Charlotte's chest was heaving as her and Lockwood sat in a cab heading towards where Lockwood said they would be meeting Flo and George. Charlotte turned back to look out the back window to see if anyone was following them. They were the only car driving down that road.
"Is anyone following?" Lockwood asked the girl. She shook her head as she sat back around.
"No. But I definitely wouldn't put it past Kipps and that maniac from the library." Charlotte said, pulling the hair tie off of her wrist. She quickly pulled one side of her hair back and started to braid the section. "Do you think Penelope saw us in the library?"
"Well, after tonight, I think we'll both be off her Christmas card list." Lockwood said as she tied off the braid. She then started the next side.
"Did you see that box that she gave him? It had that symbol on it. The one from Fairfax's goggles." Charlotte asked Lockwood.
"What, the harp?"
"Yeah. And we know what a certified bastard Fairfax turned out to be." Charlotte said, tying the second braid off.
"Still, we got the book." Lockwood said, holding onto Charlotte's hand.
"We did indeed."
"Let's find the bone glass now. Let's finish this." Lockwood said to the girl.
"We're going to be late." Charlotte said, looking at her watch. They were supposed to be meeting George and Flo in five minutes but were still ten minutes away.
"We'll be fine." Lockwood told her. Charlotte stared up at Lockwood, who was now looking forward out the window. They spent the next ten minutes of the trip in silence as they both stared out their own windows. The cab pulled over at the closest spot they could and the two agents got out and started to run towards where Charlotte could see the faint outline of Flo and George.
"You're late." George said as they came to a stop near them.
"Sorry. Things got a bit weird." Charlotte half explained and half apologised to the boy. He was carrying all of their gear that they couldn't bring to the ball. Charlotte reached out to help him carry some of it. "I think-"
"Did you get the Dulac book?" George cut her off, looking at Lockwood.
"Yeah, of course we did. Now what's the plan?" Lockwood asked.
"Well the auction's starting any minute and Winkman's locked down all the streets surrounding it." George panicked. "So basically we're screwed."
"Oh, have a little faith, George. London ain't just streets you know." Flo told the anxious boy. She then turned to Lockwood and Charlotte. "Now stay close and no talking."
Lockwood and George followed Flo, but Charlotte hesitated for a second. Were they really trusting a relic girl? She supposed it was better than nothing. Before the three of them could get too far away, Charlotte ran to catch up to them. Flo led them to a boat that was waiting on the Thames. It looked a little shabby and like it could fall apart any second. Flo got on the boat and started to get everything ready. George followed the relic girl and Lockwood held out his hand to help Charlotte onto the boat. She was comfortable with boats, having grown up on the seaside. She thanked Lockwood before going over to sit next to George. Flo soon set off towards the auction. As the boat glided down the Thames, Lockwood spoke up.
"I don't know why I didn't think of this." Lockwood said over the loud motor.
"It's what you pay me for, Locky." Flo joked.
"She gets paid?" Charlotte whispered to George, who just shrugged.
"I only met her today." Everyone fell silent again, the only sound being the motor of the boat and the lapping of the water against the side of the boat. Eventually they started to get closer to the auction's location as more and more buildings surrounded them. Flo came to a stop at the end of a boat ramp that was being lit up by a ghost lamp. Ghosts tended to not like running water and so there wasn't as much a need for the ghost lamp out here, but Charlotte was grateful for the light it provided. Flo stepped out of the cabin of the boat and started to tie the boat to the ramp, so that they wouldn't float away.
YOU ARE READING
Haunted: A Lockwood & Co Story
Fanfiction"It's just you're that girl for me." Lockwood said after a moment. "What girl?" He licks his lips before saying, "The girl who haunts me." "I-I haunt you?" Lockwood nods. "Yeah. You're the girl who keeps me awake at night. The girl who makes me lo...
