By the time Raven and Mina had arrived at Together Apartments, about 42 and a half minutes had elapsed. As they pulled into the parking lot, Raven retained his usual lackadaisical expression, but Mina was ready to bash her head again the window.

"So much for beating Inspector Croissant here!" she said, her forehead against the glass. "Did you really have to take the freeway during rush hour..."

Raven chuckled to himself as they exited the car. "Well, if you hadn't alerted the sheriff's deputy that we were gonna run red lights, I might have pulled out the old leadbird foot. A mayor has to obey the laws like a respectable citizen, else he's a hypocritical politician and we don't need any more of those these days!"

"I get that..." Mina asked, rolling her eyes. "But then we stopped off at Burger Princess and you argued with the cashier about the amount of horse radish on your burger."

"Ok..." Raven said, "Maybe there was a bit of horse-raddish-play! But at least we're and we can talk to Miss Montero about her brother and his cross dressing as a female criminal."

Mina rolled her eyes again. "I just hope this isn't another kink. Sparky's is enough for my fragile mind."

***

Flashing her attorney's badge and Raven flashed his mayor badge that he handmade, Mina quickly gained access to the Montero apartment. She took a deep breath, and her exhale charged the air with anticipation. What did a thieves inner sanctum look like? Especially one as fashion forward as Maria Santiago.

With a polite knock, someone answered the door and she was amazed.

Standing in the doorway was a young woman as picture perfect as her ID. She was tall, tanned, dark eyed, and with shoulder length auburn hair. The only thing that surprised Mina was she was dressed quite down. She wore grey sweat pants and a baggy T-shirt to hide her form. She didn't look slobby or sloppy, but she certainly didn't look like a masterful criminal mastermind. Unless Maria Santiago liked her chilling days too.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

However, regardless of her outfit, she retained a cool and calmness to her that Mina expected.

"Well," she said in a deep accent, lowering her eyelids. "You two are much more guapo than the last guy. I didn't expect a suave muchacho in a purple suit and a beautiful chica in a pink one. You are the mayor, no?"

Raven giggled and blushed. "Well, I'll be, she knows who I am."

"Well..." Mina rolled her eyes a third time. "You are the mayor, no?

"And you!" the woman exclaimed her eyes lighting up when she saw Mina. "You are Ricki's attorney! I just spoke to him about this!"

Now it was Mina's time to be flustered. "Uhm...yesh. Yesh I am! And you're Monica Monter-umph!"

"Muchas gracias!" the woman exclaimed a smothered Mina in a hug.

Not having much intimacy with anyone since Blind's passing, Mina embraced the warmness, but Monica quickly leaned back. "Thank you so much! Oh where are my manners. Come in and dont mind the mess."

Monica retreated into the confines of her apartment, leaving the two defense attorney's bright red. "Remind me to take on her brother's case next time!" Raven said as Mina shaded pinker than her business suit.

They heeded her words and followed her in. Mina nearly lost her breath over what she saw.

It was a pretty average apartment, with a semi-clean kitchen, a small dining room, and a living room that overlooked the parking lot. But in that living room, beside the TV and the dull brown couch, there were several mannequins wearing the most brilliant fashion statements of the year.

Sharp purple trenchcoats bedazzled with diamond rhinestones on the lapel, fashion forward fedoras with authentic feathers plucked from peacocks and sparkling masquerade masks, perfect for disguising one's identity at a ball...or a criminal heist.

Mina's jaw dropped at seeing this. If stars could flash in her eyes, they'd be sparkling supernovas. She let out a loud "WOWIE ZOWIE!" over the fact that Maria Santiago's wardrobe was in a perfectly normal apartment.

"I'm so flattered you like mi fashion!" Monica gave a deep husky laugh.

"How do you own a criminal's wardrobe?" Mina asked.

"Well..." Monica smirked, positioning her dark eyes skyward. "I just so happen to be a criminal's fashionista! That isn't a crime, is it, Senorita?"