The breakroom at Sweeter Homes wasn't glamorous. Human Resource posters covered the puce-colored walls along with motivational mini-posters Rolando ordered on Amazon. Menus to local restaurants covered the refrigerator doors and the smell of day-old salmon someone overcooked in the microwave lingered in the air.

Donnie Valdez, Rowena's ex-cousin-in-law, walked in with a stunned Gina in tow. Rowena leaned against a counter, her hand in a box of donuts Rolando brought in earlier. Her eyes narrowed at Donnie's appearance. He worked for the Clarkton police department but mostly handled minor arrests and traffic violations. They had arrested her enough times for her to know he never handled a murder investigation. "What are you doing here, Donnie?"

Even in his cheap suit, Donnie was handsome... if you thought men who cheated on their wives with emergency operators were handsome. He had light brown hair, hazel eyes, and a strong jawbone. He grinned at Rowena. "You didn't hear?"

"Hear what?" Rowena asked suspiciously.

"I was promoted," he preened. "You're looking at an official Clarkton homicide detective."

"No one else applied?" Rowena wondered aloud before taking a bite of her donut.

Ignoring her question, Donnie gestured to an empty plastic chair near a round wooden table. Gina pulled the chair across the cheap linoleum floor and sat.

"Are you okay, Gina?" Rowena asked. Gina was in her fifties, but she looked much younger. It wasn't unusual for young men to flirt with Gina while they were at work. A few weeks back, Rowena discovered her book club buddy was not only the paramour of a local criminal, but she had also been a stripper who danced under the name of Tipsy.

"I'm going to have to ask you to leave, Rowena. I need to ask Ms. Perpulnerpaul some questions," Donnie said.

Rowena gasped, staring at her friend. "Your last name is Purple Nurple?" Rowena's voice lowered. "Gina, that means your stripper name was Tipsy Purple Nurple! That's classic!"

"Rowena, Ms. Perpulnerpaul has to answer some questions for me. I'm going to need you to leave."

Gina continued to sit quietly. Rowena took another bite of her donut before wrapping it in a napkin, whispering, "I'll save you for later, my precious." She stomped to the seat next to Gina.

"What are you doing, Rowena?" Donnie asked, annoyance lacing his words. He watched Rowena plop herself down on the chair.

"My friend is clearly in shock right now. Does she know her rights?" Rowena asked. "I've seen enough episodes of Cops to know she gets to know her Miranda Rights."

Donnie rolled his eyes. "Of course, I told her about her rights. She didn't say she wanted a lawyer and even if she did, you aren't a lawyer!"

Rowena pointed a finger at Donnie. "Objection. Hearsay!"

"What? Rowena, you aren't a lawyer and this isn't a hearing," Donnie said, taking the seat opposite them. He leaned forward and placed a notepad in front of him.

"I'm not letting you ask her questions while she's in this state, Donnie. You either let me sit here or you let me call her boyfriend Little Mikey so he can get a lawyer over here," Rowena threatened.

She watched Donnie mentally weigh his options before shrugging. "Fine. Whatever. Just let me do my job. This is my first murder investigation and I don't want you to screw it up for me."

"Really?" Rowena tossed back a lock of her hair. "This is my second murder investigation." Rowena couldn't tell Donnie she'd been involved in the murder investigation of Casey Sloane. Not when the murderers were involved with a wolf-shifter pack.

Donnie gave her a confused look before turning back to Gina. "Gina? Ms. Perpulnerpaul, I need to ask you some questions about Karen Stinger, your assistant store manager."

Gina exhaled deeply before nodding. "I'm not sure what happened. I walked into the bathroom to clean my clothes. Rowena accidentally had gotten jelly on me. I saw her legs first. Karen laid sprawled over the toilet. It was the strangest thing. I called out to her, but she didn't respond. She could be a real jerk sometimes. So, I called her a rude witch, but she still didn't respond. Normally, she'd say something back. That's when I checked on her. I walked to the stall and her head was in the toilet bowl, but she wasn't moving. I shook her shoulder—but nothing. That's when I realized..."

"Yes?" Donnie urged, clearly on tenterhooks.

"She was dead," Gina whispered. "I remember screaming and Rowena running into the bathroom."

"You didn't hear anything before you entered the bathroom?" Donnie asked, scribbling on his notepad.

"N-no, not a sound."

"And you didn't see anyone exiting the bathroom before you entered?"

"No," Gina answered.

Donnie frowned. "Ms. Perpulnerpaul, you expect me to believe you just walked into the ladies' restroom and found Karen Stinger dead, but you didn't see anyone leaving and didn't hear a struggle?"

"Objection! Badgering the witness!" Rowena cried, slamming a hand on the table. She winced. "Ow, that hurt."

Donne gave her a flabbergasted look. "Are you on meds?"

Rowena frowned, rubbing her hand. "Why does everyone keep asking me that?"

"We've been reading a lot of lawyer stories the past two weeks," Gina shared, as if that would make sense of Rowena's behavior. "Rowena refused to read any werewolf shifter romance books."

"Gina! What happens in book club stays in book club," Rowena hissed.

"As if anyone cares what kinky books you two read," Donnie grumbled. He stood up and made his way to the donuts. "Ms. Perpulnerpaul, you can see how this situation makes you look, can't you? You and Ms. Stinger were enemies. You argued over Little Mikey. Maybe you threatened one another? You two fought. You drowned her in the toilet."

"Objection! Traveling," Rowena shouted, pointing at Donnie as he walked back to the table.

"Rowena, that's a basketball term," Gina muttered.

Rowena's bottom lip puckered out for a moment before she nodded. "Fine, I'll allow it. Objection overruled."

Donnie continued to stare at her in disbelief.

"I can see how you're confused by what I'm telling you, Detective Valdez," Gina said. "It's the truth. I didn't kill Karen Stinger. Sure, we fought over Little Mikey. We also fought about the beauty pageant. That doesn't mean I killed her. I would never kill anyone."

Before Donnie could respond, the door swung open, slamming against the wall, and a handsome man with dark hair and light grey eyes entered. Rowena's breath hitched as she watched Cross Howler stride into the small breakroom. Behind him was Liam, his beta, and Matt, his head enforcer.

"Mr. Howler?" Donnie smiled. "What brings you here?"

Donnie's eager expression surprised Rowena. Since when did Donnie know Cross well enough to be excited to see him?

"Detective Valdez," Cross said, giving the man a nod in acknowledgment. "I heard there was trouble here at Sweeter Homes. I came to check on Rowena." He turned to her. "Are you okay, baby?"

What in the hell? Rowena pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes, her brown eyes darting between the two men. "Don't 'baby' me. What's going on here? Since when did you two become friends?"

Donnie glanced back at Cross. "You didn't tell her?"

"Tell me what?" Rowena asked, glaring at Cross.

Her cousin's ex-husband smiled. "Mr. Howler helped me get my detective position. As the mayor of the neighboring town, he said I'd be an asset to Clarkton. He put in a good word for me."

Cross cleared his throat. "He's exaggerating. I would never help your cousin's enemy."

"Enemy? I'm the love of Lorena's life," Donnie insisted.

"More like you're the loser in Lorena's life," Rowena snapped. She pointed to Cross. "What are you doing here? I thought I told you last night I didn't want to see you anymore."

Matt and Liam looked away as Cross stepped forward. "You didn't give me a chance to explain. You were too busy trying to fight Carmen. That wasn't wise either, Rowena. Liam convinced her to drop the charges. You didn't have to keep arguing with her."

"Why are you here, Cross?"

He sighed. "Fine, I wanted to apologize. Again. I know I should've contacted you, but things had become tumultuous. Angelina and Selig came with my parents to Howler."

"Who's Selig?" Donnie asked.

"His brother," Rowena answered.

Cross continued speaking. "Angelina lied. She told my parents she and I were still engaged. She said we loved one another."

"She did what?" Rowena shrieked.

"It took me this entire time to convince them, but I didn't want to drag you into that mess. Angelina can be difficult," Cross explained. "Abby said I'm cursed to fall for complicated women."

Both Matt and Liam swallowed their laughter.

"I know you're upset, and you have every right to be, but I hope you can find it in yourself to forgive me," Cross said softly, reaching out to Rowena's hand.

"Did I miss the interrogation?"

Everyone turned to see a blonde man with bright blue eyes grinning in the doorway.

"Who are you?" Donnie asked.

The blonde grinned and strode over to a now growling Cross. He placed an arm around the alpha and winked at Rowena. "I'm Selig Howler."

"He's your brother?" Rowena asked, taking in Selig's expensive designer suit.

Selig lifted his face and inhaled deeply. "Red velvet cupcakes, sun-dried linens, and burnt vanilla. Yes, I see why my brother fell for you."

"Is that what he smells?" Donnie asked. "All I smell is overcooked fish from the microwave."

"What is going on here?" Rolando's voice came from the doorway.

"I'm trying to ask Ms. Perpulnerpaul questions," Donnie explained.

"Your last name is Purple Nurple?" Selig asked, eyes wide. "Tremendous!" He stretched his hand out to Gina. "Selig Howler, attorney at law."

"You're an attorney?" Rowena asked.

Selig grinned. "I am. Does that turn you on?"

Rowena took a step back. "What?"

"Move!" Cross pushed his brother out of the way, sending him skidding into a table. "Donnie, do you need Rowena to answer questions?"

"No, she already gave her statement," Donnie answered.

"Wait a minute," Rowena stalled.

"Rowena, as much as it pains me to admit, Selig is a prominent lawyer. He's never lost a case. He'll take good care of Gina. You and I need to work out our issues." Cross placed a hand at her waist to steer her out of the room.

"But what about the rainbow glitter?" Rowena shouted.

Everyone stared at her.

"What rainbow glitter?" Donnie asked.

Rowena's brow furrowed in confusion. "When I walked into the bathroom, I saw Gina at the stall. Karen's head was in the toilet, but something was glittering in there, Donnie. Didn't you see it?"

He shook his head. "No, there was no glitter in the toilet when we arrived."

"I swear it was at the bottom of the commode. Sparkly rainbow glitter," Rowena insisted.

She missed the look the Howler brothers shared before Donnie chuckled. "Are you saying Karen's murderer accidentally left glitter at the crime scene?"

She jutted her chin out. "Well, I'm not saying he pooped it out, Donnie. Obviously, the glitter is an important clue, and you should find out why I saw it but you didn't."

"I didn't see any glitter either, Rowena," Gina admitted.

"Rowena," Rolando said, stepping closer. "I hate to ask, but have you forgotten to take your meds?"

"I'm not on meds!" Rowena insisted.

"No, but she needs them," Donnie mumbled.

Rowena's blood boiled in fury and her hands tightened into fists. "Objection! You're an idiot!"

Cross wrapped his arm around her waist again and lifted her off the ground. "All right, we're leaving before I have to bail her out of jail again. Selig, take care of Ms. Purple Nurple."

Cross carried a kicking Rowena out of the breakroom and to the parking lot. It wasn't until they were in his Jeep that he turned to her and asked, "Are you sure you saw rainbow glitter in the toilet?"

"What a very odd question," Rowena observed. "Like, I bet you never thought those words would come out of your mouth, huh?"

"Nothing surprises me since I've met you, Rowena. Answer the question."

"I swear it, Cross. There was rainbow glitter in the toilet. I didn't notice it anywhere else. I thought it was strange," Rowena answered. "Do you think I imagined it? Why else would Gina and Donnie not have seen it?"

"Rowena, you're a hexing witch," Cross reminded her.

"And?"

"That means you're part of a paranormal society. You have a gift."

"I'm still not understanding you," Rowena said.

"Another member of our paranormal society probably left that glitter," Cross explained. "A fairy, if you want me to be specific."

"Fairies leave behind glitter when they kill someone? Fairies like Tinkerbell from Peter Pan?"

"Fairies leave behind glitter when they use magic. Donnie and Gina can't see the glitter because they're regular humans. Do you understand what I'm saying here?"

Rowena nodded.

"You're saying Tinkerbell killed Karen!"

NOTE: I am doing Nanowrimo this month! Be awesome and check out my mystery novel I Love You, Let's Break Up on my profile. I'm updating every other day. The twists and turns in this story are going to be insane!