A Secret Killer (Julia Blake Cozy Mystery Book 4) (14 page)

Chapter 25

That
was funny. Cain was usually waiting for her outside his house on a morning. He
did know she was picking him up at this time. She
’
d
told him they start early on Mondays.

Julia
switched off the car engine and got out. His curtains were open so it didn
’
t
look like he was in bed. She frowned, something wasn
’
t
right. She knocked on his front door, and then on the back. She looked through
the living room and kitchen windows. She couldn
’
t see
him anywhere. She tried his phone, it went straight to answerphone.

Julia
walked back to her car and got in. She phoned her dad and explained what was
going on.

Dad
seemed as confused as she was. He said,
“
I
spoke to him yesterday afternoon, we talked about going fishing. Can you
believe he
’
s
never been fishing before? He was so excited. He told me he was going to have
an early night, he wanted to be up bright and early for when you picked him up.
Where do you think he is?
”

“
I don
’
t
know,
”
Julia replied. A feeling of
unease was beginning to grow in her stomach, she kept that to herself.
“
I
’
ll
have to get on with my work, Ivy is going to the hairdresser
’
s
this morning and she wanted me to get to her house early today.
”

They
said goodbye and Julia put her phone down. She was about to set off when her
phone rang again. She snatched up and said,
“
Cain?
Is that you?
”

It
was, but she barely recognised him, his voice sounded so dull and almost
mechanical. He said,
“
Sorry I wasn
’
t
there this morning but I
’
ve been arrested
for the murder of Hugo Barnes. The police arrested me yesterday. I
’
m so
sorry for letting you down, Julia. I have to go. Bye.
”

“
No!
Wait!
”
Julia cried out. Too late, he
’
d
gone.

Cain
arrested? After what DS Pendleton said on Friday about leaving him alone? Julia
felt anger coursing through her body. This couldn
’
t be
happening! There was no way she was leaving Cain on his own.

She
made a quick call to Ivy to say she
’
d have to cancel
her visit. Ivy said she understood and added,
“
If
you
’
re investigating
one of your murders let me know the full gory details later!
”

Julia
then phoned Dad and told him about Cain
’
s
phone call.

“
What
utter nonsense! On what grounds has he been arrested? What evidence have they
got? Has he got a lawyer?
”

“
I don
’
t know,
”
Julia answered.
“
But I
’
m
going to the police station now to find out.
”

“
I
’
ll
meet you there.
”

Julia
managed to park in the police car park this time. She rushed into the station
and was immediately met by DS Pendleton. Any friendliness he showed the other
day had completely disappeared. There was a steely, almost calculating look in
his eyes. He said,
“
I thought you
’
d
turn up.
”

Julia
burst out,
“
Why
have you arrested Cain? What evidence have you got? And what about those things
I told you on Friday, about Dinah and Gilbert?
”

He
held his hand up to silence her.
“
We don
’
t
need to make any further enquiries, we
’
ve found our
killer. We found Cain
’
s fingerprints
on the murder weapon.
”

“
I
told you that in my statement! I told you that Hugo threw the paperweight to
Cain on our visit there on Monday! Of course his fingerprints are on the murder
weapon!
”

DS
Pendleton glared at her.
“
Please lower
your voice, Ms Blake, you
’
re making a
scene.
”

Julia
was just about to say,
‘
I don
’
t
care!
’
when
someone grabbed her hand. It was Dad. He gave her a supportive smile and turned
to DS Pendleton.
“
Good morning, I
’
m Ray
Rosenthorpe. I
’
m
Julia
’
s dad
and a good friend of Cain Andrews. I believe you have him in custody. Could we
see him please?
”

DS
Pendleton
’
s
glare faded under the polite smile coming from Ray. He also seemed to become
aware of his colleagues staring at him. Julia couldn
’
t
tell if their looks were supportive or hostile towards the sergeant. DS
Pendleton said,
“
You can see him for a few minutes. I
’
ll
take you to him.
”

“
Thank
you so much,
”
Dad said as he held tightly to
Julia
’
s
hand.

They
followed DS Pendleton down a corridor and into a room that contained four
cells. Julia
’
s
heart almost broke as he led them to Cain
’
s
cell. The life seemed to have drained out of the young man. He was sitting on a
narrow bed, hunched over, staring at the floor. He looked as if he
’
d
already been found guilty.

DS
Pendleton took a step back and said,
“
You can have two
minutes. And before you ask, Ms Blake, I
’
m not
going anywhere.
”

Dad
and Julia walked closer to the cell. Cain looked up and gave them a small
smile.
“
You
didn
’
t
have to come here. I didn
’
t want you to
see me like this, I feel ashamed.
”

Julia
said,
“
Can
you come closer and tell us what happened. Why do the police think you killed
Hugo?
”

Cain
stood up and shuffled over to them. He didn
’
t
look as if he
’
d
slept for days. He said,
“
The police found
my fingerprints on the paperweight.
”

Julia
tutted and said,
“
Yes, so I
’
ve
been told.
”
She hoped DS Pendleton was
listening carefully.
“
I told the
police in my initial statement that you
’
d
touched the paperweight.
”

Cain
nodded.
“
So
did I. But they found some more evidence. Do you remember those antique cups
that Hugo had? He served us tea in them on our first visit.
”

“
I
remember. What about them?
”

“
The
police found two of the cups in my kitchen cupboard.
”

The
hairs rose on the back of Julia
’
s neck but she
didn
’
t say
anything.

Cain
continued,
“
It
seems that when the police were at the murder scene on Tuesday morning they
discovered that two teacups were missing, there were two empty hooks in Hugo
’
s
cabinet. They assumed that the killer had drunk from the cups on Monday with
Hugo, and left their fingerprints on them by accident. The police assume that
the killer took both cups away with them as they couldn
’
t
remember which cup they had used. The police told me the killer wouldn
’
t
have just washed the cups as that could have left DNA on them.
”

Julia
nodded.
“
I
see. That
’
s
quite a conclusion the police have come to.
”
She could almost feel the breath
coming from DS Pendleton behind her.
“
And when did the
police arrest you?
”

“
Yesterday
afternoon. I went for a walk and when I came back DS Pendleton and his men were
waiting for me. They said they
’
d had a tip-off
about the cups being in my house.
”

“
I
see,
”
Julia said again, keeping her
voice calm. She turned to face DS Pendleton. She jumped, he was inches away
from her. Hadn
’
t he
heard of
‘
personal
space
’
? She
said,
“
Have
you found Cain
’
s DNA
on the cups?
”

“
Not
yet.
”

Julia
said,
“
And
is that all the evidence you have for Cain, the teacups and the paperweight?
”

“
It
’
s
enough,
”
the sergeant replied smugly.
“
Time
’
s up.
”

Julia
had one more question.
“
Have you found
out the identity of that man who was knocked over yesterday?
”

DS
Pendleton frowned.
“
No, why?
”

“
I
tried to phone you on Friday about him. That man had been following me, and it
only started after Hugo died. I think he has something to do with his murder.
”

“
And I
think you should mind your own business,
”
DS Pendleton said.
“
That
man was just an old tramp. You can leave now.
”

Julia
turned back to Cain and gave him a gentle smile. She lowered her voice and
said,
“
Cain,
I know you didn
’
t do it. And I
’
m
going to prove it. You hang in there, be strong.
”

Cain
nodded.

Dad
moved forward and said,
“
I
’
ll get
our fishing trip organised, lad. And we
’
ve
got all that work to do on your house. Keep your chin up.
”

“
I
’
ll
try, Ray. Thank you.
”

Julia
hated to leave Cain. She had an overwhelming desire to bop DS Pendleton on the
head, steal his keys and then release Cain. She shook her head slightly and
reminded herself she was not starring in a western film.

She
didn
’
t say
a word as she walked out of the police station with Dad. When they got to her
car she turned to Dad and said,
“
Cain didn
’
t
kill Hugo, I know that for sure. Those teacups were planted in Cain
’
s
house. I cleaned those cupboards out on Saturday morning, there was no sign of
those cups. I think the real killer put them there. You
’
ve
seen the poor security on Cain
’
s doors, anyone
could have got in.
”

Dad
said,
“
Why
don
’
t you
tell the police that?
”

“
You
’
ve
met DS Pendleton now, do you think he would believe me? And he
’
s got
a grudge against Cain. He looked quite happy to see Cain locked up. No, I
’
m
going to have to investigate Hugo
’
s murder on my
own. I want Cain out of that cell.
”