by Holly Plum
She turned her gaze to June with a look of deep loathing. Mari shivered when she saw it, but struggled to keep her composure.
“Renata, listen to me,” Mari said. “Don't do anything stupid. June isn’t like her brother at all. She doesn’t deserve to be punished for what he did to you. She would never have mocked you like he did.”
Mari didn't truly know if it were true, but she suspected June wouldn’t mind as she was trying to save her life.
“Please,” Mari said, picking up the chocolates that she suspected were laced with something. “End this rampage of yours.”
Renata rose from the windowsill and snatched the candies away. “I shouldn't even be here,” she commented angrily. “I thought a simple car accident would have been enough.”
And with a last lingering malicious look at the woman she had nearly killed, Renata walked out of the room. The moment she was gone, Mari reached into her purse and pulled out her cell phone.
“Hey, Detective Price?” Mari said as she watched Renata strut to the nearest elevator. “I’ve got some good news. You can let Jemina go because I found the real killer. She’s at the hospital as we speak.”
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
A week later, the weather was warming up. Melting water created pools in the gutters and ditches like it was spring in the middle of winter. Schools had reopened and so had every business in town.
On the day Mr. Ramirez welcomed Chrissy back to work for a private staff party, Mrs. Ramirez came in clutching a bundle of mail in both hands.
“Mari,” she said, “there is a letter here for you.”
“A letter? From whom?” Mari seized the envelope, although the slant of the handwriting told her at once that it was from her friend Jemina. After the police had released her, she had decided to take some time off.
Dear Mari,
Island life is great, minus that fact that I get no cell phone reception. There's nothing wrong with an old-fashioned letter though, right?
First, I want to thank you for helping me get my job back. Thanks to you I’ve been welcomed back to Woofles, and my involvement in Dale's case hasn’t put a stain on my record.
You’ll be happy to hear that June has decided not to go through with her brother’s plan to sell the company. She wants to keep it in Texas for the time being. Yvette has been placed in charge of the office, and we will be working to put our differences behind us. She understands that a lot of accusations were flung around in the wake of the murder. It was a confusing and frightening time.
I’m sorry that the police haven’t been able to find Renata. I know they’ll continue their investigation until she’s brought to justice. But thanks to you, a killer was exposed, and innocent people were vindicated.
I guess I'll be seeing you when I get back to Texas.
Your friend,
Jemina
Mari closed the letter and returned it to the envelope, feeling warm all over. She heard her mother calling to her from the kitchen as her father proposed a toast.
“Chrissy,” José Ramirez said, “I just wanted to say that I’m sorry for accusing you of theft. I hope you can accept my apology.” He hung his head as his wife, Paula, nodded with satisfaction.
It was surreal, Mari thought, to be standing in the kitchen next to the woman who had caused the confusion in the first place. Abuela had driven to Lito Bueno’s Mexican Restaurant on the day of their last conversation and had told her son that she had been taking money from the register. But she had kept silent about the poker group, which she still continued to attend in secret.
“And I would just like to say,” Officer Rick added, taking off his hat and holding it to his chest, “we ought to congratulate ourselves on another mystery solved, and to Mari here, without whom this town would be a lot less safe.”
To Mari’s immense surprise and satisfaction, everyone present turned and raised their glasses.
“To Mari,” Rick said with a wink. “The finest detective in all of Texas.”
“The finest detective in all of Texas,” everyone shouted in unison, and the room erupted in cheers.
BOOKS BY HOLLY PLUM
PATTY CAKES BAKE SHOP COZY MYSTERIES
Until Death Do Us Tart
For Butter Or For Worse
Something Bakes and Something Blue
Frying The Knot
Wedding Bells and a Body
Saying Pie Do . . . (Coming Soon)
MEXICAN CAFÉ COZY MYSTERIES
Murder Con Carne
Killer Salsa
Smothered In Lies
Rice, Beans, and Revenge
Crimes and Chimichangas
Soft Taco Murder . . . (Coming Soon)
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