Buried Within (Lockwood & Co Fanfic)

Uselessness

"Wait." Maisie swallowed, looking at the two male agents for Lockwood & Co. while her mother sat in the foyer of the agency drinking tea as if the outside world, let alone the paranormal agents around her, weren't a load of crazy. "You mean to say we just wasted our entire day looking for where the place was?"

"Yup," the shorter of the two said, pushing up his glasses while smiling like an idiot. "By the way, riding with your mother was an adventure. She has a way of starting to drive that is crazy fun, but we picked up fish and chips for everyone on our way back."

"And you think that makes up for us wasting our day?" Maisie said, her voice straining as she looked around the front foyer and the fire crackling while her mother continued to drink tea as if nothing was out of the ordinary. However, someone reacting excitedly about how her mother started every single trip was undoubtedly unusual, yet not something her mother had ever noticed. "Otherwise, she would have changed how she started the car, right?"

"It certainly was interesting," Lockwood said, clearing his throat. "And there is fish and chips."

"And whose idea was it to get food that we very likely, and very well did, have for lunch while we were out looking for the house that all the two of you had to do was let my mother know someone was further scamming her?" Maisie said.

"To be fair," the other boy said, pushing up his glasses.

"George," Lockwood said, sighing.

"But shouldn't we be truthful with her?"

"It depends on what you were going to say?"

"Pointing out the fact that we wouldn't have sent them on the wild goose chase if we—if I specifically—had thought of checking to see if there wasn't something fishy going on," George said. "And there's no telling whether DEPRAC will resolve this and your mother be able to keep her property, as the office is still convinced, even though we're not, that it's her signature."

"Are you saying my mother may still lose that creepy house?" Maisie said.

Her mother set down her cup of tea with a clink before turning to look at her; her mouth pushed into a firm, thin line. "What do you mean I may still lose the house?"

"I mean," Maisie said.

"That's why I made a call," Lockwood said. "It drops the chances down greatly."

"Who cares if you lose the house!" Maisie said, exploding from anger. "We wouldn't be in this mess if we'd just stayed in our old home! You know, the place we were a family until you kicked my dad out! But no...."

"I told you, I'm not taking a penny from that man," her mother said, returning to sipping her tea. "It wouldn't be right after what he did."

"And what did he do?" Lucy asked.

"Never you mind," Maisie's mother replied, keeping whatever led to her parents' divorce a secret.

"So," Lockwood cleared his throat. "I've some things to do down at DEPRAC tomorrow, and George will be doing research. Which of you wants to go where?"

"You think I want to help?" Maisie said.

"It's either that or," Lucy tilted her head towards Maisie's mother, which resulted in her letting out another sigh. Lucy didn't need to finish for Maisie to know her other option was to stay at the place.

"Hey. Why don't we talk in the kitchen?" Lockwood said.

"Can I have another biscuit, Anthony dear?" Maisie's mother said, which resulted in the young head of the agency cringing, which amused Maisie as she'd been the only one dealing with her eccentric mother this entire time.