Lockwood & Co. The Secret Of Penelope Fittes

Chapter Fifteen

The first thing we did when we crushed ourselves in the cab was talking about the new facts we had just heard from Charlotte. Or rather, George and I discussed eagerly, Lockwood remained silent.
"Agree with me or not. But those were the most helpful facts we'd learned about this case so far," George solemnly said.
I nodded to agree: "Yeah, I agree. What do you think the fact that-..."
I was interrupted by a Lockwood clearing throat and looked at him. He gave us a pointed look and nodded towards the driver. I turned the conversation:
"But that's not so important right now. Let's talk at Portland Row!"
And so the rest of the trip was spend silent.
When we reached 35 Portland Row, Lockwood and I immediately got out and waited for George, who hadn't moved an inch yet. I knocked on the glass:
"Hello, George! You can get out! We're here!"
But he just grinned at me: "I have to look something up. We'll talk about the thing tomorrow!"
He patted the taxi driver on the shoulder and the car roared off. Astonished, I turned to Lockwood, who looked no less surprised.
"Do you know where he's going?"
He shook his head: "No idea. You know how George is. There's only one thing that can stop George from researching about something, and that's donuts. And we don't have any more, so getting in the house isn't currently worth for him."
I shook my head and sight. Lockwood nudged my side. "Come on, let's go inside."
Lockwood unlocked the door and hung his coat neatly on the wardrobe. I stomped past him and threw my jacket on the rack. Exhausted I went up the stairs until I finally arrived in the living room without noticing it. I dropped on Lockwood's favorite chair.
I heard someone clearing their throat and saw Lockwood looking at me with his eyebrows up. I could only smile apologetically until the darkness took over.

..........*****..........

When I woke up the next day and wanted to straighten up, I flinched. Every single muscle screamed in agony. I raised my head clumsily and immediately saw Lockwood walking up and down the room with a worried look.
"Morning," I yawned.
He turned to me and looked at me with a slight grin:
"Sleep well?"
"Not really... Everything hurts!"
"I'm not surprised. When I see the way you lie there..." I couldn't understand the rest he was saying as he stopped mid sentence and started walking through the room again. Mumbling something under his breath.
I looked at his face again and noticed that he had light rings under his eyes.
"Have you been waiting all night for George?"
He nodded.
I puffed. Typical Lockwood. If I stayed up until shortly after midnight, my eye rings looked as if I had painted them with a permanent marker. He stayed up all night and you'd hardly notice!
"And what did he say?"
But Lockwood apparently hadn't heard me, because he kept walking around the room, mumbling something incomprehensible.
"Hello? Lockwood!"
No response.
I heard a giggle in my head and turned to the reason of the sound: the skull.
"Do you know what's going on?"
"Sure."
I raised an eyebrow and said, "And would you tell me, too?
"Nope! Your Lockwood will tell you that himself!"
Another giggle sounded, which slowly fell silent in my head. I shook my head with closed eyes and tried to lift myself from the chair.
"Anthony John Lockwood!" I shouted.
He flinched and looked at me with a startled look.
"Where's George?" I continued.
The confused look gave way to a worried one and Lockwood let himself fall on the couch: "That's the problem, Luce! He didn't show up yesterday!"

..........*****..........

"What are you up to now?" panting, I tried to keep up with Lockwood, who tried to get to the archive as fast as possible.
"We're looking for George! What else?"
"Lockwood, you know that's very possible he fell asleep over his old tomes and didn't look at the time when he woke up!"
Lockwood wasn't convinced, and, to be honest, me neither... He said nothing and I followed him silently until we reached the entrance to the archive. As expected, Arif stood in front of the entrance. Without hesitation, Lockwood walked toward him:
"Arif! You don't believe how happy I am to see you!"
Arif raised his eyebrows and stood upright inconspicuously (Lockwood was about one head taller than him).
"Well, how can I help you, Lockwood?"
"You know George..."
"Of course I do! This is his second home after all! Everyone here in the archives knows him, even the neighbor cat!"
Now it was Lockwood pulling up the eyebrows. It seemed like Arif was a bit nervous.
"Then you can tell me for sure when he came yesterday and when he left the archives!"
"Well, not really. Privacy policy." Arif pointed his head at a sign.
Lockwood sighed, "But he left the building?"
"Yeah. It was pretty late already. Actually, he wouldn't have been allowed in any more, but he assured me that it wouldn't take long and actually came out shortly after with a small note in his hand. He said goodbye as usual and went up that road." He pointed to the road to the right of us.
"Thank you Arif, you really helped us!"
Arif just shrugged his shoulders and turned back to his magazine. We quickly followed the road until we reached a crossroads. I played around nervously with my rapier until I finally said what kept us both busy: "Lockwood, none of these roads lead to Portland Row."
"I know." Lockwood went to a corner and picked up something I couldn't see at the moment until I realized with horror that it was a certain rapier of a very certain person: Sir Rupert Gale.
I looked at Lockwood looking at the sword with his eyes narrowed. Then his eyes found mine: "We have to get to Fittes now!"
I nodded, the adrenaline shot through my body:
"Let's go!"