Death Takes A Trip (Julia Blake Cozy Mystery Book 5) by Gillian Larkin Read Free Book Online Page B

to keep this a secret but … it really
doesn ’ t matter now.
Douglas proposed to me on Saturday night. I said yes, of course. He said he
didn ’ t want to
waste any more time without me and he was head over heels in love with me. ”
    Julia smiled but thought head over heels was an
unfortunate term to use.
    Doris clasped her hands under her bosom. “ By heck! You ’ ve lost your
whole future. It never rains does it, it pours! ”
    Cain added from his seat in the corner, “ My gran used to say that. ”
    Doris nodded. “ She was a wise woman. Have another biscuit, they need eating. Nina, that ’ s so sad about your engagement. ”
    Nina nodded. “ We were going to look for rings this Friday. And then Douglas was going
to throw a small party at his house and make an official announcement. ” She looked
away. “ I can ’ t believe he ’ s gone. I ’ ve only known him for a short while but he became my world. ”
    Doris made a clicking noise with her tongue and
muttered, “ I ’ ve a good mind to go round and see that Joshua Bentley right now! ”
    Julia said, “ The police are making their enquiries. I think you ’ d be better staying with Nina rather than confronting Joshua. Thanks for
taking her in. We have to go now, we ’ ve still got work to do. Come on, Cain. ”
    Nina called out, “ Julia! Thank you for looking after me, you ’ re so kind. ”
    Julia blinked and said a rapid goodbye. She walked
briskly out of the house. Cain jumped up and ran after her.
    As they walked down the path Cain said, “ Why are we in such a rush? ”
    “ Because I ’ m about to burst into tears! And I don ’ t want to do that in front of Nina. I can ’ t stop thinking about her and Douglas together, they were so happy! And
now it ’ s all gone. ”
    “ Do you still
think it was murder? ”
    “ I don ’ t know what to think, ” Julia said. They got in the car. “ I think that Adams Construction has something to do with Douglas ’ death. It can ’ t be a coincidence that those men were talking in the woods, and then
that rock went through Douglas ’ window. ”
    Cain nodded. “ And didn ’ t you say that
they had building plans for Douglas ’ land. ”
    “ Yes. Do you
remember what that man in the woods said? That he ’ d done it before, taken care of problems. I think we need to look into
the background of Adams Construction. The Internet is a good place to start. ”
    “ Or, we could
ask one of Douglas ’ old neighbours, the ones that used to live down his street before their
houses were bought by the construction company. ”
    “ That would be
ideal but where will we find such a person? ” Julia paused
and narrowed her eyes at Cain. “ Okay, spit it out, you ’ ve obviously got something to tell me. ”
    Cain grinned. “ I wasn ’ t sure whether
to tell you or not, it didn ’ t seem relevant earlier but now that Douglas is dead, I …”
    “ Stop drawing
it out! Tell me or I ’ ll push you
out of the car! ”
    Cain said, “ That ’ s not much of
a threat, we haven ’ t set off yet. ” His smile
dropped as he took in Julia ’ s look. “ Okay! I ’ ve been doing some gardening work for my neighbours,   one of them is called Albert. He knew
that I worked with you. We got chatting and I told him about the forest that ’ s at the back of Douglas ’ land. ”
    “ Woods, not
forest, ” Julia corrected.
    “ I prefer to
call it a forest, it ’ s more
exciting. Anyway, Albert knows somebody who used to live next door to Douglas.
She ’ s called
Gloria and she sold her house to Adams Construction. I can ask him for Gloria ’ s address. ”
    Julia nodded. “ Yes, do that. Thank you. ”
    A few hours later Julia dropped Cain home and then
headed towards her own house. She remembered what was in the boot of her car
and made a right turn instead of the normal left turn that took her home.
    She pulled into the police car park and retrieved the
cloth covered rock from her boot. DI Clarke was