“I’m ready for breakfast first.” Carlita remembered the woman at the desk telling them they served a full breakfast in the courtyard from seven until ten. It was seven-fifteen.
“I’m starving. Let me go get ready.” Mercedes dashed into the bathroom, emerging in record time, dressed and ready to go.
The man working at the desk directed them to the formal living room, through the French doors and into the courtyard.
The courtyard reminded Carlita of hers, except this one sported tropical greenery, complete with royal palms, fan palms and a crepe myrtle.
Patio tables and chairs dotted the open area. A small sunroom was attached to the rear of the inn, and the breakfast area was inside the sunroom.
Carlita loaded her plate with a small sample of several dishes. On her way to an empty table, she filled her coffee cup and grabbed a wrapped set of silverware.
Mercedes wasn’t far behind and set her plate of food on the table before pulling out a chair.
“What is that?” Carlita pointed to her daughter’s plate.
“It’s hot milk sponge cake with a side of Georgia peaches. Doesn’t it look yummy?”
“It does. How did I miss it?”
“Try a bite.” Mercedes cut off a small piece and handed it to her mother.
“This is delicious. It tastes as good as it looks.”
Mercedes covered her slice with peach topping and took a bite. “Perfectly moist and perfectly tasty. You should try to make it, Ma.”
“I need a more thorough tasting first.” Carlita returned to the buffet and eased a slice of the cake onto her plate. She filled a small glass bowl with peach topping and returned to the table.
“It has a perfect consistency and the peach topping?” She rolled her eyes. “It’s worth trying to replicate.”
“It was my favorite dish,” Mercedes said.
“Mine too.” While Mercedes finished her breakfast, Carlita refilled her coffee cup and approached the woman who was replenishing the serving dishes. “I would love to get a copy of your sponge cake recipe.”
“Hot Milk Sponge Cake. Of course.” The woman reached into a small cabinet behind her and handed Carlita a sheet of paper. “The sponge cake is one of the most popular items on our menu. We get so many requests for the recipe we keep copies on hand.”
“Thank you. I can’t wait to make it.” Carlita folded the sheet in half and joined Mercedes, who was waiting by the door.
Back in their room, Carlita realized she’d left her cell phone on the nightstand. She picked it up and glanced at the screen. “Someone called.”
She didn’t recognize the number, but whoever it was had left a message. Carlita entered her four-digit password and then held the phone to her ear.
“Hello, Mrs. Garlucci. This is Detective Skip Wilson with the Savannah Police Department. I’m investigating a suspicious death on Tybee Island. Your name has popped up as someone who may have information regarding the case.” The detective rattled off his cell phone number and asked her to give him a call.
“Great,” Carlita muttered. “Dernice was right. The cops want to question me about the woman who died on Tybee Island. I wish I’d never left my contact information. They’re gonna start snooping around Elvira’s business, find out we’re neighbors and the heat will be on me.”
“Again,” Mercedes said.
“Again,” Carlita repeated. “I don’t know how Elvira manages to involve me in her problems, and she isn’t even around.”
“Speaking of Elvira, I think it’s time for us to track her down. While you were getting ready, I downloaded a walking app, so we don’t get lost again.”
“That’s a great idea.” Carlita rattled off the address for Mercedes, who entered it into her phone.
On the way out, they dropped their room key off at the front desk and then stowed their bags in the trunk of the car.
Mercedes consulted her phone. “It’s an easy walk. The GPS says we’re only a couple blocks away.”
“Elvira was within our sights even last night,” Carlita joked.
“If she’s there.” Mercedes tapped the screen. “What is this place?”
“I don’t know. Dernice said she thought it was a place that rented rooms. We could try looking it up before we head out.”
“Nah.” Mercedes waved dismissively. “We’ll be there in less than ten minutes. Besides, I wouldn’t mind burning a few calories after our delicious breakfast.”
They made their way to the corner and turned left, walking until they reached the main road. They passed Harry’s Seafood Restaurant where they’d dined the evening before.
Up next was the Castillo on the opposite side of the street and then the cemetery where they had joined the previous evening’s city tour.
“Are we getting close?” Carlita asked.
Mercedes slowed. “We walked right past it.”
They did a U-turn and headed back in the direction they’d just come from.
Mercedes kept one eye on the sidewalk, dodging pedestrians as she studied the phone. “It’s the next building.”
Carlita stopped in front of a brick wall, wrinkling her nose as she inspected the exterior of the two-story structure. A red covered porch faced the road and ran along the front of the building’s second story. “Are you sure this is it?”
“Yes. This is the address Dernice gave you.”
“This can’t be right.”
Chapter 14
Carlita shaded her eyes and read the sign above the double set of wooden doors. “St. Augustine Pirate and Treasure Museum.” A skull and cross bones were next to the name.
“We might as well go in.” Mercedes trekked across the courtyard and held the door for her mother. A gift shop, crammed full of pirate merchandise, was in the building. There were racks of plastic swords and buckets of gold doubloons. An entire corner was devoted to pirate hats and
