Knitting And Murder (Julia Blake Cozy Mystery Book 9)

by Gillian Larkin

  “You’re not going to like this. He’s doing some more knitting work for Kayla. Apparently, she’s too upset about Blanche to do any knitting herself so Cain’s offered to double his efforts.” Julia put her phone down and looked at Dad.

  Dad’s nostrils flared. “I don’t like the sound of this Kayla person at all. Coming between two friends. It just isn’t right! Julia, you find out what she’s up to!”

  Chapter 14

  Julia noticed immediately how tired Cain looked the next morning. He yawned as he walked from his house to her waiting car. The usual spring in his step had gone and he had dark circles under his eyes. He gave her a tired smile as he got into her car.

  “You look rough,” Julia said. “Have you slept badly?”

  Cain flexed the fingers on both his hands and winced. “I’ve been knitting. I got through many projects last night. I only stopped because I’ve nearly run out of wool.”

  “Did you get any sleep at all?”

  “A bit. I kept having dreams about my knitting needles chasing me.” He yawned again. “I’ll be fine. I can catch up on my sleep later.”

  Julia pulled away from the kerb. “Why are you doing so much knitting? How many items does Kayla need?” She tried to keep the accusing tone from her voice.

  “As many as possible. She’s planning to visit some more hospitals to donate the baby clothes to. She’s hoping to give some to mother and baby homes as well. She said they always need clothes.” He flexed his fingers again. “I think I might have overdone it a bit. I really want to help Kayla. She can’t do this work all on her own.”

  “Hmm.”

  They drove on in silence for a while.

  Cain cleared his throat and said, “How was Ray last night? Was he upset about us not meeting up?”

  Julia decided a lie would be kinder. “He was a bit upset but it did him good to stay away from the pub, seeing as he was still feeling delicate from that elderflower wine. We ended up watching The Martian.”

  “Oh. I’ve been wanting to see that film for ages. Was it good?”

  “Yes. I’m sure Dad won’t mind watching it again with you.” Julia stopped at a set of traffic lights. She looked closer at Cain. “Are you okay to work today? I don’t want you to be in pain. You could take the day off if you want.”

  “No, thank you. I’ll be fine.” He shifted in his seat. “But I do have something to ask you. I know we have our extra long lunch today. Would you mind if I went home instead of going to our usual café? I’ve got some baby socks to start.”

  Julia frowned. “But you’ll miss your toasted sandwiches. You love those.”

  “I know. But I want to do all I can to help Kayla.” A spark came into his eyes and he smiled. “I really like her, Julia. She’s lovely.”

  Julia was thankful the lights changed colour at that moment. She had been tempted to tell Cain about the version of Kayla she’d seen yesterday. Instead, she said, “That works out well for me, actually. I was going to call into Denise’s salon. She told me the other night that I could pop in.”

  “Are you having your grey hairs seen to? You can’t see them that much.”

  Julia laughed. “If that was supposed to be a compliment, it wasn’t a very good one. I’m going to see what services they offer. And, I’m going to be a bit nosy and see what Denise knows about the Cartwright sisters. I was talking to Mum and Dad last night about Blanche. We can’t understand at all why anyone would want to kill her.” Julia was also planning to ask Denise about Kayla Booth, but she wasn’t going to tell Cain that.

  Cain said, “I’ve been thinking about that too. Do you remember what Ivy told us about the mysterious love affair and the farmer’s boy? What if that man has come back on to the scene? What if he’s somehow connected to the murder? Wouldn’t that be awful? I was trying to work out which sister would have had the secret boyfriend.”

  Julia sighed. “I can’t stop thinking about them too. I’ll have to return the money that Blanche gave me. And I’ll have to tell Henrietta about our secret cleaning plans. I hope she won’t be too upset.”

  “And we have to give a full statement to the police,” Cain said. “I got a text from DI Clarke this morning. Did you? He was asking how I was and hoping I wasn’t too upset over seeing Blanche’s body.”

  Julia tutted. “I did get a text. He didn’t ask how I was at all. He ordered me to go to the police station soon. And there was a sarcastic comment about me staying away from the investigation. He’s got a very low opinion of me.”

  There was silence for a moment. Then Cain said, “But you are making some investigations into Blanche’s murder. You said you’re going to ask Denise about her.”

  “That’s just to satisfy my curiosity,” Julia said in a matter-of-fact way. “I’m not going to get in DI Clarke’s way.”

  “Of course not.”

  Julia pulled into the car park of an apartment block next to Leeds canal and found a parking space. She turned the engine off. “Cain, let me know if your hands start to hurt. And, I hope you don’t mind me saying this, you don’t need to do all this knitting to impress Kayla. She should be impressed by the lovely, young man that you are.”

  Cain’s cheeks went red and he muttered, “Thanks. And thanks for understanding about this lunchtime.” He yawned again as he got out of the car.

  Julia watched Cain wince as he picked up his cleaning bag. She had to do something about Kayla Booth. Her instincts told her the young woman was taking advantage of Cain’s kind nature. She suspected Kayla Booth had a hidden agenda. But what was it?

  Chapter 15

  When Julia walked into Denise’s salon later on, she thought she’d walked into an alternative universe. This wasn’t the kind of salon she was used to. Gentle, classical music flowed from hidden speakers. Huge gold-framed mirrors were hung in front of plush customer seats. Speckles of gold flickered from the marbled floor beneath her feet. Julia swallowed and felt shabby in her jeans and T-shirt. She hoped she didn’t smell of cleaning products.

  The beautifully made-up woman behind the reception desk smiled at her with real warmth. “Hello there. Is this your first visit here?” She gave a gentle laugh. “I think it must be going by the shocked look on your face.” She lowered her voice and said, “Don’t be put off by the luxury surroundings. We’re all down-to-earth here.”

  Julia felt slightly reassured and moved closer to the woman. She saw her name tag. “Hello, Hannah. Yes, it is my first time. I met Denise Kemp the other night and she said I could call in any time.” Julia looked around her again. “I’m not sure I’ll be able to afford any treatments.”

  Hannah nodded in agreement. “I can’t afford them either, even with my staff discount. Denise has nipped out for a quick cigarette. She’s supposed to be giving them up. I’m not surprised she’s gone back to smoking again, not with him around.” Horror flashed in Hannah’s eyes. “Sorry! I’m not sure why I said that. Ignore me.”

  The door behind Julia opened and Denise rushed in, followed by a waft of strong perfume and mints. She greeted Julia with a big smile. “You came! Great.” She moved a hand back and forth in front of her face. “Can you smell smoke on me? My hubby will go mad if he knows I’ve been smoking again.”

  Julia moved in closer and sniffed. “I can only smell mints and your lovely perfume. Is this a convenient time?”

  “It’s perfect. I’ve got ten minutes before my next client turns up.” Denise turned to Hannah. “I’ll show Julia round. Let me know if our lord and master turns up. He said he might do.” Denise looked back at Julia. “That’s how we refer to my hubby. Not in front of his face though!”

  Hannah’s mouth twisted at one side and Julia thought she saw a flicker of annoyance in Hannah’s eyes.

  Denise put her hand on Julia’s back and led her away from Hannah. “As you can see, this is our hairdressing area.” When they’d moved sufficiently away from Hannah, Denise dropped her hand and said, “Isn’t it awful about Blanche Cartwright? I was so shock
ed when the police phoned me. I only met her the other night but I’ve known Henrietta for years. I’ve been dealing with her special requirements for a long time and she’s a valued customer. She must be devastated.”

  “Special requirements?” Julia asked.

  “Forget I said that. Who do you think did it? Who would have a grudge against that old lady?” She gave Julia a direct look. “Have the police been in touch with you too? Did they tell you how she died?” She let out a gravelly laugh. “Sorry. That’s my nosy side coming out.”

  Julia said, “It was me who found the body.”

  “No!” Denise gasped. She put her hand on Julia’s arm. “You poor love. You must be traumatised. Here, let me give you some free products.”

  Julia was about to tell Denise that Blanche’s deceased body wasn’t the first one she’d found, but then she saw the size, and the quality, of the hair products that Denise was reaching for. She said thank you as Denise handed her six big bottles of assorted products. She put them straight into her bag in case Denise changed her mind.

  Denise waved a hand as Julia thanked her. “It’s nothing. If you don’t mind, let me talk about Blanche for a moment, seeing as you were there the other night too. The police asked me about that evening but I couldn’t remember much. Did you have some of the elderflower wine? I only had a glass and it went straight to my head! I wasn’t very useful to the police at all.”

  “My dad had two glasses and he was quite poorly. He was wondering what Henrietta put in it.” Julia stiffened as she suddenly remembered something. “Oh! Blanche told me Henrietta gave her a nightcap to help her sleep every evening. If she was giving her that elderflower wine, the poor woman would have been dead to the world every night.” Julia’s eyes widened in horror. “That was not the right expression at all.”

  Denise looked left and right before continuing, “You might be on to something. Someone, I’m not saying Henrietta, could have given Blanche some of that wine. That could have knocked her out and then it would have been easier to kill her.”

  “That’s an awful thought. Why don’t you think it was Henrietta?”

  Denise folded her arms. “They were devoted to each other. Henrietta was the younger one and she looked up to Blanche. If there were any business affairs to be dealt with, Blanche was the one to do it. She had her dad’s business sense.”

  “My dad was telling me about all the buildings the sisters own. They’ve got a few along this street.”

  Denise quickly looked away. “I didn’t know that. Oh, look at the time. My client will be here soon.” She looked back at Julia. “Do you want to come back another time?”

  “Thank you, I will. Before I go, can I ask you about Kayla Booth? Do you know her well?”

  “Kayla? Not well. I’ve seen her at the knitting classes but I haven’t spoken to her much. She seems alright, if a bit quiet.” Denise clicked her fingers. “That reminds me. I’ve made some baby clothes for her to give to that hospital of hers. I’ve got them in my office. Is your young friend going to be seeing her soon? They seemed to be getting on well the other night.”

  “Cain? Yes, they were getting on well.” Julia replied as happily as she could manage. “I can take the baby clothes with me now, if you like.”

  “That’s great. It saves me a job. Won’t be a moment.” She turned away and headed towards a door at the back of the salon.

  Julia glanced at the prices on a leaflet in front of her. She swayed slightly. How much? She thought about the hair products in her bag. Perhaps she should put them on display at home rather than use them.

  A man in a business suit burst into the salon. Everyone looked in his direction. It was hard not to. He was tanned and well groomed. His perfect white teeth gleamed as he looked around the salon. He held up a hand and said, “Good afternoon, ladies. You are looking as beautiful as ever.” His gaze flickered slightly as he looked in Julia’s direction. He frowned and quickly looked away as if her presence offended him.

  Hannah stood up straighter and smiled at the man. There wasn’t an ounce of warmth in her smile. “Good afternoon, Mr Kemp.”

  So this was the husband. Julia took a discreet step closer to him.

  Selby Kemp clicked his tongue in disapproval. “Hannah, there’s a speck of dandruff on your shoulder. Remove it immediately. I don’t want our customers to think there’s anything as common as dandruff in our establishment. Where is she?”

  The smile on Hannah’s face looked as if it was being held on by a thread. In a strained voice, she said, “Mrs Kemp has gone to her office. Shall I phone her for you?”

  “No. Sort that mess out on your shoulder.” Selby Kemp abruptly walked away and through the same door that Denise had passed through.

  Julia looked at the ornate clock on the wall. She needed to be making a move. She was about to ask Hannah if she could go through to the office but the young woman had to take a telephone call. Julia walked towards the back door. She hoped Denise wouldn’t mind her going to her office.

  Once through the door, Julia walked down a corridor. She passed doors that were marked as treatment rooms and wondered what sort of treatments went on inside.

  Raised voices stopped her in her tracks near the end of the corridor.

  A man’s voice, Selby’s voice, bellowed, “What are you looking so miserable about? The old biddy has gone now. Our problems are solved. We can finally sort out your mess. These last six months have been a nightmare for us. Stop blubbering, you look hideous when you cry!”

  Denise sniffed and said, “You shouldn’t talk about the dead like that. It’s not respectful.”

  “Respectful? I don’t have time for respect. All I care about is profit and getting our business back to what it was. I’ll be talking to the other biddy soon. She’ll soon come to her senses now that her stupid sister is dead.”

  Julia heard the sound of Denise crying and started to back away. A woman wrapped in a towel came out of one of the treatment rooms and bumped into Julia. Her towel fell and the woman screamed.

  Julia attempted to calm her down and reached for her towel. A shadow fell over her.

  Selby Kemp pushed her to one side and picked up the towel. He thrust it in the woman’s direction and then glared at Julia. He boomed, “Who the hell are you?”

  Chapter 16

  Julia couldn’t get out of the salon quick enough. Her cheeks and ears were burning as she scurried out of the door. She wasn’t sure Selby had believed her hurried explanation about picking up Denise’s knitted items. He had looked at her with contempt as she’d waffled on. The woman at her side had wrapped herself back in her towel and watched Julia squirm too. Julia didn’t know what business it was of hers, but she didn’t say anything as she was too busy trying to explain herself.

  Selby had merely grunted when she’d finished and he’d turned swiftly around and returned to the office. He came back with a plastic bag which he shoved at Julia. He had told her not to bother Denise again as she didn’t have time for making ridiculous garments. He went on to say Denise had a business to run and she needed to keep her mind focused on that. Julia didn’t even attempt to explain it wasn’t her who was behind the knitting request. She had grabbed the bag and bolted away from Selby’s hostile stare.

  When Julia returned to the safety of her car, she looked inside the carrier bag and saw Denise had been busy. She hoped Kayla Booth would be pleased. Julia thought Kayla had got herself a nice little cottage industry going, and she had all these eager people willing to do unpaid work for her. Julia’s mouth twisted to one side and she wondered if she was being overly mean to Kayla.

  Julia was certain of one thing. She did not like Selby Kemp at all. He was nothing more than a bully. He looked like the kind of man who would stop at nothing until he got what he wanted. It was evident from the conversation she’d overheard that the old biddies he’d been talking about were Blanche and Henrietta Cartwright. Did Selby Kemp have something to do with Blanche’s death?

  Julia p
honed Cain to see if he was ready to return to work. She caught the hesitation in his voice as he asked, “Can I bring my knitting work with me? I can knit while we’re driving between jobs.”

  Julia said, “I’m happy for you to stay at home. I understand how important this knitting thing is for you. I can manage the rest of the cleaning work on my own.”

  “But that’s not fair,” Cain argued. “I can work in the car, as long as you drive carefully. I don’t want to drop any stitches. Kayla wouldn’t be pleased about that.”

  Julia continued, “I insist that you take the afternoon off. You’re owed some time off anyway.”

  “Are you sure? That’s very kind of you. I might have to call into Kirkgate Market later. I need some more wool.”

  “I’m in Leeds now. I can pop into the market and get some for you. Do you need any particular kind and colour?”

  “Are you sure about this? I don’t want you running around the centre of Leeds on my behalf.”

  “Stop arguing with me, I’m your boss. Now answer my question before I change my mind.”

  “Well, I’d like lots of baby wool, and in an assortment of pastel shades. If you go to Ethel’s stall, she’ll know what I need. Thank you so much. Are you sure about this?”

  Julia replied, “Of course I’m sure. I’ll drop it round to you later.” She was glad she now had an excuse to talk to Ethel. She could ask her how much she knew about Kayla.

  Cain said thank many more times and then added, “You might bump into Kayla when you come round later. She said she’d come and see me about 6 o’clock to collect the work I’ve done.”

  Julia said goodbye and ended the call. She’d make sure she’d be at Cain’s when Kayla turned up. She wanted to have a good look at her again. Julia was tempted to go online and see what telltale signs lying people portrayed. Maybe later.

  Julia checked the time and realised she had just enough time to call into the market. She walked quickly through the centre of Leeds and towards the Victorian Kirkgate Market.