A Secret Killer (Julia Blake Cozy Mystery Book 4) (7 page)

Chapter 12

Cain
was waiting outside his house when Julia pulled up the next morning. From the
look on his face he'd had the same quality of sleep that she'd had. Cain yawned
as he climbed into the passenger seat.

Julia
said,
“
I
know how you feel, I didn't sleep well either. I kept thinking about DS
Pendleton, I feel like making a complaint to the DI Clarke, but I don't think
I'd get anywhere."

Cain
said,
“
Have
you heard anything back from the police yet?
”

“
No, I
might give them a ring later. I wish I could remember where I
’
d
seen that man before, the one in the blue car.
”

Julia
glanced at a parked car as she drove away.

“
Where
are we going today?
”
Cain
asked.

“
To
some apartments by the canal in Leeds. Very fancy apartments too. I
’
ve
got a few clients that live there, I like to do them all on the same day. My
clients won
’
t be
in, they all work during the day so no cake and cookies for you today!
”

Cain
laughed and patted his tummy.
“
I think I had
more than enough yesterday. I
’
ve never been in
those apartments, I
’
ve seen the prices that they charge for
them though.
”

Julia
looked in her rear-view mirror before making a turn.
“
They
are lovely, they
’
ve been converted from the old woollen
mills.
”

Cain
didn
’
t
speak for a moment. Then he said,
“
Should I wait in
the car for you?
”

“
When?
”

“
When
you go into the apartments to clean. The clients that we
’
ve
met so far have been lovely but I don
’
t think everyone
would want an ex-con in their luxury homes.
”

Julia
gave a small sigh. He was voicing the same concerns that she had. She made a
decision.
“
You
can come in with me, I
’
ll vouch for
you. I
’
ll
phone my clients up later and explain the situation. They can decide whether
they want you to return. It
’
s not like I
’
m
leaving you on your own. Although, I would be more than happy to leave you with
some of my clients from yesterday.
”
She glanced at her rear-view mirror
again and continued.
“
As long as you
split the booty with me.
”

“
Booty?
”

Julia
headed along the main road into Leeds. She smiled,
“
The
baked goods! You
’
ll be the size of a house if you keep
eating all those gifts.
”

Cain
smiled.
“
I don
’
t
know why people keep giving me food. Not that I
’
m
complaining.
”

Julia
was tempted to tell him it was because he look half-starved, but thought better
of it. She didn
’
t know Cain well but suspected he
’
d be
the type to turn down free food if he thought people were feeling sorry for
him.

She
pulled into the car park of a block of apartments. The sun took this moment to
come out from the clouds and to shine down on the canal that ran at the side of
the apartments. Julia parked up and turned to Cain, his mouth was open.

“
Wow,
”
he said.
“
It
looks like something in America, not in the middle of Yorkshire.
”

“
Wait
until you see inside. The first apartment that we
’
re
going to is on the top floor, there
’
s a magnificent
view of Leeds.
”

Julia
cast a look behind her as she locked her car and headed towards the nearest
apartment block. Cain was like a small child as they entered the lift.
“
It
’
s got
music! I
’
ve
never been in a lift with music!
”

Julia
smiled and remembered all the lovely times she had with her children when they
were young, seeing the wonder in everything. She
’
d
better watch herself, she
’
d be pointing to
a plane soon and calling out,
‘
Look at that!
’

Cain
stepped through the door of the top-floor apartment and then froze, his eyes
wide. Julia gave him a small push and said,
“
Go
on, have a look around. When you
’
ve finished you
can help me with the windows.
”

“
Are
you sure your client won
’
t mind?
”

“
Roger
’
s
great, he loves showing his apartment off.
”

Cain
took a few minutes to wander around the huge apartment. Julia heard him
muttering various versions of
‘
Wow!
’

She
walked over to the window that faced the car park and looked down. She tutted.

Cain
returned to her side, still smiling. Julia said,
“
Are
you ready to clean?
”

He
grinned.
“
What
a beautiful place. I
’
m ready to clean it from top to bottom!
”

“
We
’
re
only doing the windows, the bathroom and the kitchen today,
”
Julia told him.
“
I
’
m
glad you
’
re so
enthusiastic though, some of my clients are much messier than Roger.
”

Cain
got to work with gusto and the cleaning was done in no time. His enthusiasm
didn
’
t
wane as they visited three more apartments.

They
returned to the car park within two hours. Julia said,
“
It
normally takes me three hours to do those apartments. Thank you, Cain, you
’
ve
been a great help.
”

“
I
’
ve
enjoyed it. Gran would have loved these apartments. Where are we going now?
”

“
I
’
m not
sure. You get in. I
’
m going to have a word with the people
in that brown car over there.
”
Julia unlocked the car and placed her
cleaning materials in the boot. She marched over to the brown car, a determined
look on her face. The two men inside saw her approaching and quickly looked
away. Julia rapped on the driver
’
s window. It was
wound down and a clean-shaven man looked at her and said,
“
Yes?
Can I help you?
”

Julia
put her hands on her hips.
“
You certainly
can! You can tell me why you
’
ve been
following us all morning!
”

Chapter 13

The
man had the grace to look uncomfortable. He muttered,
“
It
’
s
orders, we have to do it.
”

“
Orders
from who?
”
Julia asked, her hands still on
her hips.

The
man coughed and said,
“
Orders from DS
Pendleton. We
’
re
working on his team.
”

Julia
’
s
arms dropped. She narrowed her eyes.
“
I see. So DS
Pendleton has told you to harass us, is that right?
”

“
We
’
re
not harassing you, we
’
re just keeping
an eye on you. Well, not you exactly, that young man with you.
”
He looked down at a notepad on
his knee.
“
Stinky
Cain, that
’
s his
name.
”

Something
in Julia snapped.
“
That is not his name! I
’
ve
had enough! You don
’
t have any reason to be following us.
”
She reached for her phone and
waved it at the man.
“
I
’
m
going to phone DI Clarke, I
’
m on good terms
with him.
”
A little lie, but Julia carried
on.
“
We
’
ll
see what he makes about this.
”

The
other man in the car blurted out,
“
I told you this
was a mistake! I said we shouldn
’
t be taking
orders from Jason, you know he
’
s got issues
with authority. This is going to go on our records!
”

Julia
leant down so she could see the other man clearer. She could see the beads of
sweat on his forehead. It was obvious he wasn
’
t
happy about following them. What sort of a policeman was DS Pendleton? She said
in a softer tone,
“
Look, I won
’
t
phone the inspector. I don
’
t know what
’
s
going on with DS Pendleton but he
’
s got some sort
of issue with Cain Andrews. How are you getting along with the murder enquiry?
”

Both
men shrugged.

Julia
said,
“
The
murder enquiry? Hugo Barnes? Isn
’
t that why you
’
re
following Cain?
”

The
nearest man spoke,
“
I don
’
t
know anything about that. DS Pendleton just told us to follow you and to make
notes.
”

Julia
straightened up.
“
We
’
re
leaving the car park now. Will you be following us again? Do I need to phone
the inspector?
”

The
man
’
s
cheeks reddened.
“
No, we won
’
t be
following you. Sorry to cause you any distress.
”

The
window rose and the car started up. Julia stood to one side as the car drove
away. She really needed to speak to DI Clarke about Hugo. What progress had
been made? Had they looked into his client list? Also, she wanted to tell him
about the man that had been watching her last night. It might be nothing but
she
’
d
feel better if she told him.

She
decided to phone him later. She also decided that she was going to make her own
investigations into Hugo
’
s death. And she
knew where to start.

She
drove into the centre of Leeds and parked in a multi-storey car park. She told
Cain that he could have an hour to himself for lunch.
“
We
’
ll
meet back here.
”

Cain
didn
’
t get
out of the car. His eyes narrowed and he said,
“
What
are you going to do? I hope you don
’
t mind me saying
this, but you
’
ve
got a funny look on your face, a calculating look as if you
’
re
weighing something up.
”

Julia
nodded.
“
I am
weighing something up. But I don
’
t want you to
get involved.
”

“
Is it
something to do with Hugo
’
s murder?
”

“
It
is, but the less you know, the better. Off you go.
”

Cain
folded his arms.
“
I
’
m not
going anywhere. If you
’
re going to make
your own investigations I want to help you.
”

Julia
shook her head.
“
No, you
’
ve
already got DS Pendleton breathing down your neck.
”

“
All
the more reason to find out who killed Hugo. He seemed like a good man, and at
the moment, the killer is walking free. And from what I heard in the car park
back there at the apartments, the police don
’
t
seem to be getting anywhere with their enquiries.
”

“
You
heard me talking to those policemen?
”

Cain
’
s
mouth lifted.
“
You
’
ve
got a loud voice when you
’
re angry.
”

Julia
laughed.
“
My
dad has referred to me as a foghorn many a time. Right, you can come with me.
We
’
re
going to the library.
”

Cain
’
s
smile dropped.
“
The library? Are we going to look
something up?
”

“
Nope,
we
’
re
going to talk to someone who was close to Hugo. Someone who was in love with
him.
”
Julia paused and looked through
the window.
“
She
must be devastated by his death.
”

“
Who?
”

“
Come
on, I
’
ll
explain on the way.
”

They
made their way out of the car park and headed towards the library. Cain smiled
in appreciation.
“
I
’
d
forgotten how beautiful this building is.
”

“
Speed
up, we haven
’
t got
all day. I
’
ll
tell you who we
’
re going to meet. She should be working
today.
”
Julia stopped.
“
Oh!
Unless she
’
s
taken compassionate leave! I never thought of that. She must be distraught
about losing Hugo.
”

“
Who?
I feel like you
’
re talking in riddles.
”

“
Sorry.
”
Julia began walking again.
“
I
’
m
talking about Hugo
’
s assistant, Dinah Wells. She works for
him on Thursdays and Fridays. She works at the library the rest of the week.
She
’
s
been working for him for about a year. He told me that he had to come in here
often to look up records for the family trees he was compiling. Dinah was the
one he asked for help. Apparently, she got so fed up with him coming into the
library and asking for help that she volunteered to look things up on his
behalf, to save him a trip to the library. Hugo loved that idea but insisted on
employing Dinah as his assistant. She spends most of her time here, but then
calls in at Hugo
’
s house too with all the facts she
’
s
collected.
”

Cain
nodded.
“
Why
does she have to visit his house? Can
’
t she email him?
Or phone him?
”

Julia
tutted as if it was obvious.
“
Because she
’
s in
love with him. She
’
s a bit younger than him and quite
attractive. She
’
s got this amazing hair that is always
so shiny, I don
’
t know how she manages to get her hair
like that. Anyway, I
’
ve only seen her a few times, but when
Hugo is in front of her, her whole face lights up. She does the whole flirting
thing, you know, batting her eyes, fiddling with her hair, taking any
opportunity to touch him on the arm or shoulder.
”

“
Did
Hugo like her?
”
Cain asked as they reached the
library doors.

There
was another tut from Julia.
“
He didn
’
t
know she was in love with him! He was too wrapped up in his work to notice
anything like that. I dropped a few hints, but
…
well, he
’
s a
man.
”
Julia paused in mid-step. In a
lower voice she added,
“
Was a man. I
must stop talking about him as if he is still alive.
”

They
walked through the doors. Julia said,
“
She works on the
first floor. I don
’
t know if we
’
ll
find her but we can try. She might be able to tell us about Hugo
’
s
clients, maybe even the cases he was working on. Then we can
…
argh!
”

Julia
grabbed Cain and pulled him behind a display unit.

Cain
instinctively ducked down. He hissed,
“
What is it? Are
we being followed again?
”

Julia
whispered,
“
No,
it
’
s
Dinah, she
’
s
walking down the corridor towards us.
”

Cain
frowned.
“
Why
are we hiding? I thought you wanted to see her.
”

“
She
’
s
with someone. I
’
ve seen that man before, he
’
s
some sort of book agent. Shh! They
’
re getting
closer.
”

Cain
peeped over the top of the display cabinet. He whispered,
“
She
doesn
’
t
look devastated, she
’
s smiling.
”

“
She
could be putting on a brave face. Quiet! I want to hear what they
’
re
saying.
”

Julia
held her breath as the couple walked past the display case.

Dinah
said in a cheerful voice,
“
Of course I
’
d be
interested. Let
’
s go downstairs into the cafe and
discuss it further.
”

Julia
let her breath out as the couple walked away. Cain stepped out from behind the
display case and watched Dinah Wells and her companion head towards the stairs
that led downstairs. He said,
“
She is
attractive. I see what you mean about her hair, it
’
s
very shiny.
”

Julia
stood at his side.
“
I wonder what they were talking about.
”

Cain
gave her a direct look.
“
Do you want me
to follow them?
”