Free Sugar and Iced (Cupcake Bakery Mystery) by Jenn McKinlay Page B

about what?” a voice asked from behind Lupe. Mel glanced up to see Detective Manny Martinez standing there. He did not look happy to see them.

Twelve

    “Manny!” Mel greeted the tall, dark, and annoyingly handsome detective. “What are you doing here?”
    “I’m not checking the flower arrangements,” he said, giving her a look that made her feel flustered and not just because she had evaded his question.
    “Oh, right,” Mel said. She stepped forward and gave him an awkward half hug. He looked amused, as if he knew she was uncertain how to behave around him. “Homicide detective. Body. It all adds up now.”
    “The hotel manager said you were the one to find the victim,” he said. His black eyes looked concerned and Mel gave him a rueful smile.
    “It wasn’t me this time,” she said. “It was Angie.”
    “Hi.” Angie rose from her seat on the planter and gave him a small wave.
    Manny and Angie had an uneasy relationship. Mel knew it was mostly her fault. With Joe being Angie’s older brother, Angie felt a certain loyalty to him to not like any man who showed an interest in the woman Joe wanted to marry, which would be Mel. On the other hand, Angie was Mel’s best friend and wanted her to be happy, so she tried to be extra nice to Manny on the off—very off—chance that Mel and Manny ended up together.
    “How are you doing?” he asked. He gave Angie the same concerned look he’d given Mel.
    “Not great,” Angie said.
    “Understandable,” Manny said. “Can you talk about it? We can wait for Stan if you want. He’s coming here from another call.”
    “No, it’s fine,” Angie said. “I can do this.”
    It sounded to Mel like she was talking herself into it.
    “Are you sure?” she asked.
    “Yeah.” Angie gave her a stiff nod.
    “If you could just walk me through what happened.” Manny said. He gestured to the crime scene.
    The uniformed police who had responded had already cordoned off the area with plastic yellow tape, and gawkers were being dispersed by the resort’s security staff. While Mel watched, she noted that the crime scene investigators had arrived and were surveying the surrounding scene.
    Manny and Angie walked closer to the perimeter of the tape and Mel saw Angie explaining how she’d found the body. Even from across the room, she could see that Angie’s hands were shaking. She wished she could go over and hug her friend.
    “She’ll be okay,” Joyce said, and she hugged Mel to her side.
    Mel turned to look at her. “Thanks, Mom. Does this mean you’ve forgiven me?”
    “It seems silly now to have been so annoyed with you.” Joyce let go of her and reached up to brush the blond bangs out of Mel’s eyes. “My feelings were hurt that you left me out of your big news and then you broke up with dear Joe.”
    Joyce let out a sigh that sounded like it came from her feet. “An assistant district attorney.” She sighed again. “I’m sure I’ll be able to let it go, eventually.”
    Mel smiled at her. “That’s my girl.”
    Joyce gave her a rueful look.
    Mel glanced at Lupe and noticed she was scanning the room as if looking for the nearest exit.
    “Trust me,” she said to the teen. “You’re going to be okay. Mariel must have been under the table before Angie and I set up today’s cupcake tower. Whoever harmed her had to have done it earlier today when you were prepping for the bathing suit event, so you have Mom as an alibi.”
    Lupe and Joyce exchanged a glance. It was the bottom-heavy look of two people who were sharing a secret.
    “Oh, no, spill it,” Mel said.
    Joyce put a protective arm around Lupe. “No one is accountable for every second of their day.”
    “Are you trying to tell me that you weren’t with Lupe all morning?” Mel asked.
    Lupe looked down and away as if afraid to meet Mel’s gaze directly. Mel could feel her stomach knot up with anxiety. This wasn’t good. Much as she hated to admit it, Lupe had been right. Her spat with Mariel