Marinette sat straight up in her bed, immediately turned on the lamp, and jumped out of it.

   She saw her dress was all ruined, but she did not remember wearing the blue dress with yellow roses. 

    She felt a sharp pain in her arm.

    She saw it had blood on it.

     She looked at the bed and gasped.

  There was a man there, and he was in his pajamas. His face was frozen in place as if he was taken by surprise.

     The trouble was she had no idea what happened to him.

     She lifted the sheets and could find no answers as to what killed him.

     Soon, she could hear sirens in the distance.

     "Stop right there, you are under arrest."

      Marinette didn't understand.

     Who called the police, and how had they gotten there so fast?   Why were they arresting her?

      "I-I don't understand, What is happening?"

      "Marinette Cuffaine, you and your husband fought."

    "A neighbor reported shouting and said the shouts stopped suddenly."

     "The neighbor says she heard a loud bang noise and knew it meant one of you was dead."

" We are taking you in for questioning about the murder of your husband, Luka Cuffaine." 

      "M-Murder, what?"

     "Your husband is dead, and the evidence seems to point to you."

         Marinette blinked her eyes twice. She could not believe the police could think she would murder her husband.

         Wait, since when had she been married? She couldn't remember anything.

       Why did her dead husband have on pajamas while she wore a dress? Something strange was going on here.

         Marinette did not say another word. She was too upset to speak. Once at the station, a lawyer showed up. He was an older man, but he seemed glad to be there.

        "Don't you worry about a thing, Mrs. Cuffaine?"

          Marinette only nodded her head.

          "I will do what I can to help you. I hear you have not spoken since the police brought you here."

          "Sir, what is your name?"

        "I am your lawyer, Wang Fu."

         "Nice to meet you, Mr. Fu."

        Somehow Marinette felt with Mr. Wang Fu to represent her perhaps she stood a chance. She was charged with murder.  

            "Here have some coffee."

           "Thanks," she drank it. She usually had tea, but she could not turn it down when it was her lawyer trying to help.

               "What do you know about my case?"

             "Only what the police have told me."

           "I see, do you think I am guilty?"

        "Well, that depends, do you think you killed him?"

        "I am not sure. Ouch, my arm hurts."

     She showed Wang Fu the bloody spot on her arm. He frowned when he saw it.

     By the looks of it, someone had attacked her.

      "Oh dear, why did not you tell me that someone had drugged you?"

     "I d-didn't know."

    "I am sorry."

    Marinette grinned despite everything. Well, she thought at least I have a lawyer.

Two weeks later, Marinette was in court with Mr. Wang Fu by her side.

    She sat still in the defendant's seat. Mr. Wang Fu represented lots of evidence.

     A needle, a knife, a photograph, the shredded remains of a letter, a bill for a car repair, and much more.

    She listened as he questioned the neighbor lady, her husband's boss, his brother, her brother, his parents, her grandmother, her best friend, the car repair man, and the maid.

     She did not know how he did it, but she had to admit that it sounded like maybe someone else killed her husband. Perhaps, she was framed for it. Is that why she did not remember anything?

   A few weeks went by, and Wang Fu continued to represent her in court.

         "Well, in light of the evidence your honor, the people see no other choice but to drop the charges against Wang Fu's client, Marinette Cuffaine."

         "Congratulations, Marinette Cuffaine, you are free to go."

       Marinette was so thankful, she hugged Wang Fu.  "Thank, you ever so much, Mr. Fu.  I might not remember anything about that night, but I do recall that as soon as I entered the room after work that night  I felt something poke my arm.  I don't remember anything after that at all."

      "Marinette Cuffiane, I am sorry for your loss. Anyway, you heard the judge you are free to go."

           Marinette went home and packed. She could stay in the same place where someone killed her husband and framed her. She was relieved she was found not guilty.

           Two days later, Marinette screamed. She woke up in a new apartment alone.

      She was still terrified. She kept having nightmares about a mysterious person entering the bedroom at her old place, attacking her, and waking up with the police arresting her.

      Great, she thought, what do I do?

     The court already dropped the charges against me, but who killed my husband?

        Ugh, why can't I remember?  There is a murderer out there.

         She heard a window break.

   "Ah!"

    "Hold it right there, mister."  She heard a voice say.

 She looked up to see a man all dressed in black from head to toe standing behind the intruder.  

     The stranger flashed her a smile as he placed handcuffs on the creep.

         "I will have this perp out of here in no time."

         Marinette knew it was bad timing, but she handed him a paper with her number.

             "Hmm, no guarantees, but maybe, I will call you."

     With that, the man left and took the bad person outside. She was shocked when after the creep was in the back of the police car, her rescuer removed his mask and she saw his green eyes.  He was cute. No, he was hot.

     Marinette felt like a complete weirdo. She was only recently cleared of charges of killing her husband, had someone break into her new home, flirted with a cop in disguise, and felt like swooning over the police.  What on earth was the matter with her? 

         Two months later, Marinette picked up the newspaper and gasped.

 The latest headlines read, "Court finds Nathaniel Kurtzberg guilty of the Murder of Luka Cuffaine. "  When asked why he did it, he had this to say, "I wanted to marry Marinette, but no he did, and I knew I could only have her if Luka were dead."

     Marinette couldn't believe what she just read. She had not met this Nathaniel Kurtzberg.

     She hoped no one would think she allowed him to drug her to get rid of Luka. 

     Who is she kidding?  The murderer was caught and that is all that matters.

  "Yes, Tikki, I am safe. Safe at last." She whispered to her new white kitten.

    the end...

Until the next  Miraculous one-shot story,

bye-bye, little owlets!

Summer out!