by K E O'Connor
Alex frowned. “I like playing around. I’m good at it.”
“Not anymore. You’re the man of this house. You have to start acting like one. And you can begin by making use of Lorna. She’s not here to make the place look pretty. She has a brain in her head, so make use of it.”
I was sure there was a compliment somewhere in Camilla’s words. “Shall I make a start with the RSVPs? I can gather them, sort them into the ones with the most business prospects, and you decide which to attend.”
Alex twisted his lips from side to side. “I guess we can do that.”
“No guessing. You will do that.” Camilla looked at me and shook her head. “Sometimes, I think my boy will never grow up.” She turned and left the room, taking Alex’s controller with her.
Alex finished his tea and slammed the mug down. “Sorry about that. Mom can be a bit...” he waved a hand in the air.
“She’s only looking out for you. She wants to make sure you’re happy.” Alex was right, though, his mom was crazily sure of herself. I wouldn’t want to get on the wrong side of her.
“I know. It still doesn’t mean you have to sort through my messy paperwork. We can pretend you’ve done it, and I’ll have a big bonfire at the weekend and burn it all. It can be our secret.”
“No to the bonfire. I don’t mind doing it.” I looked at the computer screen. “What are you going to do about having no controller?”
Alex smiled and pulled an identical controller out from under the couch cushion. “It’s always important to have a backup.”
Chapter 8
The afternoon light slid down the wall. I was surrounded by three huge stacks of paper and could finally see an order to Alex’s chaotic paperwork. I had a pile to shred, a pile to store, and a pile of queries.
“This is the final batch of invitations.” I held up a stack of paper. So far, Alex had refused to go to any events. Some sounded amazing, from a new sushi restaurant in London where you selected the food using an app and a robot server came to your table, to a gaming conference in Las Vegas, showcasing developments in virtual reality immersive games.
“Tell them all thanks but no thanks.” Alex paused his game. “I don’t like crowds. Those things are always so hectic.”
“What if I could find you an event that wasn’t so noisy?”
“How about the opening of a new library? Or a silent disco?”
I smiled at him. Alex was a sweet guy. Naïve and a loner, but I liked him. “Those are both possibilities I’ve yet to find. I haven’t finished looking.”
“Let me know when you do, and I might say yes.”
“How about this one? It’s a game launch in a water garden in Wiltshire.”
“Nope. I don’t like to travel.”
“It’s Wiltshire. It takes three hours in the car.”
“That’s too far. Besides, I get travel sick.”
I sighed. “There’s a games conference in London. That’s not far from here.”
“Where’s it being held?”
“The O2 arena.”
“That’s way too big. Besides, I have a lousy sense of direction. I’d be lost for hours in that place and would miss the whole event.”
“I can come with you.”
Alex glanced at me. “Are you offering to hold my hand?”
I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. “I’m offering to come with you as your personal assistant and make sure you don’t miss all the important bits. I’ll arrange your travel and schedule. I can even sort out food for the day. All you need to worry about is enjoying yourself and making the right contacts.”
“Thank you for being so kind. I’m still not going.”
“I’m not being kind. It’s my job!” I checked through the next few invitations. Alex had important people wanting him at their events. Who knew the world of gaming had so many influential figures involved?
“Have you always avoided these kinds of events?” I asked.
Alex lowered his controller. “Not always. I never loved them. Greg used to think they were fun, though. He would talk to anyone who was interested in his latest game or app.”
“You sound like you were a good team.”
He nodded. “I liked having him around. I never felt like I had to make an effort when he was here. You know, I could just be me.”
I got that. I was the same with Helen. She saw me at my worst and my best, and I knew she still loved me. “Maybe you could find a new Greg at one of these events?”
Alex’s nose wrinkled. He fixed his gaze on the screen. “There’s no chance of that.”
“Or you could take someone else. What about Harriet?”
Alex laughed. “At a games conference? She’d die of boredom, even if there was free champagne.”
“Or Piers?”
He shook his head. “I’m not sure Piers would be into all of that. I don’t know. He’s fun to hang with sometimes...”
“But you’re not sure why he’s here?”
Alex shrugged. “I like the guy. He could be mean to Greg, though. He never outright bullied him, but they didn’t get along. They were so different. Piers is a party guy. Greg liked the parties, but he didn’t even drink. He went to chat with people, find a pretty girl to fall hopelessly in love with, or have a dance. He loved to dance, even though he had the rhythm of a squashed hedgehog.”
“I suppose suggesting you take your mom to an event is out of the question?”
“That would be the height of uncoolness. I know I’m a gaming geek, but even I have my limits.”
I shuffled through the pile of invitations. There must be some way I could get Alex out of this house.
“Are you bored enough to play yet?” Alex waggled the controller in his hand.
“Trust me, you don’t want me on your team. I’m hopeless at those kinds of games.”
“Everyone is to start with. All you need is practice.”
I shook my head. “No amount of practice will make me as good as you.”
Alex laughed. “I am pretty good at this. I need to be. It’s my business.”
I paused in my sorting of the invitations. “I thought apps were your thing?”
“Anything computer related interests me,” said Alex. “The dating app made me the most money. I love games. I’ve sold a few of those. I used to work on a flight simulator program as well. I made it as realistic as possible. You felt as if you were on a plane. It’s used for training pilots.”
“I wouldn’t mind a go at that.”
“No can do,” said Alex. “I sold everything to a private contractor. When you make a sale like that, they take everything. It stops you from being tempted to sell the design again, with a few tweaks, to a competitor. The world of gaming, apps, and simulations is a murky place. Don’t be fooled by my tea stained pants and messy hair. I am working in a dangerous industry.”
I had to laugh. Alex couldn’t look more harmless if he tried. Still, it made me wonder; could there be truth in his words? Was the gaming industry that ruthless? If it was, Greg could have gotten tangled up in something murky, and someone got him out of the way. Maybe I needed to look at suspects on the other side of the computer screen. My thoughts went to Mickey Kill. Could he be involved? He believed someone killed Greg. What if he’d been deflecting suspicion from himself?
“How about this for a fun game?” Alex loaded a new game onto the screen. Bright sparks of green and pink shot across the screen, and unicorns danced in and out of view.
I placed the RSVPs down. “What’s that?”
“I’ve had a few ideas for kids’ games. I work on violent stuff and love the zombie kill games, but don’t want kids seeing that. It might mess with their heads. So, I’ve been working on a series of games involving unicorns.”
I shuffled closer. “I’m listening. What do these unicorns do?”
“They’re skilled. They keep the world safe from the evil Bog Globs. They creep out from their lairs and suck the color from everything. Once they’ve
sucked the color out, the thing turns gray and dies.”
“What kind of things do these Bog Globs attack?” I reached toward the game controller. I could handle stopping an evil Bog Glob in its slimy tracks.
“Anything. They love people and animals. They’ll suck the energy right out of them. As a Defender Unicorn, it’s your job to defeat them.”
“How?”
“The horn is an obvious weapon. You spear a Bog Glob with that. They have other abilities, too. There are glittery unicorn farts with special powers. And, have you ever had a unicorn belch in your face?”
“Not recently.”
“It’s a thing of magical rainbow beauty. Bog Globs hate it.” Alex grinned at me. “So, you want to play?”
I glanced at the piles of paperwork. “Five minutes won’t hurt.”
Three hours later, my wrists ached, my eyes burned, and my stomach hurt from where I’d laughed so much. Alex’s game was genius. The unicorns were hard core ninja fighters. Although the level of violence was not on a par with Alex’s zombie game, it would still startle a few kids.
I’d made it to level four and was desperate for a bathroom break but had to defeat three Bog Globs attacking a pet rescue center.
“What’s going on?” The icy cold tone of Harriet made us both jump.
“Harry, come in.” Alex gestured her over. “I’ve been showing Lorna my new game. She’s a natural on the controller. She killed five Bog Globs in her last attack.”
“Don’t call me Harry. You can see for yourself I’m female.” Harriet strode into the room and stared at the screen.
“Join us. See if you can beat Lorna. She’s ace.”
I blushed at his praise. “This is beginner’s luck. I’m still not sure what all the buttons on this controller do.”
“You’re great.” Alex grinned at me.
“I’m sure she is.” Harriet squashed herself between Alex and me, giving me a shove with her bony hip as she settled in.
It looked like someone wasn’t happy I was here. “We should call it a day. If I play anymore, I’ll be dreaming about being attacked by a Bog Glob.”
“No! Stay!” said Alex. “We’re just getting going.”
I handed the controller to him. “Another time. We’ve been playing for ages, and I still have to finish going through your RSVPs.”
Harriet’s sour face brightened. “What events are you going to, Alex? Don’t forget about taking a plus one.”
Alex glanced at Harriet. “I’m not going to any events.”
“Oh, come on! We could do with a night out. A girl can only take so much zombie slasher nonsense before it gets boring.”
“We can always play the unicorn game.” Alex gestured at the screen and offered Harriet the controller.
She shoved it away. “Maybe you want to stay in and play with your older friend.” Her gaze cut to me.
Older friend! I ignored her as I shuffled the papers into order.
“It’s not that. You know I’m not into the glitzy stuff.”
“If Lesley went with you, I bet you’d go.”
“Lesley?”
“I think Harriet means me.” I gathered a stack of papers in my arms.
“Her name’s Lorna,” said Alex. “And Lorna gets that I don’t want to go to some stuck-up place and play nice with people who want to stab me in the back.”
“You’re being paranoid. No one wants to do that.” Harriet snaked an arm through Alex’s. “We can go out and have fun.”
“Was Greg being paranoid?”
Harriet sat up straight. “What do you mean?”
“He knew people were interested in his apps and games.”
“Of course they were. And they offered him a heap of money for them. There’s nothing wrong with that.”
I pretended to sort through the invitations in my hand as I listened to Harriet and Alex. Maybe my idea about a business rival getting tough with Greg hadn’t been such a strange one.
“Greg had so much money, he didn’t know what to do with it,” said Alex.
“He could have spent it on me.”
“He liked to spend it on good causes, not frilly dresses and expensive shoes.” His gaze cut to Harriet.
“You’re talking about his daft idea to give ten percent of his profits to charity.” Harriet snuggled closer to Alex. “Greg was such a thoughtful guy. Giving away your money like that wasn’t the smartest thing he’d ever come up with. I was glad it didn’t happen.”
“It was a great idea,” said Alex. “I will carry it on. From next month, I’m giving fifteen percent of all my profits to charity.”
Harriet scowled at Alex. “What about our holiday?”
“You’ll still get a holiday,” said Alex. “The business makes plenty of money.”
“Enough to take me to Antigua and Switzerland?”
Alex’s fingers tightened on the controller. “If we have to. I was thinking of glamping, though.”
“Yuck! Count me out if you’re going to do something as ridiculous as that. Who wants to spend their holiday in some muddy old field in a tent with a few sparkles on it?”
“I do,” said Alex. “You don’t have to come. I wouldn’t mind getting away and having peace and quiet.”
“Of course I’m going to come,” said Harriet. “I wouldn’t like to think of you all alone. You must rethink the glamping. The next time I’m in town, I’ll grab some brochures for Antigua.”
“I don’t want to go there.”
Harriet’s hands clenched. “Maybe Lesley can do that for us?” She shot me a false looking smile and curled closer to Alex.
“It’s Lorna.” Alex pulled his arm free from Harriet. “She’s not paid to do that. She’s helping me with the business.”
“I don’t mind picking up brochures,” I said. I definitely did but would not let the evil Harriet know she was getting to me.
“No! If Harriet wants to go to Antigua, she can research it herself,” said Alex.
“You’re so grumpy these days.” Harriet pouted and ran a hand down Alex’s arm. “Is there anything I can do to cheer you up?”
“Nothing I can think of,” said Alex. “Unless you want to play a game with me.”
Harriet’s nose wrinkled. “I can play for a little while. So long as you promise to stop being such a grumpy pants.”
“Lorna, why don’t you play with us as well?” asked Alex. “You’re getting really good.”
“Lorna is far too busy to get involved with our game.” Harriet grabbed the game controller. “I’ll play with you. She can get on with her work.”
I bit my tongue and smiled as serenely as possible. At least she was getting my name right. “Harriet’s correct. I do need to get on.”
“Finish that tomorrow,” said Alex. “It’s already getting late.”
“Thanks. I’ll just get this in order.” I gathered the rest of the paperwork and headed out of the lounge. Having witnessed how possessive Harriet was of Alex, I could well imagine her resenting his friendship with Greg.
Perhaps Harriet thought Greg was stopping her from developing her relationship with Alex? It would be a good motive for wanting him out of the way. It also sounded like she hated Greg and Alex’s idea of giving money to charity. It would have meant less for her to spend on expensive holidays. That was another reason to get rid of Greg.
The more I learnt of Greg, the more I liked him. He sounded like he’d been a smart guy with a conscience. Sadly, that conscience might have gotten him killed.
Chapter 9
After filing away the paperwork, I wandered to the kitchen with Flipper.
Helen stood by the stove, kneading dough so fiercely I figured it must have offended her.
“What are you making?” I grabbed an apple from the bowl in the center of the table and sat down.
“You will not believe this.” Helen turned and frowned at me. “Alex sent me a text message this afternoon, saying he wanted to order takeout pizza for tonight.”
> “That’s not a bad idea.” It had been ages since I’d had a thin crust base loaded with pineapple and mushrooms.
“It’s a hideous idea. I point-blank refused. I replied and told him there’s no point in having me here if he isn’t going to let me cook.”
“Is that why you’re punishing the bread?”
“It’s not bread,” said Helen. “I told him I would make him the best pizza he’s ever had. This is the base. Not that he deserves it.”
“Your pizza will be amazing. Are we having pizza as well?” All I could think of was pineapple and mushrooms, all warm and gooey with cheese.
“I don’t see why not.” Helen returned to pounding the dough. “What toppings do you fancy?”
I grinned. “Lots of pineapple and mushrooms.”
“If you can find them, you can eat them,” said Helen. “Last time I looked, the fridge was sadly lacking both.”
“I know! How about your famous sweet toppings pizza?”
Helen left the dough on the counter and sat at the table. “I haven’t made a sweet pizza in ages. I could use fruit compote as a base, and we can add whatever we like on top. We can try cinnamon, chocolate, and banana.”
“I’m sure I saw marshmallows in the cupboard,” I said, warming up to the idea of this pizza. “Maybe we can try those?”
“Marshmallow on pizza.” Helen’s eyes brightened. “I should be disgusted by that, but I’m not. Okay, let’s have pizza tonight.”
“And maybe a salad to offset all the junk we’re about to eat?”
“Naturally. Eat junk food with healthy food, and they cancel each other out. A salad will be no problem. I was going to make one for Alex, anyway, so I’ll just make extra for us.”
“He could do with eating more greens,” I said. “He’s paler than me.”
“How was your first day working with Alex?” Helen jumped to her feet and got to work on the food, now humming under her breath. When it came to food, it didn’t take much to cheer up Helen.
“Interesting. I like him. He talked about Greg today. He misses him.”
“You’re not thinking he’s a suspect in Greg’s death?”
