“I’ll be waiting.” After Pete and Gunner left, Carlita, along with Mercedes, headed back to Elvira’s.
Dernice was in the office and waved them in. “Elvira’s in the shower. She shouldn’t be long.”
“I’m surprised she’s not glued to her desk, trying to decipher the map or research the coin.”
“Oh, believe me. It’s coming,” Dernice said. “She hasn’t shut up about it since you left. She’s already spending the money.”
“Maybe she’ll sell this place and move to a larger location,” Mercedes said.
“It won’t happen. There’s no way she’ll give this place up now. She’s already talking about tearing down more walls and searching for more underground tunnels.”
“Hey, Carlita.” Elvira emerged from the back. “I thought I heard your voice.”
“Congratulations on finding a treasure map and coin,” Mercedes said.
“Thanks. I’m so geeked, I probably won’t be able to sleep tonight.”
“It’s an exciting discovery,” Carlita said.
“I can’t cut you in on me ‘n Pete’s deal, but you’re welcome to tag along while we make ourselves rich beyond our wildest dreams.”
“Thank you for the offer. I may take you up on that,” Carlita said. “I’m sure Pete knows some experienced divers.”
Dernice told her she and Elvira had signed up for scuba diving classes. “It was Elvira’s belated Christmas present. That and the cruise tickets.”
“Right. Our family cruise.”
“I figured, hey, if I’m gonna be on a cruise ship, I might as well take advantage of snorkeling or diving on one of those isles. I’ve been reading up on Bonaire, one of the islands we’ll be visiting. It’s a world-class diving destination.”
“I’m sure you’ll have fun. So, what’s the plan for me to have a look around over at Sandy Sue’s place?” Carlita asked.
“After Mercedes called, I did some digging around in my supplies. Before I show you what I came up with, I need to ask you a few questions. Are you allergic to powder?”
“What kind of powder?”
“Talcum powder.”
“Not that I know of,” Carlita shook her head.
“What about putty or wax?”
“I don’t think so.”
“Good.” Elvira held up a finger. “Stay put. I’ll be right back.”
An inkling of trepidation filled Carlita. Elvira seemed a little too eager to help. She nudged her daughter. “Do you know what she has up her sleeve?”
“Yes,” Mercedes said. “I think you should see it instead of me trying to explain.”
Carlita turned to Dernice. “Do you know what she has in mind?”
“I…” Dernice’s face turned a shade of red.
“You do know.”
“I’m sorry, Carlita. Just remember I have nothing to do with this.”
“Great,” Carlita groaned.
The trio waited…and waited.
Carlita consulted her watch. “What’s taking her so long?”
“I’ll go check on her.” Dernice popped out of the chair and headed to the back, nearly colliding with Elvira, who was on her way into the room. Or someone was coming into the room.
Carlita blinked rapidly. “What in the world?”
Chapter 13
Dernice critically eyed the elderly man shuffling toward them. “You’re getting pretty good at your disguises.”
“Elvira?” Carlita crept closer, studying the sagging skin, the bushy eyebrows and the hooked nose. Matted gray hair poked out beneath a tattered fedora.
“You can call me Ernest.” Elvira grinned, her missing front tooth sticking out like a sore thumb. “You need to go incognito? This is the ticket. Since I’m still working on perfecting my old man disguise, I’d be willing to give you a makeover at no charge.”
“You want to put me in that getup?” Carlita asked.
“Do you want to snoop around inside Sandy Sue’s Bar-B-Que?”
“Yes.”
“This is how you’re going to have to do it.”
“I let her practice on me,” Dernice said. “Unfortunately, we discovered I’m allergic to talcum powder. It took a week for the rash around my eyes to go away.”
“I’m not so sure about this.” Carlita began shaking her head.
“Chicken.” Elvira made clucking noises. “What if someone calls the health department again? Ravello’s can’t afford to keep taking those kinds of hits. Savannah is a small town. If people suspect your restaurant’s food is unsafe, you won’t be able to give it away.”
Elvira’s words sent a chill down Carlita’s spine. She was voicing her worst fears – someone, somewhere at some point, would start a rumor about Ravello’s. She could never recover.
Carlita wanted her businesses to not only survive but thrive. “Do you think Jarvis and her husband are behind the anonymous call and targeting my property by vandalizing it?”
“I don’t know,” Elvira said. “What I do know is her place is a hot mess. Look at what happened to Luigi.”
Carlita shifted her gaze to her daughter. “What do you think?”
“Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Elvira has a point. If Sandy Sue is determined to torpedo our business, we need to be proactive, not reactive.”
Carlita weighed her options. She could ignore the string of events and hope they stopped, or she could face them head on. “Mask me up.”
Elvira swung into action, propelling Carlita into the nearby bathroom. She handed her a brown bag and told her to change.
Inside the bag was a plaid button-down shirt and a pair of loose-fitting trousers. Carlita pulled them on over her clothes and returned to where the others waited.
Elvira gave her the once over. “It’ll have to do.” She whisked her to an empty chair and wheeled her around the side of the desk, barking orders at her sister about the supplies she needed.
“Aye, aye.” Dernice snapped to attention, giving her a mock salute before hurrying off. She returned carrying two large plastic bins that reminded Carlita of tackle boxes.
“Thanks.” Elvira lifted the lids and began humming as she rummaged around inside. “We need one of these.” She tossed a gray wig, along with several styles and sizes of
