“She works a few blocks over, at a smoke shop in Madison Square,” Luigi said.
“She mentioned having to get to work. I say we swing by to see if we can get her to talk.”
Elvira began counting heads. “We can’t all go. She’s working. I doubt she’ll be inclined to talk if she feels like she’s being interrogated.”
After a brief discussion, they unanimously decided Luigi and Dernice, who knew Courtney the best, should go.
“We need to strike while the iron is hot.” Dernice grabbed her sling bag and caught up with Luigi, who stood waiting by the door. “Wish us luck.”
“Good luck.” Carlita watched them pass by the front picture window. “I hope we’re finally onto something.”
“If not, we’re back to square one,” Mercedes said.
Chapter 33
The smell of skunkweed hit Dernice full in the face the second she stepped into Madison Square Smoke Shop, where several customers milled about.
“Do you see her?” Luigi asked.
“Not yet.” She veered right, casually perusing the display case. E-cigarettes, flavored liquids, disposable vapes. The next case held even more smoking paraphernalia—loose leaf tobacco along with an assortment of pipes, while a third case offered an array of CBD products.
“They got a little of everything,” Dernice said.
“You looking for a smoke?” Luigi joked.
“Not on your life. I have enough questionable habits.” She nudged him with her elbow. “I see Courtney over there.”
Courtney stood in the far corner, stocking a display rack and chatting with another employee.
The couple made their way over, waiting for her to notice them.
She did a double take. “Hey, Dernice, Luigi.”
“Hey, Courtney. I…uh…Luigi and I were wondering if we could talk to you for a minute.”
“Sure.” She finished placing the boxes of vapes on the rack. “Are you looking to purchase something?”
“Actually, the reason we’re here is to ask you about Sonny.”
“What about Sonny?”
“You and he were…close.”
“I’ll be blunt. I hate to speak ill of the dead, but I couldn’t stand the guy.”
“Do you mind telling us why?”
“He was a snake.”
Quickly deciding that a direct approach and catching Courtney off guard might work best, Dernice blurted out her question. “Was he taking money from you?”
The color drained from her face. “Sonny was scamming you too?”
“Not us.” Luigi hurried on. “We know your brother Stephen owed back taxes. We think Sonny, who was in charge of the county’s property tax auctions, planned to auction off his property. He approached you, ready to make a deal.”
Courtney’s shoulders slumped. “I was a fool. Stephen paid Sonny money he didn’t have, a couple thousand bucks…to make the past-due tax bills go away.”
Dernice lowered her voice to barely above a whisper. “What else did Sonny want?”
