The waters were getting murkier by the minute.
“The cops are gonna start digging around and talking to people who were here last night. They’re going to have a whole list of suspects,” Ricco said. “Me, Luigi, Elvira, Dernice.”
“Me,” Mercedes pointed to herself.
“And Pete,” Carlita added.
“We got a mess on our hands. When Jersey Joe gets here, it’s gonna be a hundred times worse,” Ricco predicted.
“Is he that bad?” Carlita asked.
“I wish I could say otherwise. Unfortunately, his job will be to get to the bottom of what happened to Roxy. You don’t take out one of Vito’s employees and get away with it. The only person who takes them out is Vito. And now that the cops will be involved, Vito’s gonna want to get it cleaned up, and fast.”
Carlita’s cell phone beeped. It was a text from Pete, telling them he and Vinnie had left the police station. “We gotta get out of here. Pete and Vinnie just left the police station.”
The group hurriedly descended the narrow steps, making their way across the upper deck and down the wider set of stairs leading to the main deck and the gangway entrance on the opposite side.
Carlita waited until they had all assembled. She reached for the lever that lowered the gangway as she peered out the porthole. “Hang on. We got a big problem.”
Chapter 9
Two patrol cars coasted along the dock, with Pete’s pickup bringing up the rear. He sprang from his truck and stopped the police before they were able to exit their vehicles.
“Great,” Carlita groaned. “Now, what do we do? The cops are going to find us in here and wonder what we’re doing.”
“Pretend we’re employees,” Ricco suggested.
“Which would be fine except we’re going to be on their list to question, and that excuse will be blown sky-high,” Mercedes pointed out.
Carlita remembered the small second exit, one she had teased Pete about, calling it the alternative option to walking the plank. “There’s another way off the ship. Follow me.”
The group scrambled up the steps to the open deck. They followed Carlita to the other side where Cool Bones and his band had played the previous night.
It seemed like eons ago now, when life was simple, and Vito’s employee was still alive.
With a quick look over the side to make sure the coast was clear, Carlita hoisted the rolled ladder over the railing. It made a muffled thud as it hit the side of the ship and then bounced off before dangling loosely.
“We gotta go down that?” Mercedes eyes grew wide.
“Unfortunately, yes. Unless we want to be seen.”
“I’ll go first.” Luigi did an about-face. He grabbed hold of both sides of the twisted rope and began making his descent.
“You next,” Tony motioned to Ricco. “You and Luigi need to clear the deck first.”
Carlita peered over the side, praying the men would find some way to make it to the edge of the dock several yards away.
She pressed a light hand to her forehead when she noticed a narrow ledge running along the side of the ship and didn’t let out the breath she was holding until both men reached the safety of the concrete dock. Thankfully, it was on the opposite side of the ship and the gangway where Pete and the police had parked.
“Ma?” Tony tapped his mother’s shoulder.
“Mercedes is next.” Carlita gave her daughter a firm nudge. “You go.”
“Hang on, toots. I’m next. Being at a crime scene and getting caught will look bad. I have a reputation at stake.” Elvira shoved Mercedes aside and climbed over the side of the railing. “See you at the bottom.” Elvira was gone in a flash.
“She’s such a trip,” Carlita sucked in a breath.
“Every man for himself or in Elvira’s case – herself.” Mercedes waited until Elvira cleared the ladder before she began making her way down.
She moved with lightning speed, easily navigating the rope ladder. Mercedes inched along the narrow ledge, and when she reached the dock, she easily leaped from the ledge to the dock where Ricco and Luigi caught her.
Luigi gave a thumbs up.
Pete’s booming voice echoed from the bottom of the stairs. Carlita cast an anxious glance behind her. The authorities would be on the open deck soon.
Tony tapped his mother’s arm and pointed at the ladder. It was her turn. She sucked in a breath and pivoted, forcing herself not to think about the distance from the deck to the dark water below if she were to lose her grip and fall.
She offered up a silent prayer and carefully descended the ladder. Halfway down, the gentle breeze picked up, creating a mini wind tunnel around her.
Carlita could feel the ladder liftoff, causing her to become airborne.
The wooden rung let out a loud whack as the wind blew the other way, forcing it against the side of the ship and jarring her. Unprepared for the forcefulness of the impact, her foot slipped, and she lost her grip.
“Ma!” Tony’s expression grew horrified as he watched his mother dangling in midair.
Carlita’s fight instinct kicked into gear. She was not going down. Filled with a rush of adrenaline, she scrambled to secure her footing. She nearly cried when she managed to find the rung. Not waiting for another large gust, she hurriedly descended to the narrow ledge.
Tony was right behind her, moving at a fast clip. He caught up with her halfway across the narrow ledge. “You’re doin’ great, Ma. Keep movin’. You’re almost there.”
They were still several feet above the waterline and a good yard away from where the others stood waiting.
“You can do it, Ma,” Mercedes urged her forward. “You’re almost here.”
Carlita pushed on and made the last few feet in record time, nearly collapsing in Luigi’s arms. “Thank God.”
“You did it, Mrs. G. I thought you were a goner when that big gust of wind came along and tossed you around. You were flying high like a trapeze artist.” Luigi gazed at her admiringly. “But you were a real trooper the way you lost your footing and then managed to get it back.”
“My life flashed before me.” Carlita swallowed hard, willing her pulse to stop racing.
“Whoo-eee.” Elvira twirled her finger. “I saw you flying through the air and thought to myself, ‘I hope Carlita knows how to swim.’ Do you know how to swim?”
“I do, but it’s not something I want to partake in when I’m fully clothed,” she snapped.
“Touchy, touchy.” Elvira tsk-tsked.
Tony jumped off the edge of the ledge, landing lightly on his feet. “You okay, Ma?”
“Yes, now that both feet are firmly planted on a dry dock.”
“We made it off just in time.” He nodded toward the upper deck of The Flying Gunner, where Pete now stood with two uniformed officers.
She was certain he had noticed them because seconds later, he led the officers away from the railing. “We better go.”
It was a brisk walk from the ship to Elvira’s van. Back home, Vinnie, Brittney and Paulie were waiting for them in the living room. “Don’t tell me you have more bad news.”
“No. Nothing new yet. Last I heard, Mariani was at the airport trying to fly standby.” Vinnie explained Vito was putting Jersey Joe up at a hotel on the river. “It’s the one right down the road.”
Elvira let out a low whistle. “That’s a hoity-toity hotel. He must be someone special for the head honcho to be forking out the big bucks for that joint.” She let out a short laugh. “Listen to me? I’m sounding more like all you ‘family’ types by the minute.”
Vinnie changed the subject. “You find anything?”
“Nope. Nothing other than there was no way Roxy would have been able to extricate herself from that bathroom. Someone let her out. The drops of blood start less than a foot from the bathroom door, and trail all the way to the railing.”
Tony picked up. “She was definitely injured when she went over.”
“So, we’re not any closer to fig
uring out how she died or who was responsible than we were before you went over there,” Vinnie draped an arm on the fireplace mantel. “The cops were pretty cool to Pete ‘n me.”
“What happened when you went down there?”
Vinnie told them the police wouldn’t let him and Pete see Roxy, and that they positively identified her from a headshot. “I told ‘em we were down here visiting family, and that Roxy was my employee.”
“Did you mention the bathroom?” Mercedes asked. “You know, about Pete locking her up?”
“Yep. We told them she was causing trouble and had argued with other guests on the ship. Pete neutralized the situation by placing her in a secure area, and he planned to let her out once we got back to Merry Bay.”
“We all need to have our stories straight,” Paulie said. “If there are holes, the cops are going to get suspicious.”
“We have nothing to hide,” Carlita placed a hand on her hip. “Roxy is Vinnie’s employee, she was causing trouble, she did have a physical altercation and she was contained. All true.”
“All by individuals who were at one time on the police radar,” Mercedes said.
“Bite your tongue,” Elvira argued. “I’ve never been in trouble with the cops.”
“Never?” Carlita lifted a brow. “What about the time you trespassed on Tori’s property and were arrested?”
“There was that, but it was a minor incident, not even a misdemeanor.”
“Or the time you did that gig for the museum and was a suspect when a painting went missing?” Mercedes added.
“Okay. Well, a time or two, but I’m definitely not on the cops’ radar, not like some other people.” Elvira gave Luigi a pointed stare.
“My hands are cleaner than yours,” Luigi shot back. “Hopefully, the police don’t start snooping around your businesses and find out about the Agamerian Project.”
“Agamerian Project?” Carlita echoed.
Elvira glared at Luigi. “You signed a confidentiality agreement, buddy. You’re treading on thin ice unless you want me to fire you.”
“You can’t fire me.”
“We’ll see about that.” Elvira dusted her hands. “I would love to stay and chit chat, but I have businesses to run.” She propelled Luigi toward the door. “And if memory serves me correctly, you have a security assignment down at the trolley station.”
Shelby and Violet passed Luigi and Elvira on their way in. Shelby did a double-take at the living room full of people. “I hope we’re not interrupting.”
“Not at all.” Tony joined his wife and stepdaughter. “We were wrapping up a little meeting about Roxy’s disappearance and D-E-A-T-H.”
Violet tugged on her mother’s hand. “What is Tony spelling?” she whispered in a loud voice.
“We’re talking big people talk.” Shelby scooped her daughter up, and it was then that Carlita noticed the candy apple red dress her granddaughter was wearing and the matching bow in her hair. She remembered the special event Reese had planned for the children.
“I almost forgot about our special surprise. We need to get Gracie, Noel and PJ.”
“We’re here,” Gina sing-songed as she herded her triplets into the crowded apartment. “We figured we had better get here a few minutes early.”
“Yes. Early. I’ll be right back.” Carlita darted to the bathroom, where she freshened up before returning. “Reese and the trolley will be around shortly. Let’s go wait at the stop.”
The family made their way out of the apartment to the other side of the street to the covered trolley stop. The children settled on the bench to wait.
Paulie pointed to the construction site nearby. “Sandy Sue’s Bar-B-Que. You got another food joint coming in across the street?”
“Yeah.” Carlita stared at the sign that had been up for so long it was starting to fade. “They’re not moving very fast. I heard from Bob Lowman, my construction guy, that they’re having some money problems.”
“So, now you have an eyesore,” Gina said.
“I’m sure the city isn’t going to let them leave it looking like that forever.”
Ding. Ding. A bell sounded, and Reese’s decorated trolley rounded the corner. She gave a friendly wave as the group gathered near the curb.
Jingle Bells played loudly over the speakers as a small group of riders exited, and then Carlita and her family boarded.
Reese was wearing an elf costume complete with a pointed green cap and a green jacket. She’d dyed the tips of her hair purple and painted the end of her nose bright red.
“Here’s a present from the elves at the North Pole.” Reese handed Gracie a small, paper bag dotted with blue snowflakes. A red and white striped candy cane poked out of the top. “Merry Christmas.”
Gracie’s eyes grew round as saucers as she stared at Reese the Elf. “You’re an elf?”
“I am.” Reese grinned. “Santa hires me every year to help him pass out presents to good little girls and boys.”
“I’m good,” Gracie said.
“That’s why you get a special gift bag.”
“Thank you.”
PJ solemnly reached for his gift bag, staring at Reese with his mouth wide open. “Merry Christmas, PJ.”
Gina, who was standing directly behind him, tapped his shoulder. “What do you say, PJ?”
“Thank you, Elf.”
“You’re welcome.”
Violet was next and the bravest by far. She got close to Reese and stared at her face. “You are a pretty elf, Reese.”
Carlita’s heart swelled with pride at the sweet little girl, who was the most thoughtful and sensitive of her grandchildren.
“Tell Santa thank you for sending you.”
“I will,” Reese’s voice grew soft. She handed the young child a bag and then gave her a gentle hug. “Thank you, Violet.”
Noel was last. The opposite of Violet, she boldly reached out and tugged on her jacket. “Is this real?” she demanded. “What is your name?”
“Reese the Elf,” Reese replied.
“I never saw an elf with purple hair.” Noel eyed Reese’s hair suspiciously.
Reese feigned surprise. “What? You’ve never seen an elf’s hair sprinkled with purple pixie dust?”
“Purple pixie dust?” Noel inched closer. “Can I touch it?”
“Sure.” Reese tilted her head as Noel tentatively touched the tip of Reese’s hair. The spray glitter rubbed off on her fingers, and she gazed at it in awe. “It is pixie dust.”
She lifted her small hand to show her grandmother. “Nonna, I have elf pixie dust on my hand.”
“You sure do,” Carlita solemnly nodded.
“This is for you.” Reese handed Noel the last bag. “Merry Christmas, Noel.”
“Merry Christmas.”
After the family was settled, Carlita took the empty seat directly behind her friend. “Thank you, Reese. Your outfit is fabulous.”
“This old thing,” Reese said modestly. “I’ve had it for years.” She lowered her voice. “The children love it.”
“Yes, they do, and the pixie dust in your hair is the perfect touch.”
During the trolley tour, Reese pointed out the Christmas decorations along the way. The City of Savannah had gone all out decorating for the holiday, and there was something new to look at around every turn.
They stopped at Oldsmar Square, where a large group had gathered. Santa Claus and a long line of children waiting to speak with him were near the tiered fountain.
Reese slowed the trolley. “Who wants to see Santa?”
“We saw him last night,” PJ said.
“Okay. Who wants hot cocoa and to make their own special Christmas cookies?”
“Me,” the children shouted in unison.
They stopped at the Savannah Visitor’s Center, where more “elves” were handing out treats to the children. Long tables were set up outside the small museum where the children lined up to frost cookies.
After finishing their cookie
s, Carlita’s family toured the museum while she hung out with Reese. She filled her in on what had happened, how Roxy had gone missing and that her body was discovered by another parade boat.
“Was it an accident?” Reese asked. “Did she fall overboard?”
“No. There was a trail of blood, and we found out she’d been stabbed. Unfortunately, the police will soon find out there’s a long list of suspects, including Mercedes.”
“No kidding. I think the woman managed to get under everyone’s skin, including mine.”
“Yours?” Carlita was surprised. She didn’t even know Reese had talked to Roxy.
“Yeah. She made a snide remark about my purple hair, and I gave it right back to her.”
“I’m not surprised,” Carlita sighed heavily.
After the tour ended, the family returned to the trolley for the trip back to Walton Square. During the ride, Reese turned up the radio, and they began singing Christmas songs.
For a few moments, Carlita forgot all about Roxy Ciccone. Today was a special day spent with family, making memories she hoped would last a lifetime. She hoped the children would remember the trolley ride, Reese the Elf and their grandmother long after she was gone.
All too soon, the trolley ride ended, and they were home. Carlita hung back, waiting for the others to get off. Tears welled up in her eyes when each of the children stopped to give Reese a hug and thank her for the bag of goodies.
Brittney followed behind and paused near the top step. “Thank you, Reese. You made our day. Children see the world through different eyes, where everything is magical and innocent. I hope you’ll still be doing the Christmas trolley tours when Vinnie is their age. I don’t want him to miss out on this.”
“I…”
Carlita could see her friend was getting choked up. “Thank you, Brittney. That means a lot.”
Vinnie, who was behind his wife, gave Reese’s shoulder a gentle tap. “You’re the best, Reese. I don’t care what my ma says about you.”
Carlita whacked her son in the arm. “Vincent Garlucci.”
“Aw. She knows I’m kidding.” Vinnie impulsively leaned down and planted a kiss on Reese’s cheek. “Thanks again.”
Christmas Family Style in Savannah: A Garlucci Family Saga Novel (Made in Savannah Mystery Series Book 15) Page 7