“It was an accident,” cried Mary. “I brought her my new pumpkin spice muffins a few days ago and she choked on it. She laughed and choked! I was holding the butter knife. And I was just so mad . . .”

“Why did you drag her through the backyard?” Isolde asked.

“I was . . . I was going to put her in Lawson’s yard, but he was up drinking and looking for owls from his back porch. So I wrapped her in the tarp and hid her for later.” Mary sobbed as Officer Rosenfeld led her to the cruiser.