The Girl and the Clock Tower Murder: Pandemonium Cozy Mystery #2

Chapter 12

"What did you say to him?" Tony hopped on one foot as he attempted to get his foot into his jeans, his toned abs catching the late afternoon sun.

Even though Mahogany's mind raced as she gazed at Tony's half-naked form, she couldn't put together a single cogent thought.

"We accused him of cheating on his wife with Matt Hader's widow," Evelina said. Her appreciative gaze ran over Tony's fit body with an air of boredom.

"I hope you had some sort of proof." Tony finished buttoning his jeans and pulled his t-shirt over his head. Once Tony covered most of his golden skin did Mahogany regain possession of her faculties.

"Of course, we have evidence," Mahogany said. "Evelina found one of RW's hankies under Saree's bed."

Evelina eyed RW, still watching them through the store window. His shoulder heaved up and down like the Tasmanian Devil from Warner Brothers' Cartoons. "We should move."

Tony and Mahogany glanced through the window, nodded, and the group placed themselves farther down the street.

"You found RW's handkerchief under Saree's bed?" Tony shook his head. "I missed all the fun. But that is hardly locked and loaded evidence. Is it circumstantial at best?

"Did the tear test turn up anything?" Evelina nudged Mahogany with her elbow.

Mahogany shook her head. "Nothing at all. Saree didn't use it to dry her tears or anything else."

Evelina grimaced. "Small favors."

"Wait, what tear test?" Tony's gaze flickered between Mahogany and Evelina. "Is there some sort of litmus paper that can detect tears?"

"No, but a spell can," Evelina said, winking at Tony.

"Do you think you can get some more grief muffins as an excuse to drop in on Lilac?" Mahogany said, ignoring the exchange between Tony and Evelina.

"What spell?" Tony stopped walking, his face drawn into a mask of confusion.

"You bet," Evelina grabbed her phone and spoke rapidly into it. "They'll be waiting when we get to the café."

"Perfect. Let's visit Lilac and see if there's a hint of truth to what RW says," Mahogany said.

"What are grief muffins?" Tony hurried to catch up with the purposeful gait of the young woman.

"Didn't you hear?" Evelina paused and poked Tony in the chest, "oh, that's right. You've been off, gallanting with your fiancée." She swept past him, her shimmering gold hair catching the sun, glinting like fire.

****

"Whoa, I've never been down this street," Tony said, taking in the carnival-like quality of Dodo Lane for the first time.

A couple sat in a set of Adirondack chairs in a driveway, sipping lemonade. A beautifully tended checkerboard lawn with a half-finished game of oversized chess awaited them. A public croquet game was in full swing in the yard opposite, complete with a DJ smoking a hookah.

"What is this place?" Tony asked, his eye darting from one spectacle to the next.

"Welcome to Dodo Lane. Where sometimes we find ourselves too small," Evelina said.

"Or too big," Mahogany finished as they passed an ancient stump decorated with a tiny tea set in a yard.

"Wild," Tony gazed around, his eyes wide with wonder, and bumped right into Mahogany when she stopped short.

"Oof, sorry," Tony stammered. He peered past Mahogany's rich curls, the scent of coconut oil drifting from her hair.

"Why are the police at RW's and Lilac's?" Evelina said, her tone annoyed. "How did they beat us here?"