Granny Apples 05 - Ghost in the Guacamole (14 page)

It was clear that Granny was torn about what to do. “I'd rather stay here,” she said to Emma, “but I know that's important.” When Granny disappeared, Emma lowered her phone and turned to find Jeremiah watching her. His face was stern, lips a straight line, but he gave her a tiny wink.

Officer Adams had barely left to get Phil when there was a commotion outside in the patio area followed a woman's screeching demands. Even before the door opened, Emma knew it was Lucy Ricardo on the other side. Her voice was raised in indignation, not tragedy, and Emma wondered if the volatile CEO of Roble Foods even knew yet about T.J.

“Let go of me, blondie,” Lucy snapped as she fought her way into the restaurant and out of the grip of a female officer.

Lucy took a few steps into the restaurant and stopped, letting her eyes and mind absorb the people in front of her, clearly taking stock of the situation. Detective Espinoza waved off the officer still trying to detain Lucy without the use of a club. “Can I help you?” he asked Lucy.

“I'm Lucinda Ricardo,” Lucy said, pulling on the hem of her suit jacket to straighten it. “I own this place. Who are you?” She held her head high and straight, well aware that all eyes were on her. Her face glistened with perspiration.

“I'm Detective Aaron Espinoza of the LAPD. I'm in charge of this matter.”

“This matter?” Lucy paused and took a deep breath. “I heard on the news that there was a shooting on Olvera Street, so I came right over. Was it near here?”

“I'm sorry to tell you, Ms. Ricardo,” Espinoza told her in a calm, matter-of-fact voice, “that it happened here in the restaurant.”

Lucy took another deep breath and held it. “Where's Rikki? Where's my sister?” Her voice didn't hold concern, but anger. “I told her not to hire thugs. This is going to ruin everything.”

Unable to contain herself, Emma snapped to her feet. “Aren't you the least bit concerned about your sister's safety? Or even about who got shot?”

Lucy swung around to face the speaker. Emma and her parents had been sitting behind her and she hadn't seen them yet. “You! What are you doing here? First at lunch and now here.” She pointed at Emma and spoke to Detective Espinoza. “Arrest this woman,” she demanded. “She's stalking my family. She might even be behind this.” Lucy noticed Jeremiah and narrowed her eyes at him. “You were there today, too, with her.” Lucy pointed again at Emma and back at the detective. “This is a conspiracy to ruin my company, plain and simple.”

“Calm down, Ms. Ricardo,” Espinoza told her. “There is no need to be making wild accusations. We're talking to everyone, including your sister, who is shaken but safe, in case you're interested.” The sarcasm in Espinoza's voice wasn't lost on anyone, including Lucy, who took a deep breath, biting back her next words. She managed to hold her tongue but continued to split her glare between Emma and Jeremiah.

“Here's Mr. Bowers,” announced Adams, coming through the door with Phil in tow.

“Oh great!” said Lucy, getting a good look at Phil. “He was at lunch today, too. In fact, he manhandled me.”

“Actually,” said Phil, standing beside Emma, “you were grabbing at Emma as she left the restaurant and I simply got between the two of you to stop it.”

“Lucy!” cried a voice from the hallway. A few seconds later Rikki Ricardo flung herself into Lucy's surprised arms and held her tight. “I thought I heard your voice. It was so awful.” Rikki's face was red and swollen from crying. “T.J.,” she choked out, then started crying again.

Lucy pried her sister from her. It was then Emma noticed the dried blood smeared down the front of Rikki's white embroidered shirt. Phil nudged Emma and she knew he'd seen it, too.

“What about T.J.?” This time there wasn't outrage in Lucy's voice, but panic. She held her younger sister by her shoulders and shook her, demanding, “What about T.J.?” She shook her again.

Jeremiah pulled Rikki out of Lucy's grasp. “That's enough now. Can't you see this woman's beside herself?” He guided Rikki to a chair and gently got her seated.

Lucy looked at the detective. “What about Tomas Mendoza?”

Detective Espinoza looked at the remaining customers being interviewed and said to the two bike cops, “Finish your interviews outside.”

Without a word, the two officers shepherded their witnesses outside to the patio to complete their work, closing the door behind them. “He was the victim, Ms. Ricardo,” Detective Espinoza told Lucy once they were gone. “Mr. Mendoza was shot upstairs in your sister's office.”

Lucy staggered a bit. Jeremiah reached out to steady her, but she yanked away without looking at him. “Is he . . .” she asked Espinoza. The question went unfinished out of fear, much as Emma's had when she'd asked the same thing.

“Dead?” Espinoza said, finishing her question. “Not that I know of, but he's in very critical condition. He's at the hospital right now.”

Lucy turned to leave, but Espinoza stopped her. “I need to ask you some questions.”

“Not now,” Lucy snapped. “I need to get to the hospital.”

“Your sister was heading there in a few minutes,” Espinoza told her. Everyone else wisely kept out of Lucy's way.

Lucy shot an icy glare at Rikki, who was focusing on collecting herself. Emma wasn't sure if any comfort she offered would be accepted or spurned, but she tried anyway. Stepping closer to Rikki, she put a hand on the younger woman's shoulder but said nothing. Rikki looked up, noticing for the first time that Emma was present. Instead of shaking off the hand, Rikki put one of her own over it and said in a small raw voice, “You were right, Emma. I should have listened.”

“Listen to that fraud?” Lucy snapped. “Grow up, Rikki.” Lucy turned to Espinoza. “No, my sister will not be going to the hospital. I'll be going. It's my place. T.J. is an officer in my company.”

Rikki popped out of the chair with the speed of a jack-in-the-box. “You mean
our
company, don't you, sis?”

Lucy waved her off as she would a servant. “Whatever. But T.J. works for me. I'll go to the hospital. You'll only screw it up.”

“Ms. Ricardo,” Espinoza said, speaking to Lucy. “I don't know squat about your family dynamics or your company, but I have an attempted homicide on my hands that might move into murder if Mr. Mendoza doesn't survive.”

Rikki let out a low mewl of anguish, but cut it short and squared her shoulders. It was obvious to Emma she was trying to stand her ground with Lucy in spite of her personal pain.

“We have questions to ask you,” Espinoza said to Lucy. “Besides, she's his fiancée. It's really her place to be by Mr. Mendoza's side, don't you think?”

Lucy turned on Rikki. “That's right, I got your hearts and flowers e-mail announcement this morning. How touching.”

In response, Rikki held up her left hand, displaying an impressive engagement ring. “He asked me last night over dinner. I had hoped you'd be happy for us, Lucy. Mom was.”

“You conniving little bitch,” Lucy hissed to her sister. “You'll do anything to stop this sale, won't you?”

“Our engagement has nothing to do with your attempt to sell everything,” Rikki bit back.

Lucy did not back down. “Did you shoot T.J. thinking it would buy you time?”

Before the last words were out of Lucy's mouth, Rikki's right hand shot out and slapped Lucy hard. “How dare you even suggest that?” she screamed. “I'm the one who found him. I thought he was dead.” She indicated her clothing. “This is T.J.'s blood on me, Lucy. His blood!”

Lucy raised herself up straight, towering over her more petite sister. “How convenient. Aren't you the one who found Dad, too?”

Despite her size, Rikki ploughed into Lucy headfirst with a ferocity that surprised everyone, including her target. Lucy's fancy-suited body hit the floor with a sound thud, and the two women rolled around and around on the floor like a couple of wild animals, screeching and hollering in both English and Spanish. Thrashing, they knocked into chairs and tables but didn't stop. It was clearly a fight to the death.

The commotion brought spectators from the kitchen, both staff and police. The hired help, murmuring in Spanish among themselves, spilled into the hallway to watch the spectacle of their bosses beating on each other. Emma saw both Hector and Lupe make their way through to the front of the crowd. Off to the side was Ana, Hector's daughter, looking upset, and the waiter who'd been working with Carlos the day before. He had an arm around Ana's shoulders, comforting her. Emma didn't notice Carlos in the crowd.

Hector yelled at the Ricardo sisters in Spanish, while Lupe tried to control the staff. Both Phil and Jeremiah started to step in, but were beaten to it by two uniform cops, who made several attempts to grab the sisters and break them apart before being successful. The blond officer tackled the smaller Rikki while a burly cop grabbed the heftier Lucy. Another man in a suit with a badge at his waist approached wearing an amused quarter moon of a smile. He was Asian and slightly younger and trimmer than Espinoza. “Everything okay here, Aaron?” he asked Detective Espinoza.

“It's getting there,” Espinoza told him with the weariness of someone who'd seen too much family drama while trying to do his job.

The two cops holding the Ricardos continued to hold on tight, pinning their arms to their sides. Lucy kicked backward at the officer holding her but he deftly avoided the attack. She spit blood at Rikki's feet. “It should have been you who was shot,” she said to her sister. “That would have solved all my problems.”

“Enough!” yelled Hector, coming closer. He said something to the two of them in Spanish that sounded like a serious scolding, but it had no effect on the women.

“Glad I didn't miss the catfight,” said Granny, popping up next to Emma, who turned in surprise. “Don't worry,” Granny said, noticing Emma's displeasure, “Felix took off. He was really weak and fading, but he did tell me that he'd find us later, and I think he meant it.” Granny pointed to the Ricardo sisters. “Glad he didn't see this. It would have broken his heart.” Emma nodded in agreement, but said nothing.

“Mr. Gonzales is right,” said Espinoza, turning back to the Ricardos. “This behavior is shameful. If we let you go, will you both behave?”

It looked doubtful, but finally Rikki nodded. After getting the nod from Espinoza, the cop holding her let her go. Rikki's blouse was ripped at the neckline, exposing a pale pink bra beneath it. A large bruise was starting to blossom on her left cheek and her nose was bleeding. She swiped at the dripping blood with the back of her hand. “Ms. Ricardo,” Espinoza said to Rikki, “finish up with Detective Wu here, then go on to the hospital. We'll be in touch again soon. I'm sure we can get any other information we need about your staff from Mr. Gonzales.”

Espinoza turned to Lucy, who was still in the grasp of the big cop. “We'd like to ask you those questions now, Ms. Ricardo,” he said to her.

“Now is inconvenient,” Lucy told him, her chin tilted up. Rikki's handprint was still evident on her cheek, matching the angry split of her lower lip. Drops of blood spotted the front of her suit. Unable to use her hands, she blew a lock of hair out of her eyes.

“It's now and here,” Espinoza told her, “or we can take you to the police station in the back of a squad car. Your choice.”

Lucy turned, giving everyone in the room a look of disdain, especially Rikki, who watched, her face a boiling stew of anger and concern. When Lucy's eyes came to rest again on Detective Espinoza, she said, “I'll stay, but I'm not saying a word without my lawyer.”

The detective met her icy look with his own frigid stare before spreading his arms and hands outward in a frustrated gesture. “Fine, then call and get him or her down here.” Espinoza signaled to the cop holding Lucy. “Let her go so she can make the call.”

Free of her bonds, Lucy shook out her arms before bending down for her purse, which she'd dropped when Rikki charged her. The two detectives had their heads together, discussing something. Emma was telling her parents to go home and she and Phil would be along soon. Rikki was giving instructions to Hector and Lupe and speaking with the gathered staff. Jeremiah was checking his phone. The uniforms had stepped back, waiting for further orders.

Granny floated over to Lucy and watched as she rummaged in her purse for her phone. Then the ghost shouted, “She's got a gun!”

Emma, Jeremiah, and Elizabeth Miller snapped their heads in Granny's direction simultaneously, but they were the only ones who'd heard the warning. Just as Lucy pulled the weapon free and fired, Jeremiah made a dive for her. Elizabeth screamed and slipped out of her chair to the floor, yanking her husband down with her. Emma shouted the warning, “Gun!” She threw herself over her parents and Phil threw himself over her.

The cops jumped into action, helping Jeremiah subdue Lucy Ricardo and disarm her while chaos ruled. Other police had come through the door with their guns drawn. Spanish shouts and curses crowded the air along with English counterparts. Several of the kitchen and waitstaff stampeded for cover in the kitchen. Then a scream split the air. It was Ana Gonzales. The young woman let out a wail that cut the air thin and exact like a scalpel. At her feet lay Chef Lupe Lopez, a red stain spreading across her white chef's coat like spilled sangria.

D
ETECTIVE
Wu called for an ambulance while Paul Miller bent over the still figure of the talented chef and administered medical aid. Kneeling next to Lupe was Rikki. She was crying and holding Lupe's hand.

“I think she's going to make it,” announced Paul with caution, “if she gets to the hospital quickly.”

“Ambulance on its way,” announced Detective Wu.

Rikki dropped Lupe's hand, got up, and charged again at her sister. This time, she didn't make the connection. Lucy had been knocked to the ground again, this time by Jeremiah. Now she was on her feet with her hands cuffed behind her and guarded by the cops, one on either side of her like bookends. Before the enraged Rikki could reach her sister, Jeremiah grabbed her around her waist and held her back.

“Calm down,” he ordered as she flailed in rage.

Rikki fought him, but she couldn't break his hold. Across the few feet that separated them, Rikki screamed at Lucy, “You want me dead so bad you'd risk killing an innocent woman by mistake?”

Lucy said nothing.

“We're sisters, Lucy,” Rikki continued. “Sisters with the same blood in our veins. The blood of a proud and decent people who built all this from nothing, yet you're willing to kill to destroy it.” She was crying hard, gasping for breath. “If the sale of Roble is making you this insane, then sell the damn thing. Sell all of it! I can't be a part of it. Not like this.”

“That Lucy is going to be selling nothing if she's in prison,” noted Granny, who was hovering close to Emma and Elizabeth. Elizabeth was back in her chair.

“You've got a point there, Granny,” whispered Elizabeth in a shaky voice while she watched the drama unfolding in front of them along with everyone else.

Lucy let out a shrill cackle. “You still don't know, do you?” she asked Rikki. When Rikki didn't answer, Lucy continued, “We're not sisters, Rikki. Not full sisters. That's why we don't look alike. Ever wonder about that? Ever wonder why you and Dad were so close but he always found fault with me? Mom was screwing around on Dad when she got pregnant with me, and Dad, being the public saint he was, raised me as his own.”

“I don't believe you.” Rikki stared at Lucy.

“Go ahead, Rikki, ask Mom,” Lucy sneered at her sister. “I found out shortly before Dad died.”

Rikki went silent, followed by a shake of her head in disbelief. The violence drained out of her—air escaping a pierced tire. Carefully, Jeremiah loosened his grip on her. “That's why you want to destroy Roble?” Rikki asked Lucy, still not comprehending the reasoning behind her sister's actions. “Because you're not the daughter of Felix Ricardo?” She paused, then said slowly, “But Lucy, you're still Mom's. You're still the daughter of Elena Ricardo. We're still sisters. You're still a part of all this.”

Lucy flashed a wide maniacal grin. “Why have a part when I can have it all?”

Rikki shook her head and said with sadness, “And now you have none.”

“Don't be so sure of that,
sis
,” Lucy shot back, putting extra venom on the last word.

Sirens could be heard outside. A nearby officer holstered his gun and went out to meet the ambulance. In short order, paramedics entered and assessed the situation while getting an update from Paul on the injury. Soon they had Lupe Lopez on a stretcher and on her way to the hospital. It had been the second time in a very short time a gunshot victim had been wheeled out of the restaurant. Shortly after, Lucy was read her rights and taken away by the police.

Granny leaned toward Emma, who was watching Jeremiah. “Wow! Talk about a soap opera. What do you want me to do next?”

Emma turned to Phil but said to the ghost in a whisper, “I'm not sure, Granny. Phil and I might be tied up here for a bit. Why don't you go recharge and find us later.” Emma glanced back over at Jeremiah, wanting to know what he was saying to the detectives. “But first why don't you float on over to Jeremiah and see if you can pick up some information.”

Phil shook his head. “Won't it be rather difficult for her to sneak up on him if he can see and hear her?”

“True,” agreed Emma. “But worth a try.”

“Why Jeremiah?” asked Granny.

“I just want to know what's going on, Granny, and I'm sure the police won't tell us what they're telling him.”

“Just go over there and be your ornery nosy self, Granny,” Phil said, picking up on the gist of the conversation. “He won't suspect a thing.”

“The cowboy's getting kind of cheeky, isn't he?” Granny pursed her lips.

“I take it my last comment didn't go over very well,” Phil said to Emma.

“You've got that right,” Emma told him with a discreet grin. She tilted her chin toward Granny. “If Jeremiah says anything, Granny, tell him you want to know how to be a PI, but don't go right over there from here. Kind of float around or pop in and out so it doesn't look like we sent you.”

Phil chuckled softly and said under his breath, “Yeah, like he'll fall for that.”

“You got it, Chief,” Granny said. Ignoring Phil, she started to disappear. “I'll be like one of those fancy surveillance drones I saw on the news the other night.”

Emma and Phil were talking to the Millers and Detective Espinoza, making sure Emma's parents were free to go. The detective said they were, but he still wanted to speak with Emma and Phil, so he asked them to stay. Emma had just sent her parents on their way with a promise to keep them informed if something new occurred, when Rikki approached them. She was wearing a different blouse and had washed up, leaving her face makeup-free. A purse was slung over her shoulder. The bruise on her cheek was starting to turn ugly and would get worse before it got better. For the first time, Emma noticed scratches near her eyes.

“Emma,” she began, but stopped, squeezing her eyes shut to gather strength.

“Rikki,” Emma said, taking her hands. Like before, Rikki didn't pull away. She gave them a warm squeeze before releasing them. “I'm so sorry about T.J. Any updates?”

“I know you are,” Rikki said after a long pause. “In spite of the things he said about you, I know you didn't wish him any harm.” She took a deep breath. “He's in surgery but it's too soon to tell how it will go. He was shot twice, once in the chest and another in his left shoulder. His family is at the hospital now and I'm finally heading over there.”

“Are you okay to drive?” Phil asked, giving her an encouraging smile. “You've had several big shocks. I'm sure Detective Espinoza will let us slip away for a bit to help you out.”

Rikki shook her head and said in a tired voice, “No, I'm okay to drive, but thank you.”

“I'm also very sorry about Lucy,” Emma said. “I'm sure that took you by surprise.”

Tears began to well in Rikki's eyes, glistening around the edges but not spilling over. “We've never gotten along, but I had no idea her resentment was this deep or dangerous. It also makes me wonder if she's in love with T.J. even though they stopped dating years ago.” She picked up a linen napkin from a nearby table—a table that wouldn't be seeing any customers at least for the rest of the day, if not longer—and wiped her eyes.

“Why would Lucy have a gun in her purse unless she was up to no good?” asked Phil. “I worry that she came here to kill you.”

“As I told the police, Lucy's been carrying a handgun for about six or seven months now,” Rikki explained. “She started after several people were mugged near the Roble corporate offices. She often works late and was worried about her safety.” She started to tear up again. “The gun was no surprise. Lucy aiming it at me was. I had no idea she felt such hatred for me.”

“She really went off the rails there,” added Phil. “I'm sure her attorney is going to suggest a psych evaluation and claim temporary insanity caused by stress over the sale and T.J.'s shooting.”

Rikki gave up an exhausted half shrug. “There's another problem,” she told them. “I just called my mother to tell her what happened and to ask her about what Lucy claimed. Her cleaning lady told me Mom is gone.”

“Gone?” Emma asked. “You mean out for the day shopping or something?”

Rikki shook her head. “No. The housekeeper said my mother didn't say anything about going anywhere, but she saw her slipping into the garage with a suitcase, then taking off in the car. Maria said it was around lunchtime.”

“About the time T.J. was shot?” Phil asked.

Rikki nodded. “T.J. and I stopped by her house this morning to tell her about the engagement and to show her my ring, and she didn't say anything about leaving town. The three of us had breakfast together, and Mom seemed her usual self and was happy about T.J. and me. She even gushed about planning a big wedding. Then I went to the restaurant and T.J. went to his place to clean up for work. We were both running late because we'd stopped at Mom's.”

“Did you tell the police about your mother's disappearance?” Emma asked.

“Yes, I did. Just now.” Rikki looked scared. “I hope she had nothing to do with this or even knew about it, but she's been flip-flopping between both sides on this sale issue, so who knows.” A pained expression crossed her face. “I felt like a traitor telling the police about Mom.”

“You did the right thing, Rikki,” Phil told her. “Maybe your mother received some sort of threat or even felt she'd had enough of being caught between you and Lucy.”

“Maybe. Mom and Lucy may look alike, but they're nothing alike in personality. Mom will almost always back down from a confrontation.” Rikki looked around, then moved closer and said to them, “I know I told you to stay away from me and my family, but now I'm begging for your help. Please find out who did this to T.J.”

“The police don't have any suspects?” Phil asked.

“None that I know of, except that I'm probably somewhere on the list.” She tightened her lips. “They took my blouse and did something to my hands. That's to check for gunshot residue, isn't it?”

Phil nodded. “Most likely, but it's also to rule out possible suspects as much as pinpoint them. I'm sure they're checking the hands of everyone in the restaurant at the time of the shooting.”

“Why was T.J. even here?” Emma asked.

“He showed up and said it was urgent that he speak with me right away,” she told them. “He seemed agitated. I thought it might have something to do with the sale of Roble. We were very busy and shorthanded, so I told him to go up to my office and wait, and as soon as I had a chance, I'd come up. About twenty minutes later, I went to my office. The door was closed. When I opened it, I found him on the floor, shot.” She put a hand over her heart and gasped for breath a few times. “It was like finding my father all over again.” Emma put a reassuring hand on Rikki's arm and she calmed down.

“No one heard gunshots?” Phil asked.

Rikki shook her head. “We were busy and the AC was on. I heard one of the detectives say something about possibly a silencer being used.”

Phil fingered his mustache. “And no one saw anyone go upstairs around that time?”

Again Rikki shook her head. “We were very busy and it was all hands on deck. A tour bus had come in unexpectedly and we had a full house. Even Hector and I were taking orders and bussing tables. Lupe and her people couldn't get the food out fast enough.”

Emma glanced around the dining room. “I didn't see Carlos here today.”

“He called in sick,” Rikki said. “It was one of the reasons we were shorthanded. We tried to call in a waiter who had the day off but couldn't reach him.”

Rikki leaned in closer to Emma. She smelled of soap—commercial soap, strong with a sharp-edge clean. “I know you have special . . . um . . . help that the police don't. Please find out who tried to kill T.J.,” she pleaded again. She looked into Emma's eyes. “I don't care about the company or the restaurant right now. I just want to know who did this and why.”

“We'll do what we can, Rikki,” Emma told her.

Rikki started to leave, but turned back. “Were the people sitting at that table in the corner really your parents? And is your father really a doctor?”

“Yes, those were my folks,” confirmed Emma. “And my father is a retired heart surgeon, but I did not send them here to spy on you, I swear.”

Rikki shook her head and Emma half expected her to call her a liar. Instead, Rikki said in a voice dull as cardboard, “Your parents are giving me more support than my own mother is giving me. Tell them thank you, especially your father. He may have saved Lupe's life.”