PROBLEM - Anthony Lockwood

CHAPTER FIFTY TWO

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lii

your forbidden secret love is not very secret you know

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"YOU'RE UP EARLY."

Alice and Lucy looked up to see Lockwood make his way into the kitchen.

Lucy glared at the skull, "Yeah, just tryna get us a head start - but it's playing hard to get."

Alice turned around, watching as he grabbed an orange juice out of the fridge. "You okay?"

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" Lockwood mused, he turned, coming up to the table. "Don't worry about the skull - we've already got a head start on Kipps' crew. We'll be in and out of the cemetary before they even finish their cornflakes." Onyx jumped onto the table, beside Lockwood and he smiled and pet the cat. "Hello, you."

Alice frowned, she didn't know what she should expect, but he was acting so normal. Like nothing had happened.

Maybe that was just something he did; kissing girls in his loft. Alice didn't want to think of it, but she suddenly realised that he'd probably had girlfriends before.

A lot of them, by the looks of him.

Alice grew up on a hill with a psychotic older brother. She'd never even kissed a boy before yesterday.

Maybe he could see the look on her face, because Lockwood turned to her, and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, forcing her to look up at him. "You alright, Ally?"

Alice's breath hitched, she smiled, "Yeah, of course."

He smiled, letting his hand drop to his side as George walked in.

Lucy turned to Alice with wide eyes as the dark haired girl blushed, "Oh my god."

George began to fill the kettle.

"There's no time for that," Lockwood chastised. "You can grab one en route to the archives."

George put down the kettle and turned, "I thought we were going to the cemetary."

"We are," Lockwood clarified, "I need you to go to the archives and find out anything you can about the mirror or Bickerstaff - today is make or break."

"Only because you turned this job into a pissing contest," George hissed.

"You're not still mad about that are you?" Lockwood chuckled.

"Did you forget what we went through to save this place?" George demanded, "If I have to tell my parents that I've lost another job because you and Kipps-"

"We won't lose," Lockwood assured.

"Won't we?" George queried. "How do you know? Are you psychic now? You're telling me I don't have time for a coffee, let alone actually assess the crime scene."

"Okay, enough!" Lucy interrupted. "George, come with us. Suss out the scene, then you can go to the archives and work your magic."

Alice turned to Lockwood, grabbing his hand and stopping him from leaving, "Make an effort. Give him 2 quid for a coffee, Anthony."

George and Lucy exchanged a look.

By the time they had made it to the cemetary, they were faced with a DEPRAC van and Kipps and Kat.