If Kelli Olson's alibi checked out, it was unlikely she was the murderer. That left two other suspects: Felix Rosario and David Howell III.

       David's Facebook page was mostly quiet, just pictures of family, business, and guns. You know, normal stuff. The only thing to link him to Noah at all was a single comment left on his page.

       Please stop.

       That was about a week ago, so definitely within range of our murder. Plus, there was the fact that Noah was shot, and David appears to be the only one with an affinity for guns. And when I say affinity, I mean, for every three pictures of his family the man has four where it's just him holding guns. Not to mention the pro-gun memes. At this point he should just divorce his wife and marry the second amendment.

       Not that I'm anti-gun. My father has guns. My mother has a gun. And my boyfriend has guns. And the only real reason I never had one is because I'm too cheap and lazy to fill out the paperwork... And, you know, low key a little afraid of them...

       But, anyway, there's a way to be a gun owner without being all weird about it! David Howell had made them part of his identity. He even had pics of him big game hunting in Namibia! So, you already know he's trash!

       Ahem!

       In contrast to David's subdued plea, Felix wasn't shy about his displeasure with Noah's brand of business.

       Fuck you!!!1!!

       Eat shit you bitch

       Settle it like a man pussy! Meet me in the Big Lots parking lot on Talarand!

       If I were a comment psychologist, I'd think that spoke to an unnecessarily deep level of anger. Maybe he was even angry enough to kill.

       The header pic at the top of his profile page was some kind of action shot from a boxing match. The corner was stamped with some sort of fancy seal with the words Bragging Rights written across it.

       I Googled it and sure enough Bragging Rights was the name of a gym in town. If he's affiliated with them, he must train there. Perfect...

       "Evie! Hello!" Alice sat across from my desk with a look of utter annoyance across her face. "We getting lunch or what?"

       I'd called to see if Manny was free, but he wasn't. Henry didn't even pick up the phone. That must be some book. Ultimately, Alice had accepted my lunch invite, but since then I'd gotten sidetracked on my research. "Yeah, sorry." I turned off my monitor then pushed back from my desk. "I just needed to finish up some work."

       She kissed her teeth. "Girl, I'm on lunch I don't have time for that."

       That heifer knows she gets two hours for lunch. "Alright, damn, let's go." I got my purse out of the cabinet drawer and slung it across my shoulder.

       Alice stood and clutched her own purse. "Good, I'm hungry."

       "What you got a taste for?"

       "I was thinking about this Thai place up the street."

       "I haven't had Thai in forever."

       "Well, that's perfect then."

       You know what would be more perfect? Stopping by that gym. "I'll drive."

       As we walked by the kitchen, I peeked in just in time to see Jackson and Donna being cute over the deconstructed turkey sandwiches he was supposed to be constructing for the lunch crowd. Why is she here again? Does she ever actually work? Doesn't the hospital or whatever need her?

       And they better not drip their cooties all over those turkey sandwiches. God help them if the health inspector pays a surprise visit and writes me up 'cause my bakers caught making out over an open container of mayo or some shit. Nothing would make me go nuclear faster.

       I sighed, rolled my eyes and kept walking.

      Remember, Jackson's happy.

       "You okay, girl?" Alice asked as she kept pace with me.

       "Yeah. Of course."

       "You sure? That was a stank-ass face you made."

       "Yeah, I'm just...a little tired today."

       "Ai'ight."

       In the dining area a small crowd sat scattered about at the tables eating, drinking, and chatting. Pasha was behind the cash register ringing up an order while Devonte was bussing tables.

       "Pasha, I'm on lunch," I called to her as I wove my way toward the door.

       She didn't look up. "Okay!"

       I was almost out when I looked back over my shoulder just in time to see an unaccompanied little boy in front of the condiments table playing with the cinnamon shaker like cinnamon grew on trees...I mean, it does grow on trees but that don't make it free.

       Before I could stop him, he grabbed the sugar shaker and made a little swirly pile on the table. Then he ran his fingers through it, and an avalanche of the mixture spread first across the table and onto the floor.

       "Hey!" I walked over to him; my voice as authoritative as it is when reprimanding an employee. "Don't play with that. Those aren't toys."

       He shrunk back a little, his eyes grew big, and his little feet started squirming in place. He couldn't have been more than six or seven. "Sooorrry." He whispered.

       He was so cute I instantly felt a little bad. I hope I didn't scare him too much. "Where's your mama?"

       He shrugged.

       I looked over the room. "Whose child is this?"

       "Mine." The deep internal sigh I held in when I heard Donna's voice could have killed me. I don't believe she'd attempt to revive me either, Hippocratic oath or no.

       I turned around and flashed a plastic smile. "Could you keep him from playing around in here, please. It's not a playground."

       She shrugged. The movement was so flippant, I got about ten times more annoyed. "He's a child. They play sometimes."

       "Okay. But restaurants aren't playgrounds." I worded it so carefully, but I could still feel the impatience spreading across my face. "It's disruptive to the other patrons."

       "What do you want me to do? Put a leash on him?"

      My smile was tight, my words dripped sarcasm. The bad kind. "If it'll calm him down."

       "Are you a mother?"

        God, here we go. "No."

        Her smile was as phony as mine. "So, then you don't know what you're talking about." She held out her hand and her son grabbed it and squeezed closer to her. "Leave it to the professionals."

       She turned to go but I couldn't leave it. "Have you ever run a restaurant?"

       She looked back at me; her brow furrowed with exasperation. "No."

       "Well, in case you didn't know, children come in here every day and manage to behave themselves."

       She cocked her head. "You calling me a bad mother?"

       "No, of course not!" A defensive smile spread across my face. I admit it was fun to see her bothered for once. "I'm saying I know the restaurant business. But if I need advice on stripping, I'll give you a call."

       I turned and left before I said anything worse than that. The same mantra from before was running throughout my mind as I pushed my way out the door:

       Jackson's happy, Jackson's happy, Jackson's happy...but did he have to be happy with such a bitch?

       "Dammnnn Evie." As I slid into the driver's seat of my car, Alice slid into the passenger's side. "You do not like her."

       I'd almost forgotten she was there. "I don't know what you mean, I like her just fine."

       "Okay. Calm down."

       I was calm, wasn't I? "I need to run an errand before we eat."

       "Okay," she said carefully. "No, prob. Where we going?"

       There was a lie on the tip of my lips. Dr. Deb always said I should lead with honesty. That went for all my relationships, not just Manny. "This...gym over in Arlington."

       She narrowed her eyes at me, completely suspicious. "What kind of errand you got at a gym? You don't exercise."

       "There's this guy I want to talk to."

       "Is this about one of your cases?"

       "...Yes."

       "Well, shit. Let's go!" She grabbed excitedly at her seatbelt before locking it in.

       I looked at her like she was an alien. "Really?"

       "Yeah! I love going on these adventures with you." She hopped in her seat a little like a kid going to Disneyworld. "Beats another mundane Wednesday."

       My face fell. "Oh. Okay, then."

       "You seem disappointed."

       "I'm not, it's just usually more fun to kidnap people."

       She smiled then pat my shoulder. "Sweetie, get some help."

       I cranked the car. "I do. Twice a month."

       She laughed at that. "So this guy we're talking to, what'd he do?"

       "Potentially murder a guy."

       "Murder?" She frowned, clearly disappointed herself. "I thought we were going to catch one of those cheating motherfuckers in action."

       "Maybe next week."

       She nodded, her face glowing with questions. "You think he did it?"

       "Maybe."

       "Coooolllll..."

       She sat back and fiddled with the radio as I backed us into traffic. Noah had gotten that shiner the day he died. Finding out why could be the answer I needed. Felix Rosario clearly had a violent streak. If I were a betting man, I'd say he was the one that punched Noah in the face. But was that any inclination that he'd escalate to murder? Maybe. David was still my number one suspect. But until I figured out how to find him, I'd cross the other two off my list.