Lockwood Read Online Free

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    Vernon was clever. Like George, he specialized in research. Tonight he carried a small clipboard with a penlight attached to it, and by its glow surveyed a map of Wimbledon Common, encased in a weatherproof sleeve.
    Kipps said: ‘Our friends seem a bit confused about the nature of this site, Bobby. I was just telling them about the gallows. Care to fill them in?’
    Vernon wore a smirk so self-satisfied it practically circled his head and hugged itself. ‘Certainly, sir. I took the trouble to visit Wimbledon Library,’ he said, ‘looking into the history of local crime. There I discovered an account of a man called Mallory, who—’
    ‘Was hung and buried on the Common,’ George snapped. ‘Exactly. I found that too.’
    ‘Ah, but did you also visit the library in Wimbledon All Saints Church?’ Vernon said. ‘I found an interesting local chronicle there. Turns out Mallory’s remains were rediscovered when the road was widened at the crossroads – 1824, I think it was. They were removed and reinterred elsewhere. So it’s not his
bones
that his ghost is tied to, but the
place he died
. And the same goes for all the other people executed on this spot. Mallory was just the first, you see. The chronicle listed
dozens
more victims over the years, all strung up on the gallows here.’ Vernon tapped his clipboard, and simpered at us. ‘That’s it, really. The records are easy enough to find –
if
you look in the right place.’
    Lockwood and I glanced sidelong at George, who said nothing.
    ‘The gallows itself is of course long gone,’ Vernon went on. ‘So what we’re after is probably some kind of post, or prominent stone that marks where the gallows once stood. In all likelihood this is the Source that controls all the ghosts we’ve just seen.’
    ‘Well, Tony?’ Kipps demanded. ‘Any of you seen a stone?’
    ‘There was
one
,’ Lockwood said reluctantly. ‘In the centre of the glade.’
    Bobby Vernon clicked his tongue. ‘Ah! Good! Don’t tell me . . . Squared, slanting on one side, with a wide, deep groove, just like so?’
    None of us had bothered to study the mossy stone. ‘Er . . . might have been.’
    ‘Yes! That’s the gallows mark, where the wooden post was driven. It was above that stone that the executed bodies would have swung until they fell apart.’ He blinked at us. ‘Don’t tell me you disturbed it at all?’
    ‘No, no,’ Lockwood said. ‘We left it well alone.’
    There was a shout from one of the agents in the centre of the hollow. ‘Found a squared stone! Obvious gallows mark. Looks like someone’s just dug it up and chucked it over here.’
    Lockwood winced. Vernon gave a complacent laugh. ‘Oh dear. Sounds like you uprooted the prime Source of the cluster, and then ignored it. No wonder so many Visitors began to return. It’s a bit like leaving the tap on when filling the sink . . . Soon gets messy! Well, I’ll just go and supervise the sealing of this important relic. Nice talking to you.’ He skipped off across the grass. We watched him with dark eyes.
    ‘Talented fellow, that,’ Kipps remarked. ‘Bet you wish you had him.’
    Lockwood shook his head. ‘No, I’d always be tripping over him, or losing him down the back of the sofa. Now, Quill, since we clearly found the Source, and your agents are sealing it, it’s obvious we should share the commission. I propose a sixty/forty split, in our favour. Shall we both visit the mayor tomorrow to make that suggestion?’
    Kipps and Godwin laughed, not very kindly. Kipps patted Lockwood on the shoulder. ‘Tony, Tony – I’d love to help, but you know perfectly well it’s only the agents who actually
seal
the Source that get the fee. DEPRAC rules, I’m afraid.’
    Lockwood stepped back, put his hand to the hilt of his sword. ‘You’re taking the Source?’
    ‘We are.’
    ‘I can’t allow that.’
    ‘I’m afraid you haven’t any choice.’ Kipps gave a whistle; at once four enormous