Death with a Cherry on Top: A Beach Themed Cozy Mystery (Twisted Sisters Ice Cream Cozies Book 1) by Molly Dox Page B

it all away. She'd be the lead of a Broadway show soon enough. It was all she'd wanted. After seeing "The Lion King" on stage, she was hooked. Sure, she'd always had a flare for dramatics, like her grandmother, but she was no killer. It didn't make sense. She had aspirations, and nobody would get in her way. Lottie hesitated on that last thought .
    Gina had a lively crew, and out of all of them, Vinnie was probably the easiest kid to raise. He was happy most of the time, agreeable, and had a good heart. His biggest issue was getting along with his brother. Fighting was their favorite past time. Vinnie and Giuseppe were close in age. They’d be the best of friends one moment, then fatal enemies the next.
    Lottie and Gina were led to a waiting area. After a few minutes, Gina was tapped to go visit her daughter. She was led to a small room with nothing more than a metal table that had been bolted to the floor and two chairs. A camera filmed any and all interactions from the top corner of the wall.
    Carla was exasperated. She filled her mother in on what she knew. "Mom, I didn't do it. I wouldn’t hurt a soul. I was at the playhouse to rehearse and run a few lines. I picked up the prop knife. It all happened so fast. Next thing you know, somebody screamed. They found a dead body. People came running to see what happened. I was standing there with the knife in my hand. It was a coincidence. I had nothing to do with it. I don’t know…”
    Gina followed her every word.
    Carla broke down, unable to finish. “I didn’t… I wouldn’t…”
    "Of course, you wouldn't. Don’t you worry; help is on the way. Don't say anything until the lawyer gets here. Your father made a call. Your uncle is sending Ernie Langusto down to represent you. He said he's the best. Now, try to remember as many details as you can. Think about who was there, what you saw, heard, and anything else that might help you."
    Carla’s shoulders hunched forward. Her face dropped. The reality of the moment left her distraught. This wasn't one of her off-Broadway shows, this was real life.
    "I’m here with your Aunt Lottie. She’s waiting for me. When we leave, we’ll head straight over to see Pops and see what he can do. Maybe he’s got a connection. As a detective, he dealt with these kinds of things. He can help. Don't worry, you'll be out of here in no time. Okay, so who was there when it happened?"
    Carla listed off a few people. It was useless. She’d be pinned with a murder she didn’t commit. She was holding a weapon. "My life is over!"
    "Don’t talk like that,” her mother answered. “It's not like you had a motive. They haven't even started an investigation yet. I mean, these things take time. It's going to be okay. Try to stay calm and focus."
    “Thank you, Mom,” she said. “Give Aunt Lottie a hug for me.”
    “I will. Your father will be here shortly. He’s driving in from work. He’ll fill you in on your lawyer’s information.”
    ***
    Ernie and Sgt. Galloway’s discussion carried through the hallway, both bellowing louder than intended.
    "They said she was yelling, fighting with the director, and then he turns up dead. She's holding a knife. You tell me what it looks like," the detective growled. "She claims she didn't know it was a weapon and it was just a prop. You want me to believe that. If you ask me, Mr. Langusto, it's an open and shut case. You're wasting your time. We have motive, witnesses that saw them arguing, and her fingerprints all over the weapon."
    "I didn't ask you, Officer. I simply asked if my client was being charged." Ernie straightened his tie and glared at the man.
    "We have enough to hold her," he answered snidely. Sergeant Galloway hated lawyers. They were always stirring things up, looking for loopholes, and stopping cops from doing their jobs efficiently.
    "Are they trumped up charges? Or are they charges that you're certain of? There were other people there – have they been investigated? She's said she