Swiped in Savannah: A Made in Savannah Cozy Mystery (Made in Savannah Mystery Series Book 12) by Hope Callaghan (ereader android .TXT) 📗

“Why not leave tomorrow if she’s in such a hurry?” Carlita asked.

“She doesn’t want to leave me high and dry after I helped her out and put a roof over her head. There’s a festival over in LaFitte Square. It’s a small one-woman job. She’s covering until six tomorrow night.”

“So she’s staying an extra day to help you out,” Mercedes said.

“Sort of. She also said she needs to take care of something before she takes off.”

“Which means she takes care of this something either tonight or sometime tomorrow after work,” Carlita said. “It will still be worth it to keep an eye on her.”

“Suit yourself. Like I said, you’re wasting your time. I have better things to do.” Elvira left Carlita and her daughter standing on the corner.

“Maybe Elvira is right, and we are on a wild goose chase.” Carlita stared at the dark tent. “We can’t stand here all night.”

“Wait a minute.” Mercedes snapped her fingers. “I have an idea.”

Chapter 16

“What happened to the portable motion detector we bought when we caught someone breaking into the pawnshop?”

“It’s in our apartment, in the hallway closet,” Carlita said.

“We can set it up on the balcony facing toward the parking lot. If anyone moves, including Astrid, it’ll alert us.”

“That’s a great idea.”

The women returned to the apartment. Mercedes made a beeline for the closet. She dug through several of the storage bins before finding the small, rectangular box. “I still have the app on my cell phone.”

Mercedes tested the batteries and device before stepping onto the balcony. She placed the box in the corner, facing toward the alley in the direction of Astrid’s tent.

“Now let’s see if I’m able to get a visual.” She fiddled with the front of her phone. “Success. Check it out.” She shifted the phone so her mother could see the screen. “If there’s any movement, the phone will chime.”

They returned to the living room to wait.

Carlita turned the television on. She flipped through the channels while her mind wandered. She remembered the investigators’ search of the apartment and properties.

How was it that almost one hundred percent of the time Elvira was directly involved in some sort of crisis surrounding her and her family? She set the remote on her lap and turned to Mercedes. “Do you think we should move?”

“Move? Why would we move?”

“To get away from Elvira. She causes us more grief than anyone I’ve ever met.”

Mercedes laughed. “Ma, where would we move? This is our home. If anything, maybe you could offer to buy Elvira out and then evict her.”

“That’s a thought.” Carlita mulled over the idea. She’d sold off almost all of the gems she and her children had found in order to get her businesses up and running. Now, all but Ravello’s was turning a tidy profit.

She hoped that would change soon and Ravello’s would surpass even the pawnshop as their primary breadwinner. She also made a small amount from her investment in Pete’s pirate ship venture. The money was Carlita’s “slush fund” for small projects.

With Shelby’s health issues and her joining the family businesses, Carlita was even more aware of the weight on her shoulders in making sure her family and children were able to support themselves.

She sometimes wondered what Vinnie would think if he could see her now. She hoped he would be proud of her…proud of her not only for learning how to take care of herself after his sudden death, but taking care of her family…their children too.

Carlita had also worked hard to keep her promise to her husband on his deathbed…to get their children…their sons “out of the family.” She had been successful in getting Tony out.

Technically, Paulie, her youngest, was never “in the family.” Paulie lived in Clifton Falls along with his wife, Gina, and their three children.

Vinnie, on the other hand, was Carlita’s biggest concern. Her eldest son not only had not gotten “out of the family,” but he’d recently married Brittney, Vito Castellini aka “The Godfather’s” daughter. Vinnie was in deep with the family.

Carlita was beginning to wonder if she would ever be able to keep her promise concerning their eldest son. “I need to call Vinnie to see if there’s still a hit on Castellini and the family.”

“I almost forgot about the hit. Vinnie brought trouble our way just in time for Tony and Shelby’s wedding.”

“I wish he was down here and not up in Jersey,” Carlita lamented. “Your father is probably turning over in his grave and blaming me.”

“It’s not your fault, Ma. You’ve done the best you could. Vinnie is a grown man.”

Mercedes’ cell phone chimed. “We got something.” She tapped the screen. “I can’t tell who it is, but someone is on the move. They’re coming this way.”

“Let’s go.” Carlita tossed the remote on the sofa and scrambled to her feet. She grabbed her keys from the stand by the door and ran into the hall.

By the time they reached the alley, their target had already turned the corner and was walking at a fast clip. Mercedes and Carlita picked up the pace and began jogging to keep up.

The person stepped under the streetlight where Carlita was able to get a clearer look. “It’s Astrid. Let’s keep following her.”

The duo stayed far enough behind to keep out of sight until Astrid turned right. “She’s heading toward the museum,” Mercedes said.

They jogged to the next corner. Astrid was still moving quickly, occasionally glancing from side to side. They followed her for two more blocks until she turned again, skirting a row of cars parked curbside and along the wrought iron fence that surrounded Darbylane Museum.

“She’s heading to the back,” Carlita whispered.