“Yes, of course.” Carlita led Shelby and Mercedes back inside their apartment. “Would you like some coffee?”
“No.” Shelby shook her head. “I’ve been drinking coffee all morning.”
“Have a seat.” Carlita motioned to the chair. “I’m sorry you and Tony weren’t able to patch things up.”
“Maybe it’s better this way.” Shelby shifted uneasily. “I can see his point of view yet he refuses to see mine.”
“Stubborn as a mule,” Mercedes said. “All of my brothers, except for maybe Paulie, but he’s married.”
“So is Vinnie,” Carlita pointed out.
“I forgot all about Vinnie and his surprise. Tony didn’t mention it. Let me guess…he’s decided to move to Savannah.”
“I wish,” Carlita said. “He got married on Christmas Eve.”
Shelby’s jaw dropped. “Married? And you weren’t invited to the wedding?”
“He had his reasons.” Carlita and Mercedes exchanged a glance. “It’s a long story. Now back to your crisis. Tell me everything you think is relevant to Robert’s demise.”
“This might take a while.”
“Take your time,” Carlita said.
“I met Robert on a blind date, set up by one of my close friends. At first, he was charming, intelligent and attractive. As soon as our relationship became serious, he turned from prince charming to evil stalker. By the time I realized it, it was too late. I was pregnant with Violet.”
Shelby stared at her clasped hands as she paused to gather her thoughts. “My aunt and uncle didn’t approve. Of course, looking back, they could see my love for Robert was blinding me and that he wasn’t a good person.”
Shelby went on to tell them she told her uncle about the baby and he begged her to end the relationship. All the while, Robert begged her to sneak off and marry him.
“I was stupid and married Robert. Uncle Jerry and Aunt Ginny argued with Robert after we returned from the ceremony at city hall and ever since, I’ve had little contact with either of them, not because they didn’t want to. After Robert and I split and I fled to the women’s shelter, I felt like such a failure. I never contacted them to let them know.”
“Oh Shelby.” Carlita’s heart went out to the young woman. “I’m so sorry. I wish we had known. It’s apparent your aunt and uncle love you.”
“They do.” Unshed tears threatened to spill over and Shelby quickly wiped them away. “I was a fool, and as stubborn as your son.”
“I hate to be morbid, but at least now you don’t have to worry about Robert,” Mercedes said. “Do you have any idea who might have murdered him?”
“Besides my uncle?”
Carlita studied Shelby’s face. “You’re not kidding.”
“No. He hated Robert. I called Uncle Jerry the other day, to tell him I had left Robert some time back and now he was demanding cash in exchange for signing away his parental rights. He became enraged and said he would take care of Robert. I also asked to borrow some money, thinking the more money I had to offer my ex, the better my chances of getting rid of him for good.”
“According to what you said last night, Robert planned to trick you by taking your money and then filing for custody of Violet.” Carlita frowned. “Do you think he’s capable of murder? Your uncle, I mean.”
Shelby slowly nodded her head. “Yes, I do believe if he was angry enough or if he believed Robert was going to harm Violet or me.” Shelby hurried on. “I know you’re shocked and are probably wishing your son wasn’t involved with a woman who has a troubled past.”
“Your past is the least of my concerns. We all have a past, even us.”
“Not like mine,” Shelby insisted.
“You’d be surprised,” Mercedes muttered under her breath.
Shelby stood. “Still, I don’t think my uncle killed Robert. Robert kept talking about some big deal he was working on and trying to get me to meet him at this downtown bar, the Black Stallion. I’ve been by it before. The place gave me the creeps, even during the day.”
“The Black Stallion.” Carlita gazed at Mercedes. “Why does the name sound familiar?”
“Maybe Cool Bones mentioned it.”
Cool Bones aka Charles Benson, was Carlita’s other tenant. Cool Bones was a jazz singer and head of the jazz band, the Jazz Boys. They played regular gigs at the Thirsty Crow, a bar in the City Market district.
“We need to ask him,” Carlita said. “Is there anything else?”
“Yes. You have to promise not to breathe a word of what I’m about to say to anyone,” Shelby said.
Chapter 7
“My lips are sealed,” Carlita promised.
Shelby sucked in a breath. “Robert claimed he was making money hand-over-fist as a bookie. He planned to use the cash for this major deal he was working on, but he double-crossed someone with connections to an East Coast gang and they were hot on his trail. He never told me exactly what he’d done.”
She cast an uneasy glance at Carlita. “On top of that, I think someone has been following me. I’m probably just being paranoid. I’m so sorry, Carlita.” Shelby rubbed her brow. “The last thing I would ever want to do is bring a bunch of criminals to our doorstep. I’m considering packing a suitcase and hiding out at my uncle’s house until this all blows over.”
Carlita pressed the palms of her hands to her cheeks and she smiled grimly at the irony of the situation. What if Vito Castellini showed up to meet the family and was greeted by another thug who was looking for Shelby?
“You’re not mad?” Shelby asked.
“Mad?”
