Sniffing Out Murder (Mina's Adventures Book 7) Read online

  “So it’s true.” He already knew? ”Wonder who’s next?”

  “Excuse me? Gino, you sound awful. What’s really going on?”

  “I was hoping you had the answer.” He meant it. She could tell. There was nothing left to say. They both knew.

  A sense of dread descended on her, filled her mind and her soul, and suddenly she didn’t want to go home, didn’t want to face her daily life. She approached the south end of Dana Point where the PCH blended with the 5 and headed north, taking her home.

  Not tonight. The thought of her big, empty home made her crazy. She crossed the bridge and headed south, to Capistrano Beach and San Clemente. It was as if her car had a mind of its own, and before she could talk some sense into herself, she'd parked her car next to Tom’s truck in front of Gordo’s garage.

  The metal roll-up door was closed, and Mina wasn’t sure how to get in without going through the main entrance, but she could hear voices inside. Feeling like a major lunatic, she put her ear against the heavy metal door and listened. Leo’s high-pitched laugh was hard to miss, and someone else's—perhaps Gordo’s?

  She’d come this far, why quit now? Her fist hit the metal, and the repercussion came totally unexpected. Wow. She recoiled, not fast enough. All human voices had gone quiet but not the dog. Scurrying paws and deafening barks reached the other side of the metal panel.

  “Hi, Buddy, are you barking at me? After I saved your life twice?” She felt stupid speaking to a closed door. The dog grew quiet, although she could hear him breathing and snorting at the bottom of the door where a thin ribbon of light shone through. Before she could come up with more lame ideas, a side door opened, and Gordo peeked from the open slit. “Mina? Are you the one making all that racket and getting the dog all worked up?”

  She found herself laughing. Laughing! “That’s me, but I promise you that wasn’t my intention. Can I come in?’

  Gordo looked perplexed, checking her out as if any minute now she would change into some witch or worse yet into a nosy neighbor. Her smile must have changed his mind. He smiled back and opened the door wide. “Care to join us?”

  Humidity hung in the stale air. Tom, Leo, and Simon looked sweaty and dirty while Gordo didn’t since he was giving instructions while the other three did the manual work. As for the car? Well, to her it looked like a car.

  “What happened? Is something wrong?” Tom asked.

  “Nothing’s wrong, I just wanted to see how cars get reconstructed. You never know when I may need to do that.” She kept a straight face, but of course they all laughed. “You sure got this done quickly.”

  “That’s because when they came to check out the Malibu they didn’t touch the engine. I mean, they looked at it but without taking it apart. Otherwise it would take us a week of working on it only in the evenings. This way, the car will be good to go in a few hours.” Gordo lifted his hands to show his crossed fingers.

  Leo seemed to be the more excited. “Look, we got new tires.” The tire.

  “Gordo, what are the chances of the car left idling to get moving all by itself?"

  All eyes were on the mechanic as he took his time answering. “If I had to write the answer for a test I would say slim to none because cars are designed with safety in mind. With that said, anything can happen. Maybe Isabel left it in neutral. Or maybe something snapped in the system, or the transmission… You see what I mean? I don’t know. My answer to you is—very improbable, but not impossible.”

  After that, the mood went from lively to spiritless, and Mina felt directly responsible for it. Might as well get out of there before they kicked her out. What a party pooper. Just then Silvia appeared, with a pitcher of what looked like ice-cold lemonade and a stack of plastic glasses.

  “Oh, hi, Mina. When did you get here?”

  “Not too long ago, was on my way out actually.”

  “Without saying hi? Why don’t you come to the kitchen with me? It’s like a sauna in here.” The way she pronounced sauna put a smile on Mina’s face. She could remember when her accent was much stronger and how difficult it was pronouncing some words. Five minutes later she was drinking freshly squeezed lemonade in Silvia’s kitchen. “I’m so thankful those kids found you and Tom. We were already on our cruise when Simon got the call for that job. Poor kids, they are holding it together well considering all they went through.” So the Hunts were on a cruise. Now it made sense. “And that awful woman, that neighbor. I’m convinced she had something to do with Isabel’s misfortune. When I saw that little pink sock, I told myself, that’s it. That’s the sign. It was as if Isabel pointed us in the right direction. She was always asking for rides. But Isabel wasn’t going to get caught in that woman’s messed up life. I wonder where that crazy boyfriend of hers was that night poor Isabel died. Violent man, in and out of prison.”

  “Is he Lizabeth’s dad?” Mina asked.

  “No, no. I don’t know who the father is. She moved next door to Isabel when the little girl was maybe six months old. The crazy boyfriend came around much later. I think she gets money from the state, and her mother sends her stuff, helps her with the bills. Not sure why she doesn’t work.” An engine noise came from the direction of the shop. The women exchanged glances and smiles. The Chevy was good to go.

  TWENTY-ONE

  SUNDAY BRUNCH.

  How would you explain that to an Italian? A Catholic Italian? One over fifty?

  Mina smiled. She didn’t even know if there was a correct translation for brunch. The Italians and their meals. Sunday lunch was family time. As far as she could remember. Huh, did Gino do lunch like Italians or brunch like Americans? Probably neither if Margo got to decide. She was more into life after dark than morning food.

  Sitting in the cool peaceful front room of the Ritzy Cats felt almost like a vacation. Two of the furry boarders were ready to go. Millie had done all the work before joining Tom for brunch. They both tried very hard to give a casual spin to the whole brunch thing.

  Mina found it all very sweet. She knew Tom was a widower, but Millie had never shared her love life past or present with Mina. Still, she was happy for them. The excuse was that Tom had to drop off Simon and Leo to work on the Malibu, and then after brunch he was going to measure the old rusty gate, and they would pick the replacement from one of his catalogues.

  Oh, someone was at the main gate, no doubt one of the caring owners.

  By the time Millie and Tom came back both cats had been picked up and Mina was leafing through a February issue of Sunset magazine. After handing over all the usual signed forms for the cats leaving, Mina headed home. She promised Tom she would be back in thirty minutes to look at his catalogues, but she wanted to check on her cats and on her messages. Just in case.

  She walked through the garage and paused to look again at the spot where her old Volkswagen had sat under the custom-made cover for about three years now. Just one more reminder of him.

  Clear your mind, Mina.

  The boredom assault continued once she got home. No messages and both cats were sprawled on the floor, bathed by sunshine filtering through the patio door. A preview of the rest of her life?

  No. From now on she would start working adoptions on weekends. That was the best way to interact with people and not let this wave of discontent overtake her.

  True to his word, Tom was measuring the gate, and Millie had a stack of brochures with pictures of gates, some ready to go, others to be special ordered. This wasn’t like browsing for clothes or handbags. No, it was complicated, with hinges and the direction the gate opened. Millie must have done something similar before because she was arguing with Tom about two versions of the same model when a loud truck came barreling down the road and stopped at about the spot where Millie, Tom, and Mina were working on the gate. But the truck was on the street side of the wall. The truck door was clearly marked Gordo’s Garage. And Gordo was at the wheel.

  Gordo rolled down his window and said, “Here are the kids. They ran into trouble. Yo
u better listen to their story, and we can talk tomorrow. Silvia is waiting. We have a family thing to go to.” While he spoke, Simon and Leo walked around the back of the truck. They didn’t look too happy. Before anyone could say a word Gordo made a U-turn and rushed down the street as if his exhaust pipe was spitting fire. Then again, maybe it was.

  Leo lead Simon around the side and up the path to the gate and after a few exchanged glances, Millie suggested they go inside to talk. Mina offered her place. Millie excused herself saying she would join them soon. Mina had absolutely no idea was this was all about, still she felt sorry for the brothers, and as soon as they got into the living room she offered them some soda since they looked hot and sweaty. Tom accepted some ice water. Before the ice cubes settled in the glasses Millie arrived through the garage, a plate of cookies in her hands. She rested the plate on the coffee table and went to sit on a side chair.

  “So, what happened?” Tom’s question opened the gates, and both Leo and Simon started to talk at the same time. “Shh , one at the time, please. Better yet, I’ll ask questions. Is this about the car?”

  They both nodded.

  “Did you get into an accident?” Tom asked.

  “No, we didn’t.” Leo said. “It was all her fault.” Simon added.

  “Her?” Tom paused. “Who are you talking about? Were you driving the car?”

  Simon nodded yes. “Gordo said we could take it for a test drive, he even had a temporary license plate, you know, like when you buy a new car?”

  “We wanted to say hi to Luis. He’s going back to San Diego and—”

  “Who’s Luis?” Tom asked.

  The two brothers looked at each other. “A kid I went to school with,” Leo said. “He lives on the same street like us. I mean lives where we used to live, you know.”

  Mina looked at Millie, clearly neither knew where the conversation was headed. Did Tom?

  Leo took a deep breath and went on. “We parked the car where mom used to. I mean there was no one around, and we walked down the street. But then Luis and his cousin wanted to see the Malibu, so we were just, like, you know, just walking. And Mrs. Somer is coming out her door, and she’s screaming and screaming, and we don’t know why. She threw something—a rock I think—and barely missed the car and hit Luis’s cousin, and he don’t even know her because he lives in San Diego, and someone must have called the police and…”

  “Oh, dear, is Luis’s cousin all right?” Millie asked.

  “Yes, the rock hit him on the shoulder. He got a bruise, but nothing broken.” Simon took over the storytelling. “But the cop asked to see my driver license and the paperwork on the car including insurance.” His voice barely over a whisper.

  “So when Gordo said you two got into trouble, exactly what did he refer to?”

  “Mostly about the paperwork for the car. I got a ticket for lack of proof of insurance. He didn’t say anything about the registration. It’s still valid, but it’s in my mom’s name.”

  “You’re sure that’s it?” Tom insisted.

  “I have the copy of the ticket.” He started to search his pockets.

  “What happened to Mrs. Somer? Why was she throwing rocks at the car? Wait, was she aiming at the car or at you kids?” Mina asked.

  “We have no idea. She kept screaming about someone stalking her,” Leo said. “Her boyfriend arrived after the policemen, and he spoke to them, and the policeman who wrote Simon’s ticket said something about pressing charges, and he was pointing to Luis’s cousin. But Luis and his cousin are leaving for San Diego, and we just wanted to get back to Gordo’s place as fast as we could. Everybody was outside their doors looking at the scene. It was so embarrassing, and the boyfriend was a real... asshole.” Tom hid a smile. “He was lucky Buddy wasn’t with us.”

  Millie got up and started to pass the plate of cookies around. Mina refilled the glasses.

  “Did you leave the car at Gordo’s?” Tom asked in a very calm voice. Mina was quite impressed by the way he was handling the whole thing.

  “We did, and the car actually drives very well. Although Gordo thinks it needs an alignment because of the new tires.”

  Thirty minutes later, the kids and Tom got into his truck and headed home. The gate could wait Mina decided.

  Millie called on the landline, “Mina, did I miss something? I had this strange feeling that you were—I won’t say happy—but validated by the incident with Mrs. Somer? Do you know something that Tom and the kids should know?” Nothing got by Millie, of course.

  “It’s just a feeling. I can’t help but think that Mrs. Somer had something to do with Isabel Cordero’s death. I shared my suspicions with De Fiore, but I guess either he disagrees or he hasn’t been able to gather proof. Plus, he must be devastated with Kalinda’s decision not to come back. Poor man, he doesn’t have much luck when it comes to affairs of the heart.” But you do? Who are you kidding?

  “I see. Mina, you know, any time you feel like talking or running scenarios, I’m your gal. It has been a very exciting day, and tomorrow we have a new arrival, right? So, I’ll call it a night and maybe read a little. Don’t hesitate to call. Good night, dear. Remember, never give up.”

  Never give up? What was she talking about? Her suspicions regarding Mrs. Somer? Or the lack of news from Diego? She heard her cats chasing each other upstairs, and then Aria appeared. Time to feed her babies. They didn’t much care about Diego or Mrs. Somer. Right now their priority was their dinner.

  Her landline rang as she rinsed out the last glass and put it in the dishwasher. Must be Millie.

  “You’re home.”

  “De Fiore? What do you care? You coming over for a drink?”

  “I sort of expected you'd being out celebrating.”

  “Celebrating what?”

  “Scaring the panties off Mrs. Somer.”

  “What? Sorry, Detective, you need better spies. I had nothing to do with what happened this afternoon.”

  “And yet you know exactly what I mean.”

  “Of course I do, the boys were sitting right here in my living room when they told the story.”

  “Do share how they got from San Clemente to your house and why they would tell you about it, unless you coached them on how to casually park the Chevy where their mother used to and—”

  “Stop it. They told the story to Tom. Gordo dropped them off here because that’s where Tom was.”

  “What was Tom doing at your house on a Sunday afternoon?”

  “None of your business. Look, I’m only talking to you because I consider you a good friend, but don’t push your luck. Tom came by to measure the gate, or so he said. He really came to take Millie to brunch. Simon got a ticket, and one of his friends got hit by a rock thrown by the crazy Mrs. Somer. Just what makes you think I have anything to do with it?”

  “Because you’re convinced she’s hiding something about Isabel Cordero’s death. I'm not saying it’s impossible. I’m saying I have nothing—and I mean nothing—to tie her to the incident. Her boyfriend was in jail at the time, and no, the pink sock proves nothing. I have the slim file right here in front of me.”

  “Did your spy tell you what she was yelling?”

  “Not yet. I haven’t seen the full report. Probably won’t get it until Thursday.”

  “Why? I can pick it up at the San Clemente office and drop it at your place tomorrow morning.” Pause.

  “I’m on vacation.”

  “Huh? You? On vacation?” She heard some muffled laughing. Was he with a woman? So soon after Kalinda?

  “Yes, so? You don’t think detectives deserve vacations?”

  “It's not that, it’s—in all the years we have known each other I’ve never heard you mention a day off.”

  “Well, there is always a first time for everything. Ouch, hey—wait.” Who was he talking to? “Here. Mina, someone wants to say hi.”

  “Hi, Mina, why are you giving poor Dan such a hard time?” Giggles.

  Kalinda.

/>   “Kalinda? Mio dio, Kalinda, so happy to hear your voice. How are you?” She heard a loud knocking.

  “Dan, I think it’s room service. You taking care? Oh, okay. Mina,”—suddenly a whisper—“Babies on a Monkey Tree. Chicago.”

  “What did you say?” Mina asked.

  “Our food has arrived, now you behave girlfriend, and don’t think about pink socks. Ciao, Mina, Dan sends his love, right Dan?” A laugh and she was gone.

  Mina stood, holding the phone. Stunned. What had just happened? Dan De Fiore was somewhere on vacation with Kalinda? Room service? And what was that about babies and monkeys? Chicago? Maledizione. Chicago. Mrs. Somer’s mother lived in Chicago. She sent the pink socks to Lizabeth.

  Kalinda, I think I love you.

  There it was, on her screen—Babies on a Monkey Tree. An upscale children's boutique in Chicago. They had a wonderful website, and she could order directly. The socks came in boxes of three pairs. Mrs, Somer’s address would be the same as Isabel Cordero except for the letter. The Corderos lived at B and Somer at A. She went to retrieve Buddy’s adoption papers from her desk, copied the address. The computer asked if there was a message for the gift card. She wrote A gift from out of this world! Signed Isabel Cordero. She paid with the FFF credit card, requested overnight delivery, and then went to bed, dreaming that Diego purchased Kalinda’s old house and moved next to her.

  TWENTY-TWO

  IT HAPPENED ON Tuesday. Mina had spent most of the afternoon at the retirement home off Coast Highway. It was her turn to bring Mocha to the elderly people’s place. The ten-year-old scruffy mongrel was one of the residents’ favorites. Mocha was the perfect comfort dog, never hesitant to leap onto someone’s lap, and she loved the attention.

  Mina enjoyed every minute of it. She never got tired of listening to the personal stories, and often wondered why some of the older residents ended up there at all. They seemed so full of life and love. She stayed until dinner was announced. Of course they ate their evening meal way before sunset.