From Mangia to Murder (A Sophia Mancini ~ Little Italy Mystery) (4 page)

Frankie Vidoni either moved fast, or had been very confident he could wrangle an invitation from Sophia. Unbelievable.

“We’re delighted you’ll be joining us.”

Sophia smiled at Maria, suddenly glad she would be at the party tomorrow. If nothing else, she would give the young men something to look at and the old women something to talk about. She had to admit Maria had a certain magnetic charm.

“Do you know Frankie well?” Maria asked.

“I met him this morning for the first time.” Everyone knew Frankie Vidoni, whether they’d been introduced or not.

“Isn’t he a doll?” Maria gushed, sounding like the proud mistress she was. “Where did you see him?”

“Outside of Bagatelli Brothers.” No sense in bringing up the lift Frankie had given her.

“Bagatellis? Wonderful! I hope that means he won’t be wearing that gray suit of his that I’m so tired of looking at. You know how men are when they like a suit. It’s all I can do to get Frankie out of his--”

“Ladies!” Vincenzo shouted. “Shut up.”

Maria and Sophia both turned to look at him.

“Now, Vincenzo, pretend you have some manners and mind them,” Maria taunted him.

He growled in response, but Sophia sensed Maria had the upper hand in the strangest unspoken conversation she’d ever overheard.

Maria’s bravery fortified her own. She needed to find out what was wrong at the restaurant.

“Why don’t I smell anything cooking? Why are you closed?”

Vincenzo shrugged, his earlier rage now down to a simmer-- not boiling over, but still bubbling on the burner.

“Where are your waiters?” Sophia turned to Eugene. “You tell me if he won’t.”

Eugene twisted his hands and glanced at Vincenzo. For permission to speak? Ridiculous.

“Well?” she demanded.

“We decided that perhaps we were overstaffed, and thought it prudent to temporarily reduce the number of waiters,” Eugene hedged.

“I fired them.” Vincenzo leveled a look of disgust at Eugene.

“All of them?” Sophia heard the shock in her voice. Was he mad? What were we going to do tomorrow?

“Now, Miss Mancini, don’t get upset.” Eugene’s voice was quiet but firm. “I’ve already begun meal preparations, and everything will be just fine tomorrow. I’ll find someone to help serve.”

Upset? That wasn’t going to begin to touch how angry she was. They had twenty-nine days and counting before they needed to be back in court to prove they were running a successful business. And these two clowns wanted to ruin her and Angelo’s party? No way.

“What were you thinking, Vincenzo?” she demanded. “When were you going to tell me that the party was off?”

Vincenzo made a disparaging sound. He crossed his arms and turned away, his body language sending her a message loud and clear. He didn’t give a rat’s tail about tomorrow. Or their grand opening.

Sophia choked on an angry retort.

“Eugene, get Miss Mancini a glass of water.” Maria waved her hand in the direction of the kitchen, and came to stand beside Sophia. Eugene did as he was bid.

“Look what you’ve done, Vincenzo. You’ve upset Miss Mancini.” Maria rubbed her shoulder. “Are you okay, honey? I know he’s an infuriating brute.”

“Call me Sophia,” she managed to say, gratefully accepting a glass of water from Eugene.

“Sophia,” Maria seemed to be trying it out. She smiled. “Thank you. Now, don’t you worry about tomorrow. I’ll find a waiter or two and we can manage. Family style, you know?” She turned to Eugene. “You’re sure you can have all the food ready?”

“Yes, of course,” he agreed readily. “As I said, the food will be absolutely perfect tomorrow. If you would be kind enough to understand the slight staffing problems and allow everyone to help serve the food, then I can promise a delightful meal.” His eyes eagerly searched Sophia’s face for a sign of agreement.

“We’ll be here tomorrow, Vincenzo.” Sophia narrowed her eyes. “I’m holding you personally responsible as well. I want the party to come off smoothly.” She shook her finger at him the way the nuns at St. Catherine’s used to. “I expect the food to be delicious and the service to be top-notch, even if it means you carry plates back and forth to the kitchen until you’re dizzy.”

Vincenzo took a menacing step toward her. “Or what? What will you do?”

Maria snapped her fingers in Vincenzo’s face before Sophia could answer. He blinked in surprise.

“I’ll speak to you outside now,” Maria told him. “We need to finish our... conversation.” She gave him a little shove. “Now.”

To her surprise, Vincenzo turned and stalked out the front door. Maria waved goodbye and rolled her eyes at the same time as if to commiserate over what a pain the man was.

Sophia watched as they left the restaurant and stood talking in front of the glass window. Maria was actually the only one doing the talking, Sophia realized as she half listened to Eugene reassure her that the party would exceed her every expectation. It wasn’t that she doubted his sincerity, but she was too intent on watching Maria and Vincenzo talk to give Eugene her full attention.

Whatever the conversation was about, Maria Acino seemed to be taking the lead. Her confident manner was as obvious Vincenzo’s resentment.

Sophia turned her attention back to Eugene, but it was hard to stop thinking about Vincenzo. He was an utter nightmare. She now understood why Stella wanted to kill him. In fact, it was a wonder no one had murdered him yet.

The grand opening celebration of the Mancini Detective Agency was a smashing success, right up until the moment Sophia snapped.

“I can’t take any more, Angelo.” Sophia tried to keep her frustration from showing so that none of her all-too-observant aunts would notice her agitation. She lifted a glass of wine to her lips and sipped the contents, careful to not drink too much because her stomach was empty. She was too nervous to eat.

“What’s the matter with you, sis?”

“Vincenzo is being a brute. Don’t tell me you can’t hear him bellowing from the kitchen. It’s obnoxious.”

“Yeah, but the whole family is here and the food’s great,” Angelo said, as if that was all the really mattered.

She couldn’t argue with that. The room was full of their loved ones and friends, and Eugene had certainly come through with the food. His culinary skills truly were an artistic expression.

Sophia had tried several times to catch Eugene’s eye, but she’d been unsuccessful. Was he intentionally ignoring her? She couldn’t tell but he was obviously doing everything he could to stay out of the kitchen, busying himself instead with serving coffee and clearing plates. Each time the food on the buffet table needed to be refilled he’d find someone, speak quietly and point toward the kitchen. Sophia watched him send her teenaged cousin Francesca into the kitchen for another basket of garlic bread.

Was he purposefully trying to antagonize Vincenzo by sending a parade of party guests into the kitchen?

It wasn’t absolutely necessary she speak with Eugene. She simply wanted to compliment him on the incredible meal. Doubtless he’d heard plenty of compliments already as every one of the many friends and relatives gathered in Vincenzo’s had taken turns to rave about the meal.

“E delizioso!” Zio Guido exclaimed after trying the gnocchi.

“The chicken cacciatore is the best I can remember tasting,” Angelo put the plate he’d been holding on a nearby table and took the glass of wine she offered him. “Which may not be saying much.”

Sophia laughed for the first time that day. She reached over and pinched her brother’s cheek. “I feel better when you’re next to me, so don’t you dare leave my side.”

They stood together at the front of the restaurant watching the festivities.

“Everyone’s having a great time,” Angelo reassured her. “Even Stella.”

“Stella’s here? Stella Moretti?” Surprised, Sophia shot a quick glance at her Angelo. Did he even remember what Stella looked like? His face to name recognition for people he was only acquainted with wasn’t what it used to be.

“Yeah, I remember Stella. She came in the through the front door a while ago and stood watching everyone.”

Stella’s presence at the party struck Sophia as odd. Of course, she had issued Stella an awkward invitation yesterday. Obviously Stella had changed her mind. But why?

“Did you see her talk to anyone?”

Angelo shook his head. “I don’t remember.”

Sophia bit her lip. Was Angelo wrong? Her eyes scanned the dining room, but she didn’t see Vincenzo’s wife. She started to ask another question, but stopped. Angelo didn’t need his day spoiled by being reminded how faulty his memory was. It didn’t matter if Stella had dropped in for a while anyway. She was harmless enough.

“You’re wound up like I’ve never seen you,” Angelo said.

“I know. I just have this horrible feeling that something is going to go wrong.”

“Good.”

Sophia choked on her mouthful of wine. “Good?”

“We need a really solid case don’t we? So I assume something has to go wrong if somebody is going to need a private detective.”

He had her there.

“Tomorrow is soon enough. I just don’t want anything spoiling our party.”

“Stop fussing, Soph. You’re starting to sound like Aunt Dorothea.”

That crack earned him a playful punch on the shoulder.

“Hello, Sophia.”

It was Maria Acino, resplendent in a body-hugging, bright pink dress with a black lace shawl draped over her shoulders. Her pumps had heels so high it was a wonder she didn’t have a nosebleed. An assisted blond, Maria had teased her hair into a French twist and stuck what looked like a fork in it. Glistening pink beads hung from the fork that bobbed as Maria twirled around.

“Do you love my dress, Sophia, or do you love my dress?”

“I love the dress.” Sophia couldn’t help but smile. Maria was like a little girl who took great pleasure in playing dress up.

“Thank you.” Maria smiled. “It’s a present from my Frankie.” The smile left her face, replaced by a thoughtful expression. She looked around the room. “Have you seen him recently? He’s been right by my side the entire time, but I had to powder my nose.” She held up a gray suit jacket. “I found his jacket but lost him.”

Sophia looked around the room. “I don’t see him either. Perhaps he’s having a cigarette.”

Maria shrugged and turned her attention to Angelo, giving him a thorough and unabashed going over with appreciative eyes before turning back to Sophia. “Aren’t you going to introduce me to your brother?”

“I’m sorry, of course I will.” Sophia quickly made the introduction and stood silently by while Angelo and Maria made small talk. It didn’t escape her notice that Maria no longer seemed quite so worried about where her boyfriend was. She was far too busy laughing at everything Angelo said.

Her brother wasn’t
that
funny. Sophia motioned for her cousin Francesca to join them. She introduced the teen to Maria and, with a gentle shove in the direction of the dessert table, suggested they try the biscotti.

Once they were out of earshot, Sophia turned to her brother.

“Angelo, that woman could eat you for breakfast.”

To her supreme annoyance, Angelo burst into laughter. “Relax, sis.”

“How am I supposed to relax and enjoy myself? The clock is ticking and we’ve got twenty-eight days before we’ve got to be back in court.” She took another long sip of wine. “Vincenzo’s bellows from the kitchen aren’t bothering you? He’s been yelling at anyone who steps in there, but he’s doing nothing to help serve the food. He’s a miserable soul and I wish he’d just disappear.”

“Who do you wish would just disappear, dear?”

Sophia turned and hugged her oldest aunt--great aunt, actually. Her grandfather’s only living sister, Zia Mirella, had the most amazing habit of turning up at the most inopportune time. Truly, the woman had a gift.

“No one, Zia.”

“She was talking about Vincenzo.”

Sophia frowned at her brother.

“You want to get rid of Vincenzo?” Mirella asked, her drawn-on eyebrows raised.

“Who does Sophia want to wipe out?” It was Zio Nunzio this time. Hard of hearing, he spoke loudly enough to wake three generations of the dead.

Silence descended on the room. Heads turned and Sophia felt her cheeks grow warm.

“No one, Zio Nunzio.” Sophia forced herself to smile, her nerves stretched about as far as they could. “Are you enjoying yourself?”

“I was until I heard that someone was threatening you.”

“No, no, Zio Nunzio, no one is threatening me,” Sophia hastened to assure him. She had to raise her voice so he could hear her. A few people began to quietly converse again but the majority of the room was still watching and listening to them, not even trying to hide their curious stares. “You misunderstood me.”

“No I didn’t, young lady.” Her uncle drew himself up and puffed out his chest indignantly. “I clearly heard you and Angelo making plans to--”

“Hey, Sophia,” her cousin Andrea called from the back of the room, “Tell us who’s harassing you and we’ll put a stop to it. Just say the word.”

Sophia groaned. Sometimes a large, loving family was a heavy burden to bear. But Andrea and several of her other cousins were just home from the war so they deserved their fun, even if it was at her expense.

“Give us a name, Sophia,” another cousin shouted out.

“Vincenzo.” It was Zia Mirella again. “She said she wants to get rid of Vincenzo. I heard her.”

Her aunt sounded entirely too proud of herself.

“Do something,” Sophia whispered to her brother.

Angelo grabbed a spoon from the nearest table and tapped it against his wine glass until the room grew quiet again.

“Sophia and I want to thank each of you for coming today to help us celebrate the opening of our new business venture.” Angelo waited until the applause quieted. With all eyes on him, he continued. “Everyone here knows that I’m dealing with memory issues. While it’s a struggle, I know it’s a small price to pay when so many of our loved ones gave their life for the Allied cause.”

His words were followed by an unorchestrated moment of silence. Several of the women in the room made the sign of the cross.