Death Takes A Trip (Julia Blake Cozy Mystery Book 5) (17 page)

Chapter 30

DI Clarke met Julia outside the hospital doors the
next morning. He studied her face and said,
“
Are you sure you want to do this?
”

Julia tried to smile.
“
Not really, but I have to.
”

“
Don
’
t you have clients to visit?
”

“
I
’
ve left Cain to do that. He offered to do that, he didn
’
t want to be here.
”

DI Clarke nodded.
“
I can understand that. I don
’
t want to be here either.
”
He took a deep breath.
“
Come on, Julia, let
’
s go.
”

If Julia hadn
’
t been feeling so sad she would have mentioned that he
’
d never called her by her first name before. She followed him into the
hospital and down the corridor. Two uniformed policemen were waiting outside
the door that led to Nina
’
s ward. DI Clarke said to them,
“
Wait here until I call you in.
”

Julia
’
s footsteps felt heavy as she walked after the inspector. He said
quietly,
“
The beds at
either side of Ms Sapphire are empty. I asked the nurses to do that. She doesn
’
t need an audience.
”

“
I think she
does need an audience,
”
Julia said.

Nina looked up from her bed as they got closer. Her
face lit up. Julia noticed how well Nina looked, there was no sign on her face
of all the grief she
’
d been through
recently.

Julia couldn
’
t return Nina
’
s smile.

Nina
’
s smile dropped. She placed her hands on her lap and waited for them to
sit down at her side. She looked from one to the other and said,
“
Ah, you
’
ve worked it
out, haven
’
t you?
”

Julia felt her eyes prickle.

Nina nodded.
“
I thought you would. I knew you wouldn
’
t leave this matter alone. Although I thought I
’
d got away with it when Mildred was arrested.
”

Julia blinked quickly and forced any tears away.
“
Why, Nina? Why did you kill Douglas? I thought you loved him.
”

Nina chuckled.
“
I was fond of him. Tell me, how did you work it out? I thought you were
convinced that Kirk Adams had something to do with Douglas
’
death.
”

“
I watched one
of your films last night. And then I looked on the Internet for facts about
you.
”

“
Which film was
it? No, let me guess. It
’
s the one where I fall down the stairs, isn
’
t it? That
’
s my favourite
one. You saw that I survived in the film and how I acted afterwards. You must
have realised that I acted the same way after I fell down the stairs at Douglas
’
house, and how
I acted after my tumble at the charity shop.
”

Julia nodded.
“
My dad said something to me recently about doing my own stunts. When I
looked online I saw that you did your own stunts. Your special talent was
falling down stairs without getting hurt.
”

Nina smiled.
“
I was the best in the business. A peculiar talent to have, but useful
all the same. I knew how to fall and how to land. I still have that talent,
that
’
s why I never
broke any bones in my recent falls. Did you notice anything else in the film?
”

“
Yes, there
were scenes of you in hospital, surrounded by friends. You said the same things
to them that you said to Doris and the others. Like how you didn
’
t want to be a nuisance. You made people feel sorry for you. The more I
watched, the more I realised how much you
’
d been recreating scenes from that film.
”

“
My acting has
come in useful. I hope Doris isn
’
t too upset with me. Inspector, shall we get down to business? You
’
re awfully quiet. Did I fool you too?
”

DI Clarke didn
’
t blink.
“
I
’
m not in the habit of being fooled, Ms Sapphire, but I must admit I was
taken in by your act. I felt sorry for you.
”

Nina nodded.
“
That was the point! When people feel sorry for you they give you lots of
attention. Take Julia here, every night she
’
d called in to visit me, despite having done a full day
’
s work. And Doris has been run off her feet trying to make sure I was
happy.
”

Julia
’
s sadness was replaced by anger. Nina had made fools of them all!
“
But why? Why did you kill Douglas?
”

Nina said,
“
You
’
re a clever
girl, I
’
m sure you
’
ve worked it out by now. Look at me, an ageing film star. I wasn
’
t much of a star in my younger days but I had my followers. They loved
showering me with attention, and I loved being on the receiving end. It made me
feel alive! As soon as I met Douglas I knew he was lonely enough to devote all
his time to me. And those women in the charity shop, they felt good being
around me and hearing about my time in films. They basked in my fame and
attention.
”

Julia shook her head and looked away.

Nina carried on,
“
I was fond of Douglas. I could have married him and settled down to a
normal life. But where was the excitement in that? On the night that he died I
was still at his house. Inspector, you should have checked up on my alibi. You
only had my word for it that I
’
d left Douglas
’
house that night. As it was, I was in the bedroom. The
door was closed but I heard the conversations that he had with Kirk Adams and
Mildred Hepplethwaite. A plan began to form in my mind based on some of the
murder mystery films I
’
ve been in. As the grieving girlfriend, no, fiancee, I
’
d get a lot of attention from my new friends.
”

Julia
’
s head snapped back to Nina.
“
You didn
’
t have to kill
him!
”

“
But I did. I
needed the attention, I craved it. And I already had suspects that I could pin
the murder on. It was perfect. Douglas
didn
’
t know what
had happened to him, I did it quickly. He came upstairs after Mildred had left
to check on me. I pretended to be asleep until he left the room, then I crept
up on him as he headed for the stairs. I had to give him quite a push, but he
went quickly. Then I cut the carpet, I had to make that look obviously cut as
it was all part of the plan to make Douglas
’
death look
like murder.
”

DI Clarke spoke,
“
Did Ms Hepplethwaite push you down the stairs at the charity shop?
”

Nina smiled.
“
No, fooled you again. Are you going to arrest me now? Julia, don
’
t look so angry. Think of it as starring in one of my films.
”

Julia couldn
’
t take it any more. She stood up.
“
This is not one of your films, this is real life. You killed Douglas so
that you could get attention from everyone! There
’
s something wrong with you!
”

DI Clarke stood up and took Julia
’
s arm. He led her away from Nina and towards the doors. He nodded at the
uniformed policemen who then came in and walked past them.

In the corridor he released her.
“
Try not to get so upset.
”

Julia clenched her fists.
“
I feel so used! I cared about her. I was worried for her! And all the
time she was using me, and everyone else. Douglas
’
life meant
nothing to her.
”

“
Would it help
if I told you she
’
s done this
before?
”

“
What?
”

“
Not killed any
one, but she
’
s had many falls
over the past ten years. After you phoned me last night I did some research. Ms
Sapphire has moved all around Europe, picking up friends as she went. She
’
s been admitted to hospitals in many cities. I managed to speak to some
of the doctors who treated her. They remembered her as being charming, and that
she always had many visitors. They all said she never broke a bone during her
falls.
”

Julia shook her head.
“
I can
’
t believe
someone would crave attention that much. But
…
why kill
Douglas?
”

“
I suppose she
thought she had to take whatever steps were necessary to get more attention for
herself.
”

Julia said,
“
Killing Douglas was a step too far. Excuse me, I have to go.
”

Chapter 31

Julia found it hard to get through the rest of the
day.

Cain said to her,
“
Don
’
t let it get
to you. She fooled us all, there was something psychologically wrong with her.
She
’
s fooled other
people, and she
’
ll probably
fool people in prison.
”

“
I know but I
feel so sad for Douglas.
”

Cain added,
“
You
’
ve stopped her
doing that again to someone. If she
’
d have got away with murder once, she would have tried it again.
”

“
I suppose so.
”
She stopped
outside Cain
’
s house.
“
Thanks for all your help.
”

“
Any time.
”
He grinned and
then added,
“
Mum.
”

Julia couldn
’
t help but laugh. There was no point feeling sorry for herself. There
was nothing she could have done to prevent Douglas
’
death.

Helena Blossom was waiting for her when she got home.
“
Hey there, Julia. You look like you
’
ve had the day from hell.
”

Julia unlocked her door and said,
“
Come in, I
’
ll tell you
all about it.
”

“
No need. I
’
ve already spoken to DI Clarke, he
’
s told me everything. That Nina sounds like a case. DI Clarke told me
that the lovely Kirk and Alexander Adams have been charged with something or
other, something to do with their business dealings. He said they
’
ll be contacting Erin Matthews about the death of her granddad.
”

“
Good,
”
Julia said.
“
Are you coming in?
”

“
Sorry, can
’
t do. I
’
ve got some
undercover work to do. I came here to make sure you were okay, and to cash in
on that favour I mentioned.
”

Julia steeled herself.

Helena laughed when she saw Julia
’
s face.
“
It
’
s nothing untoward. It
’
s my mum. She
’
s getting on
in years and she can
’
t do as much
housework as she used to. She
’
s tried to hide it from me but I can see the pain in her eyes when she
cleans her windows. She has arthritis and it
’
s really affecting her. I
’
ve suggested getting a cleaner to help but she
’
s too stubborn to hire one. She says that cleaners
 
are a luxury she can
’
t afford. I
’
ve offered to
pay for one but she says she doesn
’
t want me to spend my money. Truth is, I could really do with someone to
help her.
”

Julia smiled.
“
You can tell her that you
’
ve won some sort of competition, tell her that you didn
’
t know what the prize was. And lo and behold! You
’
ve won my services for a month, or a year, depending on how much you
charge for your services. How does that sound?
”

“
It sounds
perfect. Thanks! A month should do it, but if Mum takes to you I
’
ll pay you on the quiet and tell Mum something. I
’
ll give you her details. Thanks again, I appreciate it.
”

“
No problem.
”
Julia took a
piece of paper from Helena.
“
It was great to meet you.
”

“
I
’
m sure our paths will cross again. You have my number if you need any
help in any future murder investigations.
”

Julia pulled a face.
“
I am not getting involved in any more murder cases.
”

Helena patted Julia on the arm and said,
“
Don
’
t fool
yourself, Julia. See you later!
”

Julia watched her walk away. She still felt awful
about the way that Nina had treated everyone, but she was glad that Nina had
now been arrested. She smiled when she thought about the last thing that DI
Clarke had said to her at the hospital. He
’
d asked if she
’
d come with him to explain the situation about Nina to Doris.

The look on his face was priceless as Julia said,
“
No, thank you. I never interfere in police work.
”