Chapter 19
Carlita thought about her conversation with Bubba all the way home. Reading between the lines and based on what he’d hinted at, times had been tough for her new tenant.
She’d experienced her own share of grief, heartache, and setbacks, all of which had made her stronger, more resilient. With grit and determination to create a better, safer life for her children, Carlita was proud of all she’d accomplished.
Perhaps Bubba was in desperate need of a fresh start. If so, she hoped Walton Square and his new home would give him what he needed.
Back at her own place, she tracked down Bubba’s rental application, specifically searching for the copy of the pay stub he’d provided.
Curious to find out exactly what Bubba’s official duties entailed, she switched computer screens and typed Southern Subterranean Group, the name of the company he worked for, in the search bar.
Clicking on a link to the company’s website, she found a photograph of a modern building, an oddity in Savannah, which typically featured historic structures oozing old-world southern charm. She scrolled down and read the brief blurb about the company.
Bang. The apartment door slammed. Pete strolled into the living room. “Hello, dear. Did you get my message?”
“No.” Carlita reached for her phone, noticing she’d missed his message plus one from Tony. “I had my volume down.”
“I wondered if I might be able to persuade you to join me for lunch today. The weather is fabulous and I’m in the mood for a picnic in the park.”
Carlita perked up. “A picnic?” She reached down and patted Rambo’s head. “Did you hear that? Pete invited us on a picnic.”
“I’ll take that as a yes and have the kitchen staff prepare a light lunch for us.” Pete, with his phone in hand, disappeared down the hall, returning moments later, a triumphant gleam in his eye. “Whenever you and Rambo are ready, we can grab our food and head out.”
“Let me freshen up.” Carlita darted to the bathroom before catching up with Pete, who was in the living room waiting for her. “I could use a mental break, especially after the morning I’ve had.”
“I called the restaurant and spoke to Arnie. He told me about the surprise inspection and slew of cancellations.”
“It’s depressing.”
“I didn’t mean to bring it up. Lunch is our break. No shop talk. No bad news, merely a chance to sneak out and enjoy the day.”
Carlita bounced on the tips of her toes and kissed his cheek. “Have I told you that you’re the best husband a woman could ask for?”
“Yes, and I never tire of hearing about how awesome I am,” he teased.
After stopping by to grab the picnic basket, they stepped outside, greeted by the warm, sunny day. Rambo trotted ahead, stopping every few feet to inspect and sniff during their leisurely stroll to the park.
“I’ve been giving some thought to the semi-retirement conversation we’ve been having.”
Carlita shot him a side glance. “You have?”
“I think after the holidays it’s time for us to pull the trigger.”
“You made my day,” she sang.
Pete shifted the picnic basket to his other arm and reached for her hand. “Let’s make a list of everything we want to do.”
“An epic dream vacation or finally starting the garden I’ve been promising myself. I know.” Carlita’s eyes lit. “What if we pack up, hop in the truck and take a road trip? I’ve never seen the Grand Canyon.”
“We had better do it now, before we’re too old or too tired. This looks like an ideal lunch spot.” Pete spread the blanket out and placed the picnic basket on top. “I’ll confess, I have no idea what’s in here. I told the cook to surprise us.”
“I’m sure it will be delicious.” Carlita removed a flask of chilled water and poured two glasses while Pete emptied the contents.
Ham and cheese on sweet roll sliders, creamy coleslaw, potato salad, sliced dill pickles along with an assortment of cookies—frosted sugar, peanut butter, and chocolate chip.
Carlita’s stomach grumbled. “I’m starving.” She filled her plate and settled in next to her husband to enjoy their meal.
Rambo, who had wandered off to investigate, returned when he noticed them eating.
“I can only give you a small bite of ham.” Pete plucked a piece from his sandwich and fed it to the pup.
Carlita tipped the basket, noticing a small plastic container wedged in the corner. “I see hard-boiled eggs.” She promptly removed one and held out half.
Rambo snatched it from her fingers, inhaling it in a single bite.
“That’s it for the treats.” Carlita showed him her empty hands.
He cast her a suspicious look, his furry brows lifting and lowering.
“I don’t think he believes you,” Pete laughed while the pup plopped down and watched a jogger pass by. “Elvira has been low-key these days.”
“As in she isn’t sneaking into your tunnel, digging up the parking lot or coming up with a new scheme to find treasure?” Carlita asked.
“Precisely.”
“She’s too busy installing new cameras.”
Pete sipped his water. “New cameras?”
“On the back of her building to spy on my new tenant, Bubba. For some reason, she doesn’t like him or trust him.” Carlita told him she’d caught her pointing it at the apartment’s back door. “As soon as she left, Tony got the ladder and helped me turn it.”
“Has she ever been diagnosed with ADHD?”
“No, but it wouldn’t surprise me.” She dug into her potato salad. “This is delish.”
“Thanks. We recently added it to our menu,” Pete said. “It has the perfect amount of creaminess mingled with a subtle crunch from the finely chopped celery.”
“I agree.” Carlita took another bite. “Back to Bubba. Elvira put a bug in my ear, asking me what line of work he was in.”
“What does he do?”
“He’s working as an underground mechanic for Southern Subterranean Group. I checked out their website but found the about us section somewhat vague.”
“Underground mechanic. Never heard of one.”
“Neither have I.”
Out of the corner of her eye, Carlita spotted a cargo ship. A cluster of crewmembers stood on the deck, facing in their direction.
She waved, and the crewmen waved back. “I’m not sure I could work on a ship.”
“Spending multiple hours on the pirate ship is enough for me, although a cruise vacation sounds enticing.”
“We can add it to our retirement to-do list.”
The lunch date ended all too soon. Pete returned to the restaurant while Carlita went home, insisting she would take care of the picnic supplies.
The hours flew by. Before she knew it, the day had almost ended, and she still hadn’t heard from Priority Labs.
She checked her phone and emails to make sure she hadn’t missed them. “I had better call them.” Carlita tracked down the number and made the call. After several transfers via the automated system, she finally reached an actual person.
“Priority Labs. Ilene speaking.”
“Hello, Ilene. My name is Carlita Taylor. My daughter and I dropped off food samples yesterday to be tested. We paid for expedited service and were promised the results by the end of today.”
Rustling ensued on the other end of the line. “Can you hold for a moment while I check?”
“Sure.”
Background music played. Carlita waited…and waited. Two…three…five minutes ticked by. She was getting ready to hang up when Ilene returned.
“I’m sorry to leave you on hold for so long. The lab finished posting the results. I had to wait for them to print a copy. I can read you the results if you would like.”