Raining Men and Corpses: A Fun Cozy Mystery (A Raina Sun Mystery Book 1) (7 page)

“The pumpkin marble coffee cake looks good,” said Raina.

Matthew pushed his chair back.

“No, I’ll get it. You two keep talking,” said Brenda with a warm smile.

“What were you just saying?” Matthew asked.

Raina shook her head. “It wasn’t important.”

Brenda returned and slid a small plate with a generous slice of coffee cake between them. “I brought two forks.” She winked at Raina and sashayed away.

Raina stared at the two forks and heat rose from her neck. Was she wearing a dopey lovesick expression? Why did Brenda assume she wanted to share her cake?

“I can’t say no to two forks,” said a beaming Matthew, lopping off a large piece.

Raina rolled her eyes. Just like old times. She ordered dessert and he finished it off. She wiped her sweaty hands on her shorts again. It was now or never. “What did my grandfather say to you in high school? Before you left…” The “me” hung unspoken in the air between them.

Matthew coughed and reached for his coffee. He took a long swallow before meeting her eyes. “I—”

Officer Hopper thumped her cup on the table and sat on the vacant chair.

Raina wanted to scream at the look of relief on Matthew’s face. She scooted her chair back at the sudden crowd around the small table. A quick glance behind her confirmed that Eden was long gone.

“Chancellor wants to meet with you in an hour.” Officer Hopper grabbed a fork and popped a piece of the cake into her mouth. Her flinty blue eyes slid sideways to Raina and just as quickly dismissed her. “Wow, this is good cake, Matthew.” The fork dangled off her slim hands in the space between Matthew and Raina.

Raina wanted to laugh. So that was it. “That fork fell on the floor. Is that piece of hair still on the tines? I’m waiting for Brenda to bring me a new one.”

Officer Hopper’s eyes widened. The fork dropped onto the table with a resounding clang.

Matthew pressed his lips into a thin line. His eyes were bright with amusement. “Any idea what the meeting is about?”

Officer Hopper flicked a glance at Raina, her scowl firmly back in place.

“Meet you outside in a minute,” Matthew said.

Officer Hopper shoved away from the table and stalked to the entrance, banging open the door.

Right, police business. As if Raina couldn’t find out what the Chancellor said. All it took was a quick phone call to Gail. “Did Officer Cake Snatcher miss a coffee run this morning or something?”

Matthew popped another piece of cake into his mouth. “You can use my fork. It doesn’t have hair on it.”

Raina laughed and grabbed the plate before he could lop another piece off. He handed her the fork, their hands touching. A tingle of excitement ran up her arm. Warmth spread across her chest. The noise of the café once again faded into the background.

Matthew leaned in and tapped her nose. “It’s good to spend time with you again, Rainy. See you later.” He joined Officer Hopper outside.

Raina chuckled to herself and dug into the cake with Matthew’s fork. She made an enemy all right. Officer Cake Snatcher wanted Matthew, but she’d no idea he was just as emotionally unavailable to her as he was to Raina.

R
aina pressed
her back against the rough bark and huddled under the shade of the tree. She’d been sitting here for the last thirty minutes, but time had a surreal quality when her wet T-shirt clung to even wetter skin. Eden was late, as usual, even though her text message had said she was on her way. Waiting outside the freshman dorms in one-hundred-degree heat without a bottle of water wasn’t one of her smarter moves.

The idea to find Cora had seemed brilliant while finishing off her cake at the Venus Cafe yesterday. Any sane person would let the police investigate Holden’s murder. And Raina was normally sane, except Matthew was the police. She couldn’t risk him finding out about the fake pregnancy over the course of his investigation. He’d think she was trying to trap Holden just like his mom had trapped his dad into a disastrous marriage.

She glanced at the names written on the notebook resting on her knee. Olivia Kline and Sol Cardenas. Reluctantly, she added Cora Campos to the list. What reason did any of them have for killing Holden? Even if Olivia was a jealous lover, why would Olivia kill the object of her love rather than her rival? Raina swallowed. She was the rival. Not that she wanted Olivia to correct the situation. Why would Sol search Holden’s office behind closed doors if he had nothing to hide? And how did Cora fit into this? Why did the police seek her out at the bookstore? In hindsight, her reaction yesterday was suspicious.

A clinking noise dragged her attention from the notebook and she glanced at the cluster of two-story buildings. A golf cart pulled up next to the bike racks. Tony came over. “Someone called Campus Security about a woman passed out under a tree.”

Raina gave him what she hoped was her cutest smile. Unbelievable. How could a man just glisten when she smelled like the underside of a moldy mushroom? “Give me another hour. I don’t think I’m ready to swoon yet.”

“It’s dangerous to sit out in this heat.” Tony tilted his head toward the golf cart. “I’ll give you a ride back to your car. By the way, I’m going to have to confiscate your faculty parking pass.”

Raina got into the cart. “It’s too hot to walk from the student lot. I only use the parking pass for the greater good. And it’s not like the faculty lots are full during the summer.” She pulled out her lower lip in an exaggerated pout, blinking her eyes.

Tony laughed. “Nice try, but I’m just doing my job. And stop that blinking. You look more like a toad than a cute puppy.” He weaved the cart around two bikers.

Raina handed over her parking pass when they got to her car. It wasn’t as if she didn’t pay for a parking pass, just that she chose to give herself an upgrade once in a while. It was one of the perks of working with computer geeks.

“Why would someone call Campus Security?” Raina asked.

Tony shrugged. “Maybe someone is concerned about you.”

“Who called?”

“Cora Campos.”

Raina sucked in a breath. So she was on the right trail, enough to rattle Cora into calling Campus Security to get rid of her. Now she was more convinced than ever that she needed to talk to the freshman.

The ding on her cell phone distracted Raina from further thoughts about the matter. The text message was from Eden, asking Raina to swing by the newspaper office to pick her up for a little snooping at Olivia’s house. Raina was miffed, but Eden’s plan was more appealing than anything she could come up with at the moment.

A few minutes later, Eden hopped into the car. “Sorry, my desk phone rang just as I was about to leave.”

“How can you be on your way when you haven’t even left the building?”

“I was heading toward the door. Close enough.” Eden pulled out a Starbucks Frappuccino from her purse. “Here’s my peace offering. Ice cold from the vending machine.”

Raina twisted off the cap and downed half the bottle in one gulp.

Eden smirked. “I guess I’m forgiven. Let’s get on the road, Robin.”

Raina pulled away from the curb. “No, I’m Batman.”

“I’m almost a foot taller than you. If we get into a fight, I’d already be kicking butt while you’re still digging around for your pepper spray.”

Raina rolled her eyes. “Fine, you can be the muscle. So why are we going to Olivia’s house?”

“The Dean put her on Admin Leave this morning.”

“Because of the missing grant money?”

Eden shrugged. “Let’s find out.”

Raina parked in front of the single-story ranch-style house. Eden jumped out of the car like she had been ejected from her seat. Raina followed her friend to the front door. She shifted her weight and kicked a few scattered leaves off the porch while the bell chimed inside. In the far corner, there were cobwebs and the giant potted plant had more weeds than flowers. Olivia wasn’t one of those proud homeowners who believed in curb appeal.

Olivia cracked open the door. Her body blocked the view into the house. “What do you want?”

Raina stepped back from the rancid smell rolling out of the house. “What’s that awful stench?” She swallowed the bitter tang in her mouth. Apparently Olivia didn’t believe in air fresheners either.

Olivia stiffened and started to push the door close.

Eden stopped it with her foot. “Did you have a romantic relationship with Holden? What happened to the missing grant money? Do you think Holden’s death has anything to do with the missing money?”

Olivia’s eyes grew wider at each question. “What the—? Who are you?”

“Eden Small.
Gold Springs Weekly
. Are you on Admin Leave because of the missing money?”

“Get off my porch. You have three seconds before I call the police.”

“Why did you want me on the fundraiser committee? Was it because of Holden?” Raina asked.

Olivia raised an eyebrow. “They say you need to keep your enemies close.”

Raina wiped her hands on her shorts. She doubted Olivia would admit it, but it was worth a shot to see her reaction. “Did you kill Holden?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” Olivia kicked Eden’s foot out of the way and slammed the door, rattling the windows.

Eden banged on the door. “That’s assault.” She turned to Raina. “Well, that was a waste of time.”

Raina stared at the closed door. “Actually we found out a few interesting things. Olivia is probably a secret alcoholic. You can tell by the stench in the house.” It’d smelt like Matthew’s childhood home before his father left. She turned and walked back to her car.

Eden caught up with her. “You said a few interesting things.”

“Olivia knew about my relationship with Holden. So did she want me on the committee to keep an eye on me or to rattle Holden? If it’s the former, she considered me a romantic rival, and if it’s the latter, she might have a vendetta against Holden.”

R
aina dropped
Eden off at the newspaper office and rolled through the drive-thru on her way to campus for her closing shift. The visit to Olivia’s house had cut into her lunch so she chugged a supersize iced coffee and greasy burger while driving one handed. When she logged in to her computer, she sent a message to her supervisor, retracting her earlier email begging for more hours. Bills could wait. Volunteering for the fundraiser gave her the perfect excuse to ask questions.

When her shift ended, she trotted over to the history building, hoping to catch Gail in a chatty mood this late in the workday. Her stomach heaved like a twig in a storm from the acid in the coffee and the grease in the burger. She rooted around in her purse for her small roll of Tums. A small mint, pepper spray, a notebook, and several inkless pens. It was either time to clean her purse or buy a bigger one. Her stomach churned again. Payback could be such a bit—

She slammed into a wall of sharp edges and bones. As her butt hit the floor it knocked the air of out of her lungs. Books thumped around her and someone yelped. Raina grimaced at the quick flash of pain racing up her back, annoyed at herself for not paying attention to her surroundings.

Andrew Rollinger extended a hand. “Sorry. We need to hang mirrors at the corners. Are you okay?”

Raina nodded and stood with Andrew’s help. The contents of her purse, three hardback books, and a several sheets of paper were strewn across the floor. The elusive roll of Tums rested on the heels of his brown loafers. As they gathered their stuff, he droned about the new teaching assignments for the graduate students.

“So is that extra class okay with you?” he asked.

Raina blinked, staring at his face for half a second. His monotonous voice sounded so much like her white noise machine she’d tuned it out. “Why are you taking over Olivia’s duties while she’s on Admin Leave? Wouldn’t a professor with more seniority…I mean.” Her eyes widened. “Just let me swallow my foot right now.”

Andrew’s normally ruddy face got even redder. “I’ve the experience for the job. Just…” He shrugged.

Raina raised an eyebrow. How would a senior lecturer have the experience to fill in for the department head? “Did the Dean ask you to fill in for Olivia temporarily?”

He nodded. “That extra undergrad class is okay?”

“Oh yes! I need the hours.” This was perfect. Not only would she get some extra hours for the semester, it’d allow her to spend even more time at the department snooping. “So are you also dealing with the grant money fiasco, too? You think that’s why Olivia is on Admin Leave?”

“Nope. Someone called the Dean about her inappropriate behavior.” Andrew went on for another few minutes about blatant favoritism and bullying, none of which was news to Raina.

“What’s inappropriate?” Raina interrupted when he paused for a breath.

He made a show of looking up and down the hall, but didn’t lower the volume of his voice. “Sex, money, and lies.”

Unbelievable. The man was having a field day. He didn’t seem to be the type to spread vicious rumors. “Can you be more specific? Who called? Was there any proof of misconduct?” Raina asked.

“Obviously you don’t understand the implication.” Andrew straightened, looking down his ski sloped nose. “Rumors can make or break an academic career. Nothing was proven in my case, but…” He trailed off, his ruddy complexion growing pale. “Never mind. You’re just a student.”

Raina raised an eyebrow. “When was the last time you talked to Holden?”

Andrew froze, licking his lower lip. “During the fundraiser meeting. Why?”

Time to put her new skill to the test. “I emailed him to ask about you becoming my new adviser. I wondered if he got a chance to talk to you about it before…” Raina looked down at her shoes when her voice trailed off. Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw his shoulders relax.

“No. When did you ask him?”

“Before the fundraiser meeting.” The lie slipped out as smooth as an oiled bearing. She must be getting better at lying.

“We’ll talk about it later, when things die down.” Andrew cleared his throat. “Uh…” He glanced at his watch. “I’m meeting Lori for an early lunch.”

“Can you tell Lori to give me a call when she’s free? We need to work on the details for the donors list.”

“Sure, but Gail is chairing the fundraiser now. It might be a good idea to wait until Monday before putting in any more work on it.” Andrew glanced at his watch again. “And she’s real happy about it.” He drew out the word “real.”

Raina’s heart sank. Gail wouldn’t be in a gossipy mood today to give her any hint on Holden’s personal life. It was still worth a try all the same.

After a rushed good-bye, Andrew scurried down the hall. Raina chewed on a Tums and resumed her search for Gail. She stopped mid-stride. If Olivia gave Holden free rein of the grant money, was there any chance she also gave him her personal money? Raina pulled out her notebook and wrote down the question. It might also be worth a shot checking Andrew’s employment history. Her list of questions was growing longer by the minute.

Thick warm air greeted her when she exited the hall and stepped into the vaulted lobby area. Raina squinted against the sunshine coming in from the skylights and large front windows. The entire space was lit up like a stage. Her nose twitched at the dust swirling in the patches of light. The potted plants were thriving in the greenhouse-like environment.

She knocked on the sliding glass partition on top of the front counter. The two small task lights under the upper cubicle shelves lit the dim interior. Gail looked up from her files and opened the office door next to the counter.

Raina gratefully sank into an office chair, wiping the back of her arm on her forehead. “My skin was starting to blister out there. Need any help with the fundraiser?” If she buttered up to Gail, maybe the secretary would gossip. Besides, one extra task wasn’t going to take too much time.

“I can’t hire you,” said Gail, her thick eyebrows forming a V on her forehead.

“That’s okay. It’s too much paperwork anyway. I’ll just help out until they hire someone more permanent.” Raina pulled out her notebook and flipped to a blank page. “Tell me what you need help with.”

Gail gave her a grateful smile and proceeded to add more items to Raina’s growing list. Fifteen minutes later, Raina’s shoulders tightened at the tasks Olivia had abandoned. Maybe it was time to reconsider the black tie formal dinner and pare down to something simpler.

Someone rapped on the office door. Raina dropped her notebook at the unexpected noise. Gail opened the door and a thin-faced student rushed in, jabbering about an arrest.

“Whoa!” Raina raised her hands. “Take a deep breath. Who got arrested?”

The thin-faced student swung around. “Cora.”

Gail sagged against the door, her knuckles whitening on the doorknob. “What happened, Jones?”

Jones flopped down on an office chair, the wind gone from his sail. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “Cora left with the police a few minutes ago. I don’t know what to do.”

Raina picked up her notebook. “Are you sure the police arrested her or did they bring her in for questioning?”

Jones lifted his head and frowned. “I'm…not sure.” He glanced at Gail. “Should we call her parents?”

Gail straightened and squared her shoulders. “No. We don't know what's going on yet. There's no need to alarm them if they didn’t arrest her.”