Free Cappuccino Twist by Anisa Claire West

reopened over the years, but no one has been in my court.  This homicide needs to be solved once and for all.  If we let it go another 50 years, there won’t be anyone left to bring to justice.” The detective spoke passionately, stirring my emotions even more.
    “But even right now, we might not be able to bring anyone to justice.  My aunt’s murderer may very well be deceased,” I pointed out.  “You still want to reopen this case even if there’s no one to prosecute?” I held my breath until the detective replied.
    “Absolutely.  The actual perpetrator may indeed be deceased, but there could be people still alive who have kept secrets all these years when they were legally obligated to share information with the police.  If that’s the case, those people can be prosecuted for conspiracy,” Detective Mendez said confidently.
    At that point, someone really should have restrained me because I was a heartbeat away from clobbering the detective with affection.  “Okay, so what do I need to do next?  How can I help?” I asked eagerly.
    The detective gave me an avuncular look and said softly, “You don’t need to do anything now, Señorita Falcon.  Leave everything to me and my team of professionals.  What you did by knocking on people’s doors and basically accosting them for information was very dangerous.  Stay in the background now and let the police do all the heavy lifting.”
    The detective’s advice was undeniably wise, but I’ve never been the type to sit still and be passive.  I couldn’t just go back to the inn and wither away watching Spanish sitcoms until there was a break in the investigation.  I needed to play an active role in solving the crime.  With a rebellious upturn of my chin, I argued, “But I really want to help.  And I need to know if you think our theory is right…that the man who’s been staring me down is really Jorge Canton, Jr.”
    “Oh he certainly is,” the detective confirmed as I flinched with surprise.
    “How do you know for sure without researching it?” Eduardo interjected, equally surprised by the detective’s certitude.
    “The Cantons are a wealthy and influential family in Barcelona.  Not only is there a Jorge Canton, Jr., but there’s also a Jorge the third.  That family practically has a dynasty running around Barcelona,” the detective revealed.
    “But how do you know the man who signed my petition is part of that family?  Couldn’t he be somebody else?” Eduardo pressed.
    “Not likely.  Jorge Canton, Jr. is known to troll around coffee shops in the city.  And not just coffee shops.  Bars too.  And movie theaters.  People usually assume he’s homeless.  We’ve gotten quite a few calls at the station about the ‘homeless guy who won’t go away.’  People have no idea how loaded he is.  The guy’s got nothing better to do than waste his days sipping espresso at Dario’s shop.” Detective Mendez rose from his chair, carrying the two plastic bags in his hand.  “These are on their way to the crime lab,” he announced with satisfaction. 
    “But you’re going to look into Canton’s history no matter what the lab results are, right?” Eduardo checked.
    “Absolutely.  And I’m also going to look into the Falcon family history in Barcelona.  When the murder occurred, everyone assumed it was one of Silvia’s lovers who had committed the act.  No one ever looked into whether Silvia’s family had any enemies in Barcelona.”
    “You mean that the murderer could have been someone with a vendetta against my family and not Silvia personally?” I clarified.
    “Perhaps.  I’m keeping all doors open right now.  But the door I’m going to open the widest is the one that leads to the Canton mansion,” Detective Mendez assured.
    “I think I was at that mansion the other day when I tried to interview Jacinta Canton,” I said, recalling how she had refused to open the door to me.  Maybe she hadn’t been afraid of