Death At The Spa (Julia Blake Cozy Murder Mystery Book 10)

by Gillian Larkin

  Julia pressed her lips together and studied the rainbow of colours. It had been a long time since she’d worn nail varnish. The choice in front of her was overwhelming. She looked at the colours on the bottom row and made a decision.

  “I’ll have that pale pink at the bottom.”

  “Pale pink? Are you sure? Wouldn’t you prefer something more vibrant? More eye-catching?”

  “I don’t want anything on myself to be eye-catching,” Julia said.

  Karl pointed a finger at her. “I know we’ve only just met, but I can see what your problem is, Julia.”

  “Can you? I don’t think I have a problem.”

  “You do. You’re one of those people who likes to be in the background. You put everyone else first, and yourself last. You’re like a shadow. Have you got children?”

  Julia felt her eyes sting. She nodded at Karl.

  “You’re a typical mother. You put everyone else’s needs before your own. Am I right?”

  “Well, I have to look after my children,” Julia mumbled.

  “Are they babies? Do they need constant attention? Do you need to be at their beck and call?”

  “No, they’re both grown and at university. They still need me, though.”

  “They will always need you. But you must put yourself first for a change. Even if it’s only for the next thirty minutes. Look again at those colours and tell me which one you really want to wear.”

  Julia blinked and studied the colours. “I’d like that bright purple one on the top. The one with the glitter in it. Please.”

  Karl smiled. “Perfect. And I’ll put a gem stone on one of your little fingers.” He patted her hand. “Sorry for being hard on you, but I’ve been doing this work for a while and I know when someone isn’t being true to themselves.”

  “Just by choosing a nail varnish colour?”

  “Yes. You’d be surprised how much we pick up from our guests during our short time together. You’d be amazed how much they confide in us.”

  Julia recalled how Erin had said something similar. She’d raise the subject of Erin soon.

  Karl beat her to it. He picked up her right hand and began to file her nails. “So, you’re one of the ladies who discovered Erin. Are you still in shock? It must have been terrible seeing her like that. I’m surprised you haven’t left the spa.”

  “It’s not the first dead body I’ve seen. It was still a shock. She seemed to be a lovely woman. From what I can gather, she was popular with everyone.”

  “Yes, she was one of your kind. Putting everyone’s needs before her own.” Karl frowned. “She often took on her guests’ problems and tried to sort things out for them. I think there were a few guests in particular who she was concerned about. Left hand, please.”

  Julia changed hands. “Concerned? In what way?”

  “She was concerned about some kind of treatment they were having. I don’t know the full details as I didn’t manage to get much time with her. But I passed her in the hallway one day last week and we had a quick natter. She was furious about something and said guests shouldn’t be taken advantage of, and that it wasn’t ethical. I asked her to expand on that but she told me she was dealing with everything in her own way.”

  “I wonder what she was talking about? Did she have any enemies?”

  “I shouldn’t gossip, but I will. Her room-mate was always having a go at her for one reason or another.”

  “Lori? I went to one of her exercise classes.”

  “Poor you. Yes, Lori. You know what she looks like, all taut and smooth. She thinks she’s the perfect woman. She looks down on anyone whom she doesn’t consider perfect. The only reason she’s at this spa is to work her way through the men here. I think her aim is to find a man who’s rich enough to take care of her. She even went after me when I first started working here. I knew what kind of a woman she was and I turned her down in no uncertain terms. She didn’t like that and threatened to get me sacked.”

  “Did she really?”

  “Yes. She went marching up to Sienna Moss and made up a pack of lies about me. Sienna didn’t believe her for a minute. She actually put Lori on a warning for not being a supportive team member. I’m going to cleanse your hands now.”

  Julia said, “I don’t understand why Lori didn’t like Erin. Did she see Erin as a threat?”

  “Lori doesn’t see anyone as a threat but I think I know why she didn’t like Erin. Erin was keen on people getting the best out of their careers. She often organised courses for us. She must have visited the local colleges hundreds of times as she knew the courses inside out. But Lori refused to go on the courses. She thought she was perfect in every way and there was no room for improvement. And if she was spending her time on a course, she wouldn’t have time to chase after men.”

  “Why doesn’t Sienna sack Lori?”

  “She’s a good advert for the gym. People want to look like her. The same goes for our resident hunk, Harry Lewis. He brings the women swarming in. Have you met him yet?”

  “Briefly. I don’t like him.”

  Karl gave her a half smile. “A lot of women say that, but they soon warm to him. I suspect he casts a spell over them.”

  “I think he’s casting a spell over my mum. Lori and Harry sound like they’d make a perfect couple. Have they ever been a couple? Are they a couple now?”

  Karl laughed. “You’re as nosy as me, Julia. I like that. They’ve never been a couple although Lori’s tried to make that happen many times. It makes me cringe to see how she acts around him. Anyway, Harry’s in a serious relationship with someone. It’s a mystery as to who that person is. Nobody knows if it’s a member of staff, or someone outside the spa. He’s good at keeping secrets. I’m going to moisturise your hands now. Are you enjoying this manicure so far?”

  “I am. It’s very relaxing, thank you.” Julia stopped talking as Karl gently rubbed thick moisturiser into her hands.

  A sudden thought came to her. “Do you think Harry was seeing Erin?”

  “I did consider it, but they always seemed just friends. They could have been putting on an act.”

  “What if they were a couple? What if Lori found out and she was consumed with jealousy? What if she was the one who killed Erin?”

  Karl said, “I’ve already thought of that. The police have interviewed every member of staff about where they were at the time of Erin’s death. I’m presuming if Lori didn’t have a solid alibi, she’d be down at the police station now. I’m sure the police will find the killer soon.” He shivered. “People around here don’t feel safe with a killer on the loose. Sienna considered closing the spa but we assured her we could carry on.”

  “She sounds like a considerate manager.”

  “She is.” Karl ran a ball of cotton wool over Julia’s nails. “This is to get rid of any excess grease. Now for the exciting bit.” He reached for the purple nail varnish.

  Julia couldn’t think of any more questions about Erin so she chatted with Karl about his line of work, and how he came into it. Karl answered without taking his attention away from her nails.

  After ten minutes, he sat back in his chair and declared, “Ta-da!”

  Julia looked at her nails. She moved her head closer to them. “These can’t be my nails. They look amazing. My nails have never looked like this in my entire life.” She lifted her hands and tilted them left and right. “I love how the sun catches the glitter. And that little gem on my last nail is beautiful Thank you so much.” Julia felt her eyes stinging with gratitude.

  “You are more than welcome. You need to leave it a good thirty minutes for the nails to dry. If you get any chips, or lose the gem, come back to me and I’ll sort you out.” He got to his feet. “It’s been a pleasure to meet you, Julia. I hope I’ll see you again.”

  He came round to her side and pulled her chair out. Julia held her hands out as she smiled at him and walked away.

  The woman on the little reception desk held the door open as Julia approached.
She nodded her head in approval. “Great colour.”

  “Thanks. I’m not sure what to do with myself, I can’t use my hands for the next thirty minutes.”

  “Have a stroll around the gardens. You’ll most likely see other guests with fresh manicures doing the same. The patio door near the main reception is wide open, you won’t need to use your hands.”

  Julia said thank you and made her way to the open door. She gave a regal wave to Sienna Moss who was dealing with new arrivals at the desk. Sienna gave her a subtle thumbs up.

  Julia went through the doors and out into the garden. Now, where should she go? Her attention was drawn to the tennis courts in the distance. Didn’t Mum say the woods were behind the courts? Perhaps Julia could have a little wander through the woods. Perhaps she might find a clue to the person who had struck Indigo.

  She wafted her hands as she walked forward. It wouldn’t do any harm to look.

  Chapter 23

  Careful of her wet nails, Julia walked along the path that led into the woods. Pebbles lined the path and she could see solar-powered lights placed along the way. Within ten minutes, she came to the clearing that Mum had mentioned and took a seat on one of the logs. She waved her hands as she looked around her. Birds twittered from the trees and sun filled the clearing. It was a peaceful place and Julia forgot about the murder for a while.

  She almost jumped out of her skin as she heard someone talking behind her. She leapt off the log and dashed into the surrounding hedges. She ducked low and winced as a leaf brushed against one of her nails. She put her hands out, and held her breath as the voice came closer.

  It was a woman’s voice and she was furious. “I told you they weren’t good enough. I told you that from the start, you idiot.”

  There was silence again and the woman spoke once more. This time, she used strong colourful language to tell the other person what she thought of them. Julia winced and wished she could cover her ears. The thought of smudging her nail varnish stopped her and her cheeks turned red as she was forced to listen to the verbal abuse the woman was giving to someone. The woman must have been on the phone because Julia couldn’t hear any reply.

  The woman swore again and took a deep breath. “You owe me big time for this. My reputation is on the line. If that is ruined, you’ll be the one to pay for it.” She abruptly ended the conversation and Julia heard her walking away.

  Julia raised her head and peeped at the foul-mouthed person who was storming down the path.

  Her eyes widened. No way. Really? It must be. There wasn’t anyone else around.

  She stared at the back of Sienna Moss as she disappeared around a bend in the path.

  Julia straightened up. Sienna Moss was the last person she would suspect to know words like that. Her whole tone of voice had changed when she was on the phone. She was almost shrieking.

  Who had she been talking to? And why was she so annoyed?

  Julia flapped her hands as she returned to the path. She couldn’t wait to tell Gemma all about this. She was sure Gemma would come up with a reason, or two, for Sienna’s behaviour.

  By the time Julia returned to the spa, her nails were completely dry. And they were smudge-free despite the leaf incident. She went to her room and collected her swimming things. She hoped Gemma hadn’t been waiting in the pool too long. They never agreed to a meeting time.

  Julia made her way to the pool and was delighted to see the individual changing rooms were right next to the pool. She hated going to the local swimming pool as the walk from the changing rooms to the water was too long. It gave people in the pool a good chance to size you up and inspect your cellulite. And the overhead lights were far too bright. They should have dimly-lit ones like they do in changing rooms in shops.

  Julia got changed and soon lowered herself into the warm water. There were only two other women in the pool. Neither of them were Gemma. Perhaps she’d turn up soon.

  Julia started to swim up and down the pool at a leisurely pace. Soothing music played quietly in the background and a gentle breeze came from some open windows. She admired her nails as she performed a breaststroke in the water.

  When her legs decided they’d had enough, Julia swam to the edge and rested herself in an alcove that had seats. There was still no sign of Gemma. Had she been and gone?

  Julia waited another twenty minutes and then decided to leave. If she had missed Gemma, she could catch up with her later.

  After a quick shower and change, Julia went back to her room. She checked the time and thought she may as well try Cain again. She was surprised to get him on the second ring.

  “Hiya! Julia, we won the quiz. It was awesome. It was nail-biting and it all came down to the last question.”

  “I know. Mum told me. Cain, listen …”

  “It was a question about the Romans. Can you believe it? I’m so glad I read those books on the Roman Invasion. I had a feeling I should read them. I told your dad about my feeling and he said I was probably psychic. He said I should set up a psychic stall the next time there’s a church fair.”

  “Cain, congratulations on the quiz. Listen to me for a minute.”

  “But I told him the church people wouldn’t like psychics on their grounds, for religious reasons. So he thought I could do it online. I’ll have to go now. I’m nearly back at the fishing lake and I don’t want the fish to hear me.”

  “Cain!” Julia shouted. “Listen to me for one minute.”

  “Okay. You nearly blew my ears off then. I thought being at the spa was supposed to help your stress levels. You should try fishing instead.”

  Julia took a calming breath. “Do you remember those photos I sent you? You said you recognised someone in the background, someone who used to visit a man at the prison you were in.”

  “Yeah, I remember. It’s hard to forget someone like that. All tall and slim with that lovely blonde hair. She looks like an angel with a halo. But she didn’t sound like an angel. She came out with some disgusting language in the visitors area. It used to upset my gran. I had to explain some of the swear words to Gran, which I did not appreciate at all.”

  Julia ran a hand over her forehead. “Hang on, who are you talking about?”

  Cain described the photo he was talking about. Julia looked at the photos and got him to double-check the person who he’d seen before.

  It was Sienna Moss.

  Cain said, “Is there anything else? I have to go.”

  “Yes. Who was she visiting?”

  “Erm. I don’t know. I kept my eyes off her when she walked through the visitors’ area because I knew how my gran felt about her. I can find out for you.”

  “Please. Thank you. I’ll speak to you later.”

  Cain said cheerio and ended the call.

  Julia didn’t have time to think about the new development as her phone rang.

  It was DI Clarke.

  In a cold voice he said, “Ms Blake, can you explain why my wife has been arrested for the murder of Erin Baker?”

  Chapter 24

  It took a few minutes to get more information from DI Clarke as he was so angry. Julia kept her voice calm and asked him to explain exactly what had happened.

  It turned out that the police had found incriminating evidence in Gemma’s room which linked her to Erin. She’d been taken to the police station to help them with further enquiries.

  “So,” Julia said. “She hasn’t actually been arrested for the murder of Erin Baker. Is that right?” She was so tempted to add his name at the end, but this wasn’t the time.

  DI Clarke let out a big sigh and a weary tone came into his voice. “No, not actually arrested. But she shouldn’t be down at the police station. She’s got herself involved in this murder enquiry, and I know exactly how that happened.”

  “You blame me, don’t you? You can think what you like about me, but the important thing is Gemma’s welfare. What incriminating evidence did they find?”

  “I don’t know. They won’t tell me.�
�

  “And how did they know about the evidence being in her room?”

  “Again, I don’t know.”

  Julia couldn’t help but smile. “Call yourself a detective? I’m sure Gemma is capable of sorting out this misunderstanding. Is there anything you’d like me to do?”

  “I’d like you to stop poking about in police matters. It would be better if you left the spa.” He sighed again. “But that’s not going to happen, is it? I suppose you’ve been asking people about Erin.”

  “People have talked about her, yes. And I’ve listened. But it’s all gossip and I know how you feel about gossip. Would you like to hear a little bit?”

  There was a pause and Julia could feel his indecision over the line. “No. I don’t want to hear gossip. I don’t even know why I phoned you. I’ll get in touch with DI Thostlewaite and see what’s going on.” He ended the call without a further word.

  Julia frowned at the phone. “Arnold Clarke, you are a rude man. And you know what? I’m going to clear Gemma’s name. So there.” She nodded at the phone and put it away.

  She knew who she had to talk to. Someone who had a good view of what was going on in the spa.

  Julia left her room and made her way to the main entrance. Toby, the car valet, was standing on the top step with his hands clasped behind his back. Julia gave him a bright smile and said hello.

  Toby gave her a wary look and took a small step away from her. “Hello. Are you going to be using your car? And if so, are you going to shout at me?” He looked over her shoulder. “Is your friend joining you? Is she going to shout at me? I’m only doing my job, you know.”

  “I didn’t realise we’d shouted at you. I must apologise. I was in a bad mood yesterday when we arrived. I feel much more relaxed today.” That was a complete lie but Julia carried on. “Thank you for taking care of my car. It’s quite a responsibility to look after other people’s cars. Have you been doing it long?”