Balmy Darlings and Deaths: A Chinese Cozy Mystery (A Raina Sun Mystery Book 4) (11 page)

Taylor shifted until he was standing next to her. “Everything’s fine. I was telling Raina about the girl who cried wolf.” He gave her a sideways glance. “I wouldn’t want anything to happen to her pretty face.”

Raina suppressed a shiver at the implied threat.

Matthew stepped forward until Eden’s porch light illuminated his face. His voice was cold when he replied. “You can let me worry about that. I’ll rearrange the nose of anyone who lays a hand on her.”

Taylor arched an eyebrow. “So you guys are back together again, huh?”

The two men locked eyes, completely ignoring her. They were polar opposites—dark versus light, cop versus murder suspect—and yet the same. Matthew narrowed his dark brown eyes while Taylor widened his baby blues. The hint of danger was balanced on a knife’s edge. Even the crickets were afraid to interrupt the stillness in the air.

R
aina held
her breath and a bead of sweat trickled down her back. She wanted to clear her throat, but was afraid to interrupt the testosterone. No wonder ladies fainted in the Wild West days.

Eden opened her front door, eyes puffy from crying. “A trip to the restroom, and a whole party shows up. Taylor, are you coming in?” Her voice sounded clogged with grit.

“Yeah, hon,” Taylor answered, his eyes still on Matthew as if daring him to make a move.

Matthew held up his hands, palms facing out. “Have a good evening.”

As Taylor went inside, Raina closed her eyes in relief. She opened them to find Matthew reaching for her hand. He pulled her into the courtyard and away from Eden’s window.

“You okay?” Matthew whispered, wrapping an arm across the small of her back.

Raina could smell his skin—a combination of clean water and sage. Just breathing it in made her feel safe. Unlike her other ex-boyfriends, she always felt safe with Matthew no matter what situation they found themselves in.

She rested her head on his shoulder. “What are you doing here?”

“I heard you needed some cheering up,” he said. “Do you want to tell me why Taylor is threatening you?”

“He thinks I shouldn’t have told the police his sister was upset because she thought Walt had given her client list to LaShawna.”

“Do you want me to talk to him?”

“No, he’ll get over it. Walt’s neighbor would have told the police Myra Jo came by, pounding on the door, the day before his death. It’s not a state secret.”

Matthew gave her a sideways glance, but didn’t comment. Smart man.

They crossed the courtyard. A pizza and six-pack of Heineken waited for them on her welcome mat. It looked like Matthew wanted a cozy evening.

“Thanks for helping me out with Taylor, but I’m not in the mood to talk,” Raina said, unlocking the door. “Just leave the pizza and go. Or if you want, just go. I don’t need the pizza.”

“Let me in, Rainy. I won’t bite.”

“Yeah, but I might.”

He made a mock growl. “You just made my day. The pizza will get colder the longer I stand out here.”

Raina sighed, knowing she was too complying, but it was much easier to not put up a fight she couldn’t win anyway. She stepped aside so he could get in, locked up, and followed him into her dining nook. He placed the pizza box and beer on her Goodwill dining table and went into the kitchen to gather napkins and glasses with ice cubes.

As she watched him bustle about, she couldn’t help but feel the deep ache in her heart again. He made such a domestic scene in her kitchen, but unlike the other times, she wasn’t jumping to conclusions. It was more of an ache for what might have been than a flare of hope.

For the next few minutes, they were occupied with the business of eating. She leaned back on her chair with a full belly, warm fuzzies to her head, and heavy eyes. It would be nice to climb into bed and let Matthew clean up.

“Do you want to talk about it? Joanna said you had a hard time with finding Walt,” Matthew said, his voice soft and relaxed.

“Did Officer Hopper also mention that Detective Sokol got me fired from the day spa?”

“You can always write to the Chief.”

“I don’t think it would matter in the end. Besides, I wouldn’t want him fired. He probably has a mortgage and kids. I don’t need this on my conscience. Do you know anything else about Walt’s death? There’s no way it’s a suicide.”

“The toxicology report found a substance in his system, but we don’t know for sure until further testing.”

Raina nodded. “Makes sense for the killer to drug him. I wonder if the killer strung him up before or after his death. Or do you think it might be from pot? He’s dealing from the day spa.”

“That’s a possibility. You know this isn’t normal dinner conversation.”

“When are things ever normal between us, old friend?” Raina threw in the friend comment as a reminder of their long friendship before they got romantically involved.

“What do you plan to do?”

“Help solve the case. Maybe things would get back to normal for Eden when the murders are resolved. Are you helping Detective Sokol with the investigation?”

Matthew shook his head. “I’m still on leave, and it’s not my case. I think he wants my job, and right now, I have half a mind to give it to him.”

“Are we back to quitting your job to pick your belly button lint while you take care of your grandma?” Raina couldn’t keep the sarcasm from her voice. She just wasn’t in the mood to boohoo with him. He needed tough love at the moment.

Louie Po wasn’t dying. Yes, it was horrible she would eventually lose her vision, but he would be no good to his grandma when all he wanted to do was wallow.  He could help without turning himself into a pretzel like she had done for her granddad.

“No, I thought about what you said. I can’t afford to stop working, but I do need something with more flexibility,” Matthew said.

Raina did a mental fist pump, but she kept the sarcasm in her voice. If she let him wallowed, he could be in the muck for weeks. What he needed was tough love at the moment.
Managing the man could be such a pain..
. “Don’t tell me you want to swap with Sokol?”

“I’m still thinking about quitting the force. You seem to manage with part-time gigs.”

“Yes, but I’m also making peanuts. My inheritance and savings are keeping me afloat. That’ll run out eventually.”

“But you’re getting by.”

“Yes, but I also can’t afford a family with this kind of lifestyle. At some point, I’ll have to get a real job again.” She cocked a head, studying him. “Is getting by all you want? I thought you were more ambitious.”

“I thought I was too.” Matthew tugged a string of cheese from a slice of pizza and wrapped it around his finger. “Since my grandma’s car accident, I realized I’d rather have more time to spend with her. At her age, who knows how much longer I could have her around? She’s the only family I got left.”

“There’s your parents.”

“They are as good as dead to me. I haven’t seen my dad since he left to pick something up at the store, or my mom after she dropped me off at my grandma’s house. It’s been like what—twenty-five years?” His voice still held a tinge of bitterness, which he seemed unaware of. 

She reached across the table and held his hand. “Trust me, family is overrated. You’ve seen firsthand how crazy mine is.”

He squeezed her hand. “I’m here to make you feel better, not to talk about my problems.”

Raina didn’t want to call him on his bull. If he were here to talk about her problems, she would be the one supplying dinner. Since he showed up with pizza, he most definitely wanted to talk about his problem.

But whatever. Two steps forward, and one step back. The story of their relationship. If she were to squint, it would still be considered progress.

She had the feeling she was the closest thing he had to a confidant. If he were to resolve his issues with his parents—his dad in particular—would he be willing to risk his heart then? To get his parents back into the picture meant seeking help from a private investigator, and she knew he would never agree to this. It was almost worth becoming one herself so she could help him.

She withdrew her hand. “Unconditional love doesn’t come with strings.”

“Is there really such a thing—unconditional love?”

Raina give Matthew a sideways glance. “Yes, but it takes courage to give and accept it. And you should know what it feels like. Look at what you do for your grandma.”

He shrugged as if they were discussing something as mundane as the color of the sunset. “Back to Walt. If we ignore the mailing list and his sexuality for the moment, could he’ve known the killer’s identity? Otherwise, how would his death make sense?”

She hadn’t thought of it from this angle before. “How would the killer know Walt could identify him? And why would Walt keep this information from the police? He wasn’t stupid.”

“Are you sure about his intelligence? Peddling pot on the job wasn’t the smartest move.”

“But I’m sure it was profitable. Given the prices at the day spa, his clients might welcome getting their Botox with a side of pot in this discreet way. He probably ripped them off too.”

Matthew smiled in agreement, and continued, “I wonder if Walt acted strangely around the killer and gave himself away. There’s no way to tell. You could check who he came in contact with the last few days before his death.”

“That’s a great idea.” Raina paused, studying him. “I’m surprised you didn’t tell me to back off this case. You’re not worried about my safety anymore?”

“I’m always worried about your safety. But telling you to back off will make you more of an eager beaver. What you need is to take a self-defense course if you’re going to keep stumbling on dead bodies. It would at least let me sleep at night.”

A few months ago, the idea of his worry keeping him up at night would have made her feel gooey on the inside. Now she wondered if he was teasing her. “Any recommendations?”

“I can teach you.”

If the two of them grappled with each other, someone would have to turn a hose on them. Once they started, they wouldn’t be able to keep their hands off each other—and he knew this too. “Stop being such a tease.”

“As if you don’t want to run your hands all over my body…” He sighed dramatically and smiled. “On a more serious note, you should be more careful around your reporter friend. I know her type. Too ambitious for her own good. She would trample you without a second thought because she knows you’ll forgive her. Her boyfriend is mixed up in these two murders, and she’s either too blind or too ambitious to stay away from him.”

Raina averted her gaze and studied the pizza crust on her plate. When she finally spoke there was a catch in her voice. “It would be easier if I stop investigating these murders. I’m going to jeopardize my friendship with Eden if I continue.”

“Then why don’t you stop? Let the professionals handle this.”

Raina gazed into his gold-flecked brown eyes. “I can’t,” she whispered. “I’m not sure I can live with myself if I stop. What if there were something I could do to bring the murderer to justice, and I didn’t.” She blinked rapidly at the tears burning behind her eyes.

Matthew slung an arm around her shoulder and pulled her into a hug. “I get it.” He left shortly afterward with a wet patch on his shoulder. There was no goodbye kiss, but the intimacy she felt during dinner was more than enough for one evening.

Raina fell into a restless sleep. At one point, she woke up to find her pillow covered in tears. She had no idea if they were for her hopeless relationship with Matthew, her mistrustful friendship with Eden, or the too early demise of her co-worker. More than anything else, she felt sorry for Janice Tally for losing an adored grandson.

When the phone rang first thing in the morning, she pounced on it, grateful for a distraction. The call was from Denise Robertson, and she wanted to meet so they could discuss her sister’s death.

A
fter making
plans to meet at the Venus Café for coffee with Denise at ten o’clock, Raina called her grandma. “I need backup.” She explained the phone call from LaShawna’s twin. “Could you sit at another table and tail Denise if she were to go to the bathroom?” This gave her grandma a safe task and made her feel like she was part of the investigation.

“Aye, aye, Sherlock,” Po Po said. “We’ll get there early and set up a perimeter.”

“A what?”

“A perimeter. That’s what they do in
Law & Order
. My posse and I will make sure Denise can’t even fart without someone being all over it.”

Raina chuckled. “Just don’t get too close, or you will smell it all.” She hung up and got dressed for a run.

As she looped around the pond in Hook Park, she tried to focus on the movement of her body, but thoughts of the investigation kept intruding.

Could Myra Jo’s pleasant exterior be a mask for hiding a ruthless killer? She could have killed LaShawna for poaching her clients, and Walt for handing over her client list—the lifeblood of a small business—to her arch nemesis.

And then, there was Taylor who would effectively lose his son if LaShawna had moved to Sacramento. His rust bucket of a truck wouldn’t make it to the city and back. But how did Walt’s death fit into this?

Walt had to be killed for his connection to LaShawna’s death, which meant he knew or guessed the identity of the killer. However, he would’ve had to be naïve enough to believe he was safe with the killer, and let this person close enough to either poison or knock him out. This once again, pointed to Taylor as the killer.

If Taylor did turn out to be the killer, and Raina were to bring him down, she didn’t know if her friendship with Eden would survive this. While their relationship had been touch and go at times, she’d hoped it would last a lifetime like the friendship between Po Po and Maggie Louie.

Maybe your friendship with Eden wasn’t meant to last a lifetime
, said a small voice inside her head.

Raina ran home and showered. If she were to leave now, she would arrive early at the Venus Café and could talk Brenda Sullivan into hiring Eden for the part-time position. Even if they could no longer be friends in the days ahead, Raina wouldn’t want to see Eden struggling if there was something she could have done to help her. Eden was a hard worker and would do a good job for Brenda.

The birds chirped merrily when she stepped outside her apartment for the second time. The flowers waved their greeting from the planters around the courtyard. The sunshine warmed the skin of her forearms. Raina swept her gaze around the courtyard, but still didn’t see her missing sandal from the minor bike crash a few days ago. She should come back for a more thorough search after meeting with Denise.

An unfamiliar van had parked in front of her Honda, and she couldn’t see her car from the angle inside the courtyard. Quick strides took her into the parking lot, and when she saw her old Honda Accord, her jaw dropped.

Someone had used a Louisville slugger on her headlights—the right one hanging out like an eyeball from a socket. The windshield was a battered mess, and chips of it decorated the hood, winking at her in the sunlight. Clipped to the windshield wipers was a note. She stepped closer to read the cut out letters.

Raina glanced around, but didn’t see anyone watching her. She shook with anger now that the initial shock wore off. The old Honda Accord had belonged to her deceased father. She’d learned to drive in this car.

 Whipping out her cell phone, she called Matthew and explained the situation. As she waited, she clenched and unclenched her fists, pacing in front of her car. This was a scare tactic to get her off the murder investigations. This was at least two thousand dollar worth of damage, which meant she would have to dig into her inheritance to pay for the repairs.

It had to be Taylor. He probably figured out she was at his place yesterday, and after their run-in the night before, he wanted her cowering in the corner. She stopped her pacing and glanced around.

Eden’s car was in the parking lot. Taylor could be in her home.

Raina stalked to her friend’s apartment and pounded on the front door. When she got her hands on Taylor, he would share her bad day. She pounded on the door again. “Taylor!”

No answer.

She returned to the parking lot to find Matthew studying the note. Officer Hopper exited the police cruiser, and the two of them held a whispered conversation. When they noticed Raina, Matthew gestured for her to join them.

“Do you want to file a police report?” Officer Hopper said.

Raina nodded. Even though the police report wouldn’t give her the immediate satisfaction like the crunch of Taylor’s nose against her fist, it was the grown-up way to handle the situation. She answered a series of questions and signed the statement. Then Officer Hopper left.

“Are you planning to drop the car off at Bill’s?” Matthew asked. “I could follow you.” His voice sounded gruff like he was trying to control his anger. She didn’t want to know what he was thinking.

Raina laid a hand on his arm. “I’m okay,” she said, her voice a soft whisper. “I’m not afraid. It’s the price of my curiosity.”

His gold-flecked brown eyes studied her. “What you need is a decoy car for the bad guys. Then you can hide your
precious
.”

Raina laughed at his attempt to mimic Gollum. She glanced at the display on her cell phone. She would miss her meeting with Denise if she took him up on the offer. She explained the situation to him. “What are you planning to do this afternoon? Can I get the ride home then?”

Matthew shook his head. “I’m taking my grandma to Sacramento for another doctor’s appointment.” He paused, averting his gaze. “Could you tell Po Po thank you for me?  This wouldn’t have happened without her help, and I know she wouldn’t admit doing anything more than the paperwork for my grandma.”

She nodded.
Ah, he guessed it too.
Po Po’s generosity wasn’t something she advertised.

They made plans to drop off her car the next day.

“Do you want me to come with you to the Venus Cafe?” he asked.

Raina shook her head. “Po Po and her posse will cover me.”

When Raina strolled into the Venus Café, Denise was already waiting for her at a table near the back. Po Po and Frank sat at a nearby table, doing a crossword puzzle and sharing a sandwich combo. Raina bit her lower lip to keep from laughing at her grandma’s Hawaiian shirt and exaggerated soda bottle glasses. There was even a black mole with a hair on the side of her cheek. It wiggled like a whisker each time she spoke to Frank.

A half dozen senior citizens were scattered through the cafe, studying Denise behind magazines or newspapers. Their disguises ranged from black tie cocktail party to biker chic. What the heck did her grandma tell her friends they were doing? The naked nymphs painted on the walls seemed to enjoy the geriatric convention.

Raina waved to her friend Brenda and made her way toward Denise. She slid into the chair across from LaShawna’s twin sister. “Sorry for making you wait. I had car problems.”

“I hope it’s nothing serious?” Denise asked.

Raina glanced at the menu, but studied Denise under lowered lashes.

Her big fawn eyes appeared guileless. Not even a tightening on the russet skin around the mouth.

“Nothing serious.” Raina set down the menu. “Somebody busted out the headlights.”

Gasp, wide eyes and hands to chest. Denise was a good actress, or else she was genuinely surprised.

“Oh, my goodness,” Denise said. “Do you have any idea who did it? Did you call the police?”

“Yes, to all of your questions. I’m waiting for the police to finish their investigation,” Raina said. Now that she had some time to calm down, she had no idea if the vandal was Taylor, but she didn’t dare to speculate with the stranger in front of her. For all she knew, it could be Denise who vandalized her car.

Besides, she didn’t want to derail the whole point of the meeting. She was here to find out what Denise wanted with her.

“Why do you think this person vandalized your car?” Denise asked.

“Probably trying to scare me.” Raina looked into Denise’s eyes. “But it only pissed me off. I might be the size of a pygmy goat, but even they have horns.”

Denise laughed. “You’re too funny. I would take the warning to heart, if I were you. You never know about the crazies out there.”

Brenda sauntered over, sliding an ice coffee in front Raina. “Do you want the regular?”

Raina nodded. “A Cobb salad sounds wonderful. And some of the crusty bread, please.”

“What about you?” Brenda asked Denise.

“Coffee is fine. I need to get back to work soon,” Denise said.

Brenda collected their menus and returned to the kitchen with their orders.

Raina sipped the coffee. “How’s your nephew adjusting?” LaShawna’s death hung over them.

“He’s adjusting, but also acting up more than usual. Caring for a little one is a lot of work. Nap time. Snack time. Bath time.” Denise grimaced. “Being a parent is overrated.”

“You’re a saint to take it on while Taylor gets to live like he did before your sister’s death.”

Denise gave her a tight-lipped noncommittal smile. “Actually, I’m here to ask for your help. Eden once mentioned you were an amateur sleuth or something along that line.”

Raina sat back and crossed her arms. “Did she?” Her BFF turned out to be worse than the tabloids with her runaway mouth.

“It’s not bad. When you work on someone’s hair for an hour, the two of you naturally chitchat. She mentioned how you gave her the inside scoop on a couple of stories. I figured you’re probably like a younger version of Miss Marple or something.”

“Let me guess—you want me to find your sister’s killer?” Raina swallowed the sense of déjà vu her question evoked.

Denise gave her a puzzled look. “No…you’re not a professional investigator. But can you? Find the killer, that is.” She paused, and shook her head. “Never mind my question. I want you to get proof that Myra Jo would be an unfit guardian. This shouldn’t be a hard task.”

Raina flushed, reaching for the coffee to hide her embarrassment. The request was unexpected. She had thought her previous involvement with murder investigations lent her some credibility. “Why would I help you?”

Denise glanced at Raina’s hair. “I can’t pay you, but I can do your hair. I can show you how to manage it better…what products to use.”

Raina gave her a wary smile, resisting the urge to tuck a curl back into her ponytail. “I don’t understand. Isn’t it a good thing if Myra Jo wants to take the boy off your hands?”

“Taylor is an unfit father. His sister would take over the first time our nephew calls. She has a soft spot for him.”

“So what’s the problem?”

“She hates me. Once she gets custody of our nephew, I wouldn’t see him again without fighting her in court. And I’d lose because Taylor would side with his sister.” Denise sat back in her chair. “I want to be proactive. I want dirt on Myra Jo so I can have this trump card in my back pocket if I should need it.”

Raina studied the woman in front of her. In the few days since her sister’s death, Denise had lost her luster. Her skin was spotted with small blemishes. The weave looked like it needed maintenance, the roots showing. While her clothes were clean, they hung off her frame like she had lost weight too quickly. Denise was a walking billboard of someone grieving.

“Are you sure this is even necessary? Myra Jo might not want full custody of your nephew,” Raina said. And from her last conversation with the spa owner this seemed to be the case.

“I’m not waiting for the other shoe to drop. Like I said, I can’t pay you. Do you want a new cut? Your current cut is fighting the natural bounce in your hair.”

“I don’t need a haircut.”

“Oh, I see. You have straight hair envy. This shouldn’t be a problem. There’s a new rinse that would straighten out those curls. And it can last for a few days if you are careful. How about I give you the treatment once a month for the rest of the year?”

Raina held out her hand. The woman drove a hard bargain. “You got yourself a deal.” If nothing else, this would give her an excuse to spend time with Denise. After all, she could’ve killed her sister for the unlicensed beauty salon in the shed.

Denise shook to seal their bargain.