Death Takes A Trip (Julia Blake Cozy Mystery Book 5) (2 page)

Chapter 3

The woods were a pleasant place to be. The trees were
far enough apart so as to not block out the daylight, and there were several
well-trodden paths that led through the trees.

Cain bounded ahead of Julia like a playful puppy. He
called out,
“
I can hear
water! Can I go and find out where it
’
s coming from?
”

“
Off you go, I
’
ll catch you up,
”
Julia
 
said
and waved him away. She looked at the low-growing plants around her. She wished
she knew what they were. There were some names in Cain
’
s gran
’
s notebook
that she wasn
’
t familiar
with, some plant names that sounded old-fashioned. Julia took her phone out and
began to take photos of the plants. Perhaps she could post them on the Internet
and ask for their names.

She wandered after Cain, taking photos as she went.
She stopped.
“
That
’
s funny.
”
She looked closer at what had caught her eye. There were a lot of
footprints, all stamped into the ground in front of her. The footprints were
large, and the grooves were deep. They looked like they
’
d come from some sort of boot, possibly a work boot. Hmm, she didn
’
t recall Douglas having any work boots lined up on his shoe rack. She
looked closer. There seemed to be two different sizes of boots, one slightly
larger than the other. It looked like two people had been standing here
recently. She stood near to the boot prints and looked around. She could just
see the top of Douglas
’
house from here. Had someone been spying on him?

Some impulse told her to take photographs of the
prints.

She walked towards the small stream and smiled when
she saw Cain crouched at its side, his hand in the gently flowing water. He
looked up at her, a big grin on his face.
“
I saw a frog! And some fish. This place is amazing!
”

Julia
’
s heart ached as she thought about how much the young man had missed out
on his life. When he
’
d first come
to her house for an interview he had told her honestly about his life. His
mother had never cared for him, his father didn
’
t know of his existence until it was too late, and his four brothers had
treated him worse than a dog. His life had improved when his gran took him in.
But then things had turned worse for him when he was wrongly accused of
manslaughter. He had done his time in prison out of a misplaced sense of
loyalty for the real culprits - his no-good brothers.

Julia was glad that she had taken a chance on him and
given him a job. And her dad, Ray, was overjoyed too as he had become good
friends with Cain.

Cain looked a lot younger than his years as he moved
his hand around in the water.

Julia cocked her head to one side.
“
Did you hear that?
”

“
Hear what?
”
Cain asked,
his hand moving in a circle in the water.

“
Shh! Listen!
”

Cain took his hand out and stood up. He adopted the
same pose as Julia as he listened. After a moment he nodded and said,
“
It sounds like a trapped animal or something. It
’
s coming from over there.
”

“
Cat! It must
be Cat! Come on!
”
Julia ran away from the river and deeper into the trees. The screeching
noise that she
’
d heard became
louder. She ran towards some low-lying bushes, the noise was even louder. Julia
fell to her knees and moved the spiky branches to one side.
“
Cat! What have you done? Are you stuck?
”

Cain joined her and peeped through the branches.
“
She
’
s got her fur
caught on a branch. If you hold the branches up I
’
ll try and get her free.
”

Julia lifted the branches, wincing as a spike cut into
her hand. She said,
“
Be careful, it
’
s very prickly.
”

Cain flattened himself down on the grass and inched
forward, his hand outstretched. He made soothing noises to Cat as he moved even
closer. Soon, half of his body was inside the spiky plant. Cat
’
s howls of distress stopped. Cain slowly moved backwards. Blood dripped
down Julia
’
s hand as
another spike caught her. Her arm was aching but she couldn
’
t let the branches drop.

Cain moved fully backwards with a disgruntled-looking
ginger cat in his arms. When he was fully free he set the cat down and said,
“
So, you
’
re Cat.
”

Cat lifted her head and tail at the same time and
swiftly trotted away.

“
You
’
re welcome!
”
Julia cried after the ungrateful creature. She let the branch go, took
out a tissue and wiped the blood from her hand.

Cain was just about to speak when a noise made them
both freeze. Julia
’
s finger flew
to her mouth and she lowered herself further on the grass.

The noise that they
’
d heard this time was the sound of men talking. Twigs cracked and grass
rustled as the men came closer.

“
It
’
s only a matter of time before the old codger gives in,
”
said a man.

“
We haven
’
t got time, you idiot! We
’
re losing money, the housing market won
’
t stay like this forever. We
’
ve got to build those houses now, don
’
t you understand?
”
This was said by a younger-sounding man.

The first man spoke again,
“
Of course I understand, and this land is perfect for those executive
homes, but we
’
re doing all
that we can.
”

“
We can do
more. Sending that ancient fool an offer letter now and again isn
’
t working.
”
There was a pause.
“
We need to convince him in stronger terms that he needs to move.
”

“
What are you
suggesting? Nothing illegal I hope. You know what happened last time.
”

“
I made a
mistake last time, I won
’
t do that again. I think Mr Pedley needs to be convinced that it
’
s time he moved on, for the good of his health.
”

Julia
’
s breath caught. She looked over at Cain, he looked as horrified as she
felt. It was clear what these men were talking about. But who were they? Julia
looked through the foliage but she couldn
’
t see anything from her low viewing point. If she just raised her head a
bit
…

Everything suddenly fell silent. A feeling of cold
dread trickled down Julia
’
s back. Had she and Cain been spotted? Would she look up to see two
angry men glaring down at them?

A twig cracked making her heart miss a beat.

The second man spoke again. Julia heard the hint of
menace in his voice as he said,
“
I think I
’
ll pay Douglas
Pedley a visit in the very near future. I can convince him to sell his house. I
can be very persuasive.
”

The men walked away. Julia let out the breath that she
’
d been holding.

Cain whispered,
“
What are we going to do?
”

Julia stood up and brushed bits of grass and leaves
from herself. She looked at Cain and said,
“
We
’
re going to
tell Douglas about this. And then he
’
s going to ring the police.
”

But that didn
’
t happen.

Chapter 4

“
What a load of
old tripe!
”
Douglas announced.

“
It
’
s not old tripe! I heard them talking, and so did Cain,
”
Julia said.
She turned to Cain for verification, he was sitting at the kitchen table.
“
More cake, Cain? Really?
”

Cain nodded towards Douglas and said,
“
He told me to finish it off.
”

“
That
’
s right, lad, I did. I like to see a young man with a good appetite.
Julia, I didn
’
t mean you
were talking a load of old tripe. I meant those men were. As if they
’
re going to scare me into selling my home! I
’
ll take on the lot of them. I know who they are.
”

Julia said,
“
Who are they? I take it that they
’
re builders of some sort.
”

“
Cowboys, more
like,
”
Douglas said.
“
These so-called modern houses to the right and left of me, they were
built by Adams Construction. The houses were thrown up in weeks, they
’
ll never last a good winter. Those men in the woods most likely work for
Alexander Adams, he
’
s the boss. I
don
’
t know what
they were doing on my land but if I ever see them I
’
ll aim my air rifle at them!
”

“
Have they been
bothering you recently?
”
Julia asked.

Douglas stroked one side of his thin moustache.
“
Alexander Adams approached me at the same time that he approached my old
neighbours, he asked if I wanted to sell my house. I told him I didn
’
t want to sell, and that I had no intention of doing so in the future.
He was polite, and so was I. I
’
ve had a few letters since, asking if I
’
d changed my mind. They offered me a ridiculous sum, but I still said
no.
”
He raised his eyebrows at Julia and added,
“
I was a little less polite that time.
”

“
So no one has
been in touch recently? No threats of any kind?
”

“
Such as?
”

Cain interrupted,
“
Strange people hanging around the street, your phone being tapped, your
home being bugged.
”

“
By! You
’
ve got an active imagination! No, I haven
’
t noticed anything like that. I
’
ve no idea if my house is bugged. I
’
ve been a bit preoccupied of late.
”
Douglas looked
at his watch.
“
She should
have been here by now. I suppose it
’
s a woman
’
s prerogative
to be late.
”

The doorbell rang.

Douglas
’
face lit up like a child
’
s on Christmas morning.
“
She
’
s here, she
’
s finally here,
”
he said in an awe-filled voice. He looked back at
Julia and said,
“
You stay here.
Sit down, you
’
re making the
place look untidy. And don
’
t ask her a hundred questions! I know how nosy you are.
”

Julia sat down and tried to look offended, she wasn
’
t nosy at all, just curious. She reached for a slice of cake and said to
Cain,
“
I can
’
t wait to see the woman who
’
s changed Douglas so much.
”

A few minutes later she said,
“
What
’
s taking them
so long?
”

Cain grinned and said,
“
Maybe they
’
re snogging.
You
’
ve got crumbs
around your mouth.
”

Julia wiped the crumbs away and stood up.
“
Perhaps we should go and find them.
”

“
Stay where you
are!
”
Douglas thundered as he returned to the kitchen, a woman at his side.

Julia felt her mouth dropping open as she stared at
the vision who was standing proudly next to Douglas, her arm linked through
his. Her jet-black hair was full and glossy, Julia thought she could see flecks
of dark blue in it. The woman
’
s eyes were an amazing shade of blue. There were small lines around her
eyes and mouth but her cheeks were soft-looking and rosy. Julia took in the
elegant silk dress that the woman was wearing, it was the same blue as her
eyes.

Douglas was right, his new friend was beautiful. Julia
felt the air on her tongue and snapped her mouth shut.

The woman removed her arm from Douglas
’
and extended a
hand towards Julia. She smiled and said,
“
How lovely to meet you at last, Julia. Douglas has told me a lot about
you.
”

“
Has he? He
’
s told me barely nothing about you.
”
Julia shook
the woman
’
s hand.

The woman then moved over to Cain and said,
“
You must be Cain. I hope you don
’
t mind, but I
’
ve made you a
fruit cake to take home. I
’
ve left the box by the front door.
”

Cain stood up and took her hand.
“
Thank you, I love fruit cake.
”
He paused for
a moment and then added,
“
I like all sorts of cake.
”

Julia shook her head slightly. Cain would have enough
baked goods soon to start his own shop.

The woman spoke again.
“
Oh! Where are my manners? I haven
’
t told you my name. It
’
s Nina Sapphire.
”

Julia felt her breath catch.
“
That
’
s a beautiful
name. It matches your eyes.
”
Her hand flew to her mouth.
“
Sorry! That was a silly thing to say.
”

Nina laughed, a genteel kind of laugh.
“
I know what you mean. Sapphire isn
’
t the surname I was born with. I changed it to that for my career. I
used to be a
…”

Cain pointed at her and shouted,
“
A film star! I thought I recognised you! I used to watch all your films
with my gran. I can
’
t believe you
’
re still alive!
”
It was Cain
’
s turn to look embarrassed.

Nina gave a small grimace.
“
I
’
m just about
alive, these old bones keep me moving.
”

“
You are more
alive than any woman I know,
”
Douglas said. Julia
’
s eyes prickled at the tenderness in his voice. If he said anything else
like that she
’
d burst into
tears.

Nina moved back to Douglas, she looked as if she was
floating on the air.
“
Darling, I think we need to go. We
’
ll be late for our reservation.
”
She looked at
Julia and said,
“
We
’
re going to that Italian restaurant in town, we
’
re booked in for the pensioner
’
s special.
”
She chuckled.
“
There are some compensations to being so old.
”

“
You don
’
t look old,
”
Julia said truthfully. Nina couldn
’
t be eighty years old! Julia hoped that she
’
d look that good at eighty. She sighed. She wished she looked that good
now.

Douglas said,
“
Julia, I
’
m sorry for
messing you about. Shall we leave the cleaning until next month?
”

“
No, I
’
ll check my schedule, I
’
m sure I can find another day. Although, I don
’
t mind staying now to do the cleaning work.
”

Nina waved a delicate hand at her.
“
My dear, you can
’
t work late on a Friday. I
’
m sure you
’
ve got social
plans.
”

“
Oh, yes, of
course I have plans,
”
Julia said. She didn
’
t add that her plans included pepperoni pizza and three episodes of
Lewis.

Nina said to Douglas,
“
Would you mind if I paid a visit to the ladies
’
room before we go?
”

“
Of course not,
sweetheart. I
’
ll get my coat
on.
”

Nina removed her arm again and gave Julia a small
wink.
“
I
’
m a slave to my bladder.
”

Julia returned her smile. What a lovely woman she was.
Douglas really was a lucky man.

Nina moved away, again seeming to float.

As soon as she was out of earshot Douglas beamed at
Julia and said,
“
Well, what do
you think? She
’
s perfect, isn
’
t she?
”

“
She certainly
is. How did you meet?
”

“
At that
charity shop in town. I finally plucked up the courage to take Val
’
s clothes in. Nina works as a volunteer there. I was reluctant to hand
over Val
’
s clothes, I
’
d changed my mind about giving them away. Nina took me through to the
back of the shop, made me a cup of tea and listened to my worries about letting
Val
’
s things go.
She was so understanding. It was her who asked me out on a date! Can you
believe that? At my age?
”
He smiled to himself.
“
I
’
m the luckiest
man alive. I can
’
t believe I
’
ve got a second chance at love.
”
His glance
flicked upwards. He lowered his voice and said,
“
I
’
m going to ask
her
…”

He never finished his sentence. There was an almighty
crash, followed by an ear-splitting scream.

“
Nina!
”
Douglas turned
on his heel and ran towards the hallway and stairs. Julia and Cain ran after
him.

They found Nina lying at the bottom of the stairs. Her
eyes were closed and she wasn
’
t moving.