A conveniently timed commercial break left the three in mostly silence (except for an obnoxious commercial jingle for Oh-nO's cereal).

"Oh no's is right!" Raven said as Monica's mouth was practically on the ground. "Seems that 'Maria' ...whoever she is...got set up big time by Croissant!"

Mina put her finger to her chin and dabbed at it in thought. "And Maria was so flawless. She was always one step ahead of the law and Woogle Maps!"

"Annnnnnd," Raven said, his nasally voice needling Monica Montero all the more. "This senorita looks like she wants to wring that frenchy detectives mustache!"

Monica's dark eyes surveyed Mina and Raven with mistrust. But at last, she sighed. "Mis amores," she said in her sultry tone that Mina believed was getting more 'sus-try' by the minute. "Would you walk away from this case if you knew you were defending a true bandita!"

Raven's voice practically jeered at Monica. "Oh, you mean we weren't already? Or do you mean to tell us that that fashionable young man in jail is NOT Maria Santiago!"

"Wait!" Mina exclaimed. "Hold my E-Phone. He isn't Maria?!"

She nearly slapped her face when she saw Monica. "Oh wait, duh! I forgot for a second! That was my theory!"

She started encroaching on Monica with a hungry look in her eyes. She twinkled her fingers and licked her lips! "Is there something you're not telling us, Maria Santiago?!!!"

"Ay dio mios!" Monica said, with a roll of her dark eyes. "Between cops and fangirls, I think I'd choose the former. At least, they will let me go after I serve a sentence!"

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

"Eeeeeeeee!" Mina screeched like she was at a Taylor Switch concert. "Mariiiiiiia!"

With a sly grin, her hands on her hips, and a confident strut in her step. "Hola mis amores! Now you know where the hell I am! I am not just the humble Monica Montero, I am Maria Santiago!"

Mina started fanning herself and pinching herself.

Maria Santiago rolled her eyes yet again. "Aye yai yai. I think I'm gonna be accused of murder again if she has a conniption!"

Raven put her hand on Mina's back. "Breathe kid. I know you're newly single and going through an existential crisis, but I don't know if you should be coming onto the most wanted criminal in Cali!"

"Right! Yeah....hey?!" Mina said and she snapped. "What does me being single have to do with any of this?"

Raven chuckled to himself as his protege turned bright red.

"Sorry," Mina said. "Or should I say lo siento! You're just so cool!"

Maria narrowed her eyes and smiled cooly. "I know, Rosa. I know. Thank you for still defending mi. My brother and I were just trying to make ends meet and we got a little carried away with his costumes and my theatrics!"

Mina nodded with a hint of drool on her mouth. "You make excess cool...I mean, so you didn't kill anyone? Not even the curator of the museum? Do you even know him?"

"Well..." Maria said with a look of regret. "I do know, Jem. Or I did. You see, I applied to be a janitor in order to scout my future heist. Thievery is an art for mi and a science! Unfortunately...I was snooping around and he saw me peering into the gem room!"

Raven scratched his swarthy goatee and presented the license to Maria. "Also did you drop this?"

"Ay dio mios!" Maria exclaimed. "Where did you find that?!"

"In Jem Diamond's office!" Mina shouted and she looked worried. "Could he have possibly known who you were?"

Maria nearly dropped to her knees. "I don't think so. I really hope not. Oh please. I did not kill him! And now Ricki is in jail because of me!"

Mina was surprised to see the cool, calm and collected senorita in full panic mode. Boldly, she took Maria's hand. "I believe you! I know the detective is lying. Somebody else killed Jem Diamond and I have a hunch I know who!"

"Who?" Raven and Maria both asked.

Mina boldly thrust a finger at the TV.

"Mr. Croix-Saint himself!"