Page 34 of Shakedown in Savannah

“We have a couple hours before our twenty-four hours are up.” Carlita shoved her chair back. “You still want to meet with them at nine?”

“Yeah. In the meantime, I’m gonna swing by the pawn shop and chat with Tony.”

“He gets there early, before it opens. I’m sure he would love to see you. I’ll catch up with you at Ravello’s.”

“Sounds good.” Vinnie finished his coffee and headed out.

Meanwhile, Carlita and Pete hung around home, cleaning up the breakfast dishes and getting ready for their day. Eight o’clock rolled around. She was too antsy to sit still and told Pete she was heading over to wait.

“Do you want me to go with you?”

“No. Vinnie will be there.” She promised to let him know as soon as she had an update. Taking Rambo with her, they cut through the alley and came up on the back side of the apartment.

She peeked in the front window of their pawn shop and could see Vinnie and Tony inside talking. Passing by the courtyard, she continued walking until she reached Ravello’s front entrance.

The door was locked, so she strolled around back to the alley. Rambo pulled on his leash, eager to check out his old stomping grounds—the parking lot’s small strip of green grass.

Loosening his leash, Carlita let him explore. They squeezed in between Elvira’s work van and her compact car.

Carlita peered in the window. The back seat was crammed full…blankets, a cooler, a toolbox, some crumpled fast-food wrappers.

The front passenger seat wasn’t much better. Empty and half full water bottles. A stack of orange safety cones was wedged between the seat and the glove box.

“This vehicle is a health hazard,” Carlita muttered. “I bet it stinks to high heaven.”

Skirting past the back bumper, they walked to the corner and turned right. Remnants of Elvira’s backyard excavation project were still visible. Not a blade of grass was in sight. Instead, small mounds of dirt dotted the area.

Beyond the fence was another rear yard, roughly half the size of the parking lot. Carlita noticed newly installed privacy fence panels. She could hear someone talking.

Bouncing on the tips of her toes, she peered over the top and glimpsed Elvira’s gray hair. “Elvira?”

It grew quiet. The woman appeared. “Hey, Carlita. What are you doing?”

“Waiting for some visitors. Remember the guys who were snooping around the other day?” Carlita didn’t wait for her to answer. “They’re here to collect a debt Vinnie owed.”

“Vinnie your son?”

“No. Vinnie my first husband.”

“Uh-oh.”

“Uh-oh is right.” Carlita changed the subject. “Nice fence. Why didn’t you fence in your entire yard?”

“The quotes I got back were ridiculously high. I settled on this instead.”

Carlita noticed specks of white floating in the air—more like blasting up in the air. “What is that?”

“The white stuff?”

“Yeah.”

“Come on around and check it out.”

Curious to find out what it was, she and Rambo circled around to the other side and walked through the open gate. Carlita abruptly stopped. “What in the world?”

Chapter 13

Carlita gingerly stepped into the gated area and onto a blanket of fluffy snow. She held out her hand, palm turned up. A white flake drifted down and melted on her warm skin. “It’s snowing.”

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