Murder Sliced to Perfection Page 5

  And who was now with Tony.

  8

  Mark jogged over to Gia and Jennie. “Hey, I was looking all over for you,” he grinned at his date, then turned. “Oh, Gia, Tony told me to tell you that he’ll see you later for dinner tonight.”

  “He left already?” she asked, puzzled.

  “Yeah with some lady named ‘Syrup’? Or was it ‘Molasses’?”

  “Honey,” Gia supplied, gritting her teeth.

  Mark snapped his fingers. “That’s it! I knew it was something sticky.”

  Gia exhaled through her nose, letting her shoulders drop. What Tony did with his time, accompanied by whomever, shouldn’t concern her.

  Her mood suddenly plummeted to the ground, taking a mouth full of gravel. An uneasy feeling coursed through her. Was this jealousy?

  Of course not.

  Now she was being ridiculous.

  You catch more flies with honey...

  Hopefully they’d lay eggs in Tucker’s brain.

  The sound of a throat clearing got Jennie, Mark, and Gia to turn around. A shriek escaped Jennie, who quickly slapped a hand over her mouth. Still as a statue, the scruffy man from the other night at Healthy Beginnings stood, arms hanging loose at his sides. Gia politely tried to not stare at the eye that didn’t move. It was hard, since the man had it trained on her.

  “The name’s Leroy,” he said, low and drawn out. “I just want to apologize for frightening you and your little friend here the other night.” He remained fixed in his spot. Gia found her voice and hesitantly introduced herself, Mark, and Jennie. Leroy grunted (which sounded like a laugh) and pointed a dirt-encrusted finger at Jennie.

  “Got a set of lungs on that one,” he laughed again.

  Mark frowned. “Set of lungs? What’s he talking about?” he asked.

  Leroy coughed up something foul. “Caught these two trespassing on private land,” he said, hiking up his dirty jeans.

  “Where was this?” Mark asked Jennie, who rolled her eyes.

  “Healthy Beginnings. It’s a senior living home, which, by the way, needs a makeover.” Jennie then turned to Leroy, demanding, “And what’s a hobo doing, going around scaring the living crap out of people?”

  “I ain’t no hobo!” Leroy bellowed. “I’m the groundskeeper. Just tryin’ to do my job when I caught y’all snooping.”

  “We weren’t snooping,” Gia clarified. Between being frozen in her car seat, wondering what the hell was she doing, and hoping her pizza wouldn’t make an abrupt and unpleasant exit, snooping had been the furthest thing on her mind.

  “Could have fooled me,” Leroy grunted.

  “Fooled you?” Jennie narrowed his eyes. “Could have fooled us. What’s there to be done as a groundskeeper at night?”

  “Watering daisies.” Leroy deadpanned. “I also serve as night watchman.”

  Gia’s brows drew together. Healthy Beginnings was miles and miles out of town. What was Leroy doing here?

  As if reading her thoughts or most likely reading her questioning face, Leroy explained. “I knew Gordy. He used to come by the home and visit his mama before she passed.” Leroy swallowed. “Figured I’d stop by and pay my respects.”

  “So you knew Gordy on a personal level?” Gia asked.

  Leroy nodded. “Yeah. No one ever stops to notice the strange man pulling weeds.”

  “Got that right,” Jennie mumbled, earning her another elbow to the side.

  “Gordy always took the time to say good morning and eat lunch with me on my breaks. He made a mean spicy-mustard corned beef sandwich.”

  “Gordy never came back after his mother’s death?” Gia asked.

  Leroy nodded once. “Correct. ‘Scuse me.” He walked around them and headed towards the funeral home’s front door.

  “Leroy?” Gia stopped him. He turned just his head.

  “What?”

  “Does it bother you?”

  “Does what bother me?”

  “That you work at a place that’s accused of murdering its residents?” Gia praised herself for keeping her voice even.

  Leroy didn’t blink. “I don’t know nothin’ about that,” he said, and walked away.

  “He knows something,” Jennie said.

  Gia shrugged.

  Sudden movement across the lot caught her eye.

  Weaving through parked cars, Brian speed-walked for his own.

  “Hmm.” Gia thought Brian went home already. She bit her bottom lip and glanced at the clock on her phone. Dinner with Tony started in thirty minutes.

  Enough time to dash home, change, pack up her share of dinner, and grab Petey.

  That was after she had a little chat with Mr. Fitzgerald. Call her Suspicious Susie, but she thought it weird Brian was in town the same day his brother was murdered. And call her Nosey Nelly, she wanted to know what for.

  Brian was fishing for his keys, then stopped when he saw her approaching.

  “I’m sorry for your loss,” she said softly.

  Brian looked like a battered leaf caught on the grill of someone’s car.

  “Thank you.” He offered a weak smile.

  Gia played it casual, or so she hoped. “Did you get a chance to see Gordy when you came to town?” Was that a bit too forward?

  Brian’s keys slipped through his fingers, clanging to the ground. He scrambled to pick them up. His face red, and thin hair disarray. “Un-unfortunately, no, I didn’t,” he stuttered.

  “I’m sorry to hear that. You must’ve been busy...” She let it hang.

  Brian smoothed his tie and fiddled with a key ring, not meeting her gaze. Was he nervous? Did his refusal to look up mean he wanted her to go away?

  Probably.

  “Strange how nature works,” she said.

  “How so?” he mumbled.

  “Your job requiring you to be in Greenville the same time your brother died.” Gia’s mouth dried when Brian fixed a steely glare on her.

  “I had business in the area. My clients,” Brian sniffed, “are young parents who wanted to look—” He sniffed again. “—at the homes here.”

  “You’re a real estate agent?”

  “Yes.” Brian got into his vehicle. “Good day.”

  Gia moved away for him to leave. So, Brian was in Greenville to show a couple of newbie parents some starter homes.

  Could it be that simple? Gia thought otherwise. Brian’s constant sniffing reminded her of when her brothers were caught in a lie. Interjecting sharp intakes through their nostrils during their made-up tale. She figured doing so bought her brothers more time to think and add to their lie.

  Brian was pulling a Rizzo.

  And speaking of brothers...

  <<<>>>

  “That’s F-I-T-Z-G-E-R-A-L-D,” Gia said into her cell phone that was pressed between her ear and shoulder.

  “I know how to spell ‘Fitzgerald,’ Gia,” Reese grumbled.

  “Sorry,” she giggled, turning in her apartment kitchen. Reese Rizzo, identical twin to Russell Rizzo: twenty-three-year-old computer-whiz geniuses. The youngest and stellar-performing agents at West Emily’s cybercrime-criminal department.

  They got paid the big bucks to track down culprits through the encryption-riddled and predator-infested dark forest of the Internet. Fingers flying across the keyboard, Gia’s younger brothers could locate anything about anybody. She tagged Reese before he and Russell left the office. He was currently bringing up everything on Brian Fitzgerald while she lifted the lid of her slow-cooker.

  Inside, thick short ribs floated in rich-smelling broth. As she stirred the ribs around, meat detached from the bones with each swoop of the spoon.

  Tony was going to love it.

  Cell phone pressed between her ear and shoulder, Gia grabbed her slim camera and took a picture of the large, steaming pot. The night before, she’d captured a photo of the salt-and-peppered short ribs sizzling in a pan. Then another one of them marinating in broth, tomato sauce, Worcester sauce, cooked garlic, and oil. She ad
ded herbs to the marinade and poured all of it into a zip freezer bag to chill overnight.

  This morning, she’d dumped it in her stainless-steel slow cooker, where it had been simmering for nine hours. The last picture for her monster-size blog post would be the finished plate of the succulent ribs next to garlic-mashed potatoes and steamed broccoli.

  It was Tony’s job to provide those.

  Of course, red wine would make an appearance.

  A few appearances.

  Reese came back on.

  “Okay, Brian Harold Fitzgerald is forty-six. Lives in a townhouse in southern West Emily. The run-down part,” Reese added. “Not married. No kids. He’s employed by Dust Sucking Suitors.”

  “What’s that?” Gia wrinkled her nose.

  “It’s a small, practically non-profit, vacuum company.” Reese explained. “Fitzgerald is listed as a sales associate.”

  Gia gaped at Petey, who was sitting by the door of their apartment, his way of saying “Hurry the hell up. We’ve got somewhere to be.”

  “Brian sells vacuum cleaners?” She knew Brian was lying.

  “A door-to-door salesman is the term commonly used,” Reese informed her. Gia ladled meat and broth into a large Tupperware container.

  “Can you tell me anything else?” she asked.

  “I can give you more info if—” Reese suddenly became serious. “You return the favor.”

  Gia rolled her eyes. She was used to the games her brothers played. Not caring about the unknown favor she owed, she agreed.

  “You first,” she said.

  “All right. Dust Sucking Suitors filed for bankruptcy last week and Fitzgerald was in the first batch to be laid off.”

  “Harsh.” Gia hit the speaker button and then maneuvered the hot closed container into a tote bag.

  That done, she leaned against the counter.

  Why had Brian come to Greenville? She thought. Looking for work, possibly?

  “My turn,” Reese interrupted her train of thought. “I would like to know something,” he said.

  “Go ahead.”

  “Two things, actually—”

  “Ask before I hang up, Reese.”

  “Okay, okay. It’s all over the news here that the late hotel owner of the Fitz and Glitz, Martha Fitzgerald’s son, Gordy was stabbed to death. Does your sudden interest in Brian have to do with his brother’s murder?”

  “I’m not sure yet,” she admitted.

  “Is this going to lead you to getting hurt, like before?” he asked, his voice growing hard. It had been a month since Thomas Nelson broke into her apartment and held a gun on her. She hadn’t been harmed physically. Emotionally scarred? Yeah, just a bit.

  “If police consider Brian a suspect and you’re involved—” Reese said.

  “I’m not!” Gia huffed.

  “—then I’m calling Mom.”

  Gia stopped cold. “Don’t,” she whispered.

  “One whiff, Gia,” he warned. “If I get one whiff that you’re in danger—and make note; Russell and I will be watching—I’m releasing The Mom on you. Understood?” Since when had Reese become the older sibling? Gia rubbed a hand over her face.

  “I understand. Nothing’s going to happen.”

  “Promise?” Now he sounded like the little boy whom Gia had taught to ride a bike—asking her to promise to not let go.

  “I promise, Reese,” she sighed.

  “Good. One more question.”

  “I’m listening.”

  “What’s up with you and Tony?”

  Click.

  9

  Gia and Petey, carrying delicious-smelling meat, arrived at Tony’s house with seconds to spare. Petey shifted excitedly the whole ride, knowing he was about to see his best friend, Jade, the giant and beautiful black Great Dane. Gia loved how different the pair were. Size hadn’t made it awkward for them. They both acted looney, just the same.

  Tony greeted her with a blood-warming kiss to the cheek. She felt guilty for thinking Honey would be in attendance. Gia knew Tony would never let someone else come in between their friendship. Hence why no one was ever invited, even Brad, to their weekly dinners. The time alone gave them a chance to fill in the ten-year-old blanks in each other’s lives.

  And time for Gia to figure out why she felt compelled to rip out Honey’s hair.

  “Happy thoughts,” Gia mumbled to herself.

  “What was that?” Tony asked, pouring them both a glass of wine.

  “Nothing!” She wasn’t about to let Tony and Honey’s leaving the funeral together—for reasons still unknown—ruin her night.

  “Let’s eat.”

  After dining, she and Tony sat side-by-side on his porch swing. The luscious dark-blue night sky loomed above. Neighbors’ porch and garage lights flickered on. The white wooden swing creaked along with the crickets. Jade and Petey played Whack-a-Mole with tiny frogs that hopped through the grass.

  “What have you found out?” Tony asked.

  “Found out about what?” Gia hid behind her glass.

  “Don’t play dumb.” He reached over to take the glass from her. “I know you know something. You’ve been bouncing in your seat the whole night.” He smiled crookedly.

  “Must’ve been the wine.” She shrugged.

  “G,” he said, sliding his arm behind her shoulders, his knuckles brushing her cheek lightly. “Tell me. I don’t want to be blindsided like I was when you called saying you found a bloody knife.”

  “It wasn’t the murder weapon, though—”

  “G,” he growled. She let out a breath.

  “Buckle your seat belt, Santino.” She launched into all that had happened in the past five days. Starting with being there when Gordy’s body was found—funny how she hadn’t mentioned that before. Well, at least she thought so. Tony remained a humorless concrete statue. And then she ended with Brian’s recent unemployment from Dust-Sucking Suitors.

  “I’m thinking the lack of business was due to the name.” She tapped her chin. Tony frowned at her. “You think so, too?”

  “I think you need to be locked in my closet until the police arrest the killer,” he said.

  Gia wiggled her eyebrows. “I might just let you.”

  She snapped her mouth shut, eyes widening.

  Where had that come from?

  Tony raised his dark eyebrows. The hand caressing her cheek now clasped her shoulder and squeezed, his lips inches from her ear.

  “Don’t tempt me.” His warm breath made her shiver. The edge in his voice and square-cut jaw clenching were clear indicators that Tony was being serious. Scary serious, though the playful twinkle in his eyes suggested otherwise.

  What was happening here?

  “I need you to promise me something,” he said. Gia dropped her head back against his arm, releasing a loud groan. Today was National Promise Day, folks. Was it marked on her calendar? Had she missed a news bulletin?

  “G, can you promise me that you won’t do anything irrational that’ll put you in immediate harm?” He went on. “Like staking out strange places in the dead of night or cornering potential suspects at their vehicles.”

  An argument-filled bubble made its way up inside Gia, like an elevator reaching the top floor. She was ready to open the doors when Tony placed a finger on her lips and said, “But since you’re a very bright, independent woman holding an intelligent brain inside that beautiful head, I doubt it’ll be hard for you to comply.”

  “Smooth.” She narrowed her eyes, unable to hide a grin.

  “Thank you.” He winked, flashing a charming smile. “I mean it. Even if you have the urge to further look into something—which I know you can’t help sometimes, and I wouldn’t want you to change who you are—can you least call me first?”

  “I’ll try,” she sighed.

  “That’s all I ask.” He squeezed her shoulder again. “Does chocolate gelato sound good? Freshly made.”

  “I’m thinking, yeah, it really does,” she nodded. Tony whistled
for the dogs to come. He and Gia both bent over to grab her wine glass at the same time. Their heads instantly collided.

  “Ow!”

  “Son of a—” Tony grimaced, blinking rapidly. “I think your head knocked the vision out in my left eye.”

  “Oh, shut up.” Gia punched his arm with the hand that wasn’t clutching her throbbing skull. He laughed and pulled her to him.

  “Let me see.” His fingertips gently brushed aside her hair. There above her eyebrow, a small light red splotch. He kissed the spot. Gia looked up at him, her face heating, her heart leaping.

  “Now I’ll heal in no time,” she said.

  “Becoming a doctor was my second career choice,” he smirked. Hesitantly, he touched her chin, tilting it further up, his heart thudding in his chest.

  “G...” His lips parted. As did hers. Should I...? Tony thought.

  Will he...? Gia hoped.

  Petey barked.

  Jade growled.

  “Tony?” a voice said.

  He and Gia jumped apart and looked to the cause of interruption. Honey Tucker stood a few feet away on the concrete path leading to the porch steps. She wore a low-cut burgundy dress, black needlepoint heels and held a bottle of wine. Gia hadn’t even noticed Tucker park her car at the curb.

  “I’m sorry.” She smiled sheepishly, glancing between Gia and Tony. “Am I interrupting?”

  “No,” Gia said just as Tony said “Yes.”

  Gia got up from the swing. Petey obediently trotted to her side. “I was just leaving.” Boy, she sounded like such a cliché. This whole cliché scene was right out of a cheesy romance movie. She dashed inside and grabbed her purse, Tony hot on her heels.

  “Where in the world do you think you’re going?” he demanded.

  “Home.”

  “Don’t be ridiculous. Why—”

  “It was a lovely dinner. You can give back the container whenever,” she said, finding her car keys.

  “How about you can take it with you after we’ve finished with our night?” he growled.

  “My night is finished. Besides, Petey has trouble falling asleep if he stays up too late.” She averted her eyes. She was lying, and Tony knew she was too. It was a sucky one. Anyone who knew Petey knew he had no trouble escaping into blissful unconsciousness.