“And it also means we don’t have a way to get a lead on Ito or Tony. So we’re back at square one.”
Pine slumped down in a chair and looked out the window at the backs of buildings perched on the rear of the hotel property.
One tiny step forward, four jumps back.
“Did Teddy tell you anything that was helpful before the interview was stopped?”
“He did confirm that his father was pissed about what happened to Bruno.”
“Did Teddy know his father was even in Georgia back at that time?”
“He would have been an adult by then, so he might not have been living at home. He started getting in trouble with the law even before then. But even so, I would imagine he would know if his father was missing, particularly for an extended period. But in any case, he said he didn’t remember, and would have to think about it. Now I guess we won’t get the opportunity to ask him again.”
“Not unless Puller can work some magic.”
“He didn’t sound hopeful from the last email he sent.” She grew silent and then said, “Vinnie’s Creamery.”
“What?”
“Ito had an ice cream shop in Trenton named that. He said it was only a half mile from their house. I wonder if it’s still there?”
“If it is, wouldn’t Teddy have mentioned it?”
“I didn’t ask him. And they don’t deliver ice cream where Teddy is.”
As it turned out, Vinnie’s Creamery was no longer there. The entire area had been razed and an apartment building and other businesses had been put up in place of the old shops that had lined both sides of the street. Pine and Blum asked around and found Darren Castor, a middle-aged man who had worked at Vinnie’s and was now head of maintenance at the apartment building.
Castor was about to take his coffee break, and Pine bought him a cup at a shop around the corner from the apartment building. Castor was in his fifties, had a string bean frame, a thick crown of gray hair, and weathered features. He sipped his coffee as he reminisced.
He grinned. “Ito Vincenzo. Haven’t heard that name in a long time.”
“You liked working with him?”
“Oh, yeah. It was fun. Happy customers. Who doesn’t like ice cream? In my job now all I get are complaints.”
“I guess so.”
“We sold gelato, too, of course. I mean, he was Italian, after all. And desserts and bakery goods. Ito made them himself. He was really good. The business did well.”
“Yeah, I understand he was a good cook.” Pine took out a picture of Ito that she had gotten while in Georgia. “And just to confirm we’re talking about the same person.”
Castor looked at the photo and nodded. “That’s Ito, all right.”
“Did you know his son, Teddy?” asked Blum.
“Bad news. He’s been in and out of prison. Ito couldn’t do anything with him. Kept giving him second chances, and when his back was turned, Teddy would put his hand in the till and the money would disappear. Ito never learned with that piece of trash.”
“When was the last time you saw Ito?” asked Pine.
“Hell, I don’t know. It was a long time ago.”
“Just think about it for a bit. Work it through in your head. Tie it to major events in your life, that will help.”
“Well, I started working for him when I was eighteen. I remember that because I was just out of high school and answered an ad Ito put in the paper. So that was back in 1985. I was there full-time through…okay, yeah, I started at the auto body shop in, I think…2001.”
“So you worked for him for over fifteen years?” said Blum.
“I know, ice cream, right? But it went by fast. He taught me a lot. Learned about dealing with people, which has come in handy down the road. Heck, I became his partner in a way. He treated me well. Never got rich, but I got by and it was enjoyable work. We had a lot of regular customers. It was a popular place, packed on Fridays and the weekends. All word of mouth. His stuff was just that good.”
“Then I understand that Ito just disappeared one day?” asked Pine.
Castor nodded, looking sad. “Yeah, that’s right. It’s the only reason I changed jobs. Strangest thing. One day he was there, the next—poof—the guy was gone. His wife, Evie, tried to keep the business going. She could cook, too, especially her baked goods. I helped out as much as I could, but I needed a steady paycheck. I had a family then. Competition started coming in and people stopped eating as many sweets and the business just kept going down. Evie ended up selling it.”
“Any idea what happened to him?”
“Nobody knows. Least that I heard of. They looked for him and all. The police, I mean. But as far as I know, no one ever saw hide nor hair of him again.”
“So before he went missing did you notice anything unusual? Was he troubled or anything? Did he get a letter or a phone call that upset him?”
Castor drank his coffee while he thought about her questions.
“Well, first of all I didn’t know he was going to disappear, so I didn’t pay particular attention to the time leading up to it.”
“Still, anything you can recall.”
He shook his head. “Not that I can recall, no. I’m sorry. It was just so long ago.”
“Okay, so you left there and started work at the auto body place?”
“That’s right. I was always good with cars. Then that place went under and I got this job.”
“So Ito would have disappeared some time shortly before that?”
“Yeah. In 2001, I’m pretty sure.”
“Okay. Let me ask you something else. During the spring and summer of 1989, was Ito absent from the business?”
Castor finished his coffee. “Nineteen eighty-nine? Whew, now you’re really getting in the weeds with me, lady.”
“Take your time and think it through again,” said Pine. “And I’m not talking about a day or even a week. This would have been a chunk of time that he was gone, I’m talking months. You should be able to remember that.”
Realization finally spread across Castor’s face. “That’s right. I remember now. It must’ve been 1989, ’cause I’d been there about four years then and that was the only time he was gone for more than a few days. Said he was going to Italy, you know, the old country. That’s what he told Evie, too. They still had kids at home, so I guess she couldn’t go. He was gone for about two months, maybe more. And it was a busy time, too, the spring and all. Scared me to death because I had to make all the ice cream and stuff. But Ito had taught me well. Evie stepped in and helped out. So it worked out okay. But still, I wish he hadn’t left us in the lurch like that. If he hadn’t come back when he did, I’m not sure he’d have had a business to come back to. If that had happened in 2001 we probably wouldn’t have made it. Like I said, there was a lot more competition for customers in 2001 than in 1989, at least around here.”
“Yeah, I can see that,” said Pine. “And when he came back?”
“He had a bunch’a stuff from Italy, all right, and everything seemed okay.”
“Until he disappeared?”
“Yep. He got back to work and ran the business, and everything was normal. Until that time he left and never came back. Damn shame. I enjoyed working for him. It was fun. What I do now, it’s just a job.”