Setup in Savannah: A Made in Savannah Cozy Mystery (Made in Savannah Cozy Mysteries Series Book 7) Read online

  Setup in Savannah

  Made in Savannah

  Cozy Mystery Series Book Seven

  Hope Callaghan

  hopecallaghan.com

  Copyright © 2017

  All rights reserved

  *****

  This book is a work of fiction. Although places mentioned may be real, the characters, names and incidents, and all other details are products of the author’s imagination and are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual organizations, events or persons, living or dead is purely coincidental.

  No part of this publication may be copied, reproduced in any format, by any means, electronic or otherwise, without prior consent from the copyright owner and publisher of this book.

  ______________________________

  Visit my website for new releases and special offers: hopecallaghan.com

  Thank you to these wonderful ladies who help make my books shine - Peggy H., Cindi G., Jean P., Wanda D. and Barbara W. for taking the time to preview Setup in Savannah, for the extra sets of eyes and for catching all of my mistakes.

  A special thanks to my reader review team: Alice, Amary, Barbara, Becky, Becky B, Brinda, Cassie, Christina, Cyndi, Debbie, Denota, Devan, Grace, Jan, Jo-Ann, Joeline, Joyce, Jean K., Jean M., Kathy, Lynne, Megan, Melda, Kat, Linda, Lynne, Pat, Patsy, Paula, Renate, Rita, Rita P, Shelba, Tamara, Valerie and Vicki.

  CONTENTS

  Complete List of Books

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  Cast of Characters

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Join The Fun

  Other Series You May Enjoy

  Meet the Author

  Fresh Pasta Dough Recipe

  Garlucci Family Secret Pasta Sauce Recipe

  Complete List of Books

  (Click Links Below To Buy or Read FREE with Kindle Unlimited)

  Audiobooks

  (On Sale now or FREE with Audible Trial)

  Key to Savannah: Book 1 (Made in Savannah Series)

  Road to Savannah: Book 2 (Made in Savannah Series)

  Justice in Savannah: Book 3 (Made in Savannah Series)

  Swag in Savannah: Book 4(Made in Savannah Series)

  Starboard Secrets: Book 1 (Cruise Ship Cozy Series)

  Portside Peril: Book 2 (Cruise Ship Cozy Series)

  Lethal Lobster: Book 3 Coming Soon!

  Made in Savannah Cozy Mystery Series

  A mother and daughter try to escape their family’s NY mob ties by making a fresh start in Savannah, GA but they soon realize you can run but you can’t hide from the past.

  Key to Savannah: Book 1

  Road to Savannah: Book 2

  Justice in Savannah: Book 3

  Swag in Savannah: Book 4

  Trouble in Savannah: Book 5

  Missing in Savannah: Book 6

  Setup in Savannah: Book 7

  Merry Masquerade: Book 8

  The Family Affair: Book 9

  Pirates in Peril: Book 10

  Matrimony & Mayhem: Book 11

  Swiped in Savannah: Book 12

  Turmoil in Savannah: Book 13

  Exes and Woes in Savannah: Book 14

  Book 15: Coming Soon!

  Made in Savannah Box Set I (Books 1-3)

  Made in Savannah Box Set II (Books 4-6)

  Garden Girls Cozy Mystery Series

  A lonely widower finds new purpose for her life when she and her senior friends help solve a murder in their small Midwestern town.

  Who Murdered Mr. Malone? Book 1

  Grandkids Gone Wild: Book 2

  Smoky Mountain Mystery: Book 3

  Death by Dumplings: Book 4

  Eye Spy: Book 5

  Magnolia Mansion Mysteries: Book 6

  Missing Milt: Book 7

  Bully in the ‘Burbs: Book 8

  Fall Girl: Book 9

  Home for the Holidays: Book 10

  Sun, Sand, and Suspects: Book 11

  Look Into My Ice: Book 12

  Forget Me Knot: Book 13

  Nightmare in Nantucket: Book 14

  Greed with Envy: Book 15

  Dying for Dollars: Book 16

  Stranger Among Us: Book 17

  Dash For Cash: Book 18

  Arsonist and Lace: Book 19

  Court of Corruption: Book 20

  Framed in Florida: Book 21

  Murder on Summer Lane: Book 22

  Alien Allure: Book 23

  Book 24: Coming Soon!

  Garden Girls Box Set I – (Books 1-3)

  Garden Girls Box Set II – (Books 4-6)

  Garden Girls Box Set III – (Books 7-9)

  Cruise Ship Cozy Mystery Series

  A recently divorced senior lands her dream job as Assistant Cruise Director onboard a mega passenger cruise ship and soon discovers she’s got a knack for solving murders.

  Starboard Secrets: Book 1

  Portside Peril: Book 2

  Lethal Lobster: Book 3

  Deadly Deception: Book 4

  Vanishing Vacationers: Book 5

  Cruise Control: Book 6

  Killer Karaoke: Book 7

  Suite Revenge: Book 8

  Cruisin’ for a Bruisin’: Book 9

  High Seas Heist: Book 10

  Family, Friends and Foes: Book 11

  Murder on Main: Book 12

  Fatal Flirtation: Book 13

  Deadly Delivery: Book 14

  Reindeer & Robberies: Book 15

  Transatlantic Tragedy: Book 16

  Southampton Stalker: Book 17

  Peculiar Poison: Book 18

  Book 19: Coming Soon!

  Cruise Ship Cozy Mysteries Box Set I (Books 1-3)

  Cruise Ship Cozy Mysteries Box Set II (Books 4-6)

  Cruise Ship Cozy Mysteries Box Set III (Books 7-9)

  Cruise Ship Cozy Mysteries Box Set IV (Books 10-12)

  Divine Cozy Mystery Series

  After relocating to the tiny town of Divine, Kansas, strange and mysterious things begin to happen to businesswoman, Jo Pepperdine and those around her.

  Divine Intervention: Book 1

  Divine Secrets: Book 2

  Divine Blindside: Book 3

  Divine Decisions: Book 4

  Divine Christmas: Book 5

  Divine Cozy Mystery Book 6 (Coming Soon!)

  Samantha Rite Mystery Series

  Heartbroken after her recent divorce, a single mother is persuaded to book a cruise and soon finds herself caught in the middle of a deadly adventure. Will she make it out alive?

  Waves of Deception: Book 1

  Winds of Deception: Book 2

  Tides of Deception: Book 3

  Samantha Rite Box Set – (Books 1-3-The Complete Series)

  Sweet Southern Sleuths Short Stories Series

  Twin sisters with completely opposite personalities become amateur sleuths when a dead body is discovered in their recently inherited home in Misery, Mississippi.

  Teepees and
Trailer Parks: Book 1

  Bag of Bones: Book 2

  Southern Stalker: Book 3

  Two Settle the Score: Book 4

  Killer Road Trip: Book 5

  Pups in Peril: Book 6

  Dying To Get Married-In: Book 7

  Deadly Drive-In: Book 8

  Secrets of a Stranger: Book 9

  Library Lockdown: Book 10

  Vandals & Vigilantes: Book 11

  Fatal Frolic: Book 12

  Sweet Southern Sleuths Box Set I: (Books 1-4)

  Sweet Southern Sleuths Box Set: II: (Books 5-8)

  Sweet Southern Sleuths Box Set III: (Books 9-12)

  Sweet Southern Sleuths 12 Book Box Set (Entire Series)

  Cozy Mystery Collections

  Summer Sleuths Cozy Mysteries Collection

  Cozy Mysteries Collection (Heart and Holiday Edition)

  Fall Into Murder 6 Book Fall Themed Cozy Mystery Collection

  Cozy Mysteries 12 Book Box Set: (Garden Girls & Cruise Ship Cozy Mystery Series)

  Cozy Mysteries Cookbook (Free w/Newsletter signup)

  Cozy Mysteries Cookbook-Recipes from Hope Callaghan Books

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  Get New Releases, Giveaways & Discounted Books When You

  Subscribe To My Free Cozy Mysteries Newsletter!

  Like Audiobooks?

  Listen to the Made in Savannah Series!

  (On sale now or FREE with 30-day trial)

  Key to Savannah: Audiobook 1

  Road to Savannah: Audiobook 2

  Justice in Savannah: Audiobook 3

  Swag in Savannah: Audiobook 4

  Cast of Characters

  Carlita Garlucci. The widow of a mafia “made” man, Carlita promised her husband on his deathbed to get their sons out of the “family” business, so she moves from New York to the historic city of Savannah, Georgia. But escaping the family isn’t as easy as she hoped it would be and trouble follows Carlita to her new home.

  Mercedes Garlucci. Carlita’s daughter and the first to move to Savannah with her mother. An aspiring writer, Mercedes has a knack for finding mysteries and adventure and dragging her mother along for the ride.

  Vincent Garlucci, Jr. Carlita’s oldest son and a younger version of his father, Vinnie is deeply entrenched in the family business and not at all interested in leaving New Jersey for the Deep South.

  Tony Garlucci. Carlita’s middle son and the second to follow his mother to Savannah. Tony is protective of both his mother and his sister, which is a good thing since the female Garlucci’s are always in some sort of a predicament.

  Paulie Garlucci. Carlita’s youngest son. Mayor of the small town of Clifton Falls, New York, Paulie never joined the “family business,” content to live his life with his wife and young children away from a life of crime. His wife, Gina, rules the family household with an iron fist.

  Chapter 1

  Mercedes Garlucci picked up the pace and hurried across the street to Savannah’s historic riverfront district.

  Despite it being early fall, a warm breeze blew off the Savannah River and Mercedes impatiently swiped her hair from her eyes. She warily kept her eyes on the dark corners of the towering buildings surrounding her, and let out a yelp as she stumbled on one of the loose cobblestones that formed the historic city street.

  For the umpteenth time, Mercedes wondered why she had agreed to meet the mysterious author, Jon Luis, near the creepy old warehouse.

  A small ping noise echoed from the alley behind the sprawling Artisan Hotel, and the pungent odor of rotting fish filled the night air.

  She slowed her pace as she rounded the side of the building and let out the breath she was holding when the bright streetlights illuminated the riverfront walkway. At least she wasn’t meeting Jon Luis in some dark alley, although, technically, this wasn’t much better.

  The promise of an inside scoop on a decades-old murder case, The Madison Square murder, had been too tempting. Mercedes was fascinated with the story of old Georgia money and greed. The fact that some of the people involved once held prominent positions in Savannah deepened the mystery.

  Mercedes hoped to do a little “sleuthing” and get her hands on some insider information for her new murder mystery novel, Savannah’s Secret Society. Her plan was for the new novel to tie in with the mafia, something Mercedes was all too familiar with.

  Mercedes jumped at the tinkling of laughter echoing from one the Artisan’s upper balconies. She cast a quick glance toward the building before stepping onto the sidewalk out front. Luis’ last message directed her to make her way past the Artisan, where she would find a fountain and a display of a bronze tall-ship.

  “Turn left,” she muttered under her breath. “Where is he taking me?” She carefully navigated the uneven brick street and briefly wondered what was worse…the cobblestone streets or the old bricks, which were literally stumbling blocks.

  Finally, Mercedes reached the corner and the parking lot adjacent to the last string of shops in the tourist district. She peered to the left of the parking lot, at a large industrial building with smoke billowing out of the smokestacks. Private Lot B. “This is it.”

  She tiptoed along the edge of the parking lot until she was standing directly under a cluster of trees that lined the riverbank. “Jon Luis?” she hissed. “It’s me. Mercedes Garlucci.” There was no answer, so she circled the tree, stepping closer to the fence when she nearly tripped over something lying on the ground.

  Mercedes shuffled to the right, attempting to ease around what she thought was a tree root and her pulse quickened when she realized it was a man, sprawled out on the ground.

  “Hello?” Mercedes nudged the man with the tip of her shoe. “Hey.”

  Mercedes stuck her fingers in her mouth and let out a low whistle, the signal to her friend, Autumn, who was trailing close behind and keeping a watchful eye on Mercedes, that she needed her.

  Autumn flew around the side of the tree, her gun drawn and her eyes darting wildly.

  “Oh my gosh! Autumn. Watch where you point that thing!” Mercedes jumped back and out of Autumn’s firing range.

  “Sorry.” Autumn eased her stance. “You were only supposed to call me in an emergency, so I assumed it was weapon-worthy.”

  “It might be. I guess I shoulda brought my gun.” Mercedes pointed at the man lying on the ground next to the tree. “I’m not sure if this is a homeless person or my contact, Jon Luis.”

  Autumn whipped a flashlight out of her back pocket, clicked it on and scanned the man’s body. “Uh-oh. See that?” She focused the light near the man’s head and Mercedes spotted a pool of blood.

  “We need an ambulance.” Mercedes’ fingers trembled as she pulled her cell phone from her back pocket, switched it on and dialed 911. “Yes. My name is Mercedes Garlucci. I’m over in the riverfront district, not far from the Artisan Hotel and there’s a man lying on the ground next to the parking lot. There’s some blood near his head and he’s not responding. You need my exact location? Hang on.”

  She hurried to the front of the parking lot. “I’m in Private Lot B, on West River Street, past the edge of the shopping area. Thank you.”

  Mercedes made her way back to Autumn’s side as she disconnected the line. “The police are on the way.”

  “Is this the dude you were supposed to meet?”

  “I-I don’t know.” Mercedes swallowed hard and took a step closer to study his face. She’d never met Jon Luis, but had talked to him on the phone. They had also exchanged numerous text and email messages.

  At first, Mercedes wondered if “Jon Luis” was a scammer, but she’d done some digging around and discovered the man had written a series of books about several high profile unsolved murders.

  She and her author group had discussed Mr. Luis’ books at length, and when Mercedes decided to dig a little deeper into Luis’ life, she was convinced she was onto something. Why the man had agreed to meet with Mercedes to discuss the scandalous stories of some of
Savannah’s most powerful people was a mystery.

  She studied his face, his receding hairline and gray beard. The man appeared to be close to Jon Luis’ age. His glasses hung haphazardly from his nose and a set of keys lay close by. Mercedes reached out to grab the keys.

  “Don’t touch that!” Autumn said. “You could be contaminating evidence. I’ll take a picture instead.” Autumn tucked her gun in the front of her waistband and pulled her shirt over the top before dropping to her knees. She positioned her phone over the set of keys and snapped a picture.

  Next, she scooched back and snapped a picture of the deceased before hurrying to the edge of the parking lot to take a few more pictures.

  The sound of sirens filled the air and flashes of light filled River Street. Several patrol cars, along with an ambulance, arrived en masse and uniformed officers swarmed the scene.

  “Over here.” Mercedes led the officers to the man’s body and then joined Autumn, who stood off to the side. They watched as the emergency medical responders and police examined the man Mercedes believed was Jon Luis.

  One of the officers made his way over. “You two the ones who found the man?”

  “I was,” Mercedes said.

  “Do you know who he is?” he asked.

  “No sir. I mean, I’ve never met the man. If he’s who I think he is, I was meeting him here tonight,” Mercedes started to ramble. “I believe his name might be Jon Luis. I didn’t know him and my friend, Autumn, was waiting for me across the street.”

  “Stay here. I’ll be right back.” The officer made his way to one of the patrol cars and returned, carrying a notepad. “You say you were here to meet the deceased, but yet you didn’t know him.”

  “It’s a little complicated,” Mercedes said. “I came here to meet a man by the name of Jon Luis. I’ve seen pictures of him and I think this may be the man on the ground. Of course, it’s dark, so I can’t be certain. He was going to give me information on an old unsolved murder investigation because I’m writing a book about Savannah’s dark side; you know crimes, murder…” Her voice trailed off.