 Hydridge, a division of recorded books, presents Murder, with Collard Greens and Hot Sauce, by A. L. Herbert, read by Janina Edwards. Chapter 1 Be careful with that, I say to Latasha, as she paints the white cream on Wavon's hair. Sometimes I think all that relaxer has fried her brain. Now you just shut your mouth, Miss naturally straight hair, Wavon says. Keeping it short like you do should be a crime. Wavon and I are sitting next to each other, in front of the long mirrors at illusions. The hair salon a few doors down from my restaurant, Mahalia's Sweet Tea. Latasha owns the salon, and has been cutting and styling our hair for years, even though Wavon wears wigs much of the time. As Wavon mentioned, I was blessed with good hair that doesn't need to be relaxed, but running a restaurant doesn't leave me a lot of time to fuss with it. So much to Wavon's annoyance, I keep it fairly short. I like Halia's cut. Latasha comes to my defense. It frames her face nicely. It gives her a contemporary look, makes her look neat and professional. What it makes her look is like the sister in those Popeyes commercials. Wavon turns her eyes to me. Now, if only your fried chicken was as good as Popeyes, she adds, an evil grin rising on her face. Latasha and I gasp in unison. You did not just insult her fried chicken. Them's fighting words, Latasha says with a laugh. Damn right they are. I look at Wavon. Don't make me take my earrings off. Simmer down, Halia. I'm just messing with you. We all know you serve the best fried chicken in town. She shifts her eyes to Latasha's reflection in the mirror. You gotta play to the old girl's ego sometimes, she says. She ain't got no man, so her fried chicken is all she has. Oh girl, first you insult my chicken, and then you call me old? Keep it up, Wavon, and I'll conspire with Latasha to leave that relaxer on your hair until it falls out. Calm down, ladies. There'll be no hair falling out in my salon. It's bad for business, Latasha says. And I certainly don't want any mishaps with Monique Dupree do here in two days. Monique Dupree, Wavon exclaims. It's coming here. Yep. Get out. Who's Monique Dupree? I inquire. Wavon ignores my question. Why is Monique Dupree coming here? She's kicking off a cross-country tour at the unique Sheik Hair Convention in the city this weekend. From there, she'll be traveling all over the United States doing promotional events. Sample complete. Ready to continue?