Inkling

3.2 The Bit Between Almost and Stalking

7:45 A.M.

Sophia was not sure at which point she had agreed to follow Daisy who was following Adam, but she suddenly found herself peering around buildings and dodging carriages.

"Daisy." She hissed, reaching for the other girl's vibrant yellow sleeve. There was no way Adam was unaware of their presence behind him, Daisy's dress was enough to attract the attention of everyone she was not following. Sophia's hand missed the sleeve, but it was too late anyway, the Dragon was already in view.

Sophia had never understood how people could live in such a place. It was quite a tall building, five or six stories and rather precarious looking from the outside. It was not made from brick or stone, it was not even sturdy looking wood. It did not look like a permanent building, more like a quickly built place for workers to sleep by the railroad. Hardly a home. This did not keep Daisy from racing up the front steps and following Adam Wink all the way up to the top floor. It was most definitely a wake that they walked into, people were gathered around a pine box laid out on a table. Around the room were various plates of food and an even larger amount of alcohol.

Luckily enough for them, Daisy was a known friend of Lincoln's and it was not odd for her to make an appearance at his mother's wake. Several people Sophia did not know greeted them by name as they entered. Adam was by the casket, his back to them.

"Where do you suppose Mr. Locke is?" Daisy whispered in Sophia's ear. Sophia scanned the room again, and indeed he was not present.

"Daisy, we should leave. This is not right, this is a wake it is not meant for you to spy on a man you fancy." Sophia tugged at Daisy's sleeve but Daisy was bigger than her, she was wider and taller and much more determined. It was as if Sophia was not even holding her arm, she moved as if uninhibited and made her way to the casket.

Adam looked up, a plain expression on his face. He was not outwardly surprised nor upset to see them. He was a painfully unreadable neutral that one sees when a person is in pain. Sophia's heart ached with the thought of it. How could she assume such a thing, especially about a person with whom she was not even acquainted.

"Miss Valera. Miss..." It was about this time that both Sophia and Adam realized she had not been introduced and Sophia wished to sink into a hole in the ground rather than feel so humiliated.

"Jennings." She said with a curt, and agonizing smile. He did not seem offended, just gave a small smile and a nod.

"What brings you ladies here?" There was slight suspicion in his voice, a casual but very real suspicion of everyone. Part of the job, Sophia assumed. What job that was, she still was not clear on. Daisy moved to speak but Sophia did not listen, instead her attention rested on a middle-aged fellow sitting in a chair by the casket, whom Adam must have been speaking to when he stood there. Mrs. Locke had been a very kind, and very white woman. Her husband, Mr. Avery Locke, looked much like Lincoln. His skin was slightly darker than his son's but it was clear he was of mixed lineage, his dark, closely cut hair sprinkled with gray. Though his lightening hair was the only sign of his aging. He was a kind looking man with soft brown eyes now rimmed with red. Sophia could not help but hope that she could find a person to love her as Mr. Locke loved his wife. Even when she lay dead next to him, he still gazed at her like she was the only other person in the world. How could someone go on if their true love no longer existed next to them?

"To see poor Mr. Locke, of course." Daisy was saying, smiling widely. Sophia was fairly certain Mr. Locke and Daisy were on a first name basis but Daisy would never let Adam know that. Especially not with his dark eyes and the thick scar running through the right eyebrow. It made him look very tough. "Though he does not seem to have arrived."

Adam smiled then, but not a happy smile. A knowing, almost angry smile. Daisy was about to ask if he knew Mr. Locke as well as his mother when the door flew open.