“We ran into Bubba. He’s moving some stuff in.”
“Lock, stock and barrel. I stopped by earlier to check on him.” She held the door. “Come on in. How is Sonny?”
“Dead.”
Her eyes widened. “Dead?”
Carlita repeated what she’d told Pete earlier. “He went from being on the mend to having a heart attack and dying.”
“From food poisoning? It doesn’t make sense, especially seeing how he was starting to recover. What about the woman, Elvira’s employee?”
“She’s checking on her. In fact…let me send her a text.” Carlita tapped out a quick text, asking if she’d tracked the woman down.
Her phone rang.
“Hello, Elvira. Any word?”
“Yeah.”
“How is she?”
“It depends on how you look at it. Do you want the good news first, or the bad news?”
Chapter 8
Carlita clenched her fist, her nails digging into the palm of her hand. “Please tell me Yvonne is okay.”
“Physically she’s fine. Emotionally? Not so much,” Elvira said. “She claims she’s stressed. Her exact words were emotional distress and severe anxiety. The bottom line is she’s afraid to eat.”
“Great,” Carlita groaned. “Emotional distress sounds like code words for a lawsuit.”
“Yep. I hate to speak ill of my employee, but she’s that kind of person.”
“I’m surprised she hasn’t sued you for something if she’s sue-happy.”
“Good point.” Elvira made a snipping sound. “Maybe it’s time for me to cut her loose.”
“Does she know about Sonny’s death?”
“She asked about him. I figured she would find out soon enough, so I told her.”
“This situation keeps getting worse and worse.”
“I wouldn’t panic, at least not yet. Yvonne might settle down. Besides, if she contacts an attorney, I don’t think they’ll take the case unless she can prove beyond a doubt Ravello’s food poisoned her.”
Carlita thanked her for the update and slid her phone into her jacket pocket. “I think I’m ready to call it a day before something else happens.”
“I’m sorry, Ma.”
“Me too.”
Exiting the apartment, Pete and Carlita discovered Bubba and his truck were long gone.
“I need to figure out what to do with the leftovers from the party.”
“I’m not sure I trust eating them.”
“I was thinking the same thing.” Carlita grew quiet, mulling over the day’s events during the walk home.
