On the flip side, perhaps a little green-eyed monster was exactly what Mercedes needed to admit she had feelings for Sam after all.
*****
Rambo woke Carlita early the next morning, pawing at her bedroom door. She stumbled out of bed and slipped into her bathrobe. “Let’s go.”
Her pooch led the way down the steps and into the alley. Carlita noticed Elvira’s kitchen lights were on, which was unusual since Elvira and her sister weren’t typically morning people.
It was an easy walk to the end of the alley and Rambo’s strip of grass near the edge of the parking lot. He took care of business before patrolling the perimeter of his small green space.
“Let’s go before someone sees me standing out here in my pajamas.” Carlita coaxed him back to the apartment. Wide-awake, she knew there was no way she could go back to sleep.
Instead, she started a pot of coffee and settled in at the computer. Carlita scanned her emails before finishing her banking and then took a quick look at the morning’s headlines. Her breath caught in her throat when she read the caption:
“Priceless artwork stolen right out from under the nose of the security company hired to keep it and the Cotswold Georgian Exhibit safe.”
The news story explained a valuable piece had been stolen the previous evening from Darbylane Museum. The story hinted at the theft being an inside job.
Elvira’s company, EC Security Services, was mentioned. The last sentence told that the authorities had detained at least one individual in connection with the stolen artwork.
Carlita shoved her chair back. It toppled over, crashing onto the hardwood floor. “Whoops.” She righted it before stepping outside and onto the balcony. She stared at the back of Elvira’s building.
Mercedes dashed out of her room. “What’s going on? I heard a big crash.”
“Sorry. I tipped my chair over. I was just looking at Elvira’s apartment.”
Mercedes traipsed across the living room and joined her mother. “What did Elvira do this time?”
“Someone swiped a priceless piece of art from Darbylane Museum, the one that Elvira and her company were hired to keep an eye on. The authorities have detained someone as part of the investigation. They claim it was an inside job.”
“Elvira?” Mercedes’ jaw dropped.
“I don’t know.” Carlita pointed to the dim light in the window of the building across the alley. “Elvira’s lights are on. She’s normally not a morning person.”
“I guess we’ll find out soon enough.” Mercedes covered her mouth to stifle a yawn. “Excuse me. This isn’t my time of the day.”
“I’m sorry I woke you.”
“It’s okay. I needed to get up and get ready. I promised Tony I would cover for him at the pawnshop while he and Shelby visit the doctor this morning for her follow-up visit.”
Carlita followed her daughter into the kitchen. “Hopefully, Shelby’s doctor will have a good report. I know he ran a bunch of tests on her to try to figure out what’s going on.”
“I hope so.” Mercedes poured a cup of coffee and headed to the bathroom to get ready while Carlita returned to her desk.
Determined to get serious about renting out Tony’s old efficiency unit, Carlita sorted through her emails and clicked on a short-term application submitted the previous day.
“Still reading the headlines?” Mercedes emerged from the bathroom, her hair wrapped in a towel.
“No. We have another short-term application. This one sounds intriguing.”
Mercedes leaned over her mother’s shoulder. “Angelica Reynolds. The name sounds familiar.”
Carlita, still seated at the desk, scooched to the side to make room for her daughter.
“Oh my gosh! It’s Angelica Reynolds.”
“Who is Angelica Reynolds?”
“She’s a famous mystery/thriller writer. I’ve read several of her books.” Mercedes let out a high-pitched squeal. “She’s coming here, to Savannah. I heard they’re making a movie out of her book, Into the Night.”
Mercedes reached for the mouse. “Ma. We have to let her move in. I can pick her brain. Maybe she’ll pull some strings and get us on the set of the movie as extras.”
“Oh no.” Carlita began shaking her head. “No way am I going to be in a movie.”
“I would do it. This is the chance of a lifetime. When does she want to move in?”
“Soon.” Carlita squinted her eyes and studied the screen. “This weekend or early next week.”
“Perfect.” Mercedes clapped her hands. “I’ll handle this. I’ll give her a call to schedule a time for her to come by to check out the unit.”
“Don’t let the stars in your eyes keep you from making a sound judgment. She still has to pass muster. I want a good, solid tenant, a good neighbor and someone drama-free,” Carlita warned.
“Don’t worry. I’ll make sure she’s a model tenant. I think she’ll be a perfect fit.” Mercedes rushed back to the bathroom to finish getting ready, and then mother and daughter switched spots.
Carlita climbed into the shower and began washing her hair. She thought about the missing artwork at the museum. There were masses of people on hand for the exhibit. The authorities must believe they had a solid lead to have detained someone already.
What if Elvira had taken one of the paintings? She made a joke about it, not to mention she was quite comfortable navigating the museum and had no qualms about wandering around inside.
Carlita finished showering and began rummaging around in her closet. It was early fall, and while most of the days were sunny and warm, the mornings were cooler. She finished dressing and stepped into the small hall where she heard voices coming from the front of the apartment.
“Hello, Autumn.” Carlita greeted her new tenant, who was standing in the dining room talking to Mercedes. “You’re up early.”
“I’m on my way to work,”
