Read Online Raining Men and Corpses: A Fun Cozy Mystery (A Raina Sun Mystery Book 1) by Anne R. Tan - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Anne R. Tan
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me off at the senior center after breakfast. I’m meeting Maggie for mahjong.”
Raina suppressed her groan. When did Matthew’s grandma move to town? Now she knew for sure Po Po had maneuvered her to Gold Springs. The grandmas were in cahoots to play matchmaker again.
If it hadn’t been for her grandma, she’d be at Davis at the moment and not a potential murder suspect. No, she wouldn’t think along this line. Holden could have died from natural causes. The last thing she needed was for Po Po to play Miss Marple on the rescue train.
8
TWITCHING SPIDER LEGS
R aina dropped Po Po off at the senior center and drove to campus. The history building was a ghost town. There wasn’t even the distant sound of footsteps anywhere in the building. A sense of unease settled between her shoulders as she marched through the halls. The fine hairs on the back of her neck stood to attention.
The east wing was a motley collection of glass display cases, bulletin boards, open doorways to classrooms and offices, and a dozen other hiding places. She stopped in front of a display case, squinting past her reflection on the glass. No movement.
She deliberately straightened her shoulders, moving her head from side to side, but the sensation of being watched only increased. When she flipped her hair over her shoulder, Raina took a quick peek behind her. No one. She struggled to catch any odd sound. Nope. Just the hum of the HVAC.
Raina hustled down the hall until she stood outside the partially closed door of Olivia’s office. All this talk of someone killing Holden had her jumping at shadows. She raised her hand to knock, but stopped at the loud bang. Did Olivia drop something?
“I want my money back! I’m telling the police how you helped your brother,” said Olivia. Another bang.
Raina bit her lip and tilted her head. Who was inside the office with Olivia? The polite thing would be to knock, but she was in no mood to be polite. Besides, polite was for ladies with the luxury of sipping tea with their pinkie finger in the air. And her pinkie finger was covered with hives because she was a suspect in a murder investigation.
She leaned forward, pressing against the doorframe, and stumbled over her feet. Her shoes squeaked against the floor. Darn! So much for snooping. She grabbed the doorknob to keep herself from falling into the office. Taking a deep breath, Raina knocked and pushed opened the door. Olivia’s office was the same as Holden’s, except for the “Save Lake Tahoe” framed poster on the wall. There was no one else in the room except for the two of them.
Olivia perched behind her desk, unable to hide the scowl behind a slight upward tilt of her lips. The wrinkles settled into deep grooves around her eyes. Her black spider lashes blended with the purple eye bags. At Raina’s finger wave, her smile slipped. Apparently Raina wasn’t worth the slight effort of a pleasant countenance.
“Yes?” asked Olivia, replacing the receiver on the hook.
“Are you okay? I heard loud bangs.”
“My phone fell out of my hands. Are you looking for something?”
Raina glanced at the chipped receiver. Uh-huh. She put on her bimbo smile. “Do you know where I can find Cora? I forgot to ask for her phone number.”
“I sent her on an errand at the bookstore yesterday. She came back in tears and quit.”
Did Cora quit or was she fired? “I lent her my headphones. They cost twenty dollars.” Raina sat on the chair in front of the desk. “Do you know where she lives?”
“I’m not HR.” Olivia stared at her, tapping her fingers on the desk. “Anything else?”
Raina laughed, hoping it came out as a silly giggle. Pretending to be brainless was hard work. “I misplaced the donor’s list. Do you have another copy?”
Olivia sighed as she jerked open the filing cabinet beneath her window. She rifled through the folders, muttering under her breath.
“I’m surprised you’re working. The rest of the building feels like a
Raina suppressed her groan. When did Matthew’s grandma move to town? Now she knew for sure Po Po had maneuvered her to Gold Springs. The grandmas were in cahoots to play matchmaker again.
If it hadn’t been for her grandma, she’d be at Davis at the moment and not a potential murder suspect. No, she wouldn’t think along this line. Holden could have died from natural causes. The last thing she needed was for Po Po to play Miss Marple on the rescue train.
8
TWITCHING SPIDER LEGS
R aina dropped Po Po off at the senior center and drove to campus. The history building was a ghost town. There wasn’t even the distant sound of footsteps anywhere in the building. A sense of unease settled between her shoulders as she marched through the halls. The fine hairs on the back of her neck stood to attention.
The east wing was a motley collection of glass display cases, bulletin boards, open doorways to classrooms and offices, and a dozen other hiding places. She stopped in front of a display case, squinting past her reflection on the glass. No movement.
She deliberately straightened her shoulders, moving her head from side to side, but the sensation of being watched only increased. When she flipped her hair over her shoulder, Raina took a quick peek behind her. No one. She struggled to catch any odd sound. Nope. Just the hum of the HVAC.
Raina hustled down the hall until she stood outside the partially closed door of Olivia’s office. All this talk of someone killing Holden had her jumping at shadows. She raised her hand to knock, but stopped at the loud bang. Did Olivia drop something?
“I want my money back! I’m telling the police how you helped your brother,” said Olivia. Another bang.
Raina bit her lip and tilted her head. Who was inside the office with Olivia? The polite thing would be to knock, but she was in no mood to be polite. Besides, polite was for ladies with the luxury of sipping tea with their pinkie finger in the air. And her pinkie finger was covered with hives because she was a suspect in a murder investigation.
She leaned forward, pressing against the doorframe, and stumbled over her feet. Her shoes squeaked against the floor. Darn! So much for snooping. She grabbed the doorknob to keep herself from falling into the office. Taking a deep breath, Raina knocked and pushed opened the door. Olivia’s office was the same as Holden’s, except for the “Save Lake Tahoe” framed poster on the wall. There was no one else in the room except for the two of them.
Olivia perched behind her desk, unable to hide the scowl behind a slight upward tilt of her lips. The wrinkles settled into deep grooves around her eyes. Her black spider lashes blended with the purple eye bags. At Raina’s finger wave, her smile slipped. Apparently Raina wasn’t worth the slight effort of a pleasant countenance.
“Yes?” asked Olivia, replacing the receiver on the hook.
“Are you okay? I heard loud bangs.”
“My phone fell out of my hands. Are you looking for something?”
Raina glanced at the chipped receiver. Uh-huh. She put on her bimbo smile. “Do you know where I can find Cora? I forgot to ask for her phone number.”
“I sent her on an errand at the bookstore yesterday. She came back in tears and quit.”
Did Cora quit or was she fired? “I lent her my headphones. They cost twenty dollars.” Raina sat on the chair in front of the desk. “Do you know where she lives?”
“I’m not HR.” Olivia stared at her, tapping her fingers on the desk. “Anything else?”
Raina laughed, hoping it came out as a silly giggle. Pretending to be brainless was hard work. “I misplaced the donor’s list. Do you have another copy?”
Olivia sighed as she jerked open the filing cabinet beneath her window. She rifled through the folders, muttering under her breath.
“I’m surprised you’re working. The rest of the building feels like a
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