A Party To Die For (Julia Blake Cozy Mystery Book 3)

by Gillian Larkin

  And when I did check on her, it was too late.

  Fiona was dead.

  Chapter 6

  When I walked into Fiona’s bedroom to check on her, I knew immediately that something was wrong. The air felt too still and quiet. It took me a moment to realise that even though I could see Fiona lying on the bed, I couldn’t hear her breathing.

  I walked slowly over, dreading what I knew I was going to find.

  Fiona was staring up at the ceiling, her mouth was open as if gasping for breath. I checked her pulse. As I suspected, there wasn’t one.

  It wasn’t the first time I’d found a dead body so I had an idea of what to do. I didn’t touch anything in Fiona’s bedroom in case the police wanted to check for fingerprints.

  I left the bedroom, closing the door behind me.

  As I approached Anna she must have known something was wrong by the look on my face.

  “Something terrible has happened,” I told her.

  Anna’s hands flew to her chest. “Food allergies! Is some poor child in hospital because I gave them the wrong food? It’s not my fault, I double checked everything on the list that Fiona Doyle gave me.”

  “It’s not a child,” I said.

  Anna wasn’t listening. “I’ll be sued! The parents round here have got loads of money for fancy solicitors. They’ll take everything! I can’t afford to be sued, Julia!”

  I was almost tempted to slap her, like they do in old black and white movies. But I was quite sure she’d slap me back, harder.

  “Be quiet!” I hissed. “It’s nothing to do with you. It’s Fiona, she’s dead.”

  “Dead? Did she eat some of my food?” Anna panicked.

  “It’s nothing to do with your food! I’ve got to phone the police without anyone knowing about Fiona, especially Megan-Rose. Can you politely ask people to leave quickly? Without anyone getting suspicious? And don’t let anyone go upstairs.”

  “I’ll try,” Anna said. She looked a bit calmer now she knew she wasn’t going to be sued.

  Anna walked towards the guests, she had an abnormally large smile on her face as she talked to them. She looked quite scary but whatever she said must have worked because people began to say their goodbyes to each other.

  I went into the kitchen to use the phone there. I spoke to the police, they said they’d send someone round immediately.

  I glanced through the kitchen window. It was open and I could see somebody on the patio. Had they heard me on the phone just now? I moved closer to the window to see who it was.

  It was Kim Blackburn. She had turned slightly away from me but I could see what was in her hand.

  It was Fiona’s phone. It was quite distinctive and I recognised it immediately. Kim was scrolling down and reading things. It looked like she was reading Fiona’s messages or contacts.

  Why would Kim Blackburn be doing that?

  Chapter 7

  I went outside and over to Kim. She was too engrossed in Fiona’s phone to notice me standing there.

  I gave a polite cough.

  Kim froze. Then she looked up from the phone. I noticed her cheeks getting redder.

  “Isn’t that Fiona’s phone?” I asked.

  “Yes! Yes it is. She said I could have a look at it. I wanted to know who she’d used for Megan-Rose’s party, you know, party planners, caterers, entertainers etc. Hasn’t it been a wonderful party? I’ve never seen anything like it! My Lily would love something like this, she’s only two but you’re never too young for a party!”

  “When did Fiona say you could look at her phone?” I asked. The Fiona I knew would never have agreed to that.

  “I popped into her bedroom and saw she was having a nap. Her phone was next to her so I thought I’d have a quick peep. I’m sure Fiona won’t mind. You won’t tell her, will you? I can put it back before she wakes up.” Kim was beginning to get more flustered.

  I wasn’t going to be the one to tell her that Fiona was dead. I would leave that to the police.

  From what Kim had just admitted to me I thought she could be a suspect. I would let the police know about this conversation when they arrived.

  I put my hand out and said, “Why don’t I give it back to Fiona? Save you the trouble.”

  Kim looked at the phone as if there was more she wanted to look at, but then she must have thought it would be less trouble for her if I took the phone.

  With a false smile she handed me the phone.

  “I must go and find Bob. He gets worried when he can’t see where I am. He’s so possessive!” she trilled. She tottered past me and into the kitchen.

  I wasn’t sure about Bob being possessive. Whenever I’d seen Mr and Mrs Blackburn together he seemed to have eyes for any other woman but his wife.

  I went back inside and found Anna.

  “Nearly everyone’s gone,” Anna told me. “But Julia, I think we’ve made a terrible mistake.”

  “Why?” I asked.

  “One of these guests have probably killed Fiona, and we’ve let them go! What will the police say?”

  I had thought of that too but I knew we had names and addresses of everyone who attended the party. Fiona had made sure that someone marked down who arrived so that she could send thank you letters after the event. Also, there had been many photos taken during the party. So if someone declared that they weren’t at the party I’m sure we could prove that they were.

  I really hoped it wouldn’t come to that though, or I’d be in big trouble with the police.

  Anna nudged me. “I think the police have arrived.”

  “Where’s Gina and Megan-Rose? They need to be told about Fiona first,” I said.

  Anna pointed over to the corner of the room. Megan-Rose was sitting on the floor surrounded by birthday presents. She was laughing and showing something that she’d just unwrapped to her Auntie Gina.

  They had no idea that their world was about to collapse. I was so glad that I wasn’t going to be the one to tell them.

  I hoped it wasn’t going to be DI Clarke who would be investigating this murder. We’d met a few times and he always made me feel guilty with his piercing stare.

  I heard an commanding voice boom out, “Who told these people they could leave?”

  I instantly recognised the voice, my heart sank.

  Anna pointed meekly in my direction.

  DI Clarke glared at me. He stormed over and said, “Ms Blake! I don’t believe this. Did you find the body this time?”

  I nodded and tried to smile. My smile failed.

  “This is the third time in three months that this has happened to you. This is becoming quite a hobby, isn’t it?” the inspector said.

  “I’m sorry, I’m not doing it on purpose,” I said quietly.

  DI Clarke looked as if he was about to launch into a lecture, but someone stopped him by tugging on his coat sleeve.

  It was Megan-Rose. “Have you found a body? In my house? Whose is it?”

  Chapter 8

  DI Clarke looked down at the little girl. His face softened and he smiled.

  Gina came rushing over. She looked closer at the inspector. She must have soon realised who the body belonged to because she gave the inspector a small nod and then led Megan-Rose away.

  “Where is the body?” DI Clarke asked me more quietly.

  “This way,” I said and I headed towards the stairs. The inspector and two uniformed officers followed me. As we went upstairs I told the inspector who Megan-Rose was.

  I led them into Fiona’s bedroom and without really needing to, I pointed to her lifeless body.

  DI Clarke walked over to her. He stared at her face for a while and then said, “It looks like suffocation. The bedclothes aren’t disturbed too much so it looks like she didn’t thrash about. She was probably asleep, or nodding off to sleep when someone came in and put a pillow over her face. She most likely didn’t see her killer.”

  “Do you think they used the pillow next to her?” I asked. I had noticed Fiona’s li
pstick on the adjacent pillow.

  DI Clarke nodded. He told one of the officers to take the pillow away as evidence.

  “How long had she been upstairs, Ms Blake?” he asked.

  “Not long, about one hour. She wasn’t feeling well so I suggested she had a lie down. I wish I hadn’t now.”

  “Did anyone come upstairs whilst the victim was having a lie down?”

  “Fiona, she was called Fiona Doyle. The only person for sure that I know about is Kim Blackburn.” I then told him about the phone incident.

  “Have you still got the phone?”

  I told him yes and then handed it over.

  DI Clarke looked at the phone for a while and then said, “Do you think Kim Blackburn had a motive to kill Fiona? Had you heard them arguing about anything?”

  “No, Kim gave the impression that she was always best friends with Fiona. Fiona didn’t feel the same way, she told me several times. She said Kim was like a leech that would latch onto her and copy her in any way she could.”

  “I’ll be having a word with Kim Blackburn. I take it she’s one of the people you told to leave the party?” DI Clarke asked me with a glint in his eyes.

  I felt my cheeks go warm. “Yes, but she only lives next door.”

  DI Clarke had a quick look around the room. “We’ll have to question everyone about their movements, see if anyone else came upstairs.”

  “Somebody must have. Look, there’s a glass of water on the bedside table,” I pointed out.

  “Couldn’t Fiona Doyle have brought that up herself?” DI Clarke questioned.

  “She could have but she always uses a coaster, she keeps them inside the table drawers. Fiona was quite fussy about things like coasters.”

  DI Clarke considered that for a moment, then he told the same officer to take the glass too.

  “We need to examine this room a bit more but I shall have to tell that little girl about her mother, before anyone else does,” the inspector said.

  We went back downstairs. Anna was waiting for us with a worried look on her face.

  “I’ve just remembered something that I saw earlier, when Fiona was having a rest upstairs,” Anna began.

  “Go on,” the inspector said.

  “I saw someone go upstairs with a glass of water. It was Fiona’s sister, Gina.”

  Chapter 9

  “Where is this Gina?” DI Clarke asked.

  I pointed over to where Gina was. She was sitting on the carpet next to Megan-Rose. Megan-Rose was looking at a doll that someone had bought her.

  “Does Gina know about her sister?” DI Clarke asked.

  “No, but I think she might suspect, considering police officers are in the house and Fiona is nowhere to be seen.”

  “There’s no need to be sarcastic, Ms Blake, a simple ‘no’ would have done. I’ll break the news to both of them.”

  “Shall I come with you?” I offered.

  “I can manage, I’ve done this many times before. Too many times. Ms Blake, this investigation has nothing to do with you now. You can go home. If I need anything else I’ll get in touch.”

  “That told you,” Anna whispered to me.

  The inspector started to walk towards Gina and Megan-Rose. I suddenly remembered something. I grabbed his sleeve.

  He stopped in surprise and looked at me, and then pointedly looked down at his sleeve.

  “Sorry,” I quickly said and let go of his sleeve, “but I need to tell you something about Gina. She gave birth to Megan-Rose, she was a surrogate for Fiona.”

  “And?” DI Clarke said.

  “What if she’s actually Megan-Rose’s real mother? Fiona was going to send Megan-Rose away. If Gina was the real mum, wouldn’t that give her a motive to kill Fiona?”

  DI Clarke’s eyebrows raised. “As I’ve just told you, Ms Blake, you’re free to go home. I’m the one investigating this case. Goodbye.”

  I opened my mouth to say more. Anna gently pulled me back.

  “You’ll get yourself into trouble if you’re not careful,” she said.

  “But I want to find out who killed Fiona. I liked her, and I don’t want her killer to go free!”

  “I’m sure the police know what they’re doing. You’re working for me today. Come on, we need to tidy up.” Anna pushed me towards the food table.

  I sighed when I saw the mess.

  Anna bossily kept on at me until I helped her clean the mess up. I noticed that DI Clarke took Gina and Megan-Rose into another room to break the news to them.

  About thirty minutes later we were ready to leave.

  “I’ll just let Gina know we’re leaving,” I called out and walked quickly away before Anna could stop me.

  I found Gina in the family room. She was alone with Megan-Rose. Megan-Rose was sitting on Gina’s knee and silently crying.

  Gina was stroking her hair.

  I couldn’t intrude on such a private moment so I turned away.

  As I did so I heard Gina say to Megan-Rose, “It’s okay, my darling. Everything is going to be okay. I promised you that, didn’t I? I’ll look after you now. No one loves you more than me.”

  Chapter 10

  I couldn’t stop thinking about Fiona for the rest of the day. I hoped that DI Clarke found the murderer soon.

  I was still feeling sad when I got home. I took my coat off and hung it up. A card fell out of the pocket, it was Clara Chuckle’s business card. She had a website listed.

  I was sure that looking at Clara’s website would cheer me up so I powered up my computer.

  My computer is quite old and takes a good five minutes to warm up so I made myself a cup of tea whilst I was waiting. One of these days I would have to buy a new computer.

  When the computer was ready to work I logged onto Clara’s website. It was bright and colourful, it reminded me a bit of some of Fiona’s websites that she designed.

  A heavy feeling settled in my stomach as I thought of Fiona again. She was going to help me update my website, mine was very basic as I had done it myself. I couldn’t afford Fiona’s professional designer fees, but she had agreed to give me some advice and tips.

  That wasn’t going to happen now.

  I didn’t feel like looking at Clara’s website anymore, I wasn’t in the mood to appreciate the videos that she’d put on. I’d look at them another time.

  I decided to sort my things out for the following day. I checked my diary to see what I had booked. I had some lovely clients in the morning, nothing too strenuous.

  Then I groaned. Oh, not her! I’d forgotten all about that appointment.

  Kim Blackburn had been bothering me for months to give her a quote for cleaning her house. I’m sure she only wanted me to do it because Fiona employed me. Every time I went to Fiona’s house to clean I noticed that Kim was also cleaning some part of her house. She didn’t really need me to clean for her.

  I’d made the appointment last week but thought I’d be able to get out of it when the appointment came round.

  Never mind. I’d go and make the best of it.

  She’d probably want to talk about Fiona’s death and try to get all the gory details.

  Perhaps I could question her? Find out exactly why she wanted Fiona’s phone. Maybe discover what she was hoping to find on it.

  The thought that I could help the murder investigation made me feel a bit better. I decided to ignore the fact that DI Clarke told me to leave the investigation to him.

  Chapter 11

  I had a full morning with my regular clients and then I headed over to Kim Blackburn’s. When I pulled up in her drive I noticed that DI Clarke’s car was parked outside Fiona’s house.

  “I wonder what he’s doing in there,” I said to myself.

  I got out of my car and walked up to the front door. It opened before I had chance to knock.

  Kim Blackburn gave me an over bright smile. “Julia! I thought you’d forgotten our appointment. You’re a few minutes late.”

  I looked at my
watch. It was two minutes past the hour. “I do apologise, Mrs Blackburn.”

  “That’s okay but if you do end up working for me I’ll expect you to be on time,” she said.

  She opened the door wider and gestured for me to enter.

  I made up my mind at that moment that I wouldn’t be adding her to my list of clients. I already had more than enough work to keep me busy, and I didn’t like being spoken to in that way.

  However, I had an ulterior motive in talking with Kim so I put my best smile on and entered her house.

  The first thing I noticed was a Chinese vase on the hall table. It was exactly like the one that Fiona had in her house.

  And was that the same print of an orchid on the wall that Fiona had?

  Kim was talking as she walked in front of me, “I’d like the skirting boards done every two weeks, the walls dusted down every month...”

  I wasn’t really concentrating, I was too busy noticing all the similar things that Kim had in her house that Fiona had in hers. Who bought them first? My money was on Fiona.

  We entered the formal dining room. It was spotless. Kim stopped walking and turned around to face me. She looked sad, but it looked like a false sadness because her eyes were twinkling.

  “Isn’t it tragic about Fiona? I’m still in shock. Imagine dying like that, with a pillow over your face.”

  “How do you know how she died?” I asked.

  “That lovely policeman came round yesterday to question me. He asked me to clear up that misunderstanding about the phone. He seemed happy with my explanation.”

  I wasn’t happy with her explanation, I was sure she was lying.

  Kim carried on, “I wonder who will look after poor Megan-Rose now. I bet Gina will. She’s been more like a mother to that child than Fiona was. I know I shouldn’t speak ill of the dead, but she spent too much time at work. I make sure I spend quality time with my little Lily everyday.”

  “Whether she wants it or not!” a voice boomed out behind us.