Balmy Darlings and Deaths: A Chinese Cozy Mystery (A Raina Sun Mystery Book 4) (7 page)

12
Sunday Brunch

T
he next morning
after a hearty Sunday brunch, Raina and Po Po ran into Mrs. Tally at the lobby of the condo complex. She sat on the edge of the doily-draped antique sofa, white-knuckling a cell phone and peering through the glass lobby door as if waiting for someone.

Raina gave her grandma a sideways glance and whispered, “Now’s your chance. Make me proud, Po Po. Text me when you’re done. I’ll wander around.”

Her grandma gave her a smart salute, even tapping her heels together. “Aye, aye, Sherlock. I’m on it.”

Raina went to the restroom to take care of business and wandered into the recreation room. Frank Small sat in front of the window with a book in his hands. He waved to her, and she crossed the room.

“Looks like you have the room all to yourself,” Raina said. “Where is everyone?”

“Sunday brunch. They are either eating with their family or pretending they are.”

“How do you pretend to eat Sunday brunch? And why?”

“Few of us are as lucky as Bonnie or Maggie. Some others only spend time with their family when it’s a holiday.”

“Are you waiting for Eden?” Raina glanced at the clock on the wall. One ‘o clock. “Late lunch?”

“She’s not the type to have a standing lunch date. Something always comes up—a person to interview or a crime scene to poke around. I come down here with a sandwich sometimes because I’ll have the place to myself. You’re a good girl for spending time with your grandma.”

“You got it wrong. I’m here for the food.”

“For pancakes and eggs you can make better yourself?”

Raina waved dismissively even though she enjoyed the compliment. “You are always welcome to join us on Sundays.”

“No, thanks. I don’t need a side of girl-talk about men and clothes with my coffee. If I wanted that, I would have married again after my wife died twenty years ago.”

“Oh, stop pretending to be such a grump. We both know you love hearing about Po Po’s conquests on the meat market.”

“I’m too old to be bleaching my ears. Now fill me in on the investigation. I’ve been reading these special editions of Eden’s. I’ve been fielding questions about whether my granddaughter is a murderer. Tell me I have nothing to worry about.”

Raina shifted from foot to foot. Should she give it to him straight or fib a little so he could sleep at night? Frank looked like he was in good shape, but at his age, who knew what hidden health diseases lurked in the background?

“Don’t make up a white lie to make me feel better. I can tell by the look on your face you’re just as concerned as I am.”

Raina told Frank everything that had transpired so far on the investigation, filling him in on the details and ending with their failed surveillance at Walt’s apartment yesterday afternoon.

“Why did Walt give LaShawna the mailing list? Do you think…” Frank tugged at the collar of his shirt, clearing his throat. “Do you think LaShawna was Walt’s lady friend? One who he had…sleepovers with?”

Raina grinned at his embarrassment. “Walt might be more interested in Taylor than LaShawna. I think Walt handed over the mailing list because she blackmailed him.”

“He’s gay? Well, I’ll be.” Frank rubbed the back of his neck. “I guess Janice Tally doesn’t know this because she’s always trying to set him up with someone’s granddaughter.”

“Apparently even someone from Bonnie’s loins is better than nothing. Her words, not mine.” Raina rolled her eyes. “I wonder if LaShawna threatened to tell his grandma the truth.”

“I can’t believe Janice could be so blind. And if he’s not ready to reveal his secret, it would make him an easy person to blackmail.”

“Or LaShawna could blackmail him because he sells pot at the day spa.”

“He’s a pot dealer? How did you find this out?”

“Because Walt thought Ed—” Raina broke off. Yikes! She almost blurted out that Eden was one of Walt’s customers. “He offered me a sample. I’m assuming he does this regularly at the day spa.” It certainly explained how the women didn’t have a heart attack when presented with the bill.

“If you want pot, Bonnie could get you a better supplier.”

Raina didn’t know how to react, so she ignored his last comment. Like her grandma would say, how the senior citizens got their freak on was none of her business. “We don’t even know if Walt gave the client list to LaShawna. This is Myra Jo’s assumption. Other people also have access to the computer. Taylor is always around doing small repairs. And playing devil’s advocate here—even Eden had access during her short stint working at the day spa.

“Eden would never hand over the client list to LaShawna.”

“I’m not saying she did. I’m saying she had access like everyone else. For all we know, it could even be a client who hopped on the computer while Walt went to the bathroom.”

Frank crossed his arms, not quite mollified.

“What do you think of Taylor?” Raina said, hoping to change the subject. While she’d spent some time with her friend’s boyfriend, she wanted another person’s opinion to see if her standards were out of whack.  “Do you think he’s ‘the one.’ No, let me rephrase this—does she think he’s ‘the one?’”

“He’s polite enough the handful of times he came over for dinner, and his kid is cute.”

“But?”

Frank tapped his index finger on the cover of his murder mystery. “I think my granddaughter can do better than the local handyman. Not that I have anything against handymen, but I want someone who could take care of my girl. Not the other way around.”

“You don’t believe in gender equality?”

“Equal pay for equal work is fine, but a man worth his salt wouldn’t live off of his woman.”

“He has a…studio apartment,” Raina said. It was the nicest way she could phrase the converted garage studio.

“My point exactly. He barely makes enough as it is for rent and child support. And now, I hear the son has to live with his aunt. Taylor’s landlord doesn’t want the liability of having a child in the”—Frank’s fingers curled into air quotes—“studio.”

“He needs time to figure this out. Hopefully taking full custody of his son would change Taylor’s life for the better.” For the child’s sake, Raina hoped her words would prove to be true.

“Leopards don’t change their spots. All this money spent on a fancy degree, and my girl comes out without a lick of sense. I don’t understand what she sees in him.”

“But you have to admit, he is an improvement compared to the others.”

Frank shook his head. “You and Eden are two peas in a pod. Always wanting to fix people. Do you know how many times I’ve told her you can’t save someone who doesn’t want to be saved? Nor can you make people become the person you want them to be. Life doesn’t work this way.”

“I guess you don’t believe in love then.”

“Oh, I believe in love—there’s Eden’s grandma. I knew right away I wouldn’t change her for the world.”

Raina frowned, thinking about Matthew. “What if he’s changing without even realizing it?”

“Then you sit tight until the transformation is complete. For all you know, this could be another failed attempt.”

“You make it sound so simple.”

“Patience, grasshopper, he’ll get there.”

Raina wondered if they were both thinking of the same person. “I still don’t know if this path is for me. I’ll have a graduate degree in history by the end of winter, but no job prospect.”

“Bonnie says you’re a licensed engineer. Can’t you do that again?”

Raina shook her head. “I can’t. Between taking care of my granddad the last year of his life and my stressful project management job, I’m still burnt out. I thought going to graduate school would help—give me time to think while I’m doing something productive—but it hasn’t.”

And to top it off, she felt guilty for the money she’d saved all those years working in San Francisco and living at home with her grandparents and the inheritance she’d recently gotten while her friend Eden could barely cobble together rent. But she knew from past experience that lending money to an irresponsible person would only prolong the crash to the bottom and eventual change. After all, there was a reason why Frank wasn’t bailing his granddaughter out either.

“Have you thought about talking to a grief counselor?” Frank asked, his voice gentle.

“I’m not grieving.”

“Are you sure, honey? The grandfather that you worshipped turned out to have a secret family. On his deathbed, he guilt-tripped you into holding onto three million dollars on behalf of an uncle you never met. You had to move from San Francisco to Gold Springs to keep this shameful secret from your grandma. Are you still sure you don’t need to talk to someone?”

Raina glanced down at her hands, feeling the tears burn behind her eyes. Her lower lip wobbled, and when she spoke, her voice cracked. “My granddad filled in for my deceased dad. He was there for my high school and college graduations. He bought me diamond earrings when I passed my licensing exams.” She brushed a tear from her cheek. “How could he cheat on my grandma all these years? I question every memory. Whenever I see his friends, I wonder which one of them knew.”

Frank patted her shoulder. “It sounds like we know what you’ll be doing this summer. I heard Toronto in summer is beautiful. Much cooler than here.”

Raina squeezed his hand. Po Po must have told him about Sonny Kwan. Her friend should spend more time with her wise grandfather. Before they could continue their conversation, Po Po came into the room.

Po Po glanced around the empty room. “Where is everyone?”

“Nap time after brunch,” Frank said.

Raina gave him a sideways glance. He probably didn’t want Po Po to feel guilty for being one of the lucky ones to have a Sunday brunch to look forward to every week.

Po Po studied Raina, her gaze shifting between Raina and Frank. “Are you okay, honey? Do I need to beat off the wicked old man trying to lure my girl to a life of idleness and vice?”

Raina smiled at her grandma’s attempt to lighten the mood. “Au contraire. I’m the one whispering immoral propositions into his ears.”

The three of them laughed, dissipating the last of Raina’s earlier heavy conversation with Frank. Thankfully her grandma didn’t press them.

Raina got up to pull an armchair over for her grandma. “Did you find out what is bothering Janice Tally?”

“I’m not sure I’m getting anywhere with Janice,” Po Po said. “All she does is whine and complain—”

“Was she waiting for Walt?” Raina interrupted.

Po Po crossed her arms. “Geez, cut straight to the chase, why don’t you? A woman can’t even vent a little—”

“Oh, cry me a river,” Frank said. “You got your privileges back at the senior center. From what I can see, you came out ahead.”

“I want to make sure everyone knows the sacrifices I make for this investigation,” Po Po said. “There’s a standing Sunday brunch date, but Walt didn’t show or call. Janice asked if you could drive her to Walt’s apartment.” She frowned. “Here’s the strange thing. When I mentioned maybe he’s with a girl, Janice said that would be impossible. Do you think she knows he’s not straight?”

Raina shrugged. “She could be in denial. Why else would she try so hard when Walt is a good-looking young man? It’s not like he’s forty and spends his time playing video games. I don’t think it’s a good idea for Mrs. Tally to come with us. First, if he didn’t want to spend Sunday with his grandmother, showing up with her won’t help the situation. Second, and I hope I’m wrong, if his no-show has to do with the murder investigation, it would be better if we go alone.”

Po Po glanced at Frank. “What do you think?”

Frank nodded at Raina. “Your girl has a good head on her shoulders. The two of you go check on the boy, and I’ll try to calm Janice down.” He grabbed his book and stood. “I better go find my lunch date.”

13
Rainbows Are Reflections

D
uring the twenty
-minute drive to Walt’s apartment, Po Po chattered excitedly about the upcoming spring ball at the senior center. After getting blacklisted by the social committee, she’d missed the outing to a winery in Napa and a camping trip at Yosemite. Even though her grandma would never admit it, Po Po was pleased with her newly restored status as a full-fledged member of the senior center. Raina only hoped her grandma could keep it long enough to go on one outing.

She parked near the staircase of Walt’s apartment building and scanned the small landing area for an elevator but didn’t see one. A sign pointed to the opposite side of the building. The three flights of stairs might be too much for her grandma. Should she ask Po Po to wait here?

“You-hoo, girl. Are we going or what?” Po Po called out.

Raina turned around to find her grandma pointing at the staircase. As they trekked up the stairs, Po Po handed her a small spray bottle, one of the small travel-size containers found in a drugstore.

“What’s this?” Raina asked, studying the liquid through the clear purple plastic.

“Onion juice,” Po Po said proudly, like a parent showing off her new baby. “Remember how you suggested bottling it? My high school student got the job done for me. Took several bags of onions, some preservatives, and plenty of Red Bulls and pizzas for the kids.”

Raina suppressed her sigh. What would she say to the parents when they called to complain about Po Po’s behavior? “What do I use it for?”

Po Po shrugged. “A girl should be able to cry on demand. Maybe you can use it the next time you get a speeding ticket.”

Raina tucked the bottle into her purse. There was no point in arguing with her grandma.

When they reached the third floor landing, Raina’s heart beat a tad too rapidly for comfort. She needed to get back into a regular running routine. Between finals and interviews for a summer job, she had been too preoccupied these last two weeks.

She glanced at her grandma. Po Po wasn’t even out of breath. Those aerobic classes at the senior center must be something else.

Raina counted the doorways until she found the one Myra Jo pounded on yesterday afternoon. She knocked and waited. She knocked again. Nothing.

“You’re too polite. Let me try,” Po Po said, shouldering her way in front of Raina.

Her grandma lifted her leg and kicked at the door like a cop about to do a drug bust. Or at least this would be the story she’d share at the senior center later. Her grandma lifted her foot no higher than a foot and a half off the ground. Instead of a loud bang, it sounded no louder than the thud of a child kicking the wall.

“Police! Open up!” Her grandma called out.

“Po Po!”

Her grandma grinned, enjoying herself. “Oh, come on. Where else would I get to say a line like this?”

“But impersonating a police officer?”

“I’m deputized—”

“To answer the phone.”

“But he doesn’t know this. And I have a fancy badge to prove it.”

“It’s plastic.”

“Budget cut. Next time buy another brownie at the annual police bake sale so they can give the volunteers real badges.”

Raina rolled her eyes, not even bothering to hide her grin. She didn’t want to tell her grandma she resembled a dachshund more than a Doberman with her tough-guy act.

The curtain on the unit next door shifted as if a breeze blew across it—except the window was closed.

Thud!

Raina was about to tell her grandma to cool it when the door on the next unit opened in front of her.

The tattooed neighbor came out. She was tall and stout like the trunk of an oak tree. Tattoos covered her chest and muscular arms. The scowl on her face made Raina’s stomach flutter like a moth caught in a glass.

“Po Po,” Raina squeaked. “We got company.”

“What’s going on here?” the neighbor called out. “Do I need to call the police?” She crossed her arms, and her tone became icier. “The baby just fell asleep.”

“I’m a coworker from the day spa,” Raina said, the words rushing out at breakneck speed. “He’s supposed to meet his grandma for Sunday brunch, but he didn’t show up. So she got concerned—”

“I’m his grandma’s best friend,” Po Po said. “She couldn’t come because she’s on a walker. It’s the hip, you know. I kept telling her to join—”

“Have you seen him today?” Raina cut in before her grandma went off tangent and ended up in a rant. She took a deep breath to calm down. The two of them sounded shady with over-explanation.

The neighbor glanced at Raina’s hair. “I guess you’re not using the employee’s discount.”

Raina flushed. “Even with the discount, I’d still have to sell a kidney to afford those prices.” Why did she feel the need to explain herself to this stranger?

The neighbor relaxed at her mention of the astronomical prices. “You’re the third person to show up looking for him in the last two days.”

“I know the boss came by yesterday. He went home with a client list, and she’s upset about that. She’s on the heavier side with strawberry red hair. What does the other woman look like? Maybe I can identify her.”

“She’s tall and black with TV commercial hair.” The neighbor wrinkled her brow and chewed on her lower lip. “She’s about your age. Sorry, that’s all I remember.”

Raina’s heart thudded. Why was Eden looking for Walt? “Did she say anything to you?”

The neighbor shook her head. “Na-uh. Just glanced at me and left.”

“Did you hear anything unusual next door? I live in an apartment too, and I can hear when my neighbor goes to the bathroom.”

The neighbor shook her head again. “Nope. I always keep the radio on because I don’t want to hear the flush and it calms the baby.”

“I used to do this too when my kids were young,” Po Po said. “How old is your little one?”

“Three months.”

Po Po whistled. “You look good. Bet you lost all your baby weight already.”

The neighbor preened. “I’m five pounds under.”

Po Po held out a hand for a high-five. “You go, girl.”

The neighbor patted her grandma’s hand.

“You don’t have Walt’s spare key, do you?” Po Po asked. “I promised his grandma to check in on him. She was crying in the lobby this morning when he didn’t show up.”

The neighbor shook her head. “I wouldn’t feel right to open his apartment to strangers.”

“I hope his grandma doesn’t end up staying up all night by the phone.” Raina’s shoulders dropped. “She’ll worry herself sick.”

At the mention of Walt’s little old granny sitting by the phone, the neighbor squirmed. “I guess a quick peek wouldn’t do any harm.”

Raina did a mental fist pump. She wanted to give Po Po a high-five of her own. “We’ll call out to him by the front door.”

The neighbor disappeared inside and reappeared within seconds with the key attached to a rainbow key chain. “I think his grandmother is making a big deal over nothing.”

“Thank you for understanding,” Raina said, her voice soothing.

The neighbor unlocked the door and swung it open, still talking to Raina over her shoulders. “If he’s inside with a naked girl—”

From her angle, Raina could see a pair of legs dangling above the floor. On the floor below them was a dark pool of body fluid. The fetid scent wafted out. She reached for the neighbor’s arm. “Wait!”

The neighbor turned and screamed. One look was all it took to confirm that Walt was dead. He hung three feet above the ground from the exposed beam on the ceiling.

Blood rushed to Raina’s ears, a whooshing that was louder than the neighbor’s screams. Gooseflesh peppered her arms. The scene faded to white, and she swayed, bumping into someone. She sank into her knees and fumbled for her cellphone. If she didn’t make the call now, she would be no good within seconds.

Her hands shook, and the phone slipped from her hands like a soapy plate, slid between the rails, and fell three stories onto the concrete walkway below. She stared at the pieces of the phone stupidly until Po Po tripped and fell on her. An elbow shot out and rammed into Raina’s nose.

The pain snapped her out of her stupor. She stumbled into the neighbor’s apartment and reached for the phone on a side table in the living room. She answered the dispatcher’s question in halting sentences and then lay back on the sofa, closing her eyes. Her nose throbbed, but it didn’t appear to be broken.

A baby cried in the background. At first Raina thought she’d dreamed the sound until she heard her grandma’s soothing hum. The neighbor’s crying turned into choking sobs.

Raina opened her eyes to see an ashen Po Po swaying with an infant in her arms. Her grandma’s face looked tense, but her body was relaxed as if caring for the child helped focus her on the living. Their eyes met, and the sorrow in her grandma’s eyes was more than Raina could bear. She averted her gaze and wiped a tear from her face.

A siren wailed in the distance. The noise snapped the neighbor out of her daze. She stumbled toward Po Po, holding out her hands. With the baby in her arms, the neighbor retreated into the bedroom, closing the door behind her.

Po Po sank down next to Raina. They held hands until the police showed up. Within minutes the entire landing area outside the apartment filled with uniformed and plain-clothes officials. Eventually someone came into the apartment and interviewed them. Then another set of officers came in to ask them the same questions in creative ways. The neighbor’s husband came home and disappeared into the bedroom in search of his family.

Detective Sokol and Officer Hopper came over to go through the statements a third time. They separated Raina from her grandma, probably to make sure they wouldn’t influence each other.

“Why did you come by looking for Walt?” Detective Sokol asked.

“His grandmother asked me to check up on him. She got worried when he didn’t show up for lunch,” Raina repeated. She didn’t bother suppressing the exasperation in her voice. It was close to the dinnertime, and she’d been here for hours.

“Do you know if he had any enemies?”

“I don’t know. I only met the guy a few days ago.”

“And yet, his grandmother asked you to check on him.” The detective paused as if expecting her to burst forth with new information. “What was he like at work? Did he get along with everyone?”

Should she tell him about the pot sample he gave her? How would the police react once they found out that Myra Jo came by looking for Walt? And then there was Eden’s visit. Even if Raina said nothing about the visits, the neighbor certainly would, once she got over her shock.

Detective Sokol’s eyes lit up like he won the lottery. “Aha! You know something. Spill it or I can charge you with obstructing justice.”

Raina scowled at the detective, not even bothering to hide the crankiness in her tone. Not only did the man have no use for his brain, but he also had no bedside manners. “Are you badgering the witness? Would you like me to write a letter to the police chief? His mother is friends with my grandma.”

She made up the last part, but it was plausible since Po Po seemed to know all the senior citizens in town. She didn’t intend to come off sounding like a snot, but she was tired and cranky. The man in front of her was the last person she wanted in her face at the moment.

“I can detain a witness for further questioning. So you go right ahead and write whatever letter you want after you answer my questions.”

Raina ground her teeth at the tactical error. Time for another tactic. “I’m sorry if I came off sounding testy. I’m exhausted, and I’ve been here for hours. I found my coworker strung up in his apartment. Give me some time to process this. Can I leave now? You know where to find me if you have follow-up questions.”

Detective Sokol looked as if he swallowed a mouthful of gravel, but continued with his questioning. Neither of them were happy when Raina and Po Po left the crime scene five hours later.

They grabbed sandwiches from the Venus Café for dinner. After dropping her grandma off, Raina went home and collapsed into bed, fully dressed. Within half a heartbeat, her limbs grew heavy and her eyes drifted closed. Good. The last thing she wanted was to think…

Cha-ling-a-ling. Cha-ling-a-ling.

With her eyes still closed, Raina reached for the cordless phone on the nightstand. “Hello?” Her voice sounded like she swallowed a frog.

“Raina, how come you haven’t been answering my calls?” Po Po said. “I’ve been trying to reach you all evening. The police came by a couple hours ago to tell Janice about Walt and what they found in his apartment.”

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