“So you think maybe he was hanging out in a vacant property near the river?” Tony asked.
“Maybe.”
“Okay, I’ll go with you. Is Mercedes going, too?”
“It wouldn’t hurt to have her tag along. She’s good at catching clues.”
“Let me talk to Melody. I’ll meet you and Mercedes in the alley in ten minutes.”
Carlita thanked her son and climbed the steps to the apartment. “Mercedes? You in here?”
“Yeah, Ma.” Mercedes emerged from her room. “How’s the reno?”
“It’s great.” Carlita briefly told her daughter about her conversation with Bob Lowman, the strange man who stopped by to ask questions and how Elvira spotted what appeared to be the same man lurking about. “She took a picture of him before following him to the Black Stallion Club. He fits the description of the guy nosing around at Journey’s End.”
Carlita grabbed her keys off the hook. “I asked Tony to go to Harner Street with me. I want to take a closer look at the vacant property while Shelby isn’t around.”
“You want me to go with you?”
“I thought you’d never ask. I’m meeting Tony downstairs in a few minutes.”
“Let me grab some stuff.” Mercedes darted into her room and joined her mother moments later. “I’m good to go.”
“You got your gun?”
Mercedes patted her jacket pocket. “Of course. You never know what we’re going to run into when we get there.”
Chapter 14
Tony offered to drive to Harner Street. Carlita quickly agreed, since she’d already walked the entire river area earlier and her feet were sore. She also figured they might need to make a quick getaway, depending on what they found.
When they reached the riverfront, Tony drove around the block, then around the Journey’s End before making a U-turn and heading back to Harner Street. “You’re right Ma. These places are all within a few short blocks. You may be onto something.”
Tony parked the car in the public parking lot adjacent to Harner Street. Their first stop was the park where Shelby found Robert’s body.
She pointed to the other side of the street. “This is what got me to thinking. Do you see how close this property is to where Shelby found Robert’s body?”
The trio crossed the street to the other side.
“We’re looking for 412 Harner Street.”
Tony studied the buildings. “What about the other ones?”
“According to Annie, the city owns the other properties after seizing them for non-payment of taxes. Four-twelve Harner was recently purchased by a group called East Coast Ventures.”
“Who owns it?” Tony asked.
“Annie couldn’t tell. The property transfer happened recently and the owner records haven’t been updated yet. This is it.” Carlita stopped abruptly. “I see a courtyard between the buildings.”
Carlita stepped over to the gate. It creaked loudly when she pushed it open. She took a tentative step inside, with Tony right behind her. “Hang on Ma.” He pulled a gun from his front pocket and eased past his mother, leading the way into the courtyard.
Thick, green ivy covered the concrete walls and crept up the sides to a small, square window.
Carlita was so focused on the exterior of the building; she didn’t notice the uneven cobblestones and tripped on one of them.
Tony reached out to steady her. “You better watch where you’re going.”
“Sorry,” Carlita whispered.
Loose pebbles crunched under their feet and the sound echoed against the walls of the neglected courtyard. The area reminded Carlita of what her courtyard had looked like the first time she’d laid eyes on it.
They stopped near the center and Carlita spun in a slow circle, her sharp eye taking in the mold tinted center fountain. Next to the fountain was a pile of shattered terra cotta pots. In front of the broken pots was a pair of rusty wrought iron benches that faced each other.
“Over here.” Carlita motioned to a window and pair of black shutters. “These shutters aren’t latched.”
Mercedes stood off to the side, near the door while Tony tugged on the edge of one of the shutters. It swung open.
“You see that?”
“See what?”
“The shutter didn’t squeak. If this building was abandoned, the shutters would be nailed shut to keep people out.” Tony swung the other shutter open before tucking his gun in the waistband of his pants and grasping the window sash. The window was locked.
Mercedes twisted the knob on the door. “This is locked, too. Where is Autumn when you need her?”
“Let me try.” Tony stepped to the door and wiggled the loose knob. “Stand back.” He twisted the knob hard and the lock popped. “These old locks are a piece of cake to open.”
Tony stepped inside the building, Mercedes followed her brother and Carlita brought up the rear. To the right of the entrance was a wide-open space. To the left was a row of doors.
Tony reached for the nearest knob. He pushed the door open and peered inside. “It’s a closet.”
Tony shut the door and opened the door next to it. “Bathroom. Nasty at that.” He closed the door and made his way to the third and final door. “Lucky door number three. There’s something in here.”
Carlita hovered in the doorway and watched as he crossed the room and knelt next to a small cooler.
Mercedes joined her brother. “I wonder what’s in here.” She lifted the lid and the stench of rotting food blasted her in the face. She started to gag and pinched her nose. “There’s a bottled water and something gross in there.”
“It looks like it’s been here a coupla days.” Tony touched the small ice pack that was inside the cooler. “The ice pack is warm.”
Carlita jumped at a small scuttling noise and darted into the room. “This place is
