THE BOOK OF SECRETS BY TRISTAN SNOW

CHAPTER 1

"Come on you silly tart" said sally my room mate and also my new antiquities boss.

"Wait, I cant get these fucking stockings to stay up, the buggers are wretched" I yelled back

"That's cause there meant to come the fuck down, now hurry or were going to be late" she yelled back.

After putting the stocking snapper back and I tried again, this time it held, thank goodness for that, these will be death of women all across the country I thought, and the death of men once they cocked a load of them, i chuckled to myself.

"Hurry the fuck on", yelled sally

"Coming", I yelled back, i took one last look at myself in the mirror and then dashed across the landing.

Tonight was the annual gala at our antiquities house and a few others, like gathering of the minds if you will, it was the perfect place, where people talked about there latest acquisitions while drink cheap wine disguised as champagne, but besides that, Marcus Umbridge would be there, Marcus was at least twice my age, and American, but his knowledge of the book is what drew our fondness to each other together, and we often shared what we'd learn or heard over the years, he had called me yesterday and left a message on my machine telling me , he needed to talk to me asap, but with work so cramped because of the gala, and everyone leaving early, I hadn't had the chance, so i was excited to get there and chat with him.

Just as I was about to open the door to sally's room , it swung open on a swoosh and she grabbed my hand and fled for the stairs.

"Were late, were late for a very important date" said sally in her sing song version of Alice in wonderland, all i could do was shake my head and laugh.

A flash of hunter's face flashed in my mind as we crawled into the taxi, as it always did when I thought of meeting anyone who had any knowledge of the book, but passed away just quickly as those elevator doors.

We made are way to the gala, once outside sally said "let the drinking and debouchurey begin". I laughed at that, this gala every year was just that , a glorified drunken orgy of sorts, I didn't partake myself, but sally often regailed all the stories to me afterwards of all the married or single men she herself had bagged as she called it, and tales of others that did as well.

But I was in a hurry to see Marcus, so i grabbed her hand and said "well lets get inside then".

The event was already packed, people already half sloshed, i looked around the room for Marcus but couldn't see him, I did however notice Malcom his understudy.

I quickly made my way over after telling sally i would be back in few, "Malcom" I said, "how nice to see you here".

"Arrrh the lovely Eve", said Malcom.

"Its great to see you Malcom, how are the kids" i asked lifting a drink from one of the many trays passing around the room.

"Great, the twins are finally in school, Marg is lost as what do with her time, since there at school and she's at home". he smiled back.

"Perhaps she could help us, we certainly need the help, work is crazy at the moment with the new pieces they have us working on", I smiled back.

"Ill tell her, she would so great full" he replied back

"So where's Marcus"? I enquired.

"I don't know, he should be here, he called me before I even left , to say he was on his way", said Marcus his eyebrows drawing together as he scanned the room.

"maybe he's in the loo" I laughed

"May be, the ones in this place are full of stuff, you can nab and take home" he laughed.

"Noted, ill take a look myself later" i chuckled.

Malcom's phone started to ring and he held out a finger as he answerd it.

"Hello, .... Yes this is he... what who is this again......... oh is he okay... WHAT.. oh god Samantha.. yes ill be there right away", and he hung up.

"Is everything alright" I asked Malcom , he looked shocked to his core.

"Its Marcus, he's dead".