Free Donald's Death (Cara Daniels Cozy Mystery Book 1) by Gillian Larkin

A Cara Daniels Cozy Mystery
    Book 1

 
 
    Donald’s Death

 
    Chapter 1

 
    “Cara, tell me you can see him.”
    Cara hissed, “Gran, of course I can see
him! He’s looking right at me.”
    Gran nodded. “Well, that’s a start.
What would you say if I told you he’s an angel?”
    Cara looked away from the man, stared
at her gran for a moment and then turned her attention back to the man who was
sitting on the sofa opposite her. In a low voice Cara said, “I’d think you were
drunk but I can’t smell any alcohol on you.”
    Gran tutted. “I don’t drink at lunchtime.”
She gestured towards the man. “This is Edward, he’s a real angel. You can see
him, can’t you?”
    “Of course I can.” Cara paused. “An
angel! Of course! You mean like someone who has done you a good deed, you might
call them an angel.” She nodded towards him. “For a minute I thought you meant
an angel that has wings and lives in heaven, and all that nonsense.”
    Gran winced. “Please don’t refer to
angel matters as nonsense, Edward will be offended. And, yes, I do mean an
angel with wings, the heavenly kind of angel.”
    Cara nodded in a sympathetic manner.
“Mum said you’d been having health problems. Have you been to see a
specialist?”
    Gran tapped Cara’s knee. “Cara Daniels!
Do not talk to me as if I’ve gone mad! Edward is an angel!”
    “But he looks like Santa!” Cara shot
back.
    Edward chuckled. “I do look like
Santa.” He stroked his white beard. “I’m getting old.”
    Cara tutted. “Now I know you’re not an
angel, they don’t get old.”
    Edward chuckled again, Cara saw his
belly wobble. He said, “I can see that you’re not an expert when it comes to
angels.” He looked over at Gran. “Abigail, we don’t have time to convince her
with words. Should I …?”
    Gran nodded and rubbed her forehead.
“Please, Edward, if you don’t mind.”
    Cara looked from Edward to Gran again.
“Gran, what’s going on? Are you okay? Who is this man?”
    Edward heaved himself off the sofa and
moved into the centre of the room. He glanced from left to right and nodded. “I
should have enough room. This is something you won’t see every day, young
Cara.” He smiled at her and then spread his arms wide.
    Cara’s mouth dropped open as wings
appeared at either side of Edward. Great big wings that shimmered in the
sunlight that choose that moment to stream through her living room window. Cara
rubbed her eyes. She must be dreaming. She’d had a late night and hadn’t slept
well. And that pizza that she’d eaten yesterday had been two days out of date.
    Gran tapped her on the shoulder and
gently said, “Cara, love, he is an angel. Look at his wings. Look at the
twinkle in his eyes. And look at his outline, can you see his aura? It’s like a
silver outline. Don’t be afraid.”
    Cara gulped. She was afraid, she
couldn’t believe what was happening in front of her.
    Edward smiled down at her and moved
closer. “Touch my wing, Cara, it won’t hurt me.”
    Cara held out a trembling hand and laid
it on a silver-feathered wing. A sudden feeling of calm washed over her. It
felt like someone had placed a warm blanket all around her. All of a sudden,
she knew. She said, “You are real. I don’t know how I know that, but I do.” She
laughed. “Gran! He’s an angel! I can see an angel!”
    Gran smiled and said, “I know, I can
see him too. Edward, you can put your wings away. Thank you.”
    Edward gave a mock bow and winked at
Cara. His wings slowly faded. Cara blinked. She could have sworn she saw one
white feather mixed in with the silver ones.
    Edward sat back down, smiled and rested
his clasped hands on his tummy. Something beeped. He looked at his watch. His
smile disappeared. “Abigail, we’ve only got twenty-four hours.”
    Gran frowned. “I thought we had
forty-eight hours. Damn, it’s ten minutes past midday now, make a note of that,
please Edward.” She sighed. “I do hate it when this