Ada's Death (Cara Daniels Cozy Mystery Book 5)

by Gillian Larkin

  “I’m sure it will turn up,” Maria assured her.

  It did turn up. Ben returned from a trip to the bathroom with the gravy jug in his hand. His voice was grim as he said, “Mum, I found this next to the sink.” He shared a look with Maria and then looked back at Ada. “I think I’m going to ask the nurse to visit you every day from now on. And I’m insisting that you take your sleeping tablets.”

  Cara picked up her glass and regarded Ben over the top of it. Something funny was going on here, and she knew what she was going to do about it.

  Chapter 6

  Cara was round at Ada’s house early the next morning. She flinched as she saw how tired Ada looked. Ada indicated for her to sit at the kitchen table.

  Cara said, “I wanted to say thank you for the lovely meal last night.”

  Ada sat down with a heavy sigh. “That’s kind of you to say. After the soup I wasn’t sure what the rest of the meal was going to be like. At least I didn’t poison anyone!”

  Robin knelt at Ada’s side. “Cara, she barely slept last night. And when she did, she kept tossing and turning. She muttered, ‘gravy boat’ at one stage.” He shook his head. “She’s worrying too much.”

  Cara thought for a moment. “Ada, you look as if you could do with a break. Why don’t we have a day out at the seaside? We could have a stroll along the beach, stuff our faces with fish and chips. What do you say?”

  Ada brightened up. “I haven’t been to the seaside for years! That sounds wonderful.” Her smile slipped. “I could do with getting away from this house. Things are going missing all the time. Unless I have a ghost that’s moving everything it must be me that’s doing it.” She shook her head. “But how can I move things and not remember where I’ve put them?”

  “Let’s forget about that for the day. Shall I give you thirty minutes to get ready?”

  Ada’s smile returned. “Give me ten. How exciting!”

  Cara stood up and placed a hand on her earlobe. “I think I lost one of my earrings last night. Do you mind if I have a quick look around?”

  Ada stood up and waved a hand at her. “You go ahead. I think I’ll change my dress. Fish and chips at the seaside! I can’t wait.” She walked away, a spring in her step.

  Cara reached into her pocket and took out several small items. Robin peered over her shoulder and said, “What are those? They look like buttons.”

  Cara held one up. “Spying devices. Something is going on in this house and I’m going to find out what.” She paused. “If it really is Ada that’s becoming forgetful, well, we can deal with that later. But if someone is sneaking in here and moving things on purpose then we’ll soon find out who it is.”

  “I’m not sure about spying on her.”

  Cara said, “You’ve been watching her every move for the last two days. This isn’t any different. Robin, I have to do all that I can to stop Ada from being murdered.”

  Robin nodded. “I understand.”

  Cara quickly placed the buttons around Ada’s house, including the bathroom. She sneaked upstairs and placed some on the landing and in the smaller bedrooms. She smiled as she heard Ada singing to herself.

  Cara just made it back to the kitchen as Ada came downstairs. Ada twirled slowly in front of Cara and said, “How do I look?”

  “Smashing. You look like you’re ready for a day out.”

  There was a tap at the kitchen door. Ada opened it to the smiling face of Maria. Maria came into the kitchen and said hello to Cara. She turned to Ada and said, “Are you ready?”

  Confusion crossed Ada’s face. “Ready for what?”

  “For our day out. We organised it last week. Do you remember?” Maria asked.

  Ada’s hands flew to her face. “Oh! I’d completely forgotten.”

  Maria moved to Ada’s side. “That’s okay, Ada. We don’t have to go out.” She looked over at Cara questioningly. “Were you and Ada planning on doing something together?”

  Cara said, “Just an impromptu visit to the seaside. It can wait, you made your plans first.”

  A sob escaped from Ada. “I’m so sorry Maria. I forgot. I’m always forgetting things! What’s wrong with me?”

  Cara put her hand on Ada’s arm and said, “We can go to the seaside tomorrow. It’s not going anywhere!”

  Ada gave her a weak smile. “Thank you, Cara.” She wiped her tears away. “Well then, Maria, where are we going?”

  Maria said, “On a mystery trip. Don’t ask me any more questions about it!” She reached into her bag. “I got you some more decaf tea and coffee. I noticed you were a bit low last night.” She moved over towards the decaf tea and coffee containers and began to fill them up.

  Ada rubbed her brow. “I could have sworn I bought some last week.”

  “I forget things all the time,” Cara said. She moved towards the kitchen door. “You two have a lovely time. Ada, I’ll call by later if you like, you can tell me all about your mystery trip!”

  “I’d like that,” Ada said.

  Cara said goodbye to Maria and left the house. She pushed the fence gate open and walked through. Robin floated at her side. “Are you leaving her? Do you want me to follow her?”

  Cara shook her head and stepped into Gran’s house. “I’ve no intention of letting Ada out of my sight. I’m going to follow her and Maria. Let’s see where they’re going on their mystery trip.”

  Robin bounced from foot to foot. “I love a good mystery!”

  Cara pointed to his wrist. “Your watch just made a noise. Has it got something to do with Ada?”

  Robin looked at his watch. He raised a fist and shouted, “Nigel! No!”

  Cara frowned. “Who’s Nigel?”

  Robin glared at his watch as if wishing it would disappear. “He’s a soul saver. I’ve mentioned him before. I work with him too.”

  “Ah, yes, your other friend.”

  “He’s not my friend, just someone I have to work with.” Robin tapped his watch. “A case has come through for him. I have to go and see him and give him the details.” Robin looked upwards and raised his fist again. Cara wasn’t sure who he was raising his fist to.

  She said, “You’d better go.”

  Robin looked closely at her. “Don’t let Ada out of your sight. And don’t let her die!”

  Cara gulped. “I’ll try.”

  “Trying isn’t enough.” Robin sighed. “I’m not sure when I’ll be back. Please, Cara, you have to save Ada’s life, you can’t let that sweet lady die.”

  Cara stuck her chin out in an effort to summon confidence. “I won’t let Ada Clement die!”

  “That’s my girl. I’ll come back when I can.” Robin gave his watch another disgusted look and then he disappeared.

  Cara’s confidence went with him. She suddenly realised how much she’d been relying on Robin to help her with Ada’s case.

  She was all alone now.

  Chapter 7

  Cara pushed her self-pity aside and reached for her handbag. She left the house through the kitchen door. She crouched next to the fence as she heard voices coming from Ada’s side.

  Maria was saying, “I’m sure you’ll enjoy it. It was Ben’s idea really. He’s going to phone us later to see what we think.”

  Ada added, “It’s very kind of you to take me out. I feel such a ninny for forgetting.”

  Cara heard the sound of car doors opening and then an engine starting up. If she was going to follow them she needed to get to her car quickly. She straightened up and walked normally to her car. Maria reversed past her and Cara gave her and Ada a wave as she unlocked the car.

  She gave them thirty seconds before setting off after them. She cursed herself for not putting a tracking device on Maria’s car, Gran had plenty of them in her office. Cara shook her head, she had no morals left. Mind you, morals didn’t matter when you were trying to save someone’s life.

  Cara kept her distance as she followed Maria through town. It became more difficult as Maria turned on to a quieter country
road. Cara had to keep three cars back so that she wouldn’t be spotted.

  Where were they going? Maria had said it was Ben’s idea to take Ada to this mystery place. Cara pressed her lips together. She had her suspicions about where they could be heading. As soon as Maria turned into the grounds of a residential home for the elderly, Cara’s suspicions were confirmed.

  “I knew Ben was up to something,” Cara muttered to herself.

  Maria parked at the front of the car park. Cara parked at the back, under the shade of a tree. She hoped that Maria and Ada wouldn’t look her way, she had no excuse as to why she was here.

  Cara took out the listening device and binoculars that Gran kept under the driver’s seat. She placed the listening device on the dashboard and switched it on.

  Ada’s voice was picked up immediately, “Maria? Is this it? I don’t understand, what are we doing here? Are you visiting someone?”

  Cara looked through the binoculars. Maria had a tight smile on her face as she helped Ada out of the car. Maria explained, “It’s Ben’s idea. He wanted you to have a look around. It’s got an excellent reputation and the facilities are amazing.”

  Ada got out of the car and clutched her handbag tighter. Cara could see her brow wrinkling. “Why do you want me to have a look inside?”

  Maria’s forced smile looked as if it was hanging on by a thread, any moment now it would drop. “Ben thinks you should consider something like this, for the future of course. He’s concerned for your health, we both are. We’ve been worried about you. You don’t sleep well and you’re becoming more and more forgetful.”

  Ada pulled her bag closer. In a quiet voice she said, “I know that, it’s a sign of getting old, that’s all.” She looked at the building in front of her. “Maria, I don’t want to live here, I don’t want to leave my home!”

  “Oh! I know you don’t. No one is going to force you to move. Why don’t we have a look around seeing as we’re here. Then, when Ben phones later you can tell him that we had a good look.”

  “I’ve a few things I’m going to say to Ben! Do we really have to go in? Will you stay with me? Don’t leave me here on my own!”

  Cara’s heart ached at the desperation in Ada’s voice. If Maria left her in that home Cara would break in and rescue her!

  Maria put her hand under Ada’s elbow and guided her towards the entrance. “We don’t have to stay long. There’s free tea and biscuits.”

  Ada sniffed. “I suppose a quick look around won’t hurt. But I can tell you now that I won’t like it! It looks more like a prison than a home.”

  Maria and Ada walked into the building. Cara didn’t hear any more from them. She was tempted to go inside and follow them around. She had found some disguises in Gran’s office, she should have brought some with her.

  While she was waiting Cara did an online check of the residential home. She found many positive reviews. She whistled when she saw how much they were charging. Ben must have a good income if he could afford that. Perhaps he was planning on selling Ada’s house once he’d put her in the home. Cara knew from discussions with a local estate agent how much the houses on Gran’s street were worth. The estate agent had told her that it was a highly desirable area. And Ada did seem to be frugal with her money, perhaps she had thousands in a savings account somewhere.

  Cara looked towards the house. Maria and Ada were still inside. She decided to catch up on her emails. She jumped as Robin appeared in the passenger seat.

  He shook his head and muttered darkly, “It’s a good job I have the patience of an angel. That Nigel! Don’t get me started!”

  “I won’t,” Cara said. She put her phone down and pointed towards the residential home. “Maria is inside with Ada. It was Ben’s idea for them to pay a visit today.”

  Robin folded his arms. “You were right about him. Do you think he’s sneaking into Ada’s house and moving things? He could have even employed that nurse to give Ada some sort of hallucinatory tablet as well.”

  “I’ve known Suzanne since school, I can’t imagine her doing that. I do think that Ben could be at Ada’s house now, moving things around. I’ll check on my surveillance cameras later. Oh, they’re coming back out.”

  Robin laughed. “Look at Ada move! I didn’t know she could walk that fast!”

  Maria called out after Ada, “Wait for me!”

  Ada stopped at the car and pointed back towards the building. “Get me away from this place as fast as possible! It’s like death’s waiting room in there!”

  Maria opened the car door for Ada. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t know it would upset you so much.”

  Cara felt her heart speed up. “There’s no way I’m letting Ben put Ada in that home! How dare he? And now he’s got Maria involved in his nasty plan!”

  They heard Ada declare as the door closed, “I’d rather die than go in a place like that.”

  Maria walked round to the driver’s side. Cara’s blood ran cold as she heard Maria mutter under her breath, “That can be arranged, old woman.”

  Chapter 8

  Cara and Robin looked at each other in stunned silence. Cara broke it by saying, “They’re in it together!”

  “Or is it just Maria?” Robin asked.

  Cara’s hands shook as she started the engine. “I can’t believe it. Maria seems so nice. She’s always helping Ada … oh! Last night, the soup! Maria was alone with the soup in the kitchen, she could have added lots of salt to it.”

  Robin added, “And she could have picked up that cow-shaped gravy jug too. It was definitely there when Ada was cooking earlier that day. She patted it and told it she’d be using it later. Maria could have gone up to the bathroom and put it there. Or, she could have passed a secret message to Ben to let him know she’d planted it.”

  Cara ducked her head as Maria drove past. As she straightened up she said, “It’s all making sense now. Maria and Ben are trying to convince Ada that she’s losing her mind. That’s probably why Ada can’t sleep at night, despite drinking decaf tea and coffee. Oh! Maria brought some tea and coffee for Ada today.” Cara wagged a finger at Robin. “I bet they’re not even decaffeinated, I bet they’re full of caffeine. No wonder Ada can’t sleep.”

  Robin pushed Cara’s wagging finger to one side. “Aren’t we going to follow them? Maria could be taking Ada to another residential home.”

  “Oh heck, of course. Which way did they go?”

  Robin floated out of the car and into the air. Cara watched through the windscreen as he looked left and right. He nodded and then floated back to the passenger seat. He told Cara which road Maria was driving on. Cara smiled and said, “You’re better than a GPS.”

  “It’s nice to be appreciated. That Nigel,” he tutted, “you probably don’t want to know!”

  Cara pulled out of the car park. “I do want to know. It’s better to get your complaints out in the open. Tell me everything, it’ll take my mind off the evil Maria and Ben.”

  Robin told Cara about his dealings with Nigel. Cara listened as she drove along. At one point she said, “He does sound a bit of an idiot.”

  “A bit!” Robin shrieked. “He treats me like some sort of angel machine. Telling me to do this, that and the other. He never says please or thank you.”

  Cara turned right into Gran’s street. “I think I should have a word with this Nigel, remind him how wonderful you are.”

  Robin tutted again. “You’d be better talking to a brick wall.” He looked towards Ada’s house. “I see Maria is still here. Are you going to call on Ada?”

  Cara pulled into Gran’s drive and switched the engine off. “Not yet, I want to watch the surveillance cameras, see what Maria does when she’s on her own with Ada. Do you want to come with me or do you have to go back to Nigel?”

  Robin checked his watch. “I’ve got about ten minutes. I want to see what Maria is up to as well.”

  Cara and Robin sat in front of a CCTV monitor in Gran’s office. Robin’s mood brightened as he looked arou
nd. “I can’t believe I’m in Abigail’s office! This is beyond awesome.”

  Cara pointed towards the monitor. “Ada’s left the room. She just said she’s going to change out of her seaside dress. Maria’s moving to the kitchen, she’s making a cup of tea. Look at her face! What a sneaky look.”

  Robin shivered. “That’s the face of evil. I don’t like this, Cara. Go in and stop her.”

  “Not yet, I need more evidence. What’s Maria doing now? She’s near the noticeboard. She’s taking down some of the notices. No wonder Ada keeps forgetting that people are coming round.” Cara shook her head. “Now look at her, putting knives and forks in her bag. She’s even putting a pint of milk in there!”

  Robin covered his eyes. “Make her stop! Poor Ada, I can just imagine her sweet face crumpling up later when she’s looking for those items.”

  Cara touched Robin on the arm. “Keep looking with me, I don’t want to think I’m imagining this. Look, Ada’s returned to the kitchen. Maria’s passing her that cup of tea.”

  “Don’t drink it!” Robin shouted.

  Cara’s eyes narrowed. “Where’s Maria going now? To the bathroom. Why does she need to take her bag? Oh, of course. To plant the items she’s taken from the kitchen.” Cara looked at Robin. “Imagine if that was you or me. You would think you were going mad if that started happening. It wouldn’t take long before you’d think you were a danger to yourself.”

  Maria returned to the kitchen. Cara turned up the speakers so they could hear better. Maria sat opposite Ada and said, “I’ve just spoken to Ben.”

  “Liar,” Robin said.

  Maria went on, “He understands that you don’t want to move away from this lovely house.” Maria gave Ada a loving look. Cara’s stomach heaved. “Ben wants you to reconsider moving. He’s worried that you might hurt yourself soon. He mentioned the soup last night. If you were on your own you could end up poisoning yourself.”