She jotted her cell phone number on the pad and handed both back. “Thank you for your time.”
“You’re welcome.”
Carlita stepped onto the porch and unwound Rambo’s leash from the railing while Shelby waited for her on the sidewalk. “Do you have any idea who might have been asking about Robert?”
“No. None whatsoever.” Shelby clenched her fists. “This is so frustrating. It feels like we’re running in circles.”
During the walk home, the women discussed the Harner Street properties and the Journey’s End. Carlita wondered if the hostel and the properties Robert mentioned were somehow linked.
“We need to do a little digging around to find out who owns those properties.” Carlita snapped her fingers. “Wait a minute. I know someone who might be able to help us.”
She picked up the pace and Shelby hurried to keep up. “Who?”
“Remember Annie Dowton? She owns Riverfront Real Estate, right around the corner from the apartment. She might be able to help us track down the owners. Let me send her a text to see if she’s around.”
“I…I’m not sure that’s necessary,” Shelby said. “Maybe it’s just an odd coincidence.”
“We have so little to go on right now; I think it’s worth a shot.” Carlita sent Annie a text and received a quick reply that Annie was in and would be waiting for them.
When they reached Walton Square, they stopped to drop Rambo off inside the apartment and Mercedes popped out of her room. “I was beginning to wonder what happened to you. I thought you were taking Rambo to Morrell Park.”
“I was and I did. I ran into Shelby along the way, so we decided to take a walk to the park where Shelby found Robert’s body to have a look around.”
“Did you find anything?”
“Sort of. While we were down there, Shelby remembered Robert mentioning Harner Street and the big deal he was working on. We also stopped by the Journey’s End, the hostel where Robert was staying prior to his death. He was staying there under an assumed name and checked out several days ago.”
Carlita explained Shelby was downstairs waiting for her and they were going to run over to Annie’s real estate office to see if she could track down the owners of the Harner Street properties. “There are only a couple. I have a hunch it’s not a coincidence Robert was murdered near Harner Street.”
“So where did Robert go after he left the hostel?” Mercedes asked.
“I have no idea, but if we can figure that out, we might be one step closer to tracking down Robert’s killer. Annie is waiting for us.”
“I’ll go with you.” Mercedes dashed into her room and returned with her cell phone in hand. “Vinnie and Brittney left a few minutes ago to do some sightseeing.”
“I’m sorry I missed them.” Carlita waited for her daughter to step into the hall.
“No, you’re not.”
“Not what?”
“Not sorry.”
Carlita paused at the top of the stairs. “Why?”
“Have you had an actual conversation with Brittney?”
“No, I mean not really.”
“Let me give you a little advice. Don’t,” Mercedes said bluntly. “Either she’s as naïve as they come or she’s a talented actress.”
“Mercedes,” Carlita admonished. “You need to give her a fair shake. One conversation isn’t enough to form an opinion.”
“I suppose.” Mercedes reached for the handrail. “I guess I shouldn’t be so hard on her. Looking back, I was a little starry-eyed myself, before Pops died.”
“And look how we’ve both grown.” Carlita opened the alley door and joined Shelby, who was standing on the stoop. “I picked up a straggler along the way.”
“Hi, Mercedes.”
“Hey, Shelby. I guess that knucklehead brother of mine hasn’t come to his senses yet.”
“I…it’s not all his fault. I’m partially to blame for not putting all of my cards on the table and letting him know what was going on with my ex.” Shelby’s shoulders slumped. “I’m a terrible judge of the opposite sex, dating the bad boys who always seemed to be in trouble. Tony was the first man with a clean history and past.”
Mercedes snorted.
Carlita poked her in the back of the arm.
“Ouch. What was that for?” Mercedes rubbed her arm and glared at her mother.
“Try not to be so hard on yourself,” Carlita said. “The street runs both ways.”
Shelby’s cheeks turned a tinge of pink. “Thanks for trying to help me. I still don’t know if finding out who owns the Harner Street property will help.”
The trio walked across the street with Carlita leading the way. She tilted her head and gazed inside the real estate office where she spotted Annie sitting at her desk.
Carlita gave her a quick wave and then opened the door. “Hey, Annie.”
Annie looked up, a smile lighting her face. “Hello, ladies. What’s up?”
“We need help. Actually, Shelby needs help.”
“I haven’t seen you in a while, Shelby. They must keep you busy working down at the post office.”
“Not right now,” Shelby whispered under her breath.
“I’ll grab another chair.” Annie popped out of her chair and hurried to her assistant, Cindy’s, desk. “I see they’ve started on your restaurant renovations.”
“Yeah. I can’t wait until it’s finished, not that I have time to work on it. My son, Vinnie, and his new wife are in town visiting.”
Annie lifted a brow. “Oh? I didn’t know Vinnie was married.”
“Neither did we until yesterday. It’s a long story.” Carlita changed the subject. “Did you hear about the man who was murdered not far from the river?”
“Of course.” Annie’s head bobbed up and down. “It’s all over the news.”
Shelby perched on the edge of the chair Annie retrieved. “The dead man is my ex-husband, Robert, and I’m the one who found his body.”
“Oh no!”
“Oh yes, and the investigators are trying to pin it on Shelby,”
