Background
A member of the crime team is drawn into a diabolical scheme by an ex-con, Vito Moretti, who spent eight years in prison for a crime he didn't commit. Upon his release, he set out to get revenge.
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Garth parked the car in a municipal lot, and the two men stood looking up and down the street. It was early in the day, so the area wasn't as crowded as the street where the pastry shop was located.. Double parked trucks and smaller vans were blocking alleys. Uniformed men and women with two-wheeled carts balanced stacks of boxes as they delivered their product.
"According to the business card, this Francine place should be in the next block."
"Yeah, that semi is blocking part of the sign, but I think I see it on the other side of the street." A Sysco Food Truck was unloading supplies, and the letters Franc was all that was showing. "Something about this place gives me a chill. Seems like another clue."
"Even the outside of the building looks similar to Francesco's, like kissing cousins." Tango laughed at his observation and then frowned, "or maybe sisters."
"Come on, Tango. Let's go see if we can learn anything."
As they entered the restaurant, both men stopped, took in the decor, and then looked at each other. From the outside, the building gave the impression it was a small, intimate setting where a business group or a family might grab a family-style pizza or a plate of pasta. Inside, it was much more opulent. The building was far longer than it was wide, with two separate rooms, the main dining room, and an intimate, secluded room for couples complete with a fountain and a fireplace, almost a replica from Napa Valley's Francesco's.
As they gazed around the restaurant, a young woman dressed in black pants, a black silk blouse, and a red bib apron approached them. Her smile and sparkling eyes were welcoming.
"I'm sorry, gentlemen, but we aren't open for lunch until eleven o'clock, though you can enjoy refreshments at the bar."
Garth returned her smile and flashed his badge. Her eyes widened as she read the FBI logo. "I'm Garth Woodman, and this is Tango. We were wondering if we could ask a few questions?"
"Questions? About what?" She turned her head toward the kitchen area and then back to Garth. "If you need the owner, she's busy with the deliveries. I could take your card and have her call you."
"That's unnecessary. I'm sure you can probably help us."
Her smile returned. "My name is Seline. I'd be happy to assist if I can, but I can't imagine what I might know that would help the FBI."
"We're investigating the possibility of a woman's murder and were curious if there had been any shootings in the area."
"Shootings! Oh heavens, and a murder. That would have been the major topic of conversation of everyone if it had occurred anywhere around here."
"Nothing out of the ordinary? Extra police in the area? Or some other strange activity?" Garth tried to prod her memory.
"I don't know if this would count as strange, but a guy rented the entire restaurant so he could film a movie scene. He did it after-hours, so we weren't even around to see it."
"Wow, a movie. That had to be interesting. Did you get to meet any of the actresses or crew?" The mention of a movie struck a nerve with Tango and Garth. "Mind if I ask around to see if anyone else remembers anything?" Tango glanced around the room.
"We were closing when the crew arrived, so only myself, Thomas, and Mary Beth were around. The director tipped the entire staff and told them they could leave early. Everyone flew out of the restaurant."
"Are Thomas and Mary Beth working today? I could ask them a few questions while Garth talks to you."
"That's Thomas folding napkins over there by the register." Selene pointed in Thomas's direction. "I'm afraid you can't talk to Mary Beth because she hasn't been here since that night. They hired her to play the part of a server, but then decided not to use her. I guess he felt bad, so he offered her another job. She left a note pinned to her timecard, apologizing for not giving notice, but this might be her big chance."
"Didn't that seem strange?"
"Not really. Most of these young girls are hoping to get a job in the movies. They leave, and then in a few weeks when things don't work out, they come back looking for a job."
"Could I get her address?"
"She'd lost her apartment recently. That's why she jumped at the movie job. The director dude told her he could provide her with an apartment."
"Do you remember anything else about that night? And would you have a phone number or emergency contact for Mary Beth?"
"Sure, I'll get it from the office. Be right back." As she hurried away, Garth could see Tango talking to the young man. He decided Tango could handle the conversation, so he roamed around the room set aside for intimate dinners. As he approached the table by the window, an icy chill crawled across his shoulders, and a flashback of him lying on the floor with Allie in his arms caught him off-guard. He pulled out a chair and sat, reliving the scene.
"Excuse me, got a second?"
Thomas lifted his head from his task of rolling silverware and folding napkins. "You can have longer if it means I can stop rolling these things."
Tango laughed. "Sure thing. Let's take a break and sit for a minute."
After taking a seat on two bar stools, Tango introduced himself, "My name is Tango, and I'm with the FBI." Thomas's droopy eyes opened wide. "The young lady over there said you might help me."
"Me? I'm just a busboy. I doubt I can help the FBI."
"I'm told you were working the night a film crew rented the restaurant?"
"Yeah, but they didn't allow Selene or me out front."
"Did you see or hear anything from the crew?"
"Not from the crew, but I found a few interesting items in the dumpster."
"What was that?"
"When I dumped the trash in the dumpster, it was dark and all I could see was some red hair sticking out from beneath the first bag I had tossed in there. I ran inside and got a flashlight." Thomas laughed. "Man, I felt like an idiot when I saw it was a wig. I saw a movie script lying there too."
"A wig? I probably would have gotten creeped out too. What did it look like?"
"Beautiful red hair, long and wavy like one of those movie actresses." Thomas thought for a moment, then added, "The woman acts with John Wayne. I just finished watching the Rio Grande. She's one hot chick."
"Maureen O'Hara."
"Yeah, she's the one. I've got the wig and the script in my locker if you want to see it.
"That would be great. Do you know what the script was about?"
"Sure do. I read the whole thing. It was scary. Not Halloween scary, just evil. I was worried about the little girl."
"Little girl? What happened?"
"They kidnapped her. Her name was Annie, and she had a St. Bernard named Sebastian. I remember because I had one when I was about five or six."
Tango pressed his lips together, absorbing what Thomas had said.
A script about Annie and Sebastian. This couldn't be just a coincidence that the script actually happened in Napa Valley, and their team worked the case, could it?
"Can you get those things for me? I'd like to take a look."
"Sure thing, but you're not going to take them, are you? I'd like to keep them if possible."
"Tell you what; you let me borrow them, and I'll make sure you get them back. Deal?"
"Deal." Thomas hopped off the stool, shook hands with Tango, and added, "Maybe I could get something from the FBI too." The young man's smile was hopeful.
"I promise I can do that for you, too." Tango extended his hand and they shook to seal the deal.
Author Notes
Characters:
Vito Moretti - a black-hearted ex-con with vengeance in his blood
Charles (Charlie) Dubois - a childhood friend who enjoys living luxuriously
Marian Carrington - a star in her own mind and suffers from dementia
Henry and Tina Pagani - an elderly couple living on St. Simon Island
Cheryl - Personal maid to Lady Marian
Angel Bearrows - a wanna-be actress in the wrong place at the wrong time
Alyssa Shelton (Allie)- Investigative Journalist and unofficial FBI Agent
Jasmine Shelton (Jaz) - wanna-be-movie star and living on the edge of life
Garth Woodman - FBI Agent and Allie's love interest
Hank and Emmy Armato - retired detectives and current Private Investigators
Sheriff Ortiz - Hayden - Napa Valley Police Department
Sheriff Welcher - Savannah, Georgia Police Department
Tango and Poppa - FBI agents who work closely with Garth
Thomas and Selene - Employees at Francine's
Samantha Withers - femme fatale and entrepreneur
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