Paper Lanterns, Pride and Proposals: Paper Crafts Club Mysteries, #8

By Emily Selby

Katie and Jack go away to the Lake District, for the weekend. This is meant to be a romantic getaway, but instead of romance, they find... another body. How come Ms Liu fell out of her balcony? Why was she killed and who did it? Who is lying and why? Where is the ring and does it even matter?

Try to separate red herrings from real clues, as you're solving the case, alongside Katie and Jack. And don't forget to keep an eye on what's happening on the personal level for both of them.

Grab a copy of Paper Lanterns, Pride and Proposals - the new book in the Paper Crafts Club Mystery series.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Upward Stories
• Release date: Mar 21, 2024
• ISBN: 9798224633685

Book preview

1

Katie Redford bit her lower lip.

'How long will it take to clean the room?' she asked the receptionist, whose nametag read, Nikky.

'Probably a couple of days. The spill needs a deep clean and some time to dry,' the receptionist replied, adding a sad smile.

'And there are no other rooms with the view over the lake?' Katie asked.

'I'm afraid, not. With the East Wing still being closed, we're running at half capacity at the moment. Plus, we're very busy this weekend.' Nikky shook her head. Her perfectly oval face looked tired. 'The garden-view room I'm proposing to you, is much bigger and nicer though. You have extra living space, a desk, and a big spa bathtub,' she added.

'See, there's office space,' Jack Heaton, Katie's boyfriend and a Detective Inspector in a Serious Crime Unit, cut in, his voice cheerful. 'Don't worry, Katie, I'm sure we can still enjoy the weekend without the view over the lake.'

'As I explained, you can see the lanterns and the fireworks from the terrace downstairs, just off the dining room," Nikky said. 'And if you wish to, you can retire early for the night and won't be disturbed by the festivities. The garden side is quiet, and the main road runs along the lake.'

'Sounds great,' Jack said. 'Sunnyvale, where we come from, isn't that far from here, but gosh, the traffic was awful. And we need some rest.'

'It's a beautiful weekend, and the first of summer after all, no wonder so many visitors are coming,' Nikky replied. 'I don't want to brag, but our themed First Weekend of Summer festivities have been gaining popularity. We're getting more and more guests every year.'

'It's an interesting idea, indeed. And the reason why I've chosen your hotel for this little weekend away,' Jack said and smiled. He put his arm around Katie. Her heart made a tiny flip. She rolled her shoulders back discreetly. This relaxed her spine a little but did nothing to ease the heavy sensation, which settled in her stomach the moment Jack announced his surprise: a weekend away. Not that she minded going away with him. On the contrary, given how busy their respective lives had been over the past couple of months, they both needed a break. Between Jack shifting his job permanently from Manchester to Newcastle and frantically looking for a place to rent near Sunnyvale and his parents, Katie organising her financial affairs so she could take ownership of the little house on the Sunny Meadows estate and moving in there, and Julia's National Curriculum Assessment exams and moving onto the secondary school, life got so busy Katie's head spun at the memory of it.

'Let's go upstairs then, refresh ourselves and, I guess, get ready for the evening,' Katie said, taking the key from the reception counter. An old-fashioned metal key with an engraved wooden fob - so unusual in this era of magnetic cards. She traced the number 206 with her index finger—smooth and cool.

'You'd better hurry, the dinner starts in thirty minutes and the show straight after,' Nikky advised.

'That should be enough time,' Jack replied, grabbing his and Katie's suitcases.

Katie pricked her ears. 'How formal should we be dressed?' she asked, letting the sudden surge of anxiety seep into her voice. She didn't fancy wearing anything other than a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. After all, she was on a holiday.

'As formal or informal as you wish,' Nikky replied. 'But no ripped jeans or flip-flops. Polished casual, I'd say."

Katie smile. 'Thank you. I think I can do that.'

Jack just raised his eyebrows.

They refreshed and got changed for dinner. Katie abandoned the idea of ironing her light pink, satin blouse. She tucked it into her best dark jeans and slipped on a pair of comfy pumps.

'You look beautiful,' Jack said, tracing his finger along her cheek. She let her eyelids drop over her tired eyes and smiled. His gentle touch was soothing.

'Thank you,' she replied and opened her eyes to meet his dreamy gaze. Jack lowered his head, until the tip of his nose brushed against her. She climbed on her tiptoes. Their lips touched for a few seconds. A wave of warm, tingling filled Katie's chest.

'Mmmhmmm ...' she murmured.

'Me too,' Jack replied.

This exchange had become typical of their special moments of closeness, as Katie, despite being clear that Jack was the one still struggled to spell out how she felt about him. And Jack? Well ... as smart and sensitive as he was, he quickly adapted to make her feel more comfortable.

That was, at least, what Katie thought. She was grateful for his tact and ... growing increasingly annoyed at her own difficulty.

The pit of her stomach clenched.

No doubt, all the strange sensations in her body had something to do with her mixed up feelings. Katie suspected that this weekend might be crucial to their future together.

Jack was the first to break the spell of the moment.

'I'm starving, shall we go?'

'Me too.' She reached for her handbag.

They entered the lift and rode two levels down, to the ground floor.

The dining room wasn't big, with about twenty tables, some of them empty, but the air was buzzing with people chattering, clinking of tableware and soft background music. The French windows to the terrace outside were wide open, letting in the evening breeze from the lake. Katie took a deep breath, hoping to catch the moist scents coming from the water, but the air was filled with the delicious aroma of food.

It was a buffet dinner with Mediterranean food, mainly Portuguese, as the theme for this year's summer solstice weekend was Portuguese - Sao Joao de Porto celebrations. As the brochure on the table explained: the original festival happened on the night of the 23rd June, but the hotel was combining the solstice and the festivities over three days.

'What are you most looking forward to, Jack?' Katie asked, when they returned to their table, having filled their plates with starters: fresh tomato salad, grilled peppers and grilled sardines.

'You mean, beyond this lovely smelling food?' Jack replied and grinned.

'It does smell amazing, I agree, but according to the programme, this is just the beginning. After dinner, they will set off Chinese lanterns by the lake. I've only seen them on TV.'

'You mean, like those above?' Jack pointed out to a row of yellow and orange lampions flapping on long strings across the room.

'Yes, but bigger versions, of course, and filled with hot air from the candle inside. That's why they float into the sky. I wish the guests were allowed to participate in the setting off, instead of just watching from the terrace. But I can't wait anyway. What about you?'

'Oh,' Jack said and paused. His eyes shone, and a smile danced on his lips. 'Mostly spending time with you, without worrying about having to drive back to be home on time, or being interrupted by work-related phone calls-'

'Or family-drama,' Katie added, stiffening her shoulders a little. Being together, just the two of them... Just a great idea, so what was wrong with her? It must have been the lengthy heart-to-heart chat with her friend, Michelle Webb, that still lingered in Katie's head. Michelle, the romantic she was, had predicted this would be the defining weekend for Katie and Jack's relationship. And Katie was anxious. They had been dating for about six months now and things had been good between them. But since Jack moved jobs to be closer to her, Katie had doubts if it was the right time for her to commit to a new relationship. As a woman, she felt ready, but as a mum to a twelve-year-old girl? Katie wasn't sure...

'It's lovely to finally have time to ourselves. And thank you for booking this little getaway,' she added.

'My pleasure.' Jack lifted his glass of wine. 'To many happy moments together.'

They clinked their glassed.

'Another happy couple?' A waitress emerged at their side, as if from nowhere. She held a large wooden tray containing lots of potted plants. 'Love must be something in the air,' she carried on. 'Although, those from yesterday didn't seem completely happy. Or maybe it was just her, anyways, I'm Lisa, your waitress for tonight,' the waitress paused to take a deep breath and two pots off her tray. 'Here is a traditional Sao Joao basil plant for you. It is customary to exchange them with your sweetheart.'

'How lovely,' Katie exclaimed. 'And there is a little tag.'

'Traditionally, the plant comes with a poem, but you can add your own words,' the waitress explained. 'We'll be having another big dinner to close the weekend on Sunday night, with fireworks. This is when we recommend you exchange the plants.'

'That's a great idea,' Jack said, his face brightening with a smile. 'It'll give me two days to ... to ...' His voice trailed off. He blinked.

'To write that poem?' the waitress supplied.

'Sure,' Jack replied, relief clear in his voice.

The waitress moved onto the next table.

A poem, how romantic! Katie's heart filled with warmth. She could write a poem or find a suitable quote. She glanced at Jack. His face was difficult to read—a mixture of joy, relief and, what? Mischief? What was he up to? Was he going to treat her to a piece of poetry, really? Despite the sober head on his shoulders and his tendency to weigh facts over hunches, Jack had surprised her with multiple romantic gestures. But a poem?

That would be a super treat.

What else was this weekend going to bring?

2

Dinner progressed in a cosy atmosphere, despite the noise around them. The food was delicious, the wine complemented it perfectly and the company ... Katie let the wave of tenderness flush over her. She touched Jack's hand. He leaned across the table and kissed her lightly.

Katie let herself gaze into his blue eyes.

'The lantern show will start in a few minutes,' a male voice announced. 'If you want to see it, please, make your way onto the terrace.'

Oh, the magical spell was broken. Katie suppressed a wince.

'Are you okay?' Jack asked.

'Yes, just.... What a shame, the whole atmosphere is gone.'

Jack closed her hand in his.

'I'm sure we'll have several more lovely moments this weekend. But now, let's go and find a good spot to watch those magical lanterns, before they’re gone forever.'

They stood. Jack rested his hand on the back of Katie's shoulder and led her towards the large French door.

The terrace was filling with the guests, most of whom were leaning on the iron cast balustrade. The sky was still glimmering with colours from the recent sunset, but the lake waters had taken on a deep shade of blue.

'Please get your cameras ready. In a few minutes, we'll turn the light off so that you can enjoy the spectacle better,' the male voice continued.

'Oh, I've forgot the camera,' Katie groaned. 'I wanted to snap some photos for Julia.'

'What about your phone?' Jack asked.

'Won't do. That’s why I've brought a camera. It's a semi-automatic one. I can even turn off the flash and take pictures with less light.'

'Where did you leave it?'

'It's still in my suitcase.'

'Shall I go and get it for you?'

'No, you stay here. I'll be back in two ticks,' Katie replied and rushed back inside. It was her fault and she didn't want Jack to miss the show because of her.

She crossed the dining room, taking the exit alongside the bar, which was currently empty. A powerful waft of alcohol hit her nose. She shuddered. Some people just didn't seem to be able to celebrate anything without a sea of alcohol. She enjoyed a glass of wine or two, particularly with a nice dinner, like tonight, but drinking until everything about you stank, or spilling it all around yourself? Never.

The lobby was, predictably, empty. Even the reception desk was unattended. No wonder - everybody was probably on the terrace or by the lake.

She pushed the button to call the lift. The button lit and... flashed. Katie waited for a moment longer, but the light kept pulsing. She put her ear to the door.

Nope, not a sound.

Hm... the machine had been working only a couple of hours earlier, when they had come down. Unless, someone was blocking it, it meant the lift was broken.

Katie had to use the stairs, if she wanted to capture at least some of the evening show.

She opened the door to the stairwell and reached to the wall on her right, feeling for the light switch. She found it and flicked it. Nothing happened.

Somewhere above her head, a door opened and closed again.

The sound echoed in the space, lit only by dimly glowing emergency exit signs.

She flicked the switch again. No response.

'Bother,' she mumbled and grabbed the handrail. She needed to manage with whatever she had available.

Katie rushed up the steps as fast as she could, holding onto the rail. She went past the first-floor landing, stopping for a few seconds to catch her breath. The staircase was still plunged in silence and near darkness. Not a peep from outside, either.

Has the lantern show already begun?

She reached the landing of the second floor, entered the hallway and headed straight for their room. Her hands were shaking as she fiddled with the key, but a moment later she was inside, kneeling by her suitcase and pulling the camera out of the case.

Back on her feet, she turned on her heel, read to leave the room.

Something behind the balcony window caught her eye.

A large object falling?

In two jumps she was out, on the balcony, looking up. But the darkening space above her head was empty, apart from the lanterns swinging on the string above her head.

She leant over the balustrade, just as a loud cheer reached her ears.

The show must have started.

The ground beneath the balcony was dark, cut in two by a lighter strip of what she guessed to be a paved pathway. And right there, on the pathway spread an irregular shape.

Katie blinked and then forced herself to look at the shape again.

The longer she looked, the clearer it became. The bright patch on the pathway was likely a white t-shirt, its short sleeves indicating the position of spread arms. The other half was barely distinguishable from the background. But all that was enough.

A sharp, high pitch scream left her mouth, drowned out by another cheer and heavy applause coming from the other side of the building.

Katie hesitated. The