Virtually Scared To Death (Julia Blake Cozy Mystery Book 1) Read Free

“Who would want to murder Mark? He was one of the kindest people I knew.”

 

Chapter 7

 
    I
told the inspector that I had a cleaning job to go to and that I was already
late.
    He
gave me his card and said, “We’ll probably need to speak to you again. If you
can think of anything that could help, give me a ring on my direct line.”
    I
took the card, picked up my cleaning bag and walked up the next flight of
stairs.
    Ivy
Brown was waiting for me at her open door.
    “What’s
going on down there?” she indicated down the stairs. “I saw the police cars
from my window.”
    I
told Ivy what I knew, about Mark and his possible heart attack. I didn’t add
anything about a suspicious death.
    Ivy
pursed her lips and folded her arms. “I bet he was murdered and it was probably
that flashy ex wife of his. I’ve heard them arguing, you know. His apartment is
right under mine. Well, I’ve heard her shouting at him. Always asking him for
money. She probably did him in so she can have all his money.”
    I
gently pushed my way inside and started getting my cleaning things ready. The
windows looked as if they could do with a polish.
    Ivy
followed me and carried on talking, “Did you know Mark was rich? You wouldn’t
think so by the clothes he wore. He made a fortune from his computer games
business. It wouldn’t surprise me if that ex wife of his had wangled herself
onto his life insurance policy.”
    I
had found out more about Mark Castle in the last hour than I had in the two
years that I cleaned for him.
    Ivy’s
eyes narrowed as she considered something, “One of my friends at work said
there was a new game coming out from Mark, and it was supposed to be his best
ever. Did he talk to you about it?”
    I
wasn’t going to tell Ivy about the fairy battle game. “He didn’t talk about his
work. He always asked about my business. He gave me lots of marketing tips. He
was a kind man.”
    Ivy
moved to the window and looked out. “I wonder how she did it? Has she got a key
to his place? I’ve seen him go out to the gym over the road every other night.
I bet she snuck in and did something.”
    “Like
what?” I asked. I finished the windows. I made a move towards the kitchen.
    “I
don’t know, but whenever I’ve seen her she has this sly calculating look in her
eye,” Ivy said.
    I
glanced at my watch. I was running late again. I cleaned Ivy’s apartment as
quickly as I could. I made sure I did a good job though, Ivy’s got eyes like a
hawk.
    I
said goodbye to Ivy and made my way downstairs. I could have taken the lift but
I was interested to see if the police had finished in Mark’s home.
    As
I walked casually past the door someone called my name. It was DI Clarke.
    “Ms
Blake! I need another word with you. Come here,” he ordered.
    I
entered the apartment and walked towards him. I was pleased to see that Mark’s
body had been removed. The inspector was pointing at the game on the screen.
    “Do
you know anything about this game? It seems to be on an endless loop.”
    I
told the inspector what I knew about the game. As I was talking a loud bleeping
noise came from the computer.
    “What’s
that?” the inspector asked.
    “I
think it’s a video call,” I said and I pressed the button that I had seen Mark
press the other day.
    Jasper
Parker’s face came into view.
    DI
Clarke immediately began to interrogate him. I moved out of the way.
    I
listened as DI Clarke explained that Mark had died.
    I
heard Jasper’s booming voice in reply, “Well, that’s a tragedy! I knew Mark
well. We were great friends. Do you know when the funeral will be? I’ll come up
from London as soon as I can.”
    I
was standing near the window whilst the two men were talking. The chimes from Leeds
Town Hall began to sound out the hour. I automatically began to count the bell
notes.
    I
could hear a faint echo of the chimes. It was coming from somewhere in the room.
I moved closer to the computer.
    I
could hear the chimes coming from