Something About Alice Murphy: BOOK 2

P A R T - T E N

Chapter Ten: Catalysts.
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"Are you going to tell me what happened?" Magnus asked as the low humming of the car's engine rumbled in the background and the occasional beam of headlights illuminated both Alice and Magnus's faces. They'd already left Caroline's house and had started the journey home barely an hour and a half after arriving at it, and ever since they'd left Alice had been quiet.

Alice sighed quietly and reached up to tuck her hair behind both ears. "I saw him," she replied, her voice quiet but Magnus heard her clearly.

A million or so questions about Peter flew into his mind and he opened his mouth to ask, but stopped himself as he glanced over at Alice who was staring ahead a little vacantly with confusion etched into her expression. "Are you okay?" He asked instead, seeing as Alice had no desire to know who this man was and fate seemed to obviously disagree with her intentions.

"I think so," Alice replied softly, "I just didn't expect it." She continued and exhaled heavily again. "What was he doing there?" She asked, looking over at Magnus as the initial shock of seeing Peter began to wear off...

"I don't know," Magnus replied, "Maybe your grandma is helping him out. He did just get released from prison... But I can find out for you, if you want." He offered cautiously, hoping Alice would grant him access to her family history again but she shook her head and stayed quiet. Frustration made him tense for a moment, but he silently breathed through it, deciding to stay quiet himself now too.

A few minutes passed before Alice spoke again, evidently showing that she had been thinking about that evening in detail. "I just don't know why he would be there. And it can't of been some kind of coincidence that he was there when Caroline asked us round for dinner." She said, speaking quickly. "And then the mushrooms? I've been allergic since forever how did she not remember that? They act like they barely know me."

"Who?"

"My grandparents!" Alice replied, evidently growing frustrated herself. "My granddad barely speaks to me as if he's, I don't know, afraid to get to know me or something, he doesn't tell my grandma that I'm here. She's then all weird with you, feeds me mushrooms, then suddenly Peter is there? I-" she cut herself off and hummed stressfully as she rubbed her temples.

"She knows, you know." Magnus murmured, "-about me."

"What?!" Alice gasped, turning to look at Magnus in shock as her heart jumped and tensed uncomfortably.

"She knows. She told me she knows a killer when she sees one, then she said if I did anything to hurt you she'd have me thrown in prison." Magnus explained, turning to glance at Alice briefly as he turned into the long drive of Henry and Adam's property.

"What the fuck?" She gasped, feeling her heart racing with nerves and her skin go slightly warm. "Something isn't right," Alice hissed, running a stressed hand through her hair. "Something is not right." She repeated as Magnus stopped the car and turned the headlights off half way down the drive.

"Alice..." Magnus murmured, seeing her stress levels rising as if there was a bar showing it above her head. "Alice, relax..."

She inhaled, held it in for a few seconds then released, not wanting to freak out in front of Magnus. "I'm sorry," she whispered, "This has been such a mess and you've only been here like twenty four hours,"