Accidents Will Happen

Chapter 4

             Detective Bucci fixed on the green tattoo snaking up Jessica Evan’s left leg into oblivion. “That tattoo. It’s …unusual.”

            “It’s Medieval,” Jessica squirmed, shifting her crossed legs,

             He rose from the interrogation table and gave an encouraging shoulder pat. “What is it?”

            “It’s a merri-coupala vine. Its berries make a love potion. Mrs. Trevellian found a book on medieval medicines. See the red berries?”

            He crouched to examine her calf and wondered how his colleagues behind the glass would replay this down at Salty’s Bar.  Reseated, he scowled fiercely, but spoke secretively. “You know, Jessica, you are in serious trouble.”

            She sobbed until one of her lavish eyelashes soaked off and fell onto the table like an upturned centipede. “

            “Jessica, listen to me.” He grabbed her two forearms and leaned in. “You need to focus here.” Obviously, she was still high. “Tell me the truth, honey. Did you kill Roger Trevellian?”

            That brought another torrent of tears and another dead eyelash. “No. I loved Roger. That’s why I got the tattoo and the love potion.”

            “You got them for Roger?”

            “Yes, but he hated it. He said my tattoo was ugly and ran out of the bathroom.”

            Detective Bucci pushed closer. “You were in the bathroom?”

             “Yes.”

            “With Roger?”

            “Well where else are you supposed to go at a party when you don’t want someone to barge in?”

              “But Roger left?” Jessica sniffed and nodded

              “And what did you do then, Sweetheart?”

              “ I went to the kitchen to find Roger and took the love potion.”

             “Tell me Jessica, where did you get it?” 

             And, what had the overstuffed wife of the deceased said as she plucked the last donut off Bucci’s desk?  

            “If you can bite it, chew it, and swallow it, I want to learn about it.”

Meet the author of this chapter:  Tippi Young is a retired English/theatre teacher, mother of 5, grandmother of 11, and great grandmother of 3. She breeds and shows the Lovin Laces Birman cats, writes plays and currently, her memoir. Her recent collection “Great-Gramma's Dirty Dozen” should be available through Amazon in the future. She may be reached at www.LovinLacesBirmans.com or at tippiyoung@aol.com.