》* 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚❦ In which Anthony 'Lockwood' Lockwood thinks he sees a girl from his past and passes it off as a hallucination.
Or in which Harlow Meadows returns to the city of her youth with her own budding business and gets swept up into mystery...
In some locations around the world, the tides come in with no warning. One second they're a mile away and the next they're right at one's feet pulling them into their deep depths for not obeying their schedule. It was astonishing to witness how fast the waves filled in the bank, a bank that held nothing but sand now rushing with water searching for any unfortunate souls to consume. Now, the waves did not seek souls. Instead their object of desire were answers. Answers, only one could give. Answers, one never directly responds towards. Answers, to placid their souls.
"What now?" Mr. Saunders groaned from where he stood, people encircling him. The waves grew closer and closer carrying their own set of questions prior to crashing against an invisible rock, keeping them at a safe distance since few could leap over the unmovable earth. Among those few was Mr. Joplin. He weaseled his way through the circle to whisper in Mr. Saunders ear. A deep frown settled upon his face, the lines on his face drawn by a child's hand curled into themselves.
Mutters filled the holy place, no different than any other time it was in session. Harlow watched them alone, brown eyes never straying, noticing what she could from afar. When Mr. Saunders gave Mr. Joplin a side glare followed by both looking at her, she guessed Mr. Joplin had told him about her questions. Mr. Saunders frown grew deeper the longer Mr. Joplin spoke in his ear. Harlow assumed it had to be about Bickerstaff; how much information, however, was unknown.
Mr. Saunders said something then stormed off to his office, all wise in knowing not to block his path, a crowd parting for him and him alone. Mr. Joplin alone was the source of eyes and he shifted, scurrying to Harlow to no longer be the center of attention, yet rather part of the attention.
"Mr. Saunders wants to continue your conversation in his office," his eyes darted around them. "He doesn't want others to know just yet."
"Everyone knows Mr. Joplin, it's what they don't know he doesn't want them to know. Rumours will spread and minds will turn, better to give them something than nothing at all."
Mr. Joplin took his glasses off and cleaned them on his shirt, when they were on his face again the thin haired man spoke. "We should leave now," eyes darted around once more as she resisted the urge to scoff. Yet, Mr. Joplin held more information on Bickerstaff to give her a head start in researching, a case about a nefarious doctor lost to time resurfacing once more, something she'd be a fool to allow slip from her fingers.
They travelled through the crowd, being stopped every couple of feet to answer questions with Harlow saying "Soon" each time they were stopped. Soon she would know more information. Soon she will be able to explain what happened. Soon she would know what is going to happen. Soon was the answer to every question thrown her way.
