Mina's heart raced excitedly as she tapped her way to Raven's attachments on her phone. "Wowie zowie. I can't even imagine the kind of dirt Raven dug up on this guy. Scandals, schemes and even murder?! Oh my!"
"What the huh?!"
Mina's shoulders slumped as she saw what she received. "Well, this is a miserable muckup. Only one of these attachments has…well, an attachment to this case."
She clicked the first link. "Well, that explains one thing."
The link lead her to a popular tabloid news website called the Daily Dirt. The article read, "Les Schargo Resturant's Rise, Fall And Redemption in The Course of One Day."
Mina skimmed the article until one line caught her eye. A sheepish grin brightened her face.
"Trudy," Mina said with confidence. "Raven was right."
"Huh?" Trudy said, perking up.
"Someone send this case this case back to grade school," Mina sang. "Because it's elementary!"
Trudy's face perked up. "It is?"
"Well," Mina said, placing her phone on the table. "One of these articles gives Dupree the most obvious motive in the world. I just don't know how the other piece of evidence relates to the case."
"What is it?" Trudy asked, with light in her dim eyes.
"It's just the schedule for the Business Park Dump. It says they're collecting garbage today. I literally have no idea how that relates to Les Schargo."
"Me neither," Trudy answered. "Especially since their gourmet food is anything but trash."
Mina rolled her eyes. "I guess they don't call Raven a bird brain for nothing."
But the young attorney grinned and stood back on the stand. "But otherwise, I'm ready to tackle this case like a box of pepperoni pizza on Friday night!"
Dupree, who still stood perched on the witness stand like a vulture, gave her a lecherous smirk. "Mon Cherie, your legal arguments are like your taste in food, pedestrian!"
Mina winced, but quickly stood tall on the stand. "Just because I don't eat snails, Mr. Dupree, doesn't mean I'm slow on the uptake."
"Whateva zat means," Bunting muttered.
"I dunno," Mina giggled. "I'm just trying to say something dramatic before I hit you with a real whammy."
"Go 'head," Dupree said, closing his eyes.
"Mr. Dupree!" Mina said, her hand pointing at him from across the room. "I know why you killed Hamsey and framed Trudy for his death!"
The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
Mina took a deep breath, hoping she remember the details correctly. "This morning, Mr. Bunting Dupree spoke to the press. Not because of the grief he had towards Hamsey, but because he had contacted Yowl."
Dupree tried to retain his calm demeanor. He nervously brushed back his slicked back hair. Strands had begun to dangle in front of his face.
"Yowl had told him that if Trudy was imprisoned, they would suspend her title as a Yowler. The review that had once tarnished his reputation like a greasy spoon in a pile of clean silverware, would be removed."
From a mixture of sweat and hair tonic, more strands of hair had come undone from Buntings hairdo. He immediately pushed them back. "Of course I said zat leetle girl!" he shouted. "'Oo wouldn't want the best for their livelihood. Eez zat such a crime? Zee girl has killed my head chef and reputation. I needed to do a bit of cleanup for my reputation!"
Dupree glared at Legal Suit Larry who stood slack jawed. "Vat are you doing, you imbecile?!I pay you top dollar to defend me. Do something!"
Legal Suit Larry quickly grabbed his papers and desperately shuffled through them. "Ahem," he gasped. "Say what you will about client's behavior to the press, but we cannot ignore the cold hard facts. Trudy Cumberson's fingerprints were all over the box that she placed Hamsey's head in."
It was Mina's turn to flinch. "How is that possible?! Were there fingerprints on the body?"
"Er…" Larry stuttered. "No, but…"
Dupree gave his sharp nasally, "Oh ho ho" giggle. "At least, zat butcher took zee proper kitchen protocols before killing my 'ead chef."
"Kitchen protocols…" Mina said, staring blankly. "Hmm…"
Divine took her gaval and banged it loudly at her podium. "It seems regardless of Mr. Dupree's discussion with the press, there is evidence Miss Cumberson's has comitted the murder. If the defense has no other arguments I…"
"WAIT!" Mina exclaimed desperately, causing the room to stop talking.
All eyes were on her. Mina tapped her butterfly pendant and closed her eyes. She held her hands to her head like she was psychic. "Ummmmm…Kitchen protocols…." she muttered. "Kitchen protocols. Chef's always wear gloves when they prepare food in the kitchen."
Bunting staggered backwards, but continued to smile. "Zats right, Mon Cherie. Perhaps you could be a chef one day if you put your mind to eet. Now 'ow about the verdict please."
Mina thought deeper into her mind. "Ommmmmmmm!" she chanted, causing everyone in the audience and the judge to gape at her.
"Objection your honor," Legal Suit Larry cried. "Is transcendental meditation allowed in this court room?"
But the judge was too stupified to react.
Deep within her head, the connections between the evidence weaved around. It was only one stray piece of evidence didn't make sense…until now.
The Business Park Dump schedule seemed random until she thought about the gloves. When she opened her eyes, they were clear and bright.
"Connection! Your honor!" Mina smiled broadly.
"Uh come again, sweetie?" Divine muttered.
"I have a connection. The Business Park Dump is collecting trash today."
"Per'aps," Dupree shouted. "You should throw your argument in zee trash too! Zats where eet belongs."
"As do you, Mr. Dupree!" Mina shouted thrusting her hand at him. "Or at least your gloves and your knife."
Mr. Dupree staggered backwards, so far he nearly fell off his stand.
"Your honor!" Mina shouted. "I demand you search through the Les Schargo's dumpster before they collect it. In it, you will find the gloves and the murder weapon used to behead the head chef."
Mina pulled up the trash schedule on the phone. "Just do it before 9:30 sharp and we'll be taking this case home in a 'to-go' bag."
There was contemplation on Justice Divine Justice's brow, but she quickly hit her podium with her gaval. "Balif," she said to the hulking balif. "Get in contact with the Business Park police have them send a car to Les Shcargo's. If we're lucky we can find the murder weapon and…"
The judge was suddenly interrupted by a loud howl of frustration and anger. "Like hell you will, toots" said a voice with a thick Jersey accent. "I oughta finish off this pretty, little, defense attorney right now."
Everyone turned their eyes to the witness podium. Mr. Bunting Dupree stood panting, drenched in sweat and hair tonic. He clutched three sharp knives between his fingers. Without further warning, he flung them at Mina.