Swiped in Savannah: A Made in Savannah Cozy Mystery (Made in Savannah Mystery Series Book 12) by Hope Callaghan (pocket ebook reader .txt) 📕

Carlita tapped her chin thoughtfully. “So the power went out, someone managed to get inside, steal the painting and exit the building without being seen or triggering the alarm. What about surveillance cameras?”

“The place is loaded with them. I asked Detective Wilson about it. He was very…how shall I say? Vague. It makes me think there was something going on with the cameras.”

“Meaning they might not have been functioning at some point in time after you and the museum’s curator left,” Carlita said. “I’m sure the security system was on battery backup, so maybe for some reason, the system was down, along with the power.”

“That would be my guess. Otherwise, they would have the culprit in clear view, and the alarm would have been tripped. There are surveillance cameras all over the museum.”

Dernice, who so far had remained quiet, spoke. “I told Elvira we need to get back inside the museum to have a look around. There’s some sort of storage area near the entrance to the museum. I noticed several of the museum employees going in there. We need to find out what’s stored in that room. The only problem is that there’s no way Elvira and I can pull it off without it looking suspicious.”

“Dernice, you’re brilliant.” Elvira punched her sister in the arm.

“I am?”

“Yeah.” Elvira slowly turned to Carlita. “We may not be able to get back inside the museum, but I know someone who can.”

“Me?” Carlita’s eyes widened.

“Yes.”

“Oh, no.” She began shaking her head.

Elvira clasped her hands. “Please? All you have to do is look around. The exhibit is open all afternoon.”

Dernice joined in the begging. “You would be doing us a huge favor.”

“I…”

“We need help. If not, two innocent women will go to jail for a crime they didn’t commit,” Dernice said.

A sly smile crossed Elvira’s face. “I have a confession.”

“Confession?” Carlita pursed her lips. “What kind of confession?”

“I…well, curiosity got the better of me. Not long after Tony and Shelby’s wedding when the mafia guys showed up, I said to myself, ‘Elvira Cobb, there’s something to Vinnie Garlucci and his henchmen.’ So, I did a little digging into the owners of the New Jersey casinos. Rumor has it that some of them are owned by the mob.”

Elvira paused, letting her words sink in. “Your son, Vinnie, works for Treasure Cove Casino. In fact, according to their website, he’s the manager of operations.”

“Yes, he is.”

“It’s run by a mob boss, Vito Castellini. Correct me if I’m wrong, but Castellini is your daughter-in-law’s maiden name.”

“That doesn’t make my son a mobster,” Carlita gritted out.

“Nor does it make him a saint, so I did a little more digging around, up in New York. Queens, New York, right?”

“Yes, we lived in Queens.”

Elvira decided to get right to it. “Your son has an arrest record, just some minor stuff - simple assault, disorderly conduct, discharging a firearm within the city limits to name a few.”

“What’s your point?”

“It would be terrible to think you’ve worked this hard to build your reputation and businesses only to have the Savannah Area Restaurant Association, of which you’re a member, find out about your son’s questionable character.”

Carlita could feel her blood pressure spike. She clenched her fists. “This is extortion.”

“Believe me, the last thing I want to do is damage your reputation, but we need help. You’re forcing me to resort to desperate measures.”

Dernice nudged her sister to the side and stepped between them. “We would never consider revealing your family’s history. Elvira is talking smack. She would never throw you under the bus, but we could use your help.”

Carlita tightened her lips and glared at Elvira.

“Please?” Elvira pleaded. “You know begging is beneath me. I’ll owe you one.”

Carlita softened when she noticed Elvira’s eyes starting to water. “Well…”

Chapter 8

“Fine. I’ll do it, but I’m not sure how much it will help,” Carlita said.

Elvira grasped Carlita’s hand, dragging her across the alley and into their apartment. “We need to make sure you’re wired.”

“Wired?”

“You know, earpiece, mini mic so we can communicate during the investigation.”

“Oh, brother.” Carlita wrinkled her nose. “This is not a full-blown investigation. I agreed to have a look around.”

“And that’s what you’re going to do.” Elvira didn’t loosen her grip as she led her through the kitchen to the front and the offices.

Dernice trailed behind. “We have some extra sets in here.” She began digging through the storage closet.

“This might work.” She handed the equipment to her sister.

Elvira inspected the earpiece first. “This one is too small.” She eyed Carlita’s ear. “Her ears are too big. It’ll get swallowed up.”

Her sister handed her another piece. “What about this one?”

“This’ll work.” Elvira showed Carlita how to use the device and then tested the settings. “We’re gonna have to stay in close proximity, not far from the museum if we want to maintain audio.”

“I know the perfect place,” Dernice said. “I’ll show you when we get there.”

“What am I looking for again?” Carlita adjusted the earpiece.

“A storage room. When you step inside the museum’s front entrance, the ticket counter will be on your left, and the storage room is to the right.”

“How am I going to sneak into the storage room if there’s a person standing at the ticket counter in clear sight of the room you want me to snoop inside?” Carlita asked.

“That is a dilemma.” Elvira rubbed her brow. “You’ll need an assistant…err…accomplice. What about Mercedes?”

“She’s working at the restaurant until early this afternoon. We’ll have to wait until she finishes her shift.” Carlita remembered her daughter’s doggie date with Sam. “Scratch that. She’s tied up all day.”

“What about Annie from the real estate office?” Elvira suggested. “She’s been with us on a spy mission or two.”

“I