Love Can Be Murder

pieces of property. When we divorced, he kept the home we lived in, and I kept the business."
    "Why did you and your husband divorce?"
    The door opened, admitting Allyson Davis. She handed Penny a bottle of water and glared at Maynard. "I thought I told you to wait."
    "We're just getting acquainted," he said mildly.
    Allyson lowered herself into a chair. It was then that Penny noticed that the woman's nose and eyes were red. Penny realized that Allyson had known the Black family for some time... that she and Mona, if not friendly, seemed to tolerate each other, that she and Deke had conferred on many cases. Penny suspected that this was the first homicide that Allyson had worked on since she'd arrived in Mojo; for the victim to be someone she knew must be doubly difficult.
    "Are you doing okay, Penny?" Allyson asked gruffly.
    Penny took a long drink of water, then nodded. "Considering."
    "Do you want to tell us what happened?"
    "I already told you," Penny said.
    "For my sake," Maynard said, his voice apologetic.
    "And I'd like to hear it again," Allyson said, "just to make sure I didn't miss anything."
    Penny fidgeted with the label on the bottle. "Has Gloria Dalton arrived yet?"
    "Your attorney? No."
    Penny wet her lips. "Perhaps I should wait."
    Allyson pursed her mouth. "Why do you need an attorney, Penny? I thought you said you didn't kill Deke."
    The woman had already convicted her, Penny realized suddenly, and the knowledge pushed her sweat glands into overdrive. "I didn't kill him," she said evenly. "But until the evidence can be processed and I'm cleared, I want my attorney to be involved, and I'd rather not have to go through all of this again when she arrives."
    "What if I told you that we already have enough to arrest you on?"
    A rap on the door sounded. Allyson frowned and pushed to her feet. When she opened the door, Penny sagged in relief to see Gloria step inside. She was wearing a suit, but no makeup, and she looked flushed. Behind her glasses, her blue eyes were bloodshot. Penny squinted—Gloria's eyes were normally green, like her own. Her contact lenses must be colored.
    "I'm Gloria Dalton, Ms. Francisco's attorney. What's this all about?"
    "It's about murder," Allyson said dryly. "Your client's ex-husband is dead, and she was discovered at the scene."
    Gloria looked at Penny, then back to Allyson. "Is she under arrest?"
    "Not yet."
    "Where are her clothes?"
    "Her clothing was bloodstained, plus she threw up all over herself—and the body. We offered her something clean to wear."
    Gloria blanched. "I'd like to talk to Penny alone."
    "It's fine, Gloria," Penny said. "I don't have anything to hide, I just wanted you to be here when I gave my statement."
    Gloria looked at Allyson. "A moment, please?"
    Allyson signaled to Maynard, and they left the room. As soon as the door closed, Gloria strode over to the table, her expression pinched. "Penny, I'm not a criminal attorney!"
    "I know. But relax—I didn't kill Deke. I just wanted someone here I could trust."
    Gloria pulled her hand down her face, clearly agitated. "Are you sure you don't want me to call someone who could better advise you?"
    "Yes. The last thing I want is for Allyson to think I'm lawyering up on her."
    "Allyson? Do you know the chief personally?"
    "Everyone knows everyone in this town."
    Gloria shook her head, but after a few seconds, she acquiesced. "Okay, but if I interrupt, you have to do what I say."
    "Agreed."
    Gloria squinted. "Do you know you have glitter all over your face?"
    Penny rolled her eyes. "Yes. I may never wear makeup again."
    "This is against my better judgment," Gloria declared, then asked Allyson and Maynard to return. Soon they were all crowded around the table.
    "No recorder," Gloria said firmly.
    "It's for your client's protection as much as ours," Allyson said.
    "No recorder," Gloria repeated.
    Allyson frowned but nodded curtly. "Okay, Penny, let's start at the beginning."
    Penny shifted again—her rear end had gone to sleep sitting on the hard metal. "You mean when I arrived at the house?"
    "Let's go back further. How did you spend your evening?"
    "Friends gave me a party at Caskey's. I was there until about ten o'clock."
    "And what was the party for?"
    She clasped her hands around the water bottle, now speckled with glitter from her hands from touching her face. "To celebrate my divorce."
    "From Deke Black?"
    "Yes."
    "Did anything unusual happen at the party?"
    Penny thought of the voodoo doll episode, but