Sweet Revenge (Cocoa Narel Chocolate Shop Mysteries Book 1) by Morgana Best Page B

should go back to my place and make notes on my whiteboards.”
    I shook my head. “Maybe later. Don’t you think it’s a bit early for that?”
    “Don’t ask me questions so early in the morning,” Carl said, rubbing his temples and sighing. “I have a Level Five caffeine deficiency.”
    I tapped my chin. “Hamilton Howes. Obviously he came back to town for the reunion, because I haven’t seen him since high school, have you?”
    “No.” Carl poured himself another cup of coffee, and I declined a second cup. I was still sipping my first coffee and eating a dark chocolate salted brownie bar.
    “So what do the three victims have in common?” I asked him.
    “Well, obviously, they were three of The Populars.”
    I sighed. “Yes, but was Hamilton worse than any of the other Populars? Lucinda and Mandy were really nasty Populars and they’re still alive,” I pointed out.
    “So far,” Carl said.
    “What do you mean?”
    “I mean, they’re alive so far . Perhaps the murderer is going to work his way through all The Populars.”
    “The murderer could be a woman, you realize, Carl,” I said.
    “I wasn’t being sexist,” Carl said. “You were the only girl they bullied really badly, and since you’re not the murderer, the murderer must be one of the boys.”
    “That’s assuming that the motive was revenge for being bullied,” I said.
    “This is all too much for me so early in the morning,” Carl said, rubbing his forehead once more and sighing dramatically.
    A loud knock on my front door interrupted us. We exchanged glances. “Who could that be?” Carl asked me.
    “We’ll know in a few seconds,” I said, as I made my way to my door. I opened the door to see Detectives Rieker and Clyde standing on my doorstep. Their expressions were grim.
    “May we come in?” Rieker said, pushing past me. Both detectives were in my house before I even had the chance to speak.
    At that moment Carl appeared. I saw Rieker and Clyde immediately focus their attention on him.
    “Can we talk?” Rieker said.
    I showed them into my small living room. We all took a seat. “I have a cat in that carrier basket,” I said. I was worried that Mongrel might come out and so something untoward, like biting their legs.
    Rieker ignored me and wasted no time in coming to the point. “Were you here all night?” he asked me.
    “Yes, I was,” I said.
    Rieker looked at Carl. “And you are?”
    “Carl Smith.”
    Rieker nodded. “Yes, we haven’t got around to questioning you yet.” He narrowed his eyes. “You’re on our list.”
    I thought Carl would be worried, but instead he turned to Detective Clyde. “And am I on your list?” He winked at him.
    Despite the seriousness of the situation, I could not help but be amused. Clyde shifted awkwardly in his seat and stared at a point on the floor.
    “And were the two of you here all night together?” Rieker asked us.
    “Heavens no,” Carl said. “She’s not my type.” With that, he winked once more at Clyde.
    I saw the light dawn on Detective Rieker’s face. “Well, when did you arrive? It’s early in the morning.”
    “I couldn’t sleep and I saw what happened to Hamilton Howes on the news. Of course, I raced straight over to tell Narel.”
    “Of course,” Rieker said dryly. “Why didn’t you simply call her?”
    “Well, it was such shocking news because we all went to school with Hamilton.”
    “So did you think she would be upset?” Clyde asked him.
    “More like shocked than upset,” Carl said. “After all, Hamilton was one of The Populars.”
    The two detectives exchanged glances. “Ah yes, the famous Populars,” Rieker said in a tone that hinted of sarcasm. “And were you bullied, too?” He addressed the question to Carl.
    Carl nodded. “I wasn’t bullied as badly as Narel or some of the other kids.”
    Rieker turn to me. “And did Hamilton Howes bully you?”
    I thought before I answered. I didn’t want to implicate myself. “All The Populars