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ALEX CAME RUSHING THROUGH the broken door, wielding an axe. “What happened? I heard screaming.” His head swiveled, looking around the room.
Winston knew the scene would appear odd. He himself held up the potted orchid like a shield. Orchid had stopped shrieking, and her mouth now hung wide open. Tal lay on the floor, unconscious, a broken bottle in his hand.
“Tal tried to attack us,” Winston said. “But I got him good.” He patted the flower pot with affection.
“Looks like it.” Alex lowered his axe and stepped over to Orchid. “Are you all right, ma’am?”
Orchid closed her mouth and nodded.
A commotion sounded from the hallway. Winston heard loud clomping footsteps before Gaffey burst into the bathroom—with the officiant in tow.
Gaffey flashed his badge while the celebrant cowered in a corner. The cop’s eyes narrowed at Winston. “What trouble have you stirred up now?”
“I was defending myself,” Winston said, pushing the flowers in front of Gaffey’s face.
The cop sneezed. He looked over at Tal’s unconscious body and back to the plant in Winston’s hands. “You used that as a weapon?”
“There’s not much else in here,” Winston said, placing the pot back on the bathroom counter.
Gaffey put his forefinger and thumb up to his forehead and squeezed. “And exactly why would Tal be attacking you?”
“I solved the case. He murdered his dad and Fort.” Winston tried to strut, but it wasn’t as meaningful in his Space Invaders shirt.
“Those are very strong accusations. Do you have any proof?”
Orchid straightened up and said, “I heard Tal confess. He tried to kill me, too.”
Winston pointed to the broken bottle. “If the Molotov cocktail isn’t enough to show you his killer nature, maybe you should check out the Google doc for Ming’s medications. Tal changed up the pills.”
Orchid’s brow furrowed as she added, “And he greased the steps in the Mystery Shack with muscle rub. Maybe you can check for fingerprints.” She patted her purse. “Plus, I have the peanut sauce container he used to poison Fort with as more evidence.”
Gaffey’s eyes goggled with all the information. He pulled out a notepad and started jotting everything down.
The doorbell rang then, loud and strident. A barrage of voices and footsteps headed their way. The entire Chan clan soon craned their necks around the bathroom door.
Viv squeezed inside and threw her arms around Orchid. “Mom, are you okay?”
The two seemed super close. No wonder Orchid had tried to cover for her baby girl. Winston was glad he’d kept the old lady safe and unscorched.
The other Chans tried to budge in but got stuck in the narrow doorway. They murmured at seeing Tal’s prostrate body.
“What happened to Tal?” Lyle asked, even as he lifted his camera above his siblings’ heads and snapped photos.
“This is official police business.” Gaffey lifted his badge high in the air. “No bystanders.”
The Chans’ voices grew more animated.
“I’ll tell you everything,” Orchid said to them as she motioned her family away. The other siblings disappeared from the doorway, but Viv remained.
She stopped before Winston and said, “Excuse me, but I think you found something in the shack? Could it be . . . ?”
Winston reached into his pocket and pulled out the rose brooch. “All yours,” he said.
“Thank you. It’s a family heirloom.” She pinned it on. “Now I’m ready for your wedding.”
The wedding! Winston hardly noticed Viv excusing herself as he turned his attention to the officiant in the corner. “And why are you so late?”
Pointing to Gaffey, the celebrant said, “He pulled me over and started questioning me.”
“You stopped my officiant?” Winston asked Gaffey.
The cop shrugged. “Doing my job. Kristy told me about that van following you. And this man was driving a gray-colored car.”
“A sedan,” the celebrant said, scratching his bald head.
A suspicion surfaced in Winston’s mind. He stood eye to eye with Gaffey. “Was this really about helping me—or hindering my wedding?”
A flush bloomed on Gaffey’s cheeks. “Well, I had to try, didn’t I? Delay the inevitable somehow.”
“You are definitely not invited to the ceremony,” Winston said as he grabbed the tux from the back of the door. “But in the meantime, you can arrest Tal.”
Alex piped up. “What a mess,” he said as he surveyed the room. “I’ll have to pay the maid double.”
“Oh, the problems of the rich,” Winston said. Which reminded him . . .
“Here are the rings,” he told Alex. “Courtesy of your girlfriend who happened to ‘find them’ in her purse.”
Alex gave him a puzzled look. “Huh. Guess I didn’t look there. Well, you can change upstairs,” he said to Winston. “I’ll let the crowd know we’ll be starting soon.”
Winston began heading out, but Gaffey called him back. “Congrats,” the cop said.
“Yeah, I’m glad to put this case to rest.”
Gaffey pulled at his earlobe. “I meant you deserve your detective title . . . and the girl.”
Winston nodded at Gaffey’s compliments. “Don’t worry. Your time will come.” Then he hung his tux over his arm and left to get ready for what would be an insanely great wedding.