Using her wrists, Mina managed to knock her phone out of her back pocket onto the floor. The trio of villains continued to watch the televised trial like nothing had gone on.

"Eet eez so great to be free for our moment of triumph!" Bunting laughed and grabbed another handful of New Jersey bought Paris cuisine. "Though Archibald, did you really 'ave to humiliate moi by making me lose to zee kid?!"

Raven chuckled confidently. "You know me, I love a bit of grandstanding on both sides. What fun is it, if we don't give our audience a spectacle."

Mina wrinkled her nose. All she was, was a pawn in Raven's spectacle.

'Not any longer,' she whispered to herself, and using her best backseat texting abilities, unlocked the phone with one hand. The message she has received was from Winona.

"Hey Mina, Where R U? As much as I'd like to keep this gloomeriffic gem, I think I should give it back to u!"

Right, Mina thought, I had given her the black diamond brooch.

The phone buzzed quietly and another text appeared. "The very emo prosecutor is looking 4 U too. He says the jury has reached a conclusion and he wants 2 make sure U witness justice."

Mina rolled her eyes. There would be no justice in this case...unless...her eyes lit up like a pair of lightbulbs in the dark.

She began to masterfully text with one hand, a skill she had mastered in school when she didn't want to get caught.

"Present that brooch to the prosecutor, Winona. Tell him its history. And tell him to tell the judge that it has the butler and Georgia's hand prints on it. Also send help. I am in the MT IT Institution at the edge of town."

She clicked send, but as she did, a foot came down on her phone. She looked up to see Richie with a smirk on his face. "What did they tell you about texting in class?" he asked caustically.

A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

"I'm not in class?" Mina shot back.

"Of course you are," Ritchie Lord cackled. "You're about to get schooled, little attorney!"

Raven looked up. "The kid was texting?!"

"Was," Ritchie laughed, carrying her busted phone in his hand. "Fortunately, I gave it a good stomp!"

Mina's lips trembled. She prayed the message went through. Otherwise, she'd truly be washed up.

As everyone gathered back in the trial room, she noticed that Blind and Winona were nowhere to be seen. Charlotte was grinning sadistically at Monty who was too busy whimpering into his toupee to notice her wretched expression.

"Has the jury reached a verdict?" Justice Divine Justice asked from across the room.

A man in a powdery wig with an old timey scroll began to read off it. "Yes we have your honor. We the the jury, hereby find Mayor Monty P. Banks..."

"Hold it!" a voice screamed from across the aisle.

Much to everyone's surprise, Blind and Winona stood in the doorway. Blind, never one wanting to obstruct justice shouted. "We have one last piece of evidence that may alter the course of this case entirely."

"What is the meaning of this, grandson?" Divine demanded. "Why are you doing this?"

"Because," Blind said with a grin. "She would have wanted me to do this."

"Sacre Bleu!" Bunting hollered, dropping his popcorn bag of snails. "What eez zee meaning of this?!"

Mina smiled beneath her nose. The message had gone through.

"I've been informed by this very angst ridden, gloomy goth chick," Blind said, holding up the brooch like a badge from Hokey Mom Go. "That the butler was paid in this brooch to murder Greta Goode."

"Whaaaaaaaat?!" Everyone exclaimed dumbfounded. Even Charlotte was too.

"Excuse lil ol' me!" Charlotte said, playing her innocent game. "But this is crazier than a buffalo on rollerskates! What in San Hill even is that brooch? And how do you know it's mine?"

"Because," Winona said as the two walked briskly down the aisle. "You are a murderous Axe Wife and this brooch is a symbol of your family."

Monty nearly dropped his toupee. "You are what?! My sweet Georgia Peach, are you truly a black widow?!"

Sweat drops moistened Charlotte's brow, but she continued to scoff. "Well that's more wild than the plains of Kentucky! I'm no such thing!"

Blind grinned brightly. "Then why are yours and the butler's grubby hand prints on it?!"

Mina knew this could be a bluff since she hadn't had time to take the handprints off the brooch, but she knew the Aura crooks, and they tended to react one way when cornered....

Charlotte O'Scara stood up, brushed her puffy sleeves up and walked over to Blind. "You think you're so smart, buster brown?! Why y'all can't even see what's in front of your nose! Even if I am a venomous black widow. You're something even worse..."

"Oh really?!" Blind said.

Charlotte took her snake venom laced nails and with a furious expression slashed Blind's wrist.

"You're ding dang dead!"