Raining Men and Corpses: A Fun Cozy Mystery (A Raina Sun Mystery Book 1) (16 page)

“You’ll be listening in,” Raina said. “I plan to ask him something about the murder case. And if you get something from the conversation, you can relay it to Matthew.”

Officer Hopper nodded. “I’ll let you have twenty minutes with Sol, but only if he wants to talk to you.”

This was more generous than Raina expected. She held up the bag. “Cake pops?”

R
aina sat
on a hard chair with her hands folded on the small table in the interrogation room. The industrial lemon scent irritated her nose, but didn’t hide the fear and sweat permeating the space from its previous occupants. Her scalp prickled at the bright fluorescent lights and bare walls. She glanced sideways at the large darkened window. Officer Hopper was on the other side, watching her every move and listening for an excuse to arrest her. Oh, happy thoughts.

Sol sat across from her with swollen red eyes and a badly bandaged nose. His hair looked even greasier and hung lifeless around his face. The new growth of hair on his jaw line made him look like a one-eyed alley cat.

Raina cleared her throat. “I’m sorry about…” She touched her nose.

“Sonia has been hysterical since my arrest.”

“Eden told me the two of you are…dating.”

He sneered. “Let me guess. You don’t approve.”

She studied him until he looked away. “It’s not up to me who Eden dates. But if you make her cry, I’m coming after your kneecaps.”

“I’m sorry. You looked so panicked at the house. I thought you were going to scream.” He gave her a ghost of a smile. “I didn’t want to be caught.”

In hindsight, Raina’s wild bucking did more damage to the garage and herself than his bear hug. And he looked far worse than she felt, but he wasn’t getting off easy. “How are your boys?”

“I know who to blame if I don’t have any kids in the future.”

She shuddered at the thought of mini-Sols. “I heard you were going to press charges.”

“I wanted to talk to you and it was the fastest way to get you here.”

“What were you looking for? Three spiral notebooks?”

Sol leaned forward in his seat. “Do you have them?”

“They’re in police custody.”

He sank back into his chair with drooping shoulders.

“It wasn’t Holden’s handwriting. They looked like research material for his last book.”

“That’s my book. I wrote it.”

“I figured as much. He gave you the money for Sonia’s wedding reception.”

His eyes widened. “How did you know about the money?”

“Girl talk. You know how it is in the restrooms. Sonia thought you got the money from me.”

Sol half rose, the palms of his hands pressing against the table. The handcuffs clinked as he strained against them. “What did you tell her?”

Raina held up her palms. “Nothing. She still thinks we’re an item, but how are you going to explain Eden?”

He settled back into his chair. “I already told her I dumped you and found someone else.”

She suppressed the urge to roll her eyes. As if his sister would believe he was a ladies’ man. “About the book?”

“The money was a loan. The manuscript and research material were collateral. I was supposed to have a year to repay him.”

“But he published it.”

He nodded glumly.

“And you went to see Olivia a few nights ago to see if she could help you.”

“So it was you! You’re so damn lucky.”

A chill ran down her back and Raina shivered. Yes, she’d been lucky so far. A drunken Olivia waving a gun around in the dark wasn’t an experience she wanted to repeat. “I have to go. I’m sorry you’re in here. You’ll be out tomorrow?”

Sol eyed her. “We’re even if you help me get my notebooks back.”

“Sorry, no can do. It’s evidence now.”

“I heard you’re chummy with the detective. I’m sure you wouldn’t want him to know you faked a pregnancy before Holden died. It might complicate things for you.”

Raina clenched her jaw. “You’re dating my best friend. You’re supposed to be nice to me.”

He scratched his paunchy stomach. “It was worth a try, just in case the friend card didn’t work.”

She gave him a disgusted look. The man was incurable. Who would threaten a potential ally “just in case?”

The light clicked on behind the darkened window. A signal her time with Sol had run out. Her gaze slid sideways to the window, expecting to see Officer Hopper.

Raina’s heart stopped. It was Matthew. His face was tight, the golden flecks in his eyes were dull, and his lips were pressed together. She forced herself to breathe again.

Officer Hopper stood behind Matthew. She gave Raina a cocky smile and held her hand to her ear to signal she’d called him.

Raina crossed her arms to hide her trembling hands. She should have known better than to trust a romantic rival.

A few minutes later, Officer Hopper and Matthew stood outside the opened door of the interrogation room. Officer Hopper grinned as if she’d won the lottery and glided off with Sol as if she had wings. Matthew cocked his head and marched down the hall to escort her out.

The walk to her car was the longest journey Raina had ever taken. The hall was dimmer than a few minutes ago. The air stale and quiet. She would have wrung her hands if she were that type of woman. Instead, she held her head high and stared at a spot between his shoulder blades, concentrating on keeping her tears at bay until she could be alone. His steps punched the floor and tightened the knot in her shoulders.

Once outside, Matthew stalked over to the Honda and glared at Raina while she fumbled for her keys. The street lamp spotlighted her car and darkened the rest of the world around them as if they were actors on a stage. If only they were actors.

Raina swallowed several times before she found her voice. “It was the only way I could get my money back from him. I’d asked for it several times before. Please understand. You weren’t even in the picture then…” Her voice trailed off when she realized he wasn’t even listening.

He studied her face as if memorizing her features.

She pressed her trembling lips together and held onto to her stomach as if she was going to be sick. Her heart galloped in a race she didn’t want to be in. He was saying good-bye again without saying anything. She’d seen the expression before. But she’d be damned if he’d see her cry.

Matthew jerked his chin. “Good night.” He stepped back into the shadow as if exiting the stage and left her exposed in the harsh light.

A tear slid out. Raina swiped at it as she turned to open her car door. Her hands shook and the keys jangled as they fell to the ground. Tears blurred her vision and it took her several seconds of patting blindly to find them. She stifled the urge to pound her fists on the car. What if he was watching from the shadows? She drove for three blocks and pulled over.

Her hands gripped the steering wheel as fresh tears warmed her numb face. Her heart squeezed tighter and tighter until her breaths came out in rapid heaves as if she were buried alive. Raina had known she’d pay the piper at some point. She just didn’t know at the time the price would be so high.

The world became silent as she replayed the scene by her car. It blended with their other good-bye scenes until she couldn’t tell if she was crying because of tonight or the other times he’d walked out of her life. She leaned her forehead on the wheel and sobbed harder as her heart broke.

She’d wanted Matthew all her life, but everything she did only made him slip further away.

R
aina patted more
powder on her blotchy skin. It was the best she could do given the circumstances. When she’d stumbled into the bathroom an hour ago, she almost fainted at the sight of the puffy eyes crusted over from last night’s tears. The reflection gave slit-eyed Asians a bad name.

A few minutes later, she pulled out of the driveway. She’d love nothing more than to stay in bed, but life didn’t stop just because her heart did. She needed to pick up Po Po and then meet Lori at Olivia’s house to get the missing files for the fundraiser. As she drove to the senior center, she replayed last night’s scene in her mind again.

Matthew hadn’t exactly said it was over between them. There was no reason for her to think last night’s good night held more meaning than just good night. It rankled that it’d always been his choice to leave her.

In the last decade, they ran into each other more times than it would have been possible under normal circumstances. Had he been toying with her affections all these years? Somehow he always tracked her down, probably through the grandmas, like some broken record that couldn’t get past the introduction.

But then, why did she always wait around like a groupie, happy for scraps? Wasn’t she worth more than the leftovers he gave her? Maybe last night was a sign to finally move on.

Po Po hopped into the car, humming off-key. She glanced at Raina’s face and reached across to hug her.

Raina relaxed into the familiar arms and tears welled up in her eyes.

“What happened, honey?” asked Po Po.

Raina told her grandma everything that had transpired after dropping her off with Mrs. Louie. “Officer Hopper played me. I actually felt sorry for her.” She pulled away from her grandma and reversed out of the parking spot.

“Of course, you wouldn’t think anything of it. You’re not that kind of person. If Mathew doesn’t realize his time is running out, then he doesn’t deserve you.” Po Po patted her shoulder. “Are you still dropping me off at Starbucks?”

Raina nodded. “You really think it’s time?”

“It’s long overdue. Either he needs to step up or he has to get off.”

Raina’s shoulders relaxed. Her grandma didn’t think she was the problem. It was him.

She dropped her grandma off at the coffee shop and made it to Olivia’s house a couple minutes past nine. Lori was nowhere in sight. She got out and checked her cell phone. No message. She sent a quick text to Lori but decided not to wait. Might as well get this unpleasant task over with.

A shadowy movement on one side of the house caught her attention. Raina peered at the spot but couldn’t make out anything from the sidewalk. After a moment of standing like a garden gnome, she gave herself a shake. It was probably a squirrel.

She limped to the front door and rang the doorbell. “Olivia! It’s Raina.”

No one answered.

This was a waste of time. She’d assumed Lori would call Olivia since they were so chummy. And where was Lori?

Raina turned to leave and noticed the opened backyard gate. She shuffled over, intending to close it, but strands of radio music floated toward her. She pushed the gate wider, took two steps into the side yard. No wonder Olivia didn’t hear the doorbell. Geez, the woman must be going deaf.

“Olivia! It’s Raina!” She cocked her head and listened. Still no response.

The mature trees shaded the narrow walkway to the rear of the house. It was silent except for the false cheer of the host on the radio show. She took slow steps into the yard and stopped every few steps. It wasn’t trespassing since she’d made her presence known.

Raina rounded the house and froze. She scanned the large landscaped backyard. A lawn chair lay on its back, spilling Olivia’s bulk onto the grass. Her cocked head was hidden behind large sunglasses. One hand pointed toward Raina while the other still clutched the neck of a broken Jack Daniel’s bottle.

The hair on the back of Raina’s neck stiffened. She whipped around and tripped over her own feet. No one. Her skin went clammy. Birds rustled in the tree, a car engine started, and the radio played “Dancing Queen.” She grew dizzy and let out the breath she’d been holding.

Raina inched forward as her gaze continued to sweep the yard. Her heart raced and her muscles tensed for the slightest excuse to run. She took a deep breath and touched the still body with a shaking hand.

The air left her lungs in a rush. “Oh my God!”

The sunburned skin was warm. Olivia was alive. And she was snoring.

The tension left Raina’s body. She wrinkled her nose at the stale body odor and the drying whiskey. She prodded Olivia with her foot. The drunk snorted and turned, flipping the lawn chair on top of herself.

Raina almost laughed, except the whole scene looked like a train wreck. She glanced at the opened patio door and back at the sleeping woman at her feet. This would be her only chance to snoop. With another quick glance behind her, she went inside the house.

The kitchen was a mess. Junk mail competed with takeout cartons for counter space. Glass tumblers with congealing science experiments were scattered around the room. Emptied Jack Daniel’s bottles were stacked inside the sink. Her initial guess that Olivia Spider Lashes was a secret alcoholic was right on the money.

Raina swallowed the bitter tang in her mouth. The smell she’d noticed from her first visit grew stronger in the hallway outside the main bedroom. A quick peek inside confirmed her suspicions. There were more laundry piles than there was carpet. The source of the stench came from several congealing vomit spots on the carpet. No wonder her cleaning woman left.

In one of the smaller bedrooms, Raina opened the drawers of a battered mahogany desk and rifled through the contents: several unopened collection notices and a receipt for a downtown hair salon. A three-hundred-dollar haircut and color? No wonder Olivia’s hair always looked too glossy and full for a sixty-year-old.

Raina flipped through the collection notices. Tucked amid the pile were several bank receipts for five thousand dollars each. She counted out the receipts and blew out a whistle. Twenty thousand dollars. The amount of cash found in Holden’s safe. Was Olivia paying for his services? She didn’t know being a gigolo was this lucrative.

Something thumped on the floor from the kitchen.

Raina dropped everything on the desk and hurried over to the window. Her blood roared inside her ears. She threw a leg over the sill.

“What are you doing here?” Olivia slurred from behind her.

Raina whipped around. “I came to pick up the files for the fundraiser. Didn’t Lori call to let you know I’d be coming?”

Olivia stared at her through bloodshot eyes. She swayed as she walked into the room.

Raina wrinkled her nose and held up a hand. “Stop. When was the last time you showered?”

“What are you doing here?” Olivia blinked. “Why are you climbing in from the window? I have a front door. And where’s Lori?”

Raina snapped her fingers. “I need the fundraiser files. Please don’t tell me they are on your desk at campus.”