A Shell of a Problem: A Sanibel Island Mystery (Sanibel Island Mysteries Book 1) by Jennifer Lonoff Schiff

Author:Jennifer Lonoff Schiff [Lonoff Schiff, Jennifer]
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3, mobi
Publisher: Shovel & Pail Press
Published: 2017-11-14T20:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 26

I got home and immediately went on my computer and googled “Anthony Mandelli.” It turned out he was a financier from New York (born and raised on Long Island). Aside from an occasional mention or photo in a few of the New York gossip columns, there wasn’t much (at least online) about him.

I decided to call Detective O’Loughlin, to see what, if anything, he knew about Mandelli. He picked up after the third ring.

“O’Loughlin.”

“Good afternoon, detective.”

“Ms. Jones, to what do I owe this honor?” he replied, with what, I had no doubt, was a touch of sarcasm.

“I was just over at Captiva Real Estate, and I came across a few interesting things I wanted to get your take on.”

“I thought I told you I wasn’t on that case.”

“So, you aren’t interested in what I found out?” I asked, sweetly.

“If you’re so hot to tell me, go ahead,” he said, though I had a feeling he was more interested than he let on.

“Well, first of all, I think I discovered the murder weapon.”

“Oh?”

“Remember I told you I thought something was missing at the end of that shelf? Well, it turns out there was a statue there, a pre-Colombian fertility goddess. From the looks of it, it could have been what put that gash in Matenopoulos’s head.”

Silence.

I was a bit miffed.

“I also met Mr. Matenopoulos’s partner, a Mr. Anthony Mandelli,” I continued. “You know him?”

“I haven’t had the pleasure.”

“Well, he was there at the office, going through a bunch of stuff. And here’s the third thing: apparently, he is acquainted with Sheldon Richards’s wife, Harmony Holbein. From what I saw, I would say intimately acquainted.”

“What do you mean by intimately?” he asked.

“Well, I saw him open the door for her and then put his arm around her.”

I thought I heard O’Loughlin snort.

“Since when is it a crime to open a door for a woman or put an arm around her?”

I had to admit he had a point, but if he had seen what I had seen…. It just looked a little too cozy.

“But don’t you think it odd that she was over there?” I asked.

“Ms. Jones, I appreciate your reporter’s instinct, and I understand you have a story to write, but before you go accusing anyone of anything, make sure you have all the facts.”

I was starting to regret calling him.

“But what about the statue?” I said, convinced the missing statue had something to do with the murder.

“Tell you what, I’ll give a call over to my contact at the Lee County Sheriff’s Office and see what he has to say. Will that make you happy?”

“Ecstatic,” I said. Now who was the one being sarcastic?

I waited for him to make a snarky reply, but he didn’t. I decided to change the subject.

“Any update on the Golden Junonia?”

He sighed. “Ms. Jones, I saw you, what, just a few hours ago? I’m flattered you think I cracked the case in that short period of time.”

“Just checking,” I said.

“As I said, as soon as I have something, I’ll let you know.

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