Page 16 of Shakedown in Savannah

Carlita hightailed it back to their apartment. She found him in the kitchen warming the dinner she’d dropped off earlier.

“Any news from Elvira and the archaeologist?”

“The woman is trying to rearrange her schedule. We should have news soon.” Carlita hung Rambo’s leash on the hook by the door and moped across the room.

Pete did a double take. “Are you okay? You look like you lost your best friend.”

“I’m not sure. I’ll know more by tomorrow morning.”

“Does this involve Elvira?”

“I wish,” she sighed.

Pete turned, giving his wife his full attention. “What’s wrong?”

Carlita filled him in on what had transpired, starting with the men showing up at Ravello’s during the lunch hour and ending with them telling her they’d be back the following day. “So tomorrow morning, Mercedes, Tony and I are going to meet with these two mafia goons to find out exactly what sort of deal this Danny Lombardo mobster wants.”

“It sounds like a shakedown,” Pete said.

“We take the deal or else. The ‘or else’ is my concern.”

“Have you talked to Mercedes or Tony about it?”

“No. I wanted to run it by you first.”

“I want to be there with you.”

“There’s nothing you can do. Even if they are mobsters, they’re not going to gun us down at the restaurant.”

“Are you sure?”

“Well, I hope not.” Carlita briefly closed her eyes. “I’m not getting a good feeling about this.”

“Why don’t you run it by Vinnie? He might know who this Lombardo character is.”

“What a great idea. Why didn’t I think of that?” Carlita snatched her cell phone off the counter and dialed her son’s number.

She thought the call would go to voicemail, but then he picked up. “Hey, Ma.”

“Hey, Son. You got a minute?”

“Sure.”

Carlita could hear loud voices and laughter in the background.

“Can you hang on for a sec?”

“Sure.”

His voice grew muffled, and Carlita knew he was on the move. It got quiet. For a second, she thought they’d been disconnected. “Are you still there?”

“I’m here. I’m in my office. What’s up?”

“I had two visitors stop by Ravello’s tonight. They claim your father and I owe money to their boss.”

“Pops and you owe someone money?”

“To the tune of two hundred and fifty thousand. I’m not sure if they’re pulling my leg, but they said the amount we owe is now over half a million with interest tacked on.”

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