A Drop of Magic (A Sugarcomb Lake Cozy Mystery Book 3)

by Alaine Allister

  It seemed her giddiness had given way to near-hysteria. Matilda’s forehead was so sweaty that her perspiration-dampened hair was sticking to her clammy skin. In fact, she was so completely drenched that her eye makeup was beginning to run.

  She looked like a racoon having an anxiety attack!

  This wasn’t good. It wasn’t good at all. Clarissa decided she had to step in.

  “I’m going to the ladies’ room,” she told her aunt pointedly.

  “Okay,” Matilda replied, completely oblivious.

  “I don’t know where it is,” Clarissa tried again, hoping Matilda would catch on.

  “Around that corner,” Matilda said, pointing.

  “Come with me,” Clarissa ordered, deciding that she could no longer beat around the bush. She grabbed her aunt’s hand just in case Matilda still hadn’t gotten the message. Then she practically dragged her aunt off to the ladies’ room.

  It looked a typical campus bathroom. The floors were cheap, red tile. The walls were painted stark white. There were posters plastered everywhere, advertising various events and meetups on and around campus.

  A quick check under the stall doors confirmed that Clarissa and Matilda were the only ones in there. That was good, because it gave them an opportunity to talk freely. And if there was one thing Clarissa’s aunt needed, it was a stern talking to!

  “I’m no expert on dating, but you should probably talk at some point,” Clarissa advised her aunt.

  “I know,” Matilda groaned. “I just froze. It was awful. I don’t know what to say to him!”

  “Well you’re going to have to come up with something,” Clarissa urged. “What’s he into?”

  Matilda was wringing her hands now. “I forget. I can’t think!”

  “Well what do you two normally talk about?” Clarissa coached. “Try to remember what common interests you two have. Oh, and while you’re thinking that over, you should probably fix your eye makeup.”

  Though she needed glasses to combat her nearsightedness, Matilda didn’t wear them. To be more accurate, she was incapable of looking after them. She had a bad habit of setting them down in random places and then forgetting all about them. Her eyeglasses were constantly going missing, so she was usually in between pairs. Tonight was a no-glasses evening.

  Matilda pressed her nose to the mirror and squinted. Then when she saw the mess around her eyes, she made a face. “This mascara is supposed to be smudge-proof!” she complained. She plunked her purse down on the bathroom counter. Then she began to fumble around for a tissue.

  “Cliff seems really nice,” Clarissa offered. She was hoping that by having a conversation, she could help soothe her aunt’s frayed nerves. “Good job, finding him. He’s easy to talk to and easy on the eyes. He just might be a keeper!”

  “Now I just need to keep him,” Matilda sighed as she dabbed at her smeary eye makeup.

  She sounded frazzled. Worse yet, she looked frazzled! That would never do.

  “Do you have any powder in your purse?” Clarissa asked. “Your forehead is a bit shiny.”

  That wasn’t the truth, exactly. But telling Matilda it looked like she had dunked her head in the toilet wasn’t going to give her confidence the boost it so desperately needed. A little white lie was not only harmless in this situation, but necessary.

  Matilda went back to rifling through her purse. Suddenly it tipped over. Cosmetics, car keys and a number of other items fell out onto the counter. A vial of something spilled, spraying Clarissa with a strange, fruity-smelling substance.

  “Oh!” she gasped, jumping back. But she was too late. Her shirt was now completely covered in the potent stuff. Not only was she dripping with the mysterious liquid, but now Clarissa smelled like a fruit smoothie.

  “Oops,” Matilda said, reaching for the paper towel dispenser. “Sorry about that.”

  “What is it?” Clarissa asked as she dabbed her shirt dry as best she could. She took a sniff. “Either you’re making perfume at home or you brought your lunch to work in a spray bottle!”

  “Hmm…making perfume at home isn’t a bad idea,” Matilda mused. “I tried to make my own deodorant once, out of coconut oil, sea salt and lemon juice. It seemed like a fabulous idea at the time. But a few weeks later a friend pulled me aside to let me know I had recently started to smell really bad.”

  “Ew,” Clarissa winced.

  “Yeah, tell me about it. I wore actual deodorant today,” Matilda said, as if she thought that somehow warranted a medal, or perhaps a celebratory parade. “But I’m not sure that will be enough to salvage my date. Speaking of which, we should get back to the restaurant.”

  “Okay,” Clarissa agreed. “I guess my shirt is as dry as I’m going to get it.”

  The two women made the short walk back to the restaurant. Parker was still seated at the table. He looked as handsome as ever as he idly flipped through a copy of the campus newspaper he had picked up. But Cliff was nowhere to be seen.

  Matilda immediately went into hysterics.

  “Cliff left!” she hissed, grabbing Clarissa’s arm tightly and squeezing. “He was having such a bad time that he made a run for it as soon as he could! He hates me! Oh, I suck at dating! This is such a disaster! I’m going to die alone!”

  “Ouch,” Clarissa winced, wrenching her arm free from her aunt’s grip. “Calm down, okay? Maybe there’s a reasonable explanation.”

  “Like what?” Matilda wailed. The scene she was making elicited more than a few curious looks.

  “We’re back,” Clarissa told Parker, wishing her aunt would stop screeching. “Where’s Cliff?”

  “He realized he forgot his wallet in his office,” Parker replied, looking at Matilda curiously. “He went to get it – said he should only be five or ten minutes, tops.”

  Immediately, Matilda stopped freaking out. Suddenly she was acting dignified and very unlike the crazy person she was. She smoothed her hair and stood up a little taller. “He’s coming back?” she asked Parker, just to be sure.

  “Yes. But why don’t I just pick up the tab?” Parker suggested.

  “You don’t have to do that,” Clarissa told him, reaching for her purse.

  “Let me get this,” Parker told her with a smile that melted her. “I want to.”

  After Parker had paid for dinner, Matilda decided they should go meet Cliff. She led them toward the tall stone building that was home to the staff offices. Clarissa couldn’t help but noticed that her aunt had a bounce in her step now. In fact, it was difficult to keep up with her!

  As Matilda charged toward Cliff’s office at full speed, Clarissa and Parker hung back. It was no big deal. They would catch up to Matilda later.

  “Thank you,” Clarissa whispered gratefully. “I know tonight has been a bit unusual and –”

  “It’s been great,” Parker interjected, reaching for her hand. He gave it an affectionate squeeze. “Any time I get to be with you, I’m happy.” He leaned in close then and took a sniff. “Are you wearing new perfume?” he asked.

  “No.”

  “Oh. I could swear I smell bananas.”

  “Oh, that!” Clarissa exclaimed, remembering the incident in the ladies’ room. “My aunt spilled something on me…homemade perfume, I think it was. Or maybe it was a fruit smoothie. She never really did say.” She wrinkled her nose. “I smell like an overripe banana, don’t I?”

  Parker grinned. “Have I ever mentioned how much I love bananas?”

  Immediately, Clarissa blushed. She stopped walking, and so did Parker.

  She turned to face him, fully prepared to kiss him.

  Suddenly a piercing scream made them both jump.

  Chapter 05

  “Where did that come from?” Clarissa gasped in alarm.

  “Over there, I think,” Parker replied. He was pointing toward the tall stone building Matilda had disappeared into. He broke into a jog as he hurried over to investigate. Though she wasn’t nearly as athletic as him, Clarissa was right on his heels.


  The sun had set and it was dark on campus. There were tall, old-fashioned looking black lamps lighting the pathways between buildings. But once one strayed from those well-lit areas, it became difficult to see.

  As she neared the building, Clarissa’s eyes began to adjust to the dark.

  She saw a small group of people standing in the shadows.

  Two young women were talking frantically in whispers. Their emphatic hand motions and grim facial expressions made it seem like they were upset. Another older, heavier woman was standing there in complete silence, seemingly frozen in place. It was as though she couldn’t quite comprehend what she had witnessed.

  Clarissa stepped past them.

  Then she stopped dead in her tracks.

  There in the shadows was Parker – and he was kneeling next to a body!

  Upon closer inspection, Clarissa noted it was a middle aged male. His body was contorted at such an unnatural angle that she immediately knew he must be dead. She glanced upward and concluded that he must have fallen to his death.

  “Did he jump?” one of the young women behind Clarissa whispered.

  “I don’t know. I got here after you did,” a second female voice replied, sounding bewildered.

  Parker stood up and walked back over to Clarissa. His expression was grim.

  “Is he –?” Clarissa asked, already knowing the answer.

  Parker nodded. “It looks like he snapped his neck when he fell. At least he went quickly.”

  “I need to go find Matilda,” Clarissa said.

  “I’ll come with you,” Parker replied.

  She turned just as Matilda emerged from the building with Cliff. They were holding hands and appeared to be deep in conversation. Then Matilda noticed the commotion going on outside. She immediately let go of Cliff’s hand and rushed over.

  “What’s going on?” she demanded breathlessly.

  “There was an accident,” Clarissa said quietly. “Someone fell from the roof. He didn’t make it.”

  “Who was it?” Matilda asked, wide-eyed.

  “I don’t know.” Clarissa reached for her aunt’s arm. “Maybe you shouldn’t go over there,” she cautioned, realizing it may very well be somebody Matilda knew. “Just wait here, okay?”

  Matilda ignored her and pushed past the group of bystanders.

  Clarissa watched nervously, studying her aunt’s face for an indication of what she was feeling.

  When Matilda looked up, she was horrified. “It’s Miles Connor! He’s the dean of the university! The dean is dead!” she gasped, clearly unable to believe what she was seeing. “I just saw him this afternoon and now he’s dead! I can’t believe this!”

  Clarissa reached out to hug her aunt, hoping to comfort her.

  Matilda pulled back. “This wasn’t an accident,” she said with certainty. “He was murdered!”

  Chapter 06

  So Matilda’s first date with Cliff hadn’t exactly gone as planned.

  Clarissa still couldn’t believe the previous night’s events. She had seen a dead body on campus! Somebody had died! It was tough to wrap her mind around it. Of course, it didn’t help that she was exhausted.

  She and Parker had hung around campus to give the police statements, and the process had taken ages. Since they were both reporters and naturally curious people, they had also tried to get whatever information they could.

  Unfortunately, the cops had been tight-lipped about whether they thought they were dealing with a crime scene or an accident. So at the moment, Clarissa had more questions than answers. It was entirely possible that the police did, too.

  To be honest, Clarissa had her doubts that the dean had been murdered. She knew what her aunt had said, but that didn’t prove anything. Matilda had a tendency to jump to conclusions, so Clarissa wasn’t about to believe what her aunt said without first verifying it.

  Maybe the dean of the university had been pushed to his death. But it was every bit as likely that he could have jumped. Suicide was a grim possibility, but it wouldn’t be the first time someone had leapt to their death on a college campus.

  Trying to push the previous night’s events out of her mind, Clarissa settled in at her desk. Her workspace was cluttered but functional. She liked to joke that it was organized chaos – and it really was. Somehow, Clarissa managed to prepare, print and distribute an entire newspaper all on her own every single week. It was a daunting task.

  At the moment, work was the last thing Clarissa felt like doing. She loved her job, but maybe she was getting a bit burnt out. She yearned for a holiday, but of course that wasn’t practical. The newspaper wouldn’t write itself! So either she had to hire some help or keep burning the candle from both ends.

  She was determined to get some work done before meeting up with Parker for a movie in Sugarcomb Park. Every year, the town set up a projector and a large movie screen. Nearly everyone in town turned up to enjoy buttery hot popcorn and some free entertainment.

  Clarissa never missed it. Movie night in the park was one of her favorite summer traditions – and she was eager to share it with her boyfriend. She was looking forward to sprawling out in the grass and watching a lighthearted rom-com on the big screen.

  With any luck, it wouldn’t just be the people onscreen who were kissing.

  But work had to come first.

  Clarissa singlehandedly ran the town’s newspaper. She investigated, wrote, edited, printed and delivered the weekly paper all by herself. It was a massive undertaking and, to be honest, she needed help. The problem was she was so busy she couldn’t justify taking time to train an employee! It was a vicious cycle, really.

  Thankfully, Clarissa loved her job. Sure, reporting on Sugarcomb Lake’s big news wasn’t always exciting. Sometimes she was envious of Parker and his big city reporting. He got to investigate actual crimes and write about hard-hitting news stories. It was the sort of thing Clarissa had dreamed about doing back when she had been in journalism school.

  But the news was much different in Sugarcomb Lake. Clarissa reported primarily about fluff. If she never wrote another article about a pie-eating contest or the potholes outside Mrs. Meddler’s house, it would be too soon. Still, though, she wouldn’t trade her job for anything.

  “Meow,” said a little voice, rather insistently.

  Clarissa sighed and set her pen down.

  “What?” she asked. “I already fed you and I’ve asked you twice if you want outside. Both times you stood in the doorway and sniffed the air for like, ten minutes before hightailing it back inside. I don’t have time for your antics today!”

  “Meow,” the cat replied unapologetically.

  Suddenly there was a commotion on the front porch. It sounded like a gigantic bird had fallen from the sky and crash-landed right outside the front door. Clarissa jumped to her feet and raced over to investigate.

  Matilda was sprawled out on the porch, her broom on top of her.

  “What happened?” Clarissa demanded, helping her aunt to her feet.

  “I flew here but I was too distracted to pay attention to where I was going,” Matilda replied.

  “Are you okay?”

  Matilda looked distraught. “I just heard the news today. The police have been questioning a student I really care about – it sounds like she’s their prime suspect! She couldn’t have murdered the dean! You have to help, Clarissa.”

  “Wait, what? Come inside,” Clarissa ordered, ushering her aunt into the living room. “Sit down on the couch – mind the cat hair. Take a few deep breaths and try to calm down. I’ll make you some tea and you can start at the beginning.”

  A few minutes later, Clarissa, Matilda and Cat were gathered around the coffee table.

  Matilda was sipping peppermint tea, her hands shaking.

  Clarissa had grabbed her pen and notepad. She was in full investigative mode.

  Cat was happily munching on the chocolate chip cookies Clarissa had served with the tea. At first Clarissa had tried to shoo
the bratty feline away, but after a while she gave up. It was easier to just let the little beast get its way.

  “So the dean’s death has officially been ruled a homicide?” Clarissa asked.

  Matilda nodded. “It seems like the police are treating it that way.”

  “Tell me what you know,” Clarissa ordered.

  “The dean’s name was Miles Connor. He moved to Green City a couple years ago – he transferred from another university to take the position. He and a student got into a heated argument not long ago, and now the cops seem to think she’s the one who killed him!”

  “What happened?”

  “The student’s name is Hannah Woods. I taught her History 101 last year. She was my best student – very smart and conscientious. She even helped me on a project of mine for extra credit, so I got to know her. She’s a nice girl, Clarissa. I know she isn’t capable of murder.”

  “But the police think she killed Miles?”

  “Yes. Apparently she and Miles had a falling out. Hannah got a failing grade in another class. She lodged a complaint against that instructor and appealed to the dean to intervene. He refused, and apparently there was a very loud and angry confrontation outside his office.”

  “So the police think she had a motive to kill the dean,” Clarissa concluded.

  “Uh huh,” Matilda confirmed. “And unfortunately, Hannah was in the area when he died.”

  “There were other people around too,” Clarissa pointed out.

  “Yes, but from what I understand, there were a limited number of people around that night. Oh, and the building the dean fell from is locked on weekends,” Matilda explained. “There was a problem with vandalism last year, so security was beefed up.”

  “Who can get into the building on weekends?”

  “Staff members all have key cards to get inside. Janitors and campus security guards have access, obviously. Students who need access to the building are granted access on a case-by-case basis.”