Page 73 of Never Tell Secrets

“Hey,” I answered, my heart beating a little faster at the sound of his voice.

“Lo, how’s your day going?”

“It’s going fine, and yours?”

“I’m at the office, my day is better now I’m hearing your voice.” I heard him release a breath. I pictured him leaning back in an office chair, loosening his tie, except Alfie would never loosen his tie at work. “I wondered if you would accompany me somewhere on Friday night?”

“Where?” I asked, chewing on my pencil.

“I’ll tell you about it on Friday.” His clipped tone had me frowning–what was he playing at? “It’ll be good for us, I promise.”

Suspicion still lingering, I agreed. “Alright.”

“Thank you, I’ll let you return to your day.” His tone was still too stiff for my liking and despite the distance I knew I should keep between us, I couldn’t help but worry.

“Alfie, is everything alright?”

“Of course.”

“Please don’t lie to me.” I softened my voice, Alfie wasn’t the easiest man to pry open but I was hoping that he’d changed enough now to let me in. “What’s going on?”

Silence met me through the phone, cold silence that I knew consisted of Alfie gritting his teeth, his mind turning over every possible way that telling me the truth could go wrong for him. I was about to give up when finally he spoke.

“It’s just been a difficult day.”

I paused, trying to read between the lines. “Your ghosts?”

“They’re everywhere here,” he released his words in a rush, as if he was trying to force them out before he lost his nerve. “I suppose the club wasn’t the only place that needed an exorcism.”

I remembered the building that served as Tell Company headquarters, all glass and chrome. The place Alfie’s father had built. I’d only been there once, to give Alfie his journals back and it wasn’t a place I relished going to again but the soft sadness in Alfie’s voice twisted my gut. He was hurting and had asked for help without asking for help. I couldn’t let him down. What was the point of spending these three months together if we didn’t try to heal each other when we could?

“Well, my holy water and I will be there in an hour.”

“Alright, my little ghostbuster.” He laughed, clearly not believing that I would actually come to see him. “Lola, I have to go. I’ll see you on Friday.” With that, he hung up, leaving me staring at my phone.

Without thinking, I gathered my things, headed out of The Kew Gardens and made for the nearest tube station. Taking out my phone I found the address for his company.

Nearly an hour later I hopped off the tube, following the directions on my phone I walked through the packed London streets when a vibrant shop window caught my eye. The sign above the shop read:‘Costume Heaven’.

An idea struck me. An idea that was utterly ridiculous but had a grin breaking out on my face. Surely they wouldn’t have what I wanted but what would be the harm in looking?

I stepped inside, a happy little bell tinkling overhead. Twenty minutes later, I emerged in an outfit grabbing everyone's attention and headed straight for Alfie’s office, stopping only once to pick up lunch. I texted Elliot on the way, I was going to need his help getting in.

The closer I got to Alfie, the more disapproving the looks I received as the people I passed grew wealthier and more affluent in this part of the city. The hugeTell Company Ltdsign loomed ahead and there on the entrance steps, I spotted Elliot. His eyes widened as he took in my outfit.

“I see now why you needed me to escort you to his office. You won’t get past security looking like that.”

Inside, I drew stares in every direction but I didn’t care. I moved with one focus.Alfie.The bastard had hurt me in more ways than I cared to think about, but somewhere in this building he was suffering and I couldn’t bear the thought of it.

Elliot led me in the same direction as the first time I’d been here. Except, instead of a boardroom, he led me to an office sealed off with frosted glass. Bypassing the receptionist, Elliot knocked on the door before gesturing me through.

I stepped into an all too familiar sight. Alfie, grey suit, hunched over his work at a glass desk in a glass room, the city serving as a soulless backdrop. He looked up and his jaw dropped.

“What are you doing here?”

“What does it look like?” I spread my arms out. He looked me up and down, disbelief plain on his handsome face. Rarely had I ever seen Alfie gobsmacked, but I was enjoying the hell out of it.

“What are you wearing?”