Mina arrived to the Hall of Lawson the following morning. Sunlight glinted on the snow and ice like a pile of worthless sparkling diamonds.

As she slowly crept up the stone steps, she narrowly avoided slipping on her heels. The steps had been frozen over after a night of icy rain, snow and sleet. She had really begun to regret wearing heels.in this weather.

"Perhaps I should have worn ice skates!" she exclaimed when she has reached the top. "What do they pay the people who maintain this building?!"

"Minimum," the old janitor lady cackled as she leaned back against the door. "So you get minimum effort!"

Mina wished she could put minimum effort into this case. Even though she loved Taco, perhaps, he was better off getting an owner who didn't give other high school girls weight and self esteem issues.

The first case of the year was a real puzzler for the young attorney too. It was a perfectly orchestrated cover up... if Victoria didn't murder Brad that is. The murder pistol had a silencer so no one would hear it go off in the bathroom. Then it was wiped clean of finger prints by a cloth that only had Victoria's finger prints on it. And lastly, who else would kill Brad other than a jaded ex girlfriend who was known for being temperamental and hateful? Either Victoria was guilty in the first degree, or there was a third party at play here.

Otherwise, Mina would have to grill Miss Electra more than a ham and cheese sandwich. (Which was a lot less tasty and much worse for her health.)

Mina strolled into the lobby and sighed. The holiday decorations were still up and there was tinsel everywhere. The jolly atmosphere made Mina happy that the female janitor was putting in minimum effort, but still, she missed Raven. His wacky antics and advice from left-field were sorely missed in this case. And she still had no idea if the new mustachioed mayor really was her dear bird brain.

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

Victoria waited for her tapping her feet. "Could you, like, be any later?" she muttered with a heavy eye roll.

She was noticably without making, wearing nothing but a pink T-shirt, a grey striped hoodie and jeans. Her hair messy from a night in the slammer.

It made Mina feel all the more prouder of her powdered and blushed covered face and her nearly conditioned brunette locks that fell towards her lower back. For once, she looked more on point than the most popular girl in school. She grinned starstruck, until Victoria snapped at her.

"Why are you grinning like that? Either you got a lobotomy or you just figured out something vital to this case!"

Mina shook the stars out of her eyes and frowned at her blonde nemesis. "I do know one thing...Victoria. If you truly didn't kill Brad...it was a third party killer who did it. Do you know anyone in school who could have a vendetta against you...?"

Victoria scowled. "Oh...well...uh ...the whole school I guess."

Mina's arms sank in frustration. "You're right. You and Brad ruled the school through intimidation. Not admiration. It's gonna be hard to single any one person out..."

Victoria played with her matted locks of hair. "I really hope you know what you're doing pinky. You're lucky though. I've brought in some witnesses who will establish that my alibi is cleaner than my nails!"

"Who?" Mina said, scratching her head. She hadn't heard about witnesses.

"My squad!" Victoria exclaimed with a grin. "When you have a loyal entourage, you're invincible. They will prove singlehandedly that I had nothing to do with it..."

Mina rolled her eyes this time. "If you mean girls like Ariel Headly...well, good luck. They can barely put two words together."

"Oh she will..." Victoria said, continuing to grin like a maniac. "I coached her."

"Good," Mina smiled. "Maybe you both learned some basic English!"

Victoria growled and balled up her fist. She looked like she was ready to commit homicide if she hadn't already. But she was interrupted by a coy giggle.

"Hello ladies hehehe!"

Both of the turned around and Mina saw a man who she had not seen since the very beginning of her career. A face from her past...even if he was her rival.