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Carlita snuggled closer to Pete, feeling the rumble of the trolley as it clickety-clacked along the brick street. It was a beautiful afternoon. The perfect kind of day to don her tourist hat and see the sights through the eyes of her children and grandchildren.

Luigi and Dernice sat cozied up a few seats back. Tony and Shelby sat across from each other with their small family. Vinnie and Brittney were on one bench seat with baby Vinnie sandwiched between them. Sam sat with his arm casually draped across Mercedes’ shoulders. He whispered in her ear and she giggled.

Reese was in full tour guide mode, sharing tidbits of fun facts and snippets of Savannah’s history, slowing when they reached points of interest, many of which Carlita already knew about but were more for the benefit of family who were visiting.

“We’ve reached our first stop.” Reese expertly steered the trolley alongside the curb and shifted into park. “Bon a p p é tit, my friends.”

Carlita waited until the others got off. “Can’t you come with us?”

“There’s plenty of room,” Pete chimed in. “We would love to have you join us.”

“Unfortunately, I can’t leave the trolley unattended.”

“What a shame. I feel guilty for having you work while we have fun.”

“This is fun,” Reese insisted. “I love my job, and being with friends makes it even better.”

“Perhaps we can make it up to you.” Pete grasped his wife’s hand and led her toward the steps. “What would you like from the restaurant?”

“I love The Exchange’s fried green tomatoes with remoulade.”

“You got it.”

“Fried green tomatoes,” Carlita repeated. “As long as I’ve lived here, I can’t recall if I ever tried one.”

“The tomatoes are the restaurant’s signature appetizer,” Pete said. “We need to get out more.”

“You’re right. I think we do.”

As soon as the others exited, their host ushered them toward River Street, down the steps, and to the restaurant. Although bustling and busy, the hostess sprang into action, leading the large group to their reserved table, offering a picture-perfect view of the Savannah River.

A slew of servers arrived, pouring drinks and placing platters of appetizers on the table. The food included chicken fingers and French fries for the kids, while there were more unique and upscale dishes for the adults.

While they savored and sampled, Sam shared some interesting tidbits about the building, a former cotton warehouse.

“Look Nonna!” PJ pointed excitedly. “I see a big boat out in the water.”

Carlita craned her neck, peering out the window. “Good eye, PJ. A large cargo ship is going by. Can you see the men on the deck? They’re waving.”

He waved both hands in the air. “They can see me.”

Gina smoothed her son’s hair. “They can see you all the way past the other people walking by and inside the restaurant?” she teased.

“I’m going to be captain of a ship someday,” the boy announced. “And ride on even bigger ships.”

“Grandpa Pete can teach you everything he knows about sailing the high seas,” Carlita said.

“I sure will. In fact, we’ll take the Flying Gunner out before you go home. You can guide us along the river.”

“I’ll be the captain?” Little Paulie became so excited, he literally fell out of his chair and onto the floor.

Pete quickly scooped him up. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah. Can we go now?”

“Not today, but soon.” Pete caught his wife’s eye over the top of the boy’s head and winked. His love for the sea was rubbing off on his young grandson, and it warmed Carlita’s heart to hear the excitement in his voice.

“Have you tried a fried green tomato?” Pete slid the dish toward her.

“Not yet.” Using her fork, Carlita stabbed the crispy tomato and slid it onto her plate. She poured a dash of sauce on the side, sawed off a piece and dipped it in the remoulade before nibbling the edge. “It’s crunchy and tart with…” She struggled to describe the dish.

“A little kick,” Pete said.

“Yes. Tart and spicy with a creaminess to it.” Carlita polished off the rest of the slice. “It’s delicious. No wonder they’re Reese’s favorite.”

The group ate every single bite of food. Pete paid the bill, grabbed the to-go container, and off they went.

Reese, who must’ve been on the lookout for them, scrambled out of her seat and picked up her microphone. “All aboard!”

Violet broke free and ran ahead of the others. “Can I say something?”

“Sure.” Reese handed the microphone to her.

“Mine was yummy in my tummy.”

Not to be left out, Gracie, Noel, and PJ took turns making announcements. Little Vinnie was offered his chance, but he hadn’t yet warmed up to Reese. He gave her a pouty look, buried his head in his mother’s arm and hid his face.

Carlita pulled the schedule Pete had given them from her pocket to check out the next stop, the Oak Tap House, a Colonial-style mansion only a few blocks away. As soon as they arrived, Reese pulled off the street and hit the brakes.

Pete and Carlita, the first to exit, stepped onto the sidewalk to wait for their family and friends to assemble.

Reese tapped her horn and lifted her container of food. “Take your time. I’ll be here savoring this delicious treat.”

“I hope you enjoy every bite.”

“You know it. Thank you. I can’t wait to dig in.”

“Would you care for a special dish from the Oak Tap House?”

“I…” Reese hesitated.

“What would you like?” Carlita asked. “We feel bad you aren’t able to go with us. The least we can do is feed you.”

“If you don’t mind, their fried pork chops are to die for.”

“You got it. In fact, the pork chops are what I planned to order.” Pete promised to bring food back before following the others inside the restaurant.

Once again, the staff was expecting them. The hostess led them down the stairs and into the basement, an area of the restaurant which had been converted into a pub and bar.

Seating them off to the side, Carlita noticed a trio of musicians playing classical music in the background. “This is a cool place.”

“With an interesting history,” Sam said.

“We certainly lucked out. Not only do we have Reese as a tour guide, but we have Savannah’s best to tell us all about these historic places,” Carlita said. “Feel free to share, although we don’t want you to think we’re putting you to work during your time off.”

“Not at all,” Sam said. “I’m happy to be here.”

Mercedes scooched closer to him. “This place is giving off a creepy kind of vibe.”

“It’s rumored to be haunted by the owner who built it. He made his mark in the cotton industry. He, along with a few others.”

Brittney shivered involuntarily. “Hopefully, the ghosts stay away until we’re gone.”

A friendly server arrived to introduce herself and her assistant. Because they were ordering entrées, the staff brought out an array of food, all prepared for sharing.

Carlita sampled a piece of Pete’s massive fried pork chop, along with sauteed shrimp and scallops. She took a few bites of the side dishes before calling it quits, reminding herself they were making at least two more stops before they had dessert.

The dishes made their rounds with the group oohing and aahing over the selection.

Pete leaned in and whispered in his wife’s ear. “I think everyone is enjoying themselves.”

“This is a huge hit. Everything I’ve tasted has been delicious. It’s so much fun visiting places I’ve only heard about. I’m almost ashamed to say I’ve lived in Savannah for years and never been to any of these restaurants.”

“It’s time for us to venture out more often, even if it’s just the two of us.” Pete lifted his glass of sweet tea. “A toast.”

Carlita lifted her tea. “A toast.”

“To more adventures and less stress.”

“Here. Here.” They clinked glasses and took a sip. “I haven’t had a relaxing day like this in a long time.”

“You’ve even forgotten about the burglars and catching the bad guys,” Pete teased.

“Momentarily.” Carlita glanced at her watch. “Which reminds me, Autumn should be catching up with us soon.”

“She promised to meet us at our next stop.”

With the food finished and the children growing restless, they stayed long enough for the server to snap a group photo before they headed out.

Pete was the last to board the trolley. He greeted Reese and placed the container of food on the dashboard. “You might be taking some leftovers home,” he warned.

“Leftovers?” Reese popped the top, letting out a gasp when she saw how massive the pork chop was. “Good gravy.”

“Yes, I believe there are mashed potatoes and gravy buried beneath the pork chop,” Pete joked.

“I’m talking about the size.” She balanced the container in her hand. “I won’t have to cook for a week.”

“It’s delicious. I hope you enjoy every bite.” Carlita gave her a quick hug. “You’re the best trolley guide in Savannah. Thanks again for agreeing to drive us around.”

“I’m having a ball,” Reese insisted. “This isn’t work. It’s fun.”

As soon as everyone took their seats, they set off for the next stop, where they found Autumn was already there waiting. She greeted Vinnie, Brittney, little Vin, and then Paulie and his tribe. “The whole Garlucci clan is here.”

“Because of Pete,” Carlita said. “How did the rest of your day go?”

“Slow.” Autumn tipped her hand back and forth. “My boss let me leave a few minutes early. What did I miss?”

“Scrumptious dishes, but there’s more to come.” Pete took a step back, eyeballing the pub, which had previously been used as a movie theater. “I saved the best for you, Autumn.”

“Thanks. I’ve always wanted to check this place out.”

“Now’s your chance,” he said.

Carlita tapped her shoulder. “How did the editing go for the Sterling interview?”

“Not good.” Autumn told her Wes had issues. “We lost part of the sound. We’ll have to tape the segment again, if Sterling is agreeable. He might not want to be bothered, although it is free publicity. To be honest, I’ve never met anyone who complained about us having to come back and re-record.”

“Tape the segment again?” Carlita’s scalp tingled. “That’s great news.”

Dernice eased in next to her. “The fingerprint from the compact didn’t match.”

“Murphy’s Law,” Autumn said. “My gut told me we needed the other daughter’s prints.”

“I hate to ask, but do you mind contacting Sterling to go back out there seeing how you have a legitimate reason?” Carlita asked.

“Of course not. I’ll also mention his daughters again.” Autumn tugged on a stray strand of hair. “We’ll have to come up with a clever way to get Tracy’s prints.”

“The sooner, the better.” Carlita had received a disturbing call from her insurance agent, mentioning the vandalism and burglary, and wondering if she planned to file a claim. When questioned, Tony admitted to phoning the agent after finding out that repairing the damaged drainpipe might not be as easy as he first thought.

But when Carlita mentioned the anonymous tipster and insurance fraud, he agreed they should pay for the expense out-of-pocket.

The more she thought about it, the angrier she became. If the Sterlings were behind the burglaries, she wanted them caught and to pay for the damage—not only hers, but Elvira’s and Ken Colby’s too.

“I’ll give him a quick call.” Autumn stepped off to the side, returning moments later. “I left a message.”

“Shall we go inside?” Pete held the door for the others. “I hope you’re still hungry.”

Carlita patted her stomach. “I have to admit all the delicious food is starting to hit bottom, but this is a unique eatery, and I can’t wait to check it out.”

Stepping across the threshold was like stepping into an equal mix of eclectic, modern, and retro. Like all the other stops, the staff was expecting them.

Having reached the official “happy hour,” the men ordered craft beers and the women something a little more interesting.

Carlita switched over from all sweet tea to half and half—half sweet and half unsweet. Dishes of food arrived—burgers, onion rings, salads for Shelby and Brittney. Pete seemed eager to order for his wife, and she quickly agreed, knowing she would love whatever he picked.

Her food arrived, and she tried to hide her disappointment at the hamburger the server set in front of her. On closer inspection, she realized it was anything but. Carlita lifted the bun, revealing a golden, crunchy topping. “What is this?”

“A macaroni and cheeseburger.”

“I’ve never seen such a thing,” she said. “Fried macaroni and cheese to boot.”

“I’ve had the burger before. It’s a real treat.”

Carlita cut it in half and took a big bite. The crunchy coating complimented the cheesy goodness. The hamburger itself was perfectly prepared. She closed her eyes, letting out a sigh of pure delight. “This is the best burger I’ve ever tasted.”

“I knew you would like it.” Pete bit into his. “It’s as good as I remember.”

While they ate, Sam told them about the restaurant’s history and shared a story about having visited not long after moving to Savannah.

By the time Carlita finished her first half, she called it quits and asked for a box to take the leftovers home.

She felt a tap on her shoulder. Autumn, with a grim expression on her face, stood behind her. “Hey, Autumn. Is there a problem with your food?”

“No. It’s delish. Thank you for inviting me. It’s about the other.”

“Russell Sterling?”

“He returned my call. He isn’t interested in having us come back to re-record the segment.”

“Great.” Carlita’s heart sank. “It looks like we’re at a standstill, unless we can figure out some other way to get Tracy Sterling’s fingerprints.”