Chapter 37
OCEAN
“What the hell is going on here?” Ocean yelled, marching around the corner in her paint-splattered overalls.
Detective Enible’s placid gaze shifted toward her. “Oh, just serving a legally issued arrest warrant.”
“Another one?” Ocean’s skin prickled with fear. “What do you think, third time’s a charm?”
One of the cops took a threatening step toward her, but Enible raised his hand to stop him and said, “If at first you don’t succeed, Ms. Mistral.”
“Really? A motivational quote?”
“Some days they’re all that keep me going.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.”
“That I rely on motivational quotes or that I keep going?”
“Yes.” Ocean almost pinched the bridge of her nose before she remembered her hands were smeared with paint. “So who’re you arresting this time?”
By way of answer, Enible knocked on CJ’s front door.
Ocean’s first impulse was to jump on his neck and drag him down to her level. However, she was a respectable mother of two, so she merely yelled, “No! CJ! CJ, it’s the cops! Don’t talk to this prick without a lawyer! Don’t say a word!”
When CJ opened the door, her eyes were shaky and her pale face looked even younger. She wore oversized gray joggers and hadn’t even applied her trademark eyeliner or bright red lipstick.
“You’re under arrest for the murder of Frank DeYoung,” Enible told her.
“N-no,” CJ stammered, before covering her mouth with her hand.
“You have any goddamn evidence this time? Sophie! Keep recording this.” Ocean raised her voice to a bellow. “You too, Hamilton!”
CJ swayed as Enible read her rights, then one of the uniformed police officers spun her around and cuffed her. She started crying, but didn’t say a word.
“You get off on this?” Ocean snarled at the uniformed cop as Enible held her back. “Proud of yourself?”
“Ocean, stop,” CJ whispered, as she passed her.
“Say nothing!” she snapped. “Don’t defend yourself, don’t explain, don’t say a word! I’ll get you a lawyer, do not speak.”
Enible cleared his throat almost apologetically. “I didn’t realize CJ Moore’s connection to the Marigold Cottages was romantic.”
“Shut up, Enible!”
He nodded sadly, then, and followed the cops out to the squad cars. Ocean glared at the police leading a silently crying CJ away. She wanted to scream. She wanted to break something.
“Oh, no,” Sophie said, her voice shaky. “Oh, that poor thing.”
Ocean hugged her. She needed it more than Sophie. She felt a hitch in her breath and forced herself to exhale slowly, calmly, until the red tint in her vision faded away.
“I guess they got more evidence?” Sophie tentatively suggested. “Should we ask Hamilton if his cop friend knows anything?”
“Yeah.” Ocean breathed again. “And I need to see about that lawyer.”
Sophie chewed her lower lip. “You know how I know CJ’s innocent?”
“How?”
“Because she’s so into you. And, I mean, surely you don’t fall in love if you’re waiting for the axe to fall?”
“I don’t know, Sophie. Do we ever choose the right time to fall in love?”
“Oh! Um … so, who’s going to tell Mrs. B?”
Ocean groaned because she knew she was. Of course. And the last time one of Mrs. B’s tenants had been arrested, she’d turned herself in for the crime. Of course, she’d been guilty, but that was hardly the point. She wiped her hands on her overalls and headed for Mrs. B’s cottage.