Virtually Scared To Death (Julia Blake Cozy Mystery Book 1) by Gillian Larkin

Julia Blake – Virtually Scared
To Death
Chapter 1

 
    “You’re
not supposed to kill the fairies, you’re supposed to save them!”
    “But
they keep getting in the way. I’m trying to get to the diamonds,” I said.
    “Every
time you kill a fairy you add 30 seconds to your time. And if you kill more
than ten fairies, which you nearly have, you’ll have to go back to level 1,”
Mark patiently explained to me.
    I
took my hands away from the keyboard. “I give up! It’s too frustrating. I don’t
know how you can play these games all day, let alone design them.”
    “It’s
fun, once you get the hang of it. Making virtual worlds is great, you can do
what you like,” Mark   said with a grin.
    I
stood up. “I’d better get on. You pay me to clean your home, not to play
games.”
    “It’s
my fault for slowing you down. My latest game is nearly finished and I wanted
to see how someone ... less experienced would cope with the beginning,” Mark
said.
    “I’m
not sure if that’s a compliment! Shall I clean the bathroom this time?” I
asked.
    Mark
nodded and then said, “Sit down a minute, Julia. I wanted to ask you something.
It sounds silly but I’ll ask you anyway. Do you believe in ghosts?”
    I
didn’t know what to say to that, so I didn’t say anything. I sat back down and
waited for him to continue.
    Mark
looked nervous as he carried on, “It’s probably my imagination but I’m sure I
can hear things, and sometimes I see things.”
    “What
things?” I asked.
    “I
hear a little girl crying for help. And then I hear screams and the sound of
machinery.”
    I
looked around the apartment. “Well, you are living in a converted mill. I think
young children used to work in mills like these. You might have a ghost of some
poor child who got trapped in a machine and was mangled to death.”
    “That
doesn’t make me feel better at all!” Mark said. “It’s probably nothing. I
haven’t been sleeping well and it’ll be my imagination working overtime. One
more thing, a favour?”
    I
looked at my watch. I would be late for my next cleaning job if I didn’t hurry
up here.
    “It
won’t take long,” Mark said. “I’d like your unbiased opinion on the complete
version of this game. From a beginner’s point of view.”
“As someone a bit dim?” I said with a smile.
    “I
never said that! You’re not dim at all. Someone intelligent who can tell me if
the game doesn’t make sense in parts. I can email you the prototype version and
you could have a quick look. You’d be doing me a big favour,” Mark said.
    “Don’t
you have someone to do that for you? A games expert?” I asked.
    Mark
frowned. “I do, but I’ve got a feeling that they’re not as trustworthy as they
used to be.”
    I
was flattered that Mark would trust me with his latest game creation. “Okay.
I’ll do it. It might take me a few days to look at it properly.”
    Mark
smiled. “Thanks Julia, you’re probably thinking I’ve gone mad. Talking about
ghosts and thinking my colleagues are out to get me.”
    I
smiled back. I didn’t think Mark was mad, but he certainly wasn’t his normal
cheerful self.
    “I’ve
got your email haven’t I?” Mark asked.
    I
nodded.
    There
was a loud beeping noise and a man’s face appeared on the computer screen in
front of us.
    It
was Jasper Parker. He grinned at me like a crocodile would grin at its next
meal.
    “Why,
if it isn’t the delectable Julia,” Jasper said, he   almost licked his lips.
    I
shivered. There was something about Jasper that I just didn’t like.

 

Chapter 2

 
    I
said a polite hello to Jasper and then stood up. “I’ll leave you to your call,”
I said to Mark.
    I
walked to the kitchen area and picked up my cleaning supplies. I didn’t mean to
be nosey but I couldn’t help overhearing the conversation between Mark and
Jasper. Mainly because Jasper was shouting.
    “Come
on, man! The game must be nearly ready by now. I’ve got three companies in
Japan