This week: A Federal Case

Now, only Marianna, Pollythene, a smattering of waitresses, and UPChuck remained. Mari told Priscilla to make sure the Club got cleaned up- she had business to take care of.
The two cops- detectives, actually- approached the bar. Both were women. The blonde looked dizzy after the sudden clearing of the Club. The brunette narrowed her eyes shrewdly. Mari could tell she knew the rap sheet of every single person who had been in the club that night- even that of Daniela's new boyfriend, who Mari had never seen before- and Marianna knew everyone in Layla:).
"Mrs. Trench?" said the brunette. Marianna nodded warily. These two weren't Layla:) cops- those were all on a first-name basis with Mari. "I'm Detective Josie Martin. This is my partner, Emma English. We're with the FBI." The waitresses got a little quieter. This might be interesting.
Oh, great, thought Marianna. They're making a federal case of this- literally. "I guess this is about Pez?"
"Yes," said Det. English. She looked like that Baby Spice Girl, but her skirt was longer. "We have received a request that Mr. DeSpencer's case be re-opened."
But hopefully not his coffin, Marianna thought. "By whom? Who requested the case be reopened?"
English glanced at Martin. "That information is classified," said Martin.
"In which case, any information I may have, and that isn't much, is also classified. I like to know who attacks my business."
"Ma'am, please don't make this any more difficult than it already is." But Marianna's mind was made up. She'd been jailed before for impeding an investigation... jail was rather nice. A warm cell all your own, whatever you wanted to eat, free cable, and a nice exercise yard.
"Marianna," said UPChuck. "Maybe you1d better cooperate."
"Uh-uh. I want to know who killed Pez, but I also want to know who re-opened this case." They were whispering, while the waitresses crept around cleaning up, and the detectives checked out the fascinating posters on the wall.. the ones with the nifty five-leaved plants...
Pollythene came over. "Hey, Mum, Dava reopened the case."
"How do you know that? And don't call him Dava, call him Wizard Jini."
"Yeh... uhh... I was fighting with Marina about whether or not her dad could really hack into Fibbie files, and she said she could, and I said, well, prove it, and she hacked in and intercepted an email from the Wizard, and he was asking them to reopen the case."
"Marina Nett? Doreen's daughter?" Marianna frowned.
"Yeh..."
"When was this?"
"Two days ago?"
"And you're just telling me now? Polly, when it affects my business, and yours, please give me some warning!"
"Sorry, Mum..." Marianna sighed. Well, at least now she had someone to blame for the monetary loss.
Martin came back to the bar. "Mrs. Trench, we'd like to question a few people, if you have the ability to assemble them." Marianna nodded. "Daniela DeSka, the man... Oskar? that was present at Mr. DeSpencer's death, anyone working that night, Dream Dryad, Mr. Chuck, here, your daughter and yourself, if possible."
"I can only speak for myself, Det. Martin. I am willing." Mari glanced at Pollythene.
"Yeh... I'll talk. I won't be under oath, will I?"
"Pollythene Pamela Trench..." Polly smiled sweetly at her mother and the detectives. Marianna turned to the detectives. "Can you start tomorrow morning, around ten? I1ll have the Club open for you to use."
"Sure!" said Det. English. "And we'll try to be outta here before you open tomorrow night. We realise you're trying to run a business." Marianna smiled at Emma English. Despite the Spice Girl resemblance (and the fact that she was a Fibbie), Marianna was starting to not hate this detective.
"Hmm. Yes," said Martin. She abruptly turned and left, English following a few paces behind.
"I think they should question Frogman," said UPChuck.
"He wasn1t even at the Club that night."
"Doreen was here. He controls her. He might have gotten her to slip something into one of Pez's drinks."
"Why? Why would Frogman want Pez dead? That kid never hurt anyone... Daniela was pissed when she found out he used to smoke."
"What, pot?"
"No, tobacco."
"But he quit, right?"
"Yeah, but Dani goes overboard sometimes."
"I haven't heard you call her Dani in years..."
"I'm tired. Over-stressed."
"Do you think she did it? I wouldn't put it past her... but I'm not going to push her as a suspect. She scares me."
"She scares everyone with more than half a brain."
"I wonder if she scares those cops," put in Pollythene.
"Seems more like she's scared of them," said Marianna. "She was the first one out of here."
"Suspicious..." said UPChuck. Just then, Dream came in.
"Hey, where is everybody?" she asked.
"Cops scared 'em away. Fibbies." Mari shrugged. "Seems that Pez's case has been reopened."
"Why? By whom?"
"Dava... who knows why that crazy Wizard does anything?"
"Huh..." said Dream.
"Distracted much? What do you know that I don't?"
"Hmmm?" She raised her eyebrows in question. "I'm just worried..."
"About?"
"I've got an audition for the Newshregsburg Symphony Orchestra. They're playing Standing Stone some time this season, you know."
"Yeah, I already got my tix. I think I'm getting cultured, Dream. Oh, before I forget! The cops want to interview you about Pez..."
"Why me?"
"'Cos you're psychic?"
"Oh... when?"
"Tomorrow morning, after ten some time..." This conversation was moving so slowly! It was like they were in a dream (how appropriate)...
"Um, okay." Dream put her head down on the bar.
"Are you okay?" asked UPChuck.
"My leg hurts, and I have that audition on Tuesday..."
"Your leg hurts? Shouldn't you go home and rest?" Dream didn't answer; she just lifted her head and started playing with a paper umbrella. "I'm taking you home," UPChuck said. To Marianna, he said, "I'll stop by later."
Marianna nodded and waved good-bye to Dream. She turned her attention to Pollythene, now not just sitting at the bar, but sitting on the bar. "Pollythene Pamela Trench. How many times do I have to tell you- hacking into federal computers is a bad, bad thing."
"Mum... I..."
"And worse, you find information pertaining to my business, and you don't tell me!"
"Then I guess it's time for a full confession."
"Perhaps it is."
"I found out something... about Dad."
"About Mac? What- why would there be information about a cargo pilot in federal files?"
"Umm... that's the thing, Mum. Dad isn't exactly a cargo pilot..."
To Be Continued...
Next week: Mac Trench's deep, dark secret, and...
Pez's Murderer Revealed?