*OLD*Phantom Detectives*OLD*

Ch.4 Arthur Hates Snow

James R.

I was grateful that by the time we got downstairs, Harvey was gone. It wasn't for my sake... but rather Eloise's because of how pissed she seemed to get juts by him breathing. The thought of being his partner crawled back into my mind and made a shiver run down my spine.

Just before we left, Eloise yelps just as a book hits her in the shoulder. She glares behind her at Laura, who wore all red today, her nails tapping the counter.

"Now what's your problem this morning?" Eloise hissed.

"My problem is that because of a certain, and I quote, 'flea bitten varmint,' I had to listen to Harvey's bullshit this morning when I really didn't care."

"Oh right, sorry Laura." Eloise shrugged.

"Classic salty old Millore eh? And what was up with Mitch?" Laura asks, raising a brow.

"I think he had his eyes set on James." Arthur teased, elbowing my shoulder and making me go red again.

"B-but-but I-"

"Are you asking to get another door in the face Arthur?" Eloise growled.

"Wait, what did he do?" Laura asked, pointing her pen at Arthur.

"He purposely scared James yesterday with his little tricks." Eloise answered.

"I should throw you onto your ass." Laura growled.

"I-I don't think that's really necessary. P-plus he didn't scare me that badly." The red in my face still hasn't gone away.

"Your face went pale enough to where I thought you were gonna faint." Eloise protested.

"But I didn't," I countered.

Eloise rolled her eyes saying, "Touche. Goodbye Laura! We'll see you when we get back!"

"Bye Millore." Laura smiled, giving me a little wink as if to tell me, You'll be fine.

Yeah... just plain okay...

*

We walked along the streets, the brisk air chilling my lungs and numbing my fingers. We had only walked two blocks, Arthur's ears were already turning pink from the cold with a sour expression on his face.

"You don't like the cold I take it?" I say lightly.

"No, I hate winter. I'm from Nevis in the British West Indies and, before I came to London, I'd never seen snow before." Arthur sighs still shivering.

"The first time he started work in the winter, nobody in the office could stop laughing when Arthur first encountered snow." Eloise grinned. "It was so cold once that the walkway outside was covered in ice and every time Arthur would take a step he would slip."

"Hey oi! It is not my fault if my parents didn't take me to Ireland every year for the winter!" Arthur growled.

"Do you go to Ireland often Eloise?" I ask.

"No," She sighs, "not anymore at least. I did go once before but it was in the summer for a murder case. But we have gone into France before."

"So I'm guessing you are fluent in French?" I raise my brows surprised.

"Very fluent though I don't speak many other languages."

"That's interesting." I mumble.

"What about you James?" Eloise asks.

"Huh?"

"What about you? I personally love the cold, as does Thunder. But what about you?" Eloise asks.

"Ah, well, I-I grew up in a part of England that got more snow than in London, so I can't say I'm not familiar with it." I sigh then continue, "But as far as what I think of it, I'm okay with snow. I'm fine with being out for a while but when the sold really starts to sink in that's when I throw in the towel and call it a day."

"That seems fair enough." Eloise shrugged.

"How do you people survive!?" Arthur asked.

"What do you mean?" I ask, half having to bite my lip to keep from laughing.

"Well you three are walking over there, fit as a fiddle, while I'm over here freezing my ass off!" Arthur growls.

Eloise and I burst out laughing and Thunder barks at Arthur, wagging the little nub he has for a tail. Arthur glares at the dog who just continues to jump in place.

"Ah, so, what are we doing out this early again?" I ask, my breath finally catching back up to the rest of me.

"We're just going to get breakfast then we head to the palace. It seems as though the queen has another job for us." Eloise sighs, taking her pocket watch out of her grey midford to check the time.

"Already?" Arthur asks. "We just finished a case less than two months ago."

"The queen needs us and it's our duty to follow." Eloise snapps her watch shut. "Now come on ya big baby."

"I am not acting like a baby!" Arthur hisses.

"Yeah, the next thing you'll tell us is the snow isn't cold." Eloise sneers over her shoulder getting me to laugh again.

"I really don't like you James," Arthur hisses but I can tell by his facial expression it was a jest.

"Well too bad cause I do." Eloise chimes back in.

"Did anyone ask you?" Arthur growls.

"Did anyone not as me?"

"I really am going to kill you."

"Try your luck, I'll just come back from hell and shout 'boo,' in yer face."

At this rate, I was possibly gonna die from laughter.

*

Breakfast was anything but silent. Eloise was the close friend of the owner's so she let Thunder sit happily under the table by his master's feet.

The woman wore a pale blue waitress outfit with a white apron and black flats. Her honey brown hair was pulled back in a braided bun, her eyes a sort of violet that seemed to shimmer in the light.

She left then came back with our drinks, took our order, then took it to the chef across the room. Eloise had stuck up a conversation... or rather a tamed argument with Arthur about some other detective on the- I mean, our level of the office.

I was going to have to get used to saying that now. This was it... I finally had a job as a detective, in a high class, I would be getting paid directly from the queen. A small part of me shuddered at that.

Though Eloise was technically my boss, we both worked for the Queen of England. One slip and I was done. I shook my mind from those thoughts. If I had dwelled on that subject I might not have been able to stomach anything. So, in order to keep my thoughts, and this argument between Arthur and Eloise at bay, I chimed into their conversation,

"How do Harvey and Mitchel handle the snow?"