Dying For Dinner Rolls Part 15

Annie Mae and I got out of my SUV and greeted Jose.

I handed him the lipstick.

Jose twisted the stick up. "Not my color."

"Funny, Jose." Annie Mae eyed him. "Although, with your olive skin tone, I can see you in more of a maroon or red."

Jose cleared his throat. "Cat, you had asked me to look into recent deaths of anyone who lived near Jones Street."

"And?" I asked, my heart accelerating in antic.i.p.ation.

Jose looked down at his phone. "There was a hit-and-run that killed a gentleman who lived on Jones. The accident happened the same day as the date on the newspaper Lucy found."

I wondered if that was the person that second crossword puzzle was meant for.

"Holy smokes." Annie Mae's mouth hung open.

"Who was he?" My voice rose.

Jose glanced at me then at Annie Mae. He looked down at his cell. "Michael Esker, age sixty-three, owned Quickie Loan & p.a.w.n. He was a Grand Knight at the Knights of Columbus. He suffered a fatality after a hit-and-run on the corner of Clary's while he headed to his Wednesday morning Bible study. One eyewitness saw a green, older-model sedan, a Lincoln or Buick, driving away from the scene. But that's our only lead."

"Poor guy." Annie Mae sighed.

"That name sounds familiar." I ran through people my dad's age in my mind. "Esker. Esker. I think I remember him, but I can't remember from where."

Jose held up the lipstick. "I'll get this a.n.a.lyzed against the lipstick on Lucy's note and the message from your winds.h.i.+eld."

"I really appreciate it." I gave Jose a hug, but because of his height, I hugged his waist with my head on his chest. "I don't want you to get fired over it."

Jose patted my back. He smelled sweet and spicy. "No problem. I have a buddy in the forensics laboratory who owes me a favor. Trust me; he'll do it without anyone finding out."

With a wave, Jose climbed in his Explorer and drove out of the parking lot.

Rounding the corner by the tennis courts, Mr. Phong had headphones on and sang out loud as he strode on the path. "All da move like da Jagger. I got the mooove like a Jagger." He nearly b.u.mped into Annie Mae and me.

I stepped out of the way and made eye contact with Mr. Phong. I smiled and waved. He grinned ear to ear and waved back. I noticed a ruby-stoned ring on his finger as he flapped his hand and nodded. He continued walking and singing.

"That is one strange cat," Annie Mae said. "But he sure seems like a happy guy."

Annie Mae and I got in my SUV. It was after six in the evening. "I wonder if my mom knew Michael Esker."

"The Grand Poobah?" Annie Mae asked.

"He was a Grand Knight, not a Flintstone." I grinned.

"I'm going across the street to the Sentient Bean and grab a scone. You want anything?" Annie Mae said before she got out.

"No, thanks." I hoped I wouldn't lose my dear friend to a heart attack the way she'd lost her husband who'd had the same junk food addiction. We'd had this conversation, and she always said that she knew how to eat right, and that one day she would.

I started the engine, put the air on. My phone rang. The caller ID said "Mom." I picked up.

Yunni said, "What you doing? All my friends call me to tell me about you and the fire. You okay?"

The Suns.h.i.+ne Market closed at six. I knew her routine. She was cooking dinner and watching the news. "I'm fine. I was just thinking of calling you. You're at home, right?"

"Yes. Andrew at business meeting. Why you ask?"

"I'm at Forsyth Park."

"You are close. Come to my house. I fix dinner for you. Making your favorite, Bulgogi. Is Annie Mae with you?"

"Yes."

"She come too. Lots of food."

"No thanks, not tonight."

"Okay, fine, you miss out. Tadcu come here for dinner. Your boys, too. Maybe none left after. So no problem."

"Another time, okay?"

"Sure."

"Listen, do you remember a Michael Esker?"

"I read in newspaper. He died."

"Yes, I just found out."

"I talked to some friends. Found out he hit by car. Very sad," Yunni said.

"I know. But did you know him?" I asked.

"Yes. Your father business partner," Yunni said.

"Business partner?" I repeated, my voice rising. "For Suns.h.i.+ne Market?"

"Different business before store. Didn't work out."

I felt blindsided. I had no idea there'd been another enterprise before Suns.h.i.+ne Market. My parents never failed to surprise me. There was a good chance my kids would find out things about me they never knew before, even though I felt like an open book. "What kind of business?"

"Cars. Rebuilding, trading. Buying, selling. Complicated. Lots of time at junkyards and auctions. Dirty."

"So Dad and Michael worked together?"

"And three more men."

"Who were they?"

"Let me think." Yunni took a deep breath. "Davy O'Brien, Micky Zwick, and Peter Matthews."

"What happened to the business?"

"Your dad not talk too much about what happened. But he got out. They all did. No matter. After all that, your dad made money from some investment, and we started our store. Oh, honey, my food going to burn."

I tried to wrap my head around why both my dad and another former business a.s.sociate were now dead within two months of each other. Was there a connection or just coincidence? Was the crossword puzzle somehow related to both deaths? I needed to talk to O'Brien, Zwick, and Matthews. "Okay, Mom, thanks. Love you."

"You, too. Plenty of food if you change mind." She clicked off.

My phone buzzed. Low battery. I plugged it in the car charger.

Annie Mae opened the pa.s.senger door. She had a scone in one hand and a drink in the other. She handed me her drink. "Can you grab this?"

I put the drink in the holder as Annie Mae sat down. "My mom just called."

"How is she?"

"Good. She invited us to dinner."

Annie Mae held up the scone. "Too late."

"I told her next time." I stared out the window, my eyes transfixed on a spot on my winds.h.i.+eld. "My phone is almost dead. Can you look up a Davy O'Brien, Micky Zwick, and Peter Matthews for me, please?"

"Who are they?" Annie Mae tapped her phone.

I went over my conversation with my mom while turning my dad's wedding band on my thumb.

A few minutes later, Annie Mae looked over at me. "Cat. Davy O'Brien is dead."

My stomach took a free fall. "Can you find out what happened?"

A few minutes later, Annie Mae said, "He died last month. It looks like an accident. He fell from a building on Bay Street. Freaky, huh?"

A chill ran over my entire body. Even my hair felt like it stood on end. I could barely speak. Was someone killing off all of the partners in my dad's car business? "What about Zwick and Matthews?"

Annie Mae tapped her iPhone. She turned toward me. "Can't find anything on Peter Matthews. But it looks like Micky Zwick is still in Savannah and, as far as I can ascertain, still alive."

"How do you know he's still alive?"

"No obituary on him." Annie Mae continued to tap her phone. "Still can't find anything on Matthews, just Zwick."

I felt a wave of calm wash over me. "Can you find an address for Zwick?"

A moment later, Annie Mae looked up. "Forty-nine Barnard Street. We can walk from here."

I shut off the car. "Let's go."

Chapter Seventeen.

"At this pace, I'll burn off that scone." Annie Mae huffed. "But you need to slow down. I can't keep up with you."

My natural stride tended to be pretty brisk. Andrew and the kids were always telling me to slow down. I came to a halt when I realized I was speed walking. "Sorry."

"What's the rush?" Annie Mae stopped, leaning over and panting.

"Is something on fire?"

I paused. "Just glad it's not us."

"I hear you." Annie Mae stood straight. "Okay, then, dial your pace back a few notches. We'll get there just the same."

We waited at the corner of Park to cross over Whitaker.

Cars whooshed by while birds chirped in the tree above us. On the playground, the sounds of kids' laughter filled the air. A few joggers went by. The scent of freshly cut gra.s.s filled the air.

A green car coming toward us seemed to speed up as it neared. Just before it reached us, it ran up the curb where we stood. Instinctively, I grabbed Annie Mae and yanked her back. She lost her balance, falling into an azalea bush, with me half on top of her as the car swerved back onto the street.

Finding my footing, I dislodged leaves from my s.h.i.+rt as I wedged my way to a standing position. I held my hand out. Annie Mae grabbed it and pulled herself up. She had some twigs in her hair. Her pants hung below her waist.

Annie Mae grabbed my arm, her eyes were open wide. "I think you just saved my life."

"Are you okay?" I asked.

"Thanks to you, I'm not road kill." She let go of my arm and pulled up her pants.

I raced to the corner and looked down the street, hoping to catch the make and the model of the car, or the license plate. I walked back to Annie Mae. "They're gone."

"Cat, you don't think that car meant to hit us, do you?"

"I don't know. Jose said that a green sedan killed Michael Esker. And it was a green car that just jumped the curb and almost got us. Coincidence or not?" My stomach churned as though bubbling acid percolated in it.

Annie Mae brushed her s.h.i.+rt. Pink azalea petals fell from her. "I guess it wouldn't surprise me with all that has happened today."

"Me, either."

Annie Mae pulled her shoulders back. "It's been an exciting day, hasn't it?"

My legs felt restless, as though I needed to run. And keep on running as though someone were chasing me. But who was it?