Death with a Cherry on Top: A Beach Themed Cozy Mystery (Twisted Sisters Ice Cream Cozies Book 1) (3 page)

The women discussed their options and decided to check in with Kitty first. They'd need to tackle her ego with kid gloves. Lottie grimaced. "We really need to get the stand ready. Opening day will be here before we know it."

Gina sighed. "Fine, we talk to Kitty in the morning, then we wrap up the inventory needs, and we'll finish set up. I'll send one of the boys over for any last minute repairs of machinery or things you need help with."

"Okay, I mean, I know you have the deli and all, but this is mine, well, ours, but you know what I mean. I want to overtake the "The Shimmy Shack" ice cream stand this year. They had a line wrapped around the bend. Stupid new dips they got, which I thought were too over the top, but it worked for them. Anyway, I say we have chocolate and peanut butter hard shell, sprinkles, and maybe a drizzle of this or that, but I don't want to do that fake flavor stripe thing. I was thinking we should introduce pretzel bowls. The waffle bowls did well, actually better than we expected last year. Also, I think we should keep the shakes to the basics. I know we discussed doing some fruit smoothies, but I think the basics are the core of the business. We’d be overextending ourselves on cost and they take longer to make."

"I'll let you cull the final list. I posted my thoughts up on the board on the wall, so just scratch off the ones you don't like." Gina answered.

Lottie stood and stretched. "I'll catch you in the morning. We'll track her down and talk to Kitty first thing, and let me know if Giuseppe mentions anything about his date."

"Will do," Gina answered.

Lottie saw herself out and headed home. She was buzzing with electricity, ready to start the new season. Every year, as the weather warmed up in the coastal town, Lottie itched with excitement. She adored the warm beach sand on her feet, and the thickening of crowds. The air was always full of energy from the continual flow of vacationers.

The one noise that grew old was the constant playing of a taped recording. ‘Watch the tram car, please watch the tram car.’ The tram went up and down the full length of the boardwalk, which spanned two solid miles and offered people a chance to get off their feet.

With the smell of pizza, sausage sandwiches, and zeppolis in the air, it was always a treat to see the boardwalk come back to life. You could hear whoops and hollers from families riding rollercoasters, and children bounced around with their boardwalk game wins.

After a fitful night of sleep, Lottie climbed out of bed. She needed to make her way to the deli to pick up her sister. They were headed for Kitty's place. Coincidentally, they knew where she lived because of the Conchella sisters. That was a story in itself. They lived next door to Kitty Summers, which made finding her much easier.

Lottie drove over and picked up Gina. Together they drove to Kitty’s place. Lottie parked the car, and before heading up to the door, she warned Gina to stick to the plan.

They rang the doorbell and waited.

A young woman yawned as she opened her front door. Rubbing her eyes, she looked at the women. "Can I help you?"

"Hi, Kitty. I'm not sure if you remember me, but I'm Carla's mother, Gina Ambrogi. I was hoping we could speak with you." Gina paced her words and tone, trying not to rush the moment.

"About?" She hemmed and hawed. The mention of Carla put her on edge. "I heard what she did."

"See, that's the thing...she didn’t do it. We're hoping you might have information that could help locate the true killer," Lottie chimed in.

"Seriously? You want my help?" She shook her head. "Not after what she did. And I'm the last person you should be talking to. She hardly worried about my feelings, and I certainly don’t care about hers."

Lottie tilted her head. "Can you at least tell us what you saw, or what happened when you were there? You're listed as somebody who was on the premise when the police arrived."

Her patience grew short. "I have nothing to say. Besides ---"

"Oh, Kitty. I'm so sorry, you must have been horrified to have been so close to something tragic." Gina pushed through the door, her voice laced with syrup. "Can we come in?"

Kitty's jaw dropped.

"There’s something else we wanted to talk to you about. We hoped you might be interested in becoming our Summer Ice Cream Queen on opening day. We wanted to parade a beautiful girl in front of the place to draw attention, you know with a crown and sash, and the sort..."

"Go on," she said, her eyes started to widen with interest.

"Anyway, the boys always swarm around you like honey, and we thought you'd be the perfect magnet for the start of business. We'd pay you of course, but it would be great exposure."

Kitty looked at the women. "Well, I probably shouldn't say anything, but there was yelling between them. The director and Carla, well, they had differences of opinion, and Carla was a bit - how shall we say - demanding. As the understudy, I didn't have much say and just kept my nose out of it. Next thing you know, they found him dead. That’s scary, to know somebody was killed right there in the playhouse. As for me, I didn't see anything. I only heard the shouting. It wasn't the first time. Carla’s been making
advances
toward him, and well, he just wasn't interested." She lowered her voice. "Scorned maybe, I don't know. Either way, I’m sorry I couldn't be a bigger help. Now about the crown and sash…"

The women exchanged numbers, and told her where she’d pick up goodies for opening day. They settled on a price and then left.

Once outside, Gina looked at her sister. "What do you think?"

"They were fighting; that's got to look bad for Carla. And what’s the deal about Carla making advances on the guy? I thought it was the other way around? Wasn’t she just complaining about that the other day? I'm not sure what to think. I mean, Kitty said she only overheard stuff, but didn't see anything. Maybe one of the other witnesses saw something."

Pops sat at one of the small tables in the back of the deli. When Gina arrived, he stood and stretched. "I was thinking of going down to the playhouse and seeing if there was anything that might have gone unnoticed. I talked with one of the guys down at police headquarters, and while I can't officially contribute, being retired and all, he knows I did plenty of investigating back in my day. So, if I happen to see something and mention it out loud, you know, he could jot notes. A retired Philly detective can't work the crime scene, but I'm not sure they swept the area like an experienced department would. To be honest, they don't see many homicides out this way. Charlie Samson is one of the guys that frequents the pub. I talked to him last night. He’s going back out to investigate and re-scan the area. Anyway, I mentioned that it wouldn't be a bad idea to bring extra eyes. I told him I knew some people that had a vested interest..."

"You are the best," Gina squealed. She swung her arms around her father's neck and hugged him. "Thanks, Dad."

"Where's Lottie?"

"Oh, I dropped her at the ice cream stand. I'll text her and tell her we'll pick her up along the way. What time are you meeting Charlie there?"

"The sooner the better. I wanted to get in a round of golf this afternoon, before the summer crowds come along and it's next to impossible to get a good tee time."

"Has your swing gotten any better?" she teased.

Pops groaned. "Not much, but it's a learning process. Golf wasn't my thing until I retired. There's a learning curve."

"What was your thing, Pops? Work all day, pub at night?"

He grinned. "I can drink anyone under the table, or I could work double shifts until the cows come home."

"Oh, Mom used to crow about you being gone all day," Gina said with a laugh. "But, we got it, you know. You took good care of your family. You were a good provider."

"Thanks, Gina. That means a lot. Man, I miss your mama. Nobody could get under my skin like that old broad." He smiled to himself.

"Seems like forever," Gina added.

Giuseppe strolled back to where the others were. "Hey, Pops. You were right about that place you mentioned."

Gina arched an eyebrow. "What place?"

"Don’t you worry about it. I just gave the boy some pointers on a place I found. Good date material is all," he finished.

"How did the date go, speaking of Jessica?" Gina turned toward her son.

Giuseppe grinned. "I'm seeing her again tonight if that tells you anything."

"You should bring her to dinner. I'll make a nice meal; we can talk," Gina started.

"Yeah, not happening. You'll smother her with questions and ruin my date. Besides, I already asked her what she knew about it," he said with a mischievous grin. "It’s not like I'm going to let Carla rot in jail."

"You did? What did she say?” Gina waited anxiously.

"She said she didn't have any new information. The last thing she saw was a guy with flowers. He was bringing them into Carla's dressing room. Kitty didn't look too happy. Apparently, the two of them have something going on the side."

"Wait? The director and Carla? I'm lost. He was bringing her flowers? I thought Carla wasn't interested in him."

"Oh, right. Nah, the guy made some comment under his breath as he walked by, but she couldn't make it out. Anyway, she thought there was some kind of tension between the three of them. She didn't know what was between them all, but she was certain she'd seen Kitty smooching up to him the prior day." Giuseppe tied on a white apron and folded it down so it covered only his jeans. He liked his full, muscled arms to be on full display when the ladies came into the deli. It never hurt to enjoy the attention of the adoring female fans, even if they were all twice his age and older. The retired crew still made him smile, the older ladies flattering him every chance they got.

"That's my boy," Gina said. She gave her son a hug then ran toward the door. "I need to go see Lottie!"

"Wait, there's more-" he said, but it was too late, she was gone.

"You dog, a second date tonight," Pops said with a wink. "You did good, kid."

Ian wasn't a complicated guy, but he knew what he liked. In fact, what he loved. He'd been in love with Carla Ambrogi for as long as he could remember. She barely noticed him at first, but as her biggest fan, he was suddenly on her radar. She'd accept a compliment and flowers after a show, beaming and glowing. He'd seen most of her performances, until she left for New York. When he heard she'd be back in town for Summer Stock and was rehearsing at the local playhouse, he made sure to be there each day as she came and went, reminding her that in his eyes, she was the best thing since sliced bread.

He'd chosen a dozen long-stemmed roses. He'd found a gorgeous bouquet of white roses, in place of his usual red or tangerine that he usually got for her. He wanted to give them to her himself, but the director scooped them from his arms and told him he'd pass them on.
They were busy since they’d be opening soon, and Carla didn't have time to sit around talk. They had work to do, scenes to perfect, and props to finish
.

Ian was about to protest, but the man wouldn't take no for an answer. He'd come back later. Before leaving, he glared at the director who was already walking away. He'd take care of
him
later. Ian didn’t appreciate the way he was tossed aside.

It was Carla that mattered to him. He'd find a way to convince her to give him a shot. He'd been working up his courage to ask her out, but being laced with shyness, sometimes the thought was easier than the action. Following up wasn't his specialty. She’d grown warmer toward him the last time she saw him, touching his arm while they spoke. One day she'd offer him a peck on the cheek, he was sure of it. That would be the perfect opportunity to finally ask her out.

Only, after reading the newspaper the following day, his future with Carla wasn't so certain. She was the main suspect in a murder investigation! They claim she’d killed the playhouse director. She'd saved him the trouble of doing it himself, but he didn't want her to take the fall for something that big. He needed to defend her innocence. Carla Ambrogi was no killer. She might be his future wife if things went his way, and there was no way he'd let his fiancé sit in jail. Some might call him delusional, but he preferred to see it as planning his future - a well thought out future.

He'd make his way back to the playhouse and snoop around. Maybe the police had overlooked something. His kitten would never harm another soul. She was sweet, soft, and tender. Or at least, he imagined her that way.

The front door was locked, but around back, the prop room was open. He pulled the door, expecting somebody to protest and ask what he was doing, but nobody was around. Ian glanced over his shoulder to double check, but the coast was clear. Or so he thought. Not long after he snuck in, he heard voices coming from the front of the small building. Ian ducked into one of the dressing rooms and stepped behind a rail of clothing that hung on a rolling rack. Thankfully, he'd walked over, so his car wasn't sitting out front giving him away.

Ian gasped when he realized what was going on. It sounded like an officer had come in with some extra people. He heard two male voices and two female voices. Ian stood as still as he possibly could. He held his breath for extra measure.

"So, the body was found over that way, in the back. Let's cross over the stage. Off to the side are dressing rooms, storage and props are over that way. Try not to touch anything, but if you see something suspicious, let me know," the officer instructed.

Their voices carried through the small theater. It wasn't a big place, and the acoustics coming off of the stage made the officer's voice sound louder than it was.

Ian wasn't sure whether to make a run for it or stay put. If he was caught, he'd be in serious trouble, and yet if he moved, he might draw more attention. He chose to remain exactly where he was. He was barely breathing, but then....no, no! Ian sneezed, unable to stop it before it was too late. There was nothing he could do.

A woman shouted, "Over there, somebody is over there!"

The officer ran over to where she was and together they searched the dressing rooms. They were one small room over, where the bit players changed. He was in the main dressing room for the stars - Carla being one of them. Ian jumped from the rack and bolted, hoping to be out of view before they came from the other room, but just as he turned to go, a booming voice ordered him to stop. "Freeze!"

Ian held his ground. He froze on the spot as if his shoes were made of concrete. Ian threw his hands over his head, covering himself from whatever shots might be fired. "I didn't do it."

"Aww, put your hands down kid. I'm not going to shoot you," he said. "Hey Charlie, over here. We've got a visitor."

Officer Samson found his way over to Pops. "Well, what have we here? What brings you to a closed playhouse? Nobody is supposed to be here. Are you trying to hide some evidence? Grab something you left behind when you took out the director?"

"What? No! I didn't hurt the guy. I'm here trying to clear Carla Ambrogi. She was wrongfully accused." Ian scratched his head. Why would they think he killed someone, other than the fact that he was trespassing on a crime scene?
Oh yeah, there was that
.

Pops shot out his arm and offered his hand. "Carla's grandpop," he said to the man. "We're here trying to do the same. I'm a retired detective."

Ian shook the man’s hand. "I'm a friend, well, a fan. Well, yeah, anyway, I was hoping to be able to free her. Then maybe she'd see I’m more than just a 'super fan', and more like dating material."

"Oh, that's sweet," Gina said. She offered her hand. "Carla's mom.”

Ian shook the woman’s hand, then turned to Lottie. "Let me guess, Carla's sister?"

"Well, aren't you as sweet as Shoo Fly Pie? I'm her Aunt Lottie, Gina's much younger sister," she said with a wink.

The officer was less than amused. "Look kid, I get that you want to help, but you're interfering with our crime scene, breaking and entering, and tampering with evidence. Good intentions or not, I'm going to have to take you downtown."

Pops shrugged. "Unless you just mention that he came with us to help search for clues."

Charlie sighed. "Fine. Let's just wrap up here, and put an end to this thing."

It was the glint and shimmer of something that caught Lottie's eye. "I'll be right back," she said, looking to see what was sparkling. Light from a window was bouncing off something to the side. Lottie dipped down and scooped up a tiny dog. The charm looked like it belonged to a bracelet. Lottie brought it back to the group and handed it to Officer Samson. “Look what I found. It seems out of place. Somebody must have lost it.”

"I wonder who?" They didn't think much more of it at first, but then realized anything out of place was worth noting.