“I got my own.” Mercedes pulled a small silver gun with a pearl handle out of her jacket pocket.
“That looks familiar.” Tony pointed at the gun.
“Ma and I found it in Pop’s safe not long after his death.”
“Ah.” Tony pulled out a gun, checked the chamber to make sure it was loaded and then shut the desk drawer. “Paulie, you take the back hall. I’ll take the front of the store.”
“What about me?” Mercedes asked.
“You stay here, behind the counter where it’s safest. If this thug shows up, he’ll have to get through Paulie or me before he gets to ya. If anything happens, call the cops.”
Mercedes smiled. “I swear I have the best bros in the whole world.”
“Yeah, well don’t be passin’ out the compliments just yet. It’s gonna be a long night.”
Tony killed the lights and crept to the front of the store while Paulie made his way to the back. Mercedes eased into the desk chair and glanced at the glowing hands on the wall clock. It was only ten and Tony was right, it was going be a long night.
She stayed in the back area for what seemed like forever, getting up every fifteen minutes to stretch her legs and check on her brothers. They agreed to leave the store’s back door ajar, just in case, to keep the lines of communication open.
Around midnight, she dozed off.
“Mercedes,” Tony hissed in her ear.
Mercedes jerked upright, her arms flailing in the air. “What?”
“I’m gonna take a quick bathroom break. Keep an eye out front.”
“Sure.” Mercedes wiggled out of the chair and walked around the side of the counter.
Click…click.
“Did you hear that?” she whispered.
Tony nodded and held a finger to his lips. He slipped past Mercedes and motioned her to move back as he crept toward the front of the store.
She could see the shadow of someone in front of the door and then it faded. Moments later, Paulie raced into the room motioning wildly toward the hall.
Tony ran past his sister. “Stay here in case there’s more than one.”
Mercedes ducked behind the counter. She gripped her gun in one hand and her cell phone in the other. Her heart began to race when she heard the tinkle of glass breaking. Then silence. All she could hear was the sound of her heart pounding in her ears.
Ugh. She heard a loud grunt, followed by a loud thump.
“Call the cops!” Paulie shouted.
Mercedes’ fingers shook as she dialed 911. “Yes. This is Mercedes Garlucci, 210 Mulberry Street in Savannah. Someone is trying to break into our pawnshop.”
“A patrol car is on the way,” the dispatcher said. “They’re only three minutes out.”
“Thank you.” She disconnected the call and ran into the hall where Paulie had Tom Muldoon pinned to the floor. Tony was standing over him, his gun pointed at Muldoon’s head.
The sound of sirens filled the air and Mercedes ran to the back door to let the police inside. Two patrol cars screeched to a halt in the alley and officers sprang from the car. “We got a guy inside who was trying to rob our store,” Mercedes said breathlessly.
While the officers ran inside to assist Mercedes’ brothers, Mercedes dialed Detective Skip Wilson’s cell phone.
“Detective Skip Wilson speaking.”
“This is Mercedes Garlucci. I think we’ve got Jon Luis’ killer.”
Chapter 21
“Hold the door, Mercedes.” Carlita grabbed a couple of potholders and carried the bubbling tagliatelle pasta dish out of the apartment and to the table in the hall. She carefully set it next to the other two pasta dishes she’d pulled from the oven.
Cool Bones’ apartment door opened and he stepped into the hall. “I thought I smelled something heavenly.” He took a breath and closed his eyes. “I’ve been saving my appetite all day for this.”
“I’m glad you could make it,” Carlita said. “Grab a seat.”
Elvira’s apartment door opened and she met Cool Bones’ gaze. “Well hello tall, dark and handsome.” She batted her eyes and plunked down in the chair next to him.
Cool Bones grinned, displaying a gleaming set of pearly whites. “Hello Elvira. Have you finished moving out?”
“Almost. All I’ve got left to move is my bed. Would you like to help?”
Mercedes snorted. “Ha.”
“I-uh. Well, if you want to move it tonight, I can see if Tony and Paulie want to add a little muscle. We can get it over to your new place in one trip.”
Elvira frowned. “That wasn’t what I had in mind.”
Shelby and Violet emerged from their apartment, saving Cool Bones from having to reply. “I hope we’re not late.”
“Not at all,” Carlita said. “I’m still waitin’ on the others. They’re closing up shop now.”
Gina and the kids stepped out of Tony’s apartment and climbed the stairs. “It looks like you outdone yourself Ma.” Gina herded the kids to the other side of the table and then followed Carlita into the apartment to grab the plates, napkins and silverware.
They finished setting the table and Tony and Paulie joined them. “These smells have been torturing me all afternoon,” Tony said.
After everyone was seated, they passed around the pasta dishes, baskets brimming with garlic rolls and a large bowl of salad.
Carlita took her seat at the head of the table and a slow smile spread across her face as she gazed at her children and grandchildren. The only ones missing were her Vinnies…her husband and oldest son.
A twinge of sadness washed over Carlita and she forced it from her mind.
During a lull in the conversation, Cool Bones asked how the Jon Luis’ murder investigation was going.
“It’s over,” Mercedes said.
“Mercedes set a trap for the killer and he walked right into it,” Carlita said.
“Or broke into it,” Paulie quipped. “As in, tried to
