Family Feud in Savannah: A Garlucci Family Saga (Made in Savannah Mystery Series Book 16) by Hope Callaghan (read with me txt) 📗

“No kidding. Segways can be dangerous if you don’t know what you’re doing. One of the company’s founders died after driving one off a cliff.”

“Seriously?” Carlita’s jaw dropped.

“Yep. He wasn’t paying attention to where he was going.” Tony made a diving motion with his hand. “Drove it right over the edge.”

“How awful.” Carlita shifted her gaze, watching as a familiar figure entered the pawn shop. Her heart plummeted as she watched Sandy Sue Jarvis make her way to the back. “What’s the big idea?”

“Hello, Mrs. Jarvis,” Carlita coolly replied. “What do you mean?”

“My employee, Mei, just quit. She said Ravello’s hired her.”

“I don’t run my restaurant’s day-to-day operations. Ravello’s manager would’ve been the one to interview her and offer her a job.”

It was as if Sandy Sue didn’t hear a word Carlita had said. She ranted and raved about the robbery, about the fact her ring was found in the pawn shop, that someone called the health department on her.

“Hold up.” Carlita cut her off. “Someone called the health department on Ravello’s.”

“How convenient.” It was apparent from Sandy Sue’s sneer the woman thought Carlita was lying.

“I don’t know anything about someone reporting you to the health department. I also didn’t steal your employee or rob you at gunpoint.”

“That’s not what the cops think.”

“As far as your employee goes, if your employee was happy working for you, they wouldn’t be seeking other employment.”

Sandy Sue let out a long string of cuss words.

Tony, who had been listening to the exchange, took a step toward her. “I’m gonna politely ask you to leave. If you don’t, I’m calling the cops.”

“You wouldn’t dare.”

“Watch me,” he said in a low voice.

Sandy Sue did an about-face and marched out of the pawn shop, barreling past a customer who was on his way in.

“This keeps gettin’ better and better,” Carlita muttered.

“Try not to worry about her,” Tony said. “We have bigger fish to fry right now.”

“You got that right.”

As more customers trickled in, Carlita sprang into action. The rest of the morning flew by, and it was close to noon before the crowds died down.

She was near the front, straightening a rack of video games, when she noticed Dernice making her way inside. Elvira was behind her.

Carlita waved them over, and as they drew closer, she noticed something odd about Elvira, if that was even possible.

Chapter 21

Carlita circled Elvira. Her right elbow was parallel with her shoulder. Thick bandages covered her from palm to armpit. A plastic opaque brace propped her arm up.

“I know. It looks weird,” Elvira rolled her eyes and let out an exaggerated sigh. “The quack seems to think elevating my arm until I can see the ortho guy will help keep the swelling down.”

“This is a temporary setup,” Dernice explained. “Elvira has an appointment to visit an orthopedic surgeon. Judging by the extent of her injury, I think she’s gonna end up with pins in her elbow.”

“What are you…a doctor?” Elvira asked. “Speaking of doctors, I think the one who saw me today was a quack.”

“It’s very unusual,” Carlita said.

Dernice choked back a laugh.

Elvira’s eyes narrowed. “What?”

Her sister struck a Saturday Night Fever dance pose, thrusting her hip out and her arm up. “Tony Manero, where are you?”

“Very funny.” Elvira kicked her.

“It’s not my fault you crashed.”

“I look like a nut job.”

“I’m sorry about the accident,” Carlita apologized. “So, I guess that means no Segway excursion for the cruise.”

“It depends on how much damage I’ve done.” Elvira made a slow turn. “I’m ready to go lie down. Someone’s gonna have to run next door and give Sandy Sue the news we’re off the job.”

“Speaking of Sandy Sue, she was in here earlier, carrying on about how one of her employees quit and was hired by Ravello’s.”

“I thought I was having a bad string of luck,” Elvira said. “First she’s robbed, then her husband leaves her and now she has employees quitting.”

“Hang on.” Carlita stopped her. “Sandy Sue and her husband split up?”

“Yep. And I know that for a fact. I caught them fighting in the parking lot. I thought she was gonna punch him and I was gonna have to call the cops.”

After Elvira and Dernice left, Carlita mulled over the new information. No wonder Sandy Sue was in a foul mood.

What if Sandy Sue’s husband was behind the robbery? If the couple were headed to divorce court, why would they move forward with opening the restaurant? For months, the project had been all but abandoned. In fact, when they’d first started working on it, Carlita wasn’t even sure who owned it.

Months went by and nothing happened. Then one day, workers returned to the site, and things moved fast.

What if the couple’s marital difficulties had halted the project? Surely, the city would push to have the project finished. Not only was the site an eyesore, but it was also a safety concern. Perhaps they pushed Sandy Sue and her husband to finish it.

As far as the employees went, Angel had told her she didn’t care for Gordon Coldwater, the owner of Big Hog’s BBQ, who was also Sandy Sue’s brother.

He had seemed like a nice enough guy. If Mei, the employee Ravello’s had hired, didn’t like Sandy Sue, why didn’t she apply for a job at Big Hog’s?

Tony’s part-time afternoon help arrived, and Carlita headed out.

Curious to find out more about Ravello’s new employee, she made a beeline for the restaurant. She found her manager, Arnie, seated at the desk.

They chatted briefly and then Carlita brought up the subject of Mei. “I’m here to ask you about Mei, a new employee who worked or has worked at the barbecue place across the street.”

“I think Mei will