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

Chapter 13

Mahogany and Evelina sat in a police interview room, munching on grief muffins and other confections from the basket.

"I can't believe the detective wouldn't take my goodies," Evelina said, plucking a blueberry from the muffin's white spongy center and popping it into her mouth. "They're delicious."

Mahogany stacked up several flaky croissant layers and munched thoughtfully. "She's missing out. Your baking is the best."

"Thank you, but if we don't get out of here soon, I'll miss my shift, and there won't be anything in the display case tomorrow. How long have we been sitting here?" Evelina flopped back in her chair and kicked her feet wide on the white vinyl flooring.

"About fifteen minutes," Mahogany said, checking her phone.

Evelina groaned. "It feels like hours. Fae aren't supposed to be locked up like this. Our systems start shutting down."

"Don't worry. You're not going to die. She'll have to let us go unless she has evidence of wrongdoing, which I double she does." Mahogany studied her reflection in the mirrored wall opposite where they sat. Her hair looked fabulous despite the interview room's crappy lighting and horrible air circulation. "Damn, Dimitri is amazing."

"He had a good canvas to work with," Evelina said, nibbling another blueberry. "Oh, my gods! Are we there yet? I don't get any cell service in here."

As if Evelina had summoned her, or she had finally taken pity on them from the other side of the mirrored wall, Detective Teresa Sawyer burst into the interview room door. She slapped a not-all-that-thin file folder on the table with a snap that echoed in the small room.

"Finally," Evelina said, sitting up in her chair. "Muffin?" She pushed the basket towards the detective.

"No, thank you," Sawyer said, pushing the basket towards Evelina.

"Your loss," Evelina said and plucked another berry from her muffin. "Come to think of it. You've never stopped by Hot Brews, Detective."

"You're missing out," Mahogany said and took a bit of her croissant. A few flaky crumbs hit the table with a soft, buttery thud.

"I don't drink coffee or eat sugar," the detective said, eying the crumbs.

Mahogany and Evelina stared at Sawyer; disbelief scrawled on their faces like good-time phone numbers on a men's bathroom wall in a dive bar.

"Why?" Evelina said, her face scrunching. "Do you have a medical condition?"

"I prefer to live clean." Sawyer leaned back in her chair, her steely gaze appraising the young women. "But we're not here to talk about my eating habits. Tell me about your conversation with RW this afternoon." From the file folder, Sawyer slipped two still photographs from the CCTV and placed them in the center of the table.

Mahogany and Evelina stood with RW in Urban Alchemy in the first image. RW's face contorted into an angry mask. The second image caught a mostly unclothed Tony scampering past RW, Mahogany, and Evelina.

Evelina snorted at the second image. "Highlight of my day."

Mahogany gazed a the picture of Tony's well-built figure racing from the store with his clothes in his hands, and her heart fluttered.

"We discovered that he might have been up to some funny business with Saree Fenquoth, so we chatted with him about it," Mahogany said. She finished her croissant and brushed her hands together, dusting the table with more buttery crumbs, grinning around her full mouth at the detective.

"Tell me about the discovery," Sawyer said, never taking her eyes off Mahogany's dark brown gaze, her face deadpan.

Evelina held her muffin out, and Mahogany took it. "I'm surprised you don't have rats. This place is disgusting. I have a black light on my key chain, and it's a game-changer for cleaning. Show her the hanky."