do you say, Lenore? You gonna give Luigi a chance?”
Sudden tears burned the back of her eyes, and Carlita swallowed hard. “Okay, Vinnie. I’ll do it.”
She spun on her heel, meeting the questioning gazes of her three children. “I’ll do it, but on one condition.”
“What?”
“Luigi gets one chance. If I catch wind he’s back in the family and workin’ for anyone including Vito, then he’s outta here.”
Vinnie grinned widely. “You’re not gonna regret your decision. Luigi is a good guy.”
“I hope you’re right, Son…I hope you’re right.”
The end.
The Made in Savannah Mystery Series Continues…
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Hope Callaghan is an American author who loves to write Christian books, especially Christian Mystery and Cozy Mystery books. She has written more than 50 mystery books (and counting) in six series.
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Unstuffed Cabbage Roll Recipe
Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 medium head of cabbage, chopped
2 - 14.5 oz cans crushed tomatoes
1 - 8 oz. can tomato paste
1-1/2 cups water
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground black pepper
A pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
Parmesan cheese (optional)
Directions:
-Cook meat, along with yellow onion, in large Dutch oven or skillet over medium-high heat until brown.
-After cooking meat, drain grease.
-Add remaining ingredients (except for parmesan cheese) to the pot/pan.
-Reduce heat and simmer until cabbage is tender, about 30 minutes.
-Top with Parmesan cheese.
Turmoil in Savannah: A Made in Savannah Cozy Mystery (Made in Savannah Mystery Series Book 13) Page 16