Upon seeing the evidence on Mina's phone (and maybe being double persuaded by Raven's dramatic and funkastic entrance) the good judge went full-on elderly librarian on Electra and Severus.

"So you mean to tell me, Maxine Electra," Divine said, adjusting her glasses and narrowing her eyes. "You have what appears to be an electricity shooting gun...that just so happens to be pointing towards the scene of the crime."

Electra swallowed so hard the gulp reverberated around the room. It sounded like there was a golf ball lodged in her throat.

"Guilty as...CHARGED!" Mina shouted, pointing a finger straight at her electricity themed adversary.

The room was silent and Mina muttered, "C'mon. That was such a fitting pun."

"No time for your trademark crime and pun-ishment, dear!" Blind remarked. "My grandma is clearly focused on doing justice right this time."

Divine narrowed her eyes at Electra whose thunderbolt shaped ponytail was starting to sweat. "The jury will deliberate over this newfound evidence, Maxine. But I just want you to know, this is not looking good for your case. Does the defense have any objections?"

Sev was totally silent. He wasn't panicking like Maxine was. His greasy jet black hair draped over his eyes and he stood still and pale like some icy statue.

"D-d-do something, you jolt...I mean dolt!" Electra screamed.

Much to everyone's surprise, a sharp grin, cut like a knife spread over Sev's pasty face. "The defense rests," he remarked.

Electra wrung out her sweat drenched ponytail like a washcloth and sat down in her seat. Mina was amazed. Never had such a powerful woman looked so helpless. Both her and her attorney gave up the ghost quicker than ...well,

...a ghost.

Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

***

The judge called for a recess while the jury deliberated and Mina, Raven and Blind all stood together in the lobby. Mina was all smiles and giggles. Not only was her beloved mentor back, but he had saved the day in his trademark Raven way. She was reminded of her very first case. Notorious French Jersian restaurant owner Bunting Dupree had the upper hand until Raven had showed up and showed him up.

Raven raised an eyebrow over his proteges warm visage.

"Why ya smilin' so much kid...ACK!" Suddenly, she had just glomped onto him and he couldn't breath. "Because..." Mina said, squeezing him so tightly his eyes bugged. "My hail Mary became a hail Raven. You don't know how much I've missed you."

Raven struggled, but he managed to wrap his arms around her too. He grinned. "I missed ya too, kiddo. It's been a while!"

Only Blind was skeptical and cynical in his classic fashion. But this time it was justified. "Are you really going to act like you haven't been here the whole time, fop? Especially since you've been roleplaying as the mayor who took my job to promise me something you haven't even followed through on?"

Raven took his hand out like a puppet to mock Blind's words. "What's he yakking about? He's talking more nonsense than a drunk one hour after happy hour. What's going on?"

Mina's eyes widened. "Oh my goshes? You don't know? Does the name Ivor Ebony not ring a bell?"

Raven shook his head. "It wouldn't even ring the bells as notre dame."

Mina faced Blind. He couldn't see her face, but she sensed he had the same confusion as her. "What in the huh is going on here..."

Raven shook his head. "Does it matter? Celebrate that I'm back! Things are a lot more footloose and fancy free when I'm here!"

He started dancing in place and singing with an out-of-key falsetto. "Guess whose back? Back again! Raven's back. Tell a friend!"

Blind winced from the shrieking, and Mina knew his hearing was even more refined from the lack of sight. But she smiled all the same. Sometimes it was best to not question a miracle. It was a miracle after all, and often those didnt make much sense.

Mina nodded and smiled happily. "Welp. I gotta go relieve myself before Electra gets her butt whooped. I want to be there for that!"

Blind continued to shake his head while Raven danced like a maniac. "I'll be here making sure he doesn't fall over and embarrass himself."

Mina practically skipped to the rest rooms. Her heart and mouth sang "Raven's Back" but when she entered the bathroom, she sang a different tune.

A masked figure was in the woman's lavatory. Their body was entirely draped in black. They wore a red mask with three bloody 7's resembling an evil slot machine. Mina stepped backwards. She went to scream. The figure brandished a silver knife and lunged for her.