Read Online Murder at the Maples: A Flora Lively Mystery by Joanne Phillips - Free Book Online

nose out. Or else.
    ‘Sorry. I just wanted to ask you to keep an eye on her, that’s all.’
    ‘Which is exactly what I’m paid to do.’ The warden turned her back on Flora and opened her office door. ‘As for the flowers,’ she said, turning around again, her face back to its usual expression of rosy-cheeked benevolence, ‘maybe Joy has a secret admirer. Isn’t she rather close to the Captain? I’m sure it’s nothing to get in a tizzy about.’
    Flora stood looking at the blank oak door for a full minute after the warden had closed it. Resisting the urge to stick out her tongue like a five-year-old, she turned on her heel and stalked off towards the exit. She rounded a corner and walked directly into a woman carrying a stack of magazines. The magazines went flying, and the woman nearly joined them.
    ‘Oh, my goodness. I’m so sorry.’ Flora dropped to her knees to help pick them up. She recognised the woman as the Maples’ main receptionist, Elizabeth.
    ‘No, it was my fault entirely. I wasn’t looking where I was going. In a little world of my own, I was.’
    Flora smiled, her tension ebbing away. The woman’s long blonde hair was loose and flyaway, held off her face with a silver Alice band that would have been cool on a teenager but looked incongruous on a woman who must be pushing fifty. She’d noticed Elizabeth around, noticed her leopard-skin tops and maxi-skirts, and she’d certainly noticed Stuart and Steve noticing her too. Elizabeth was an attractive lady, with a breathy voice and a distracted air. Just crying out to be rescued, Steve had said admiringly. And he was at least twenty years her junior.
    ‘Here,’ said Flora, passing over the last of the magazines. ‘Where are you off to with these?’
    ‘The medical centre – someone donated them this morning. We keep having to replace them over there, people are always stealing them.’
    Flora laughed, and Elizabeth smiled uncertainly.
    ‘Well, sorry again. I need to be more careful when I’m in a bad mood.’
    Elizabeth looked concerned. ‘What happened? Are you okay?’
    ‘I’m fine. Just had a run-in with … Never mind.’ Flora stopped herself in time. For all she knew the warden and her chief receptionist might be the best of friends. ‘I was worried about a friend, that’s all. But I’m sure it will all be okay.’
    ‘Good. Well, thanks for helping with these.’
    Flora watched Elizabeth trip away along the corridor. ‘Can I ask you a quick question?’ she called out on impulse.
    ‘Of course.’ The other woman turned and smiled openly. ‘What do you need to know?’
    ‘You have a resident here, a Mr Felix. Would you happen to know his first name?’ Flora held her breath. What was she doing? Surely she was out of line even asking personal questions about a resident?
    Elizabeth didn’t seem to think so. She thought about it for a moment, hoisting the magazines onto one sharp hip. ‘I know who you mean, but I can’t remember his first name. He likes to be called Mr Felix,’ she added with a smile. ‘I see quite a lot of him, he’s always having parcels delivered to reception, a new one every week. Vitamins, they are. He’s obsessed with his health. The warden, she wasn’t too happy about it. Said she didn’t want the other residents getting ideas.’
    ‘Ideas?’
    ‘About the health benefits of vitamins bought over the internet. She runs a pretty tight ship, you know. Likes all that kind of stuff to go through her.’
    I can imagine, thought Flora. She’d have a fit if she found out about Joy’s secret stash of daily medication.
    ‘But you don’t know his first name?’
    Elizabeth shook her head. ‘No, sorry. Why do you need to know?’
    Flora gestured vaguely. ‘I wanted to send him a … birthday card.’ It was the first thing that popped into her head.
    ‘Ah. That’s nice. I’ll make sure we get him one too.’
    Flora said goodbye and watched the receptionist walk away. She shook her head and headed