Page 8 of Autopsy of a Fairytale

“According to her statement, Lumen paid her well. The designer shoes she had on yesterday confirm that. It is plausible she possessed the funds to hire the killer,” Bel said. “Did anyone check her alibi?”

“Yes, while you were at the morgue,” Griffin answered. “Most of her day checks out, but there are still gaps in the timeline.”

“If she had help, she could have left the technicalities to a professional, therefore ensuring she had an alibi,” Garrett added. “Lumen’s Customs is worth a lot. She could have promised someone a large payout if they helped rid her of her boss.”

“Go talk to her,” Griffin said. “I’ll get a deputy to comb through the rest of the footage.”

A half-hour later, Garrett knocked on Violet’s apartment door. Bel hung back, remembering the way the young woman’s gaze had raked over her handsome partner. She hoped Violet might confess more in the face of charm and sex appeal.

“Detective Cassidy?” Violet said as she answered his knock, her puffy red eyes a disheveled contrast to her expertly tailored black jeans and the peter pan collar blouse. “Detective Emerson,” she added quickly when she noticed Bel’s shorter frame behind her partner, and while her features didn’t light up like they did when she greeted Garrett, she offered Bel an equally warm smile.

“Good afternoon, Violet,” Garrett said with a professional tone and a charismatic grin. “Do you mind if we ask you a few questions?”

“Oh…” she paused and looked uncomfortably behind her, but when she caught Bel’s curious stare at her hesitance, she blurted, “Of course. Just ignore the mess. I can’t stop crying.”

“No worries,” Garrett soothed, and the young woman stepped aside to let them in.

The apartment was small but adorably cozy. Unlike her dark apparel, her home was eclectic and earthy, filled with plants and custom furniture supplied by her boss. Three lazy, black cats adorned the sofa cushions, and Bel had to fight the impulse to roll her eyes, for‘the mess’was a pizza box and a few crumpled tissues on the coffee table.

“Can I get you something to drink?” Violet asked as she scooped one of the midnight cats off the couch and hugged him against her chest before collapsing onto the opposite loveseat.

“No, thank you.” Garrett sat, leaning comfortably back on the cushions as Bel settled beside him.

“Are you here about the will?” Violet blurted before either detective had the chance to part their lips. “I only just heard this morning. Since there is no next of kin, Mr. Lumen’s lawyer called me in for a meeting. I was shocked when I found out.” Her eyes went wide as the puzzle pieces clicked into place, and sensing Bel was the one to convince, she leaned for her with aggressively graceful desperation.

“Oh my god, you think the will is motive,” she blurted, hugging the cat so tight, Bel had the urge to pry the poor thing from her grip. “I know it looks odd, but I promise you, I had no idea about it until this morning. I knew Mr. Lumen didn’t have any living family, but I never guessed he would leave his business to me… although, he started giving me more responsibilities lately. I assumed it was because he was busy and tired of handling the paperwork.”

“Money is often a motive in homicides,” Bel said, forcing the woman to hold her unwavering gaze as she leaned forward, but Violet’s earnestness didn’t falter.

“Mr. Lumen was my friend. He gave me a great job, and despite his idiosyncrasies, he made sure I was comfortable at work. He was never inappropriate. It was more of an awkward older brother friendship, and I would never hurt him. I would never hurt anyone… I’m a vegetarian.” She gestured to the takeout box. “Veggie pizza. And I can’t help but rescue every black cat I see. These are just the social ones. There are another two in my bedroom. They are elderly, so they stay in there, especially when I have company.” She set the cat she was clutching down on her lap, and Bel breathed easier knowing the creature was no longer being crushed, even if the animal seemed to enjoy the embrace.

“You have five black cats?” Garrett asked.

“Yes, I know it’s a little cliché, but I can’t help it. I love animals, and won’t even hurt spiders in the house. I try to take them outside unless the cats get them first,”

“I understand loving pets,” Bel said, relaxing a bit as the girl’s conviction bubbled over. She was younger than the detectives, still in her twenties, but if they cleared her of all suspicion, Bel could see them getting along. “I have a black pitbull.”

“Oh my gosh, I’ve seen you walk him,” Violet gushed. “I didn’t want you to think I was crazy since we hadn’t met, so I never approached, but every time I see his beefy face, I want to hug him.”

“He would enjoy that,” Bel said, and Violet grinned as if she had been given the world.

“I know you might not believe me, but I didn’t kill Mr. Lumen,” Violet continued. “I have no idea who did, and I can’t stop crying. I woke up this morning and almost got ready for work before I remembered.”

“Do you mind if we look around, then?” Garrett asked, studying her for any hesitation.

“No, of course not. Just don’t judge the mess.”

Bel stood up before the young woman caught her smirk. Bel wasn’t a messy person, but her job made it hard to maintain perfection. Ever since the accident, she struggled to perform normal tasks. Panic attacks often hit when her mind was empty, and cleaning was the perfect activity for a wandering memory. Thankfully, Cerberus’ companionship kept the darkness at bay. Her life was slowly normalizing, but his constant shedding also added to the mess. Perhaps she should ask Violet to organize her cabin.

Garrett and Bel wandered the small apartment, but they found nothing of interest other than two senior cats and an overstuffed closet of black designer clothes. Violet walked them through all the pieces of furniture Brett had crafted for her over the years as Christmas and birthday gifts, and within fifteen minutes, Bel was convinced they wouldn’t find anything. She had survived evil. She knew what it looked like, the dark taste it left coating your tongue. This girl, in all black, was pure sunshine.

“Thank you, Violet,” Garrett said as they drifted toward the door, and the woman blushed slightly.

“Of course, Detective Cassidy. Anything I can do to help.”

“Try to have a good day,” he smiled as he exited the apartment. “We’ll be in touch if something comes up.”

“Call me anytime,” Violet answered, and Bel knew she intended it to sound helpful, but the undertones of her words were meant for Garrett’s ears alone. Surprisingly, Garrett, while all smiles and charm, seemed unaffected by her beauty. A fact that made Bel nervous.

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