Haunted: A Lockwood & Co Story

Chapter Twelve: Little Tom and Robert Cooke

The day got worse. Of course it did. By early afternoon George and Charlotte had still found nothing (at least nothing, in her case, that they'd officially gone to find). It was time to get home to the office, but George wanted to do a final check on some obscure journals that were housed in another building, a few blocks from the Archives. He said he'd follow on, so she tramped back alone to Portland Row. And when she entered the hall the first thing she saw was Holly Munro, all kitted out in an agent's work-belt and rapier. She had a cool leather coat on, and black leather fingerless gloves; also a woolly jumper that Charlotte had never seen before.

She saw Charlotte staring. "This jumper? I know. It's not very fetching. It's one of Lockwood's old ones. He says it shrank in the wash. Still smells of him, though."

Charlotte couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy as she observed Holly's outfit. The way Holly effortlessly wore Lockwood's old jumper, with its lingering scent, made Charlotte question her own connection with Lockwood. Suddenly, she couldn't shake off the feeling that she was being left behind in more ways than one.

Lockwood peered out of the living room, carrying a work-bag in either hand. "Holly's joining us tonight," he said. "Where's George?"

"He's still looking. But-"

"We can't wait for him. We'll only have an hour or two before dark at this rate. He can meet us at the house. I've got your bag here, Love. We need to get going, so now's the time if you need a pee or anything." he disappeared.

Holly and Charlotte stood facing each other down the hall. She had that little smile on; the default one that might mean anything or nothing. Charlotte could hear Lockwood rummaging somewhere in the next room whistling tunelessly between his teeth.

"I don't actually need a pee." Charlotte said.

"No." They stood there. Where had she gotten the gloves from? They looked suspiciously like the spare ones that Charlotte kept in her weapons locker. She recognized the sword for sure: it was one of the old blades they used for practice in the rapier room.

Charlotte took a breath. "So why-"

"Lockwood had-"

They'd both spoken at the same time. Now they both stopped - charlotte the most decisively; after a pause Holly resumed. "Lockwood had a difficult interview with Miss Wintergarden." She said. "She's demanding instant results. A most exacting lady. He says we need as many pairs of eyes as possible this afternoon, to try and find the Source before nightfall. I offered to come along and he's found me a few things to make sure I'm protected and kept warm. I hope you don't mind this, Charlotte."

"No, not at all." She said. Why should she mind? It was just like her to assume that Charlotte had some problem with it. Charlotte gestured at her outfit. "Is this wise though? What experience of fieldwork have you had?"

"I went out on plenty of assignments at Rotwell's." She said. "In fact, when I started out I got my First and Second Grade certificates, and afterwards did rapier training so that-"

"Yeah." Charlotte said. "But you should know that this visitation isn't a Type One or anything. It's much more formidable than that."

Holly Munro pushed a stray hair or two behind her ear. "Well, I've seen some things. I was there in the Holland Park Cellar case, when our party got blockaded underground by those seven spectral dogs. It was quite a tight spot. And after that-"

"I heard about Holland Park, Holly, and I can tell you, the thing that makes the bloody footprints is ten times worse. I'm only saying. I don't want to frighten you. I just wouldn't want you to get hurt."