Christmas Family Style in Savannah: A Garlucci Family Saga Novel (Made in Savannah Mystery Series Bo by Hope Callaghan (summer reading list txt) 📕

check from the living room window, she saw only two police officers, but when she opened the door, she discovered there were three. “Hello.”

“Mrs. Garlucci?” One of them tipped his hat.

“Yes.”

“We’re with the Savannah-Burnham Police Department. We would like to ask you a few questions about the death of an acquaintance, Roxy Ciccone.” The officer finished speaking and then noticed Vinnie standing directly behind her.

“Hello, Officer Thryce.”

“Mr. Garlucci. I was hoping you would be around since you were next on our list to visit.”

“Please. Come in,” Carlita shifted to the side. “My daughter-in-law and grandson are upstairs getting ready to leave, but we can speak in the living room.”

The trio followed Carlita and Vinnie up the stairs.

“We’re reaching out to the guests who were on board The Flying Gunner the other night. From what we understand, all of your tenants were on the ship as well,” Thryce said.

“They were. Autumn Winter lives across the hall from me. Cool Bones…Charles Benson lives behind me and Sam Ivey, a former Savannah police officer, lives in the catty-corner unit.”

“Sam Ivey,” one of the officers echoed. “I thought the name sounded familiar.”

Thryce started the questioning, asking how well Carlita knew Roxy Ciccone, if she noticed Roxy exhibiting any unusual behavior, or if there were any incidents that stuck out in her mind.

“I’m gonna be honest with you, and I’m sure you’ve already heard this. Roxy wasn’t the most pleasant person. She argued with her co-worker, her former co-worker and my daughter. She had words with Elvira Cobb, the owner of EC Investigative Services and EC Security Services, and her sister, Dernice Cobb, who were also onboard the ship.”

“I’m aware of all of the above. I’m also aware that during the last altercation, Ms. Mercedes Garlucci took a swing at Roxy, striking her in the jaw. The victim retaliated by punching your daughter, and they both fell onto the deck.” The officer consulted his notepad. “Which is when Luigi Baruzzo and Ricco DeGrassi, Ms. Ciccone’s former co-worker and current co-worker, respectively, stepped in to break up the fight.”

“Correct.”

“Then what happened?” the officer prompted.

“Mr. Taylor, the owner of The Flying Gunner, fired a shot into the air to stop the fighting. He escorted Ms. Ciccone to a secure area in the back of his ship and locked her inside.”

“Were you aware Ms. Ciccone possessed a firearm?”

“I was. I saw Mr. DeGrassi take it from her,” Carlita said, “which was the smart thing to do if you ask me.”

“And do you know what he did with the weapon once he wrestled it away from Ms. Ciccone?”

Carlita eyed the cop closely. He was trying to lead her, trying to get her to say something to incriminate Luigi, or Mercedes…or possibly even Pete. “I don’t know. Perhaps you should ask him.”

“I have.”

“Then, why are you asking me?”

“Just curious,” Thryce replied. “Do you remember seeing anyone walk to the back of the ship after Ms. Ciccone was…secured/detained?”

“No. No one.”

“Did you go back there again?” the officer probed.

“Yes, after the party ended and the ship docked in Merry Bay, Mr. Taylor and I went back there. That’s when we discovered the bathroom door was open and that Roxy was gone.”

“Anything else?”

“There were a few spots of blood,” Carlita said.

“But no sign of Roxy?”

“None.”

“Did you contact the authorities after you found the blood?”

Bam. This was the reason the officers were there. He wanted Carlita to incriminate herself…or Pete.

“No.”

“Why not?”

“Because we didn’t know what happened. We started searching for Roxy, calling her cell phone. For all we knew, she could’ve injured herself trying to escape, jumped over the side of the ship and swam to shore.”

“But you don’t really believe that,” Thryce insisted.

“I suppose. I mean, anything is possible, but yeah, it was unlikely.”

Thryce turned his attention to Vinnie. “You reported Roxy missing, you and Mr. Taylor. You were Roxy’s employer.”

“I am…was,” Vinnie confirmed.

“You’re employed by the Treasure Cove Casino.” Thryce consulted his notes again. “Up in New Jersey.”

“I’m the manager.”

“Roxy worked there too.”

“She did,” Vinnie confirmed.

“The owner of Treasure Cove is Vito Castellini, who also happens to be your father-in-law.” Thryce didn’t wait for Vinnie’s confirmation. “The Castellini family is well-known to law enforcement. In the course of our initial investigation, we discovered Roxy was your wife’s bodyguard. So was Ricco DeGrassi. Mr. Castellini wouldn’t send two armed bodyguards to Savannah for a family holiday unless there was a reason for concern. Do you know what that concern might have been?”

Vinnie blew air through thinned lips. “Brittney is always accompanied by bodyguards. She has been from the moment I met her and probably will be until the day she dies.”

The way the cop reacted made Carlita think he was already aware of this, and that he knew it was the standard operating procedure for Brittney.

“Is your wife here?” Thryce asked.

“She is. She’s in the back with our son.”

“Do you mind if I have a word with her?”

“Of course not.” Vinnie excused himself to go get her while Carlita remained silent.

Brittney teetered into the living room, holding the baby on her hip, her eyes wide. “Vinnie said you wanted to talk to me.”

“Mrs. Garlucci?”

“Yes.”

“I’m here to ask you a few questions.” The officer’s voice softened as he glanced at the infant in her arms. “I’m sorry about the death of your…friend, Roxy Ciccone.”

“It’s awful.”

“How close were you to Ms. Ciccone?”

“Roxy worked for Daddy for years, but I didn’t know her well. Then, when Luigi left, Roxy took his place.”

“Can you recall if she had any enemies, anyone who would want to harm or kill her?”

“I…” Brittney blinked rapidly. “No. I’m sorry, I don’t know of anyone who would directly want to harm Roxy.”

The