Death Takes A Trip (Julia Blake Cozy Mystery Book 5) Read Free Page A

”
    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