Pirates in Peril: A Made in Savannah Cozy Mystery (Made in Savannah Cozy Mysteries Series Book 10) Hope Callaghan (unputdownable books TXT) 📖

suspicions,” Carlita argued. “All it would take would be for a few nosy business owners to start snooping around. We don’t need anyone from back home coming down here. We already have to deal with Vito.”

“Vinnie sure dropped that bomb on our doorstep,” Mercedes said.

“You know Pirate Pete speaks Spanish. Mark Fox speaks Spanish.”

“Or maybe Kyle is lying and they weren’t speaking Spanish. I’m beginning to suspect someone else is behind the attack,” Mercedes said. “In fact, the more I think about it, the more I’m convinced the perpetrator is in plain sight.”

“I hope we figure it out soon.” Carlita polished off the last of her fish sandwich, left a small pile of fries behind and then slid her plate to the side. “Did you see John Alder put his place up for sale?”

“I did.” Mercedes reached for a potato chip. “Have you heard why he’s selling?”

“He’s moving to California. He said he got a job offer he couldn’t refuse.” Carlita twisted her napkin around her finger. “I’ll be sad to see him leave.”

“I kinda thought in the beginning there was a spark between you two.”

“Me, too, but we’re just friends. I miss your father.” Carlita swallowed hard. “He’s been gone almost a year now.”

“Yeah. I remember the day Pop died.” Mercedes’ lower lip started to tremble. “It was awful.”

Carlita looked away as sudden tears burned the back of her eyes. There were moments it seemed like yesterday she made her vow to Vinnie on his deathbed to get their children out of the family.

Yet other times, it seemed so long ago…like a lifetime ago. Some days were easier than others. The hard ones brought her right back to the wrenching grief.

Her promise to Vinnie was one of the things that kept Carlita going, kept her pushing on. Admittedly, there were moments she wanted nothing more than to wallow in her own sorrow, but she made a promise and she intended to keep it…or die trying.

“You done good on keeping your promise to Pop.”

“All except for Vinnie.” Carlita dabbed at the corner of her eye. “I failed miserably.”

“Did you, Ma?” Mercedes reached for her mother’s hand. “You got a sweet new daughter-in-law and a new grandbaby on the way.”

“Who also happens to be Vito Castellini’s daughter.”

“There’s nothing we can do about Vinnie’s new in-laws,” Mercedes said. “Pop would be proud of you running your own businesses, making your own decisions.”

“Learning how to drive his car?” Carlita smiled.

“He might have a thing or two to say about us not washing and waxing it every weekend,” Mercedes joked.

“I’m sure he would.”

“I’m no expert on love or romance,” Mercedes said. “But I figure when your heart is ready to love someone again, you’ll know it.”

“You’re right.” Carlita reached for her purse. “We better get outta here. If not, we’re gonna start bawlin’ our eyes out. I’ll go settle up at the cash register. On the way home, you can tell me who you think attacked Lawson Bates.”

Mercedes waited outside while Carlita paid. “Can we make one more stop, Ma?”

“Sure. The exercise will do me good. I can burn off some of the food I ate.”

The women changed direction and headed toward the river and the Mystic Dream, which was still moored in the same spot. Pete’s pirate ship wasn’t far away.

“I want to take a quick look at the Mystic Dream.” Mercedes led the way, slowly walking along the sidewalk as she studied the riverboat.

“What are you looking for?” Carlita asked.

“Kyle Flinch mentioned that he snuck off the Mystic Dream by crawling through a broken galley window. I’m trying to figure out where it’s at.”

“There are some porthole windows near the front.” Carlita pointed to the front of the riverboat.

“Those could be it,” Mercedes said. “Kyle lied to us.”

“I agree, but why?” Carlita paused in front of the wrought iron gate and stared at the Mystic Dream. “I just thought of something. When Pete and I were interviewing one of the Mystic Dream employees, she told us there was a high employee turnover and they were constantly training new employees and none of them spoke English.”

“Which would fit in perfectly with the human trafficking angle,” Mercedes said.

“But she said something else.” Carlita shifted her feet. “Kyle mentioned he was working on a petition to demand better wages and he threatened Lawson with contacting the labor board. The employee we spoke with knew nothing about it.”

“Maybe Lawson wasn’t angry with Kyle because he complained about the wages,” Mercedes theorized. “Maybe he was upset because Kyle found out about the trafficking ring.”

“Because he overheard Lawson talking to a man in Spanish on board the boat,” Carlita said.

“Motive and opportunity,” Mercedes shoved her hands in her pockets. “Kyle was complaining about the wages. What if he became suspicious of the high turnover of Spanish speaking employees? He admitted he snuck back on the riverboat because he thought Lawson was up to something.”

Carlita picked up. “He overheard Lawson working out another smuggling run to bring in more immigrants and then confronted Lawson. What if Kyle threatened to turn him in unless he started paying him hush money?”

“Kyle got ticked off, but with no way to prove Lawson was trafficking people up the coast, he was blowing hot air.”

“He could’ve contacted the authorities to open an investigation,” Carlita said. “Why wouldn’t he do that?”

Mercedes rubbed her finger and thumb together. “Then he wouldn’t make any more money.”

“We could go back to The Ghost Roast and confront Kyle with our suspicions.”

“And he would laugh right in our faces.” Mercedes tilted her head and gazed out at the river. “I think I have an idea on how we can trick Kyle into telling us whether he was involved in Lawson’s attack or the damage to the Mystic Dream.”