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

  Death At The Spa

  Chapter 1

  “Good morning, Ms Blake, and good morning, Mrs Rosenthorpe. Welcome to Summer Crest Spa. If you’d like to drive up to the main building, one of our valets will park your car for you.”

  Julia Blake looked out through her open driver’s window at the uniformed man who was smiling at them. She said, “I can see the car park from here. I’ll drive there myself, thank you.”

  The man’s smile didn’t falter. “There’s no need to do that, Ms Blake. We are happy to park your car for you. Please, drive up to the entrance.”

  Julia said, “Honestly, it’s no trouble. I can park my car myself.” She felt a tap on her arm and turned to look at Mum.

  “Julia, do as the lovely man tells you. We’re here to relax so let’s start now.”

  Julia caught the weary tone in Mum’s voice and felt a flicker of pain in her heart. Poor Mum looked as if she hadn’t slept properly for weeks. Julia turned back to the man and said, “Thank you for that information. I’ll do exactly as you say. Can I drive right up to the entrance?”

  “You certainly can, madam.” The man’s smile looked more forced now. “May I take this opportunity to wish you a pleasant stay at Summer Crest Spa.”

  “Thank you.” Julia gave him a bright smile and drove towards the main entrance of the spa. “Mum, how do you think he knows our names?”

  “I’ve no idea.”

  Julia shot a quick glance at Mum. She wasn’t herself at all lately. Mum hadn’t been the same since losing a close friend to cancer last year. The same friend, Lesley, had committed a murder, but that hadn’t stopped Mum from feeling grief when Lesley died.

  Julia put on a jovial tone, “It’s so nice of Dad to do this for us, isn’t it? He’s gone to a lot of trouble to book this spa break. And I don’t know how he managed to keep it a secret from us; he’s usually useless at keeping secrets.”

  “Hmm. I’m not sure what to think about this spa break. I shouldn’t be taking a day off work, especially on a Friday; it’s our busiest day at school. And I don’t appreciate your dad organising a day off for me behind my back. He had no right to do that.”

  Julia slowed down as she approached the main building. “He was only looking out for you. He wanted you to have a break from your job. You’ve been through a lot this last year. Dad’s concerned about you, and so am I.”

  Mum let out a heavy sigh. “I know. I’m sorry. I’m finding it hard to relax lately. And almost impossible to get a good night’s sleep.”

  “I know you still miss Lesley. You were friends for a long time.” Julia came to a stop near the entrance to the spa.

  “I do miss her. And it doesn’t help my stress levels when you keep getting yourself involved in murder investigations. I thought I didn’t need to worry about you anymore, with you being a grown woman.” Mum shook her head. “I think I worry even more about you now.”

  “I’m sorry. I don’t get myself involved on purpose.” Julia pointed to the building in front of them. “Isn’t this beautiful? I love the light-coloured bricks and all those windows. I think we’re going to have a good time here. I think we’re going to relax and do absolutely nothing.”

  Mum gave her a tired smile. “Yes, I’m sure we will. I’ll promise to stop feeling sorry for myself. And you must promise me you won’t find any murdered bodies while we’re here.” She released her seat belt and reached for the door handle.

  “I promise. I think that’s the valet who’s heading our way. He doesn’t look old enough to be driving.” Julia got out of the car and gave a small smile to the young man who was approaching them. She kept a protective hand on her car.

  The young man said, “Good morning, Ms Blake. Good morning, Mrs Rosenthorpe. Welcome to Summer Crest Spa. I’m Toby, your personal car valet. Please, allow me to park your vehicle.” He held his hand out.

  Julia’s eyes narrowed. “How long have you been driving?”

  “Five years, madam.”

  “Where are you going to park my car?”

  “In the car park to your left, madam.” He moved his hand closer.

  “What do you do with the keys when you’ve finished parking my car?”

  “I’ll give them to whoever’s on reception duty inside. They will deliver the keys to your room.”

  Mum came to Julia’s side and said, “Stop interrogating the poor man. He’s hardly going to zoom off in your car. He’s not a joy-rider.”

  Julia gave Toby a direct look. “Are you a joy-rider?”

  “I don’t even know what that is, madam. I am a careful driver, and I will treat your vehicle with respect.”

  Julia reluctantly handed the keys to him. Toby whipped them away before she could think of any more questions. He then clicked his fingers and two, even younger, men scurried to his side. Toby said, “Take the luggage up to the rooms, please.”

  Julia moved forward. “I think I can manage my own bag.”

  Mum pulled her back. “What were you saying about doing nothing?” She turned Julia around, put her hand on Julia’s arm, and guided her towards the main doors.

  Julia walked up a set of stone steps with Mum. She faltered as she heard her car starting up. Was there any need to rev the engine so loudly? She’d be checking the mileage later. She tutted very quietly to herself.

  They walked into the foyer of Summer Crest Spa. Mum’s hand dropped from Julia’s arm, and she said, “Am I dreaming? Is it really this beautiful? Have we walked into an alternative universe? I must be dreaming.”

  Julia stared left to right. “If this is your dream, count me in.”

  The foyer was light and airy. Healthy looking potted plants were placed at the side of a long, narrow carpet that ran down to the reception area. At each side of the carpet were seating areas with comfortable sofas and chairs. A low hum of conversation from seated people didn’t detract from the peaceful ambience of the area.

  Mum said in a hushed tone, “It’s magnificent. It’s like some upmarket hotel. We must be at the wrong spa. How could your dad afford something like this? Has he turned into some secret drugs baron? Do they call them King Pins, or something like that? Julia, go up to reception and see if we’re in the right place.”

  “We must be in the right place. That man at the gate referred to us by our names, and so did that boy who’s driving my car. I’m not sure how Dad afforded this either, but let’s make the most of it. We’re only here for three days.”

  Julia put her arm around Mum’s shoulders and walked with her towards the large reception desk. Mum kept muttering to herself about how lovely everything was.

  Julia and Mum stopped at the marble reception desk. A tall, slim woman had her back to them. She turned around and gave them a smile.

  Julia felt her mouth drop open.

  Chapter 2

  The woman behind the reception desk was impossibly beautiful. She was tall, slim and elegant. Julia put her age at the mid-fifties, but it was hard to be certain because the woman had flawless skin. Her hair framed her face in a soft, blonde cloud and made her look like an angel.

  The woman smiled at them, showing perfect teeth. “Good morning, Ms Blake and Mrs Rosenthorpe. Welcome to Summer Crest Spa. I trust you had a pleasant journey here. I’m Sienna Moss, the manager.”

  Julia closed her mouth and returned her smile. Sienna’s voice was warm and welcoming. Julia said, “We had a good journey, thank you. How do you know our names? The man at the gate knew who we were too.”

  Sienna’s smile grew, and a twinkle came into her eyes. “We have a list of guests who are due to arrive, along with a
note on how they are travelling here. We knew you were going to be arriving by car, and we knew your registration number. It was just a matter of looking out for you on our CCTV system. Your room is ready for you, and your bags are being taken up there as we speak.”

  Mum said, “It sounds like you’ve got an efficient system here.”

  Sienna nodded. “I like things to run smoothly. I just detest it when you arrive somewhere, and they keep you waiting. It’s not at all professional.” She leant forward a bit and lowered her voice. “As part of my job, I visit other spas and make notes on what works, and what doesn’t. I’m like a spa spy.”

  Mum gave Julia a nudge. “Maybe you should do that. Get people in to clean your house, and see what they do right, and what they do wrong.”

  “I already keep an eye on my competition, they all have websites,” Julia said. “And you know I’d never let anyone else clean my house.” She said to Sienna, “I run my own cleaning business.”

  Sienna held up a file. “I know. And I know that you seldom take time out for yourself. It’s all in here.”

  Mum said, “What information have you got on us? It was my husband, Ray, who booked this spa trip for us.” Her eyes narrowed. “What has he told you about us?”

  “That you both work too hard. Your husband has gone for the luxury package which includes up to six treatments a day. You will have full use of the swimming pool and gym too. He’s booked a double room for each of you. The rooms are linked by a door so that you can …” Sienna opened the file and looked at something. “So you can natter and chatter about everything and nothing. Those are your husband’s words, Mrs Rosenthorpe. He’s asked for separate rooms because he’s told us that one of you snores loudly. He hasn’t told us who.”

  Mum shook her head. “I don’t know whether to be annoyed at him or pleased with him. It is extremely thoughtful of him.”

  Julia said to Sienna, “I looked on your site before coming here. I’m confused by all the different treatments you have. I’m not sure which ones would be better for me. Can you give us some advice, please?”

  Sienna placed the folder down. “All our treatments are wonderfully relaxing. I’ve experienced them all. I won’t have a treatment available at my spa unless I know what it does, and how it’s undertaken.”

  Julia looked closer at Sienna’s glowing skin and said, “I’ll have whatever you’ve had.”

  Sienna laughed. “I don’t think you’ll have time for all of them. I need a lot of work. Excuse me a moment.” She picked up a phone and tapped on the screen. She spoke into the phone, “Hello Erin, we’re ready for you. Will you bring Indigo with you too? Thank you. Bye.” She ended the call.

  Julia shared a worried look with Mum. “Are we going to start treatments now? At this very minute? I don’t think I’m ready.”

  Sienna waved a hand at them. “No, sorry. I didn’t mean to worry you. I’ve assigned a personal assistant to you both. They’ll explain what treatments are best for you, based on the questionnaire that you filled in.”

  Mum gave her a wry smile. “You mean the questionnaires that my husband filled in? Julia, what on earth has your dad written about us?”

  “We’ll soon find out.” Julia looked towards the right where two women in light blue uniforms were walking towards them; each was holding a clipboard.

  Sienna greeted the two women. “Erin, Indigo. Let me introduce you to our guests.” She opened a hand towards Mum. “Indigo, this is Mrs Rosenthorpe. Would you like to take her into the quiet area, please?”

  Indigo moved forward. She was an older woman with streaks of grey in her hair. She nodded at Mum and said, “Before you ask, yes, Indigo is my real name. If you think that’s a bit out there, wait until you hear my surname; it’s Sunset. Indigo Sunset, what a name!” She chuckled. “My parents were hippies. And I say that with love. Both of them were weird and wonderful, although I never appreciated it when I was young. Mrs Rosenthorpe, please come this way and we’ll talk about the best treatments for you.”

  Mum smiled at Indigo. “Please, call me Kathleen.”

  Sienna Moss said to Mum, “I’ll send over some tea and biscuits. Your husband has told me what brands you like.”

  Mum raised her eyebrows at Julia. “I think I might enjoy this spa break after all.” She followed Indigo over to a seating area on the left side of the room.

  The other woman was younger and slightly plump. She turned to Julia. “Hi there. I’m Erin, as you can see from my name badge.” She looked down at the clipboard and nodded. “I see. Your dad has requested a different kind of spa break for you. More like an army-type boot camp. There will be a lot of exercise and a lot of vegetables. In fact, we can start with our first five-mile run of the day right now. We’ll do the twenty-mile run this evening.” She looked back at Julia. “How does that sound to you?”

  Chapter 3

  Julia gulped and looked towards the main doors. She could make a run for it if she set off now. Mum would have to get a taxi home. She looked back as she heard a soft chuckle.

  Erin said, “I am sorry about that. Your dad wanted me to say that to you. He said you would appreciate the joke.”

  “Joke? Does that mean you’re kidding about going for runs?”

  Erin patted her own rounded tummy and said, “I’ve never seen the point in running unless it’s for a bus. Would you like to take a seat and we’ll discuss what relaxing treatments would be best for you? I promise you; there will be no running involved.”

  Sienna Moss called over, “Ms Blake, I’ll send refreshments over to you too. Your father has kindly provided us with your tea and coffee preferences.”

  Julia shook her head. Just like Mum, she wasn’t sure whether to be angry or pleased with Dad. She’d be having words with him later.

  She followed Erin over to a quiet seating area and settled herself into a comfy sofa. She looked over to where Mum was seated and saw she was in deep conversation with Indigo. She hoped Mum would feel relaxed and rejuvenated by the end of this break. It would be nice to see the sparkle in her eyes again.

  Erin took a seat opposite Julia and placed the clipboard on the table in front of them. “Now then, where shall we start? Would you like to know a bit more about the spa before we begin?”

  “Yes, please.” Julia indicated her head in the direction of the reception desk. “I’d like to know what treatments your manager has. She looks amazing. Is she normally on reception? I thought a manager would be too busy to do that sort of work.”

  Erin looked over at Sienna. “She’s not the typical kind of manager. I’ve worked in many spas, and I can honestly say that Sienna Moss is the best manager I’ve ever had. Sienna encourages everyone here to study and gain qualifications. Whenever someone passes an exam, she proudly displays their certificates.”

  Julia had noticed the certificates on the wall behind the reception desk. She’d seen Sienna’s name on some of them. Julia had more questions. She paused for a moment as a smiling waitress arrived with a tray of tea things and placed it down on the table.

  Julia laughed when she saw a sliced banana on a plate with a small fork at the side. She said to Erin, “I always have a banana mid-morning. I didn’t realise Dad knew that.”

  Once the waitress had left, Julia asked Erin how long she’d worked at the spa.

  “About two years. I love it here. Sienna has encouraged me to take more exams. My aim is to run my own spa one day. I’ve been working in spas for the last fifteen years, and I’ve done almost everything! Facials, manicures, body scrubs. You wouldn’t believe some of the things guests tell me when they’re in a relaxed state. I feel like a priest in a confessional box sometimes.”

  Julia smiled and said, “Have they told you anything in particular? Anything you’d like to share?”

  Erin grinned. “I can’t tell you that. The only aspect of spa life I don’t get involved in is the exercise part, although I like swimming and walking. And that’s enough for me. I’m the complete opposite of my roo
m-mate, Lori. She runs many of the exercise classes. She’s never still for a moment. I don’t think I’ve ever seen her sitting down. She’s one of those energetic types who makes you feel tired just by watching them. Do you know what I mean?”

  “I certainly do. Swimming and walking sound perfect to me. Will I have to take any exercise classes? Is it part of the package?” She reached for the plate with the banana on it.

  “Not unless you want to. We’ve got beautiful gardens here. They’re a joy to walk around. And we’ve got two swimming pools. One for those kind of people who like to race up and down the lanes, and the other one is for normal people. I’ve got a map here of the spa. You’ll soon get used to the layout. Most of the exercise facilities are in the same area; and the same with the therapy rooms. And if you do want to take an exercise class, there’s a full list here. We’ve got aerobics, step class, salsa …” Erin wafted a hand in front of her face. “I feel exhausted just reading this list out.”

  Julia finished her banana and returned the plate to the tray. “I think a few simple treatments would be perfect for me. Perhaps a facial?”

  “I can organise that for you. What about a manicure? I see from your details that you work as a cleaner. I’m presuming you spend a lot of time wearing rubber gloves and you don’t have time to paint your nails?”

  Julia nodded. “That’s true. A manicure would be a treat.” She glanced over at Mum again. She was still talking to Indigo.

  Erin caught her worried look. “Your mum is in good hands. Indigo will work out the perfect treatments for her.” Erin picked up the clipboard and marked a few things down. She looked back at Julia and studied her for a moment. “How would you like to be part of a trial for some new treatments? We wouldn’t charge, and all we’d need in return is your feedback. We need human guinea pigs, and I mean that in a kind way.”

  “I’m not sure.”

  “It involves chocolate.”

  “Tell me more.” Julia picked up her cup of tea.