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

Astrid turned onto the narrow alley that ran behind the museum and then paused when she reached a row of dumpsters.

“Get back.” Mercedes pushed her mother to the side of the building and into the shadows. They stood motionless, watching as Astrid approached the center dumpster. She turned around to check behind her before placing both hands on the top ledge.

Astrid heaved herself up, teetering for a brief moment before disappearing inside.

“She’s inside the dumpster,” Carlita gasped.

Mercedes pressed a hand across her mouth, waiting for Astrid to emerge. Several long moments passed before she popped out of the dumpster. She vaulted over the side, landing lightly on her feet.

“She has something,” Mercedes said. “It looks like a bag.”

Carlita watched in horror as Astrid unfolded the top of the bag. She pulled something out and shoved it in her mouth. “She’s eating food from the dumpster.” A wave of guilt washed over Carlita, ashamed of herself for suspecting the poor, homeless woman was a criminal. “This is terrible.”

“You didn’t know, Ma. Maybe we can do something to help.”

“Maybe.” Carlita had turned to go when Mercedes stopped her.

“Wait. Check it out.”

A balding man dressed in a business suit approached Astrid. They stood talking under the streetlight for several long moments before the man handed something to her.

“He handed her something,” Carlita said. “Quick. Take a picture of him…of them.”

Mercedes lifted her phone and snapped several pictures. “It looks like he’s handing her money.”

“Why would a man in a business suit hand money to what appears to be a homeless person after dark? Wouldn’t he be afraid of being robbed and attacked?” Mercedes whispered.

“You would think so.” Carlita never took her eyes off them. “Unless…they knew each other. Watch their body language. This isn’t the first time these two have met.”

“You’re right. We need to find out who this man is.”

The exchange lasted for another few minutes before the man left. Astrid watched him walk away. She glanced at the side of the building before shifting her backpack and began making her way toward them.

“Hide.” Mother and daughter dove behind a stack of storage crates.

Carlita’s heart beat loudly as Astrid passed mere feet from where they were hiding. The women remained motionless for several long moments before emerging from their hiding spot.

Mercedes started to turn toward home, and Carlita reached for her arm. “No. I want to check out what’s inside the dumpster. I have a feeling it belongs to the museum, and this is where the museum’s café dumps their scraps.”

Mercedes turned her cell phone’s light on while Carlita hoisted herself up and peered over the side. As she suspected, it was full of empty food boxes, to-go containers and scraps of food.

“Astrid was eating from the dumpster.” Carlita hopped off the ledge and wiped her hands on the back of her slacks. “I left a cooler of food by her tent this morning, but there must be something more we can do to help.”

“Let’s go home.” Mercedes turned to go when she caught a movement near the perimeter of the fence. It was a woman this time. She glared at them.

Carlita gave her a small wave. “We better get out of here. Looks like one of the museum’s employees spotted us and is giving us the evil eye. She probably thinks we’re the ones digging through the dumpster.”

Back at the apartment, Carlita turned her computer on while Mercedes forwarded the pictures to her mother’s email.

She opened the email and then they both leaned in for a closer look. “The man is handing something to Astrid. It’s hard to see what it is from this angle.”

Carlita studied his face. “He looks familiar.”

“Check the museum’s website. They may have a directory of the staff.”

“Good idea.” Carlita opened a new search screen. She typed in Darbylane Museum and Estate. The website popped up.

“There.” Mercedes pointed to the top of the screen.

Carlita clicked on the About Us and then the Museum Staff tabs at the top. She began scrolling through the list of pictures and titles. She abruptly stopped, her heart skipping a beat. “Well…will you look at that?”

Chapter 17

“Gaston Spelling, Darbylane Museum’s curator,” Carlita read the description. “Autumn and I met this man the other day.”

“And this is also the man we saw handing Astrid money.”

“Maybe.” Carlita flipped between the picture of Gaston Spelling and the grainy image of the man they’d spotted earlier talking with Astrid. “There are many similarities. Obviously, whoever it was came from the direction of the museum.”

Mercedes peered over her mother’s shoulder. “It’s him. I would bet my life on it. Maybe he was being nice. He found out she’s homeless and has been digging through the dumpster for food, so he’s giving her money.”

“At night, after hours and in the dark? It’s possible, but I doubt it.”

“Click on the sitemap,” Mercedes said. “There, the exhibition floors.”

The women scrolled through the screen. “There’s nothing here.”

“What about the gardens?” Mercedes asked. “We haven’t scoped out the gardens yet.”

Carlita clicked on the tab titled Gardens, but the page was blank. “I never thought to check out the grounds while we were there. After Autumn hurt her ankle and Elvira and Dernice were camped out in the porta potty, we took off.”

“Porta potty?” Mercedes burst out laughing.

“You had to have been there.” Carlita rubbed her chin. “I remember seeing a small cottage near the corner of the property. The cottage might be the groundskeeper’s place.”

“The woman who came out and scowled at us is the groundskeeper? I’m sure they’re spooked, what with the theft, not to mention Astrid hanging around there all of the time.” Mercedes had a thought. “Go back to the Museum Staff. Is there any information about a groundskeeper?”

Carlita clicked on the link.