Hey,
Thanks for all of the support, it's really great to get so many lovely comments.
Val is about 26 in this. Just some random Skulduggery banter, the usual… Enjoy!
Love, Cait (RedIvySparrow)
Valkyrie stood outside her Aunt's house, and slumped. She couldn't do it. She turned around and started walking back where she came from.
Her phone rang.
The smooth voice came down the line, "What are you doing?"
She scowled. "Skulduggery, you can't make me do this."
Silence.
"But Beryl will answer!"
More silence.
"She doesn't like me!"
Even more silence.
"I don't like her!"
A pause. "I'm going to say one thing."
She sighed. "What?" Valkyrie said irritably.
His tone was smug "Chicken."
Valkyrie frowned, "Chicken?"
"Yes, chicken."
"And this is supposed to change my mind, how?"
"I don't know. I thought you would."
"You are so weird." She hung up and groaned. Then she turned, and walked up the path.
Valkyrie knocked on the big door and plastered a big fake smile on her face. Beryl came to the door as expected, wearing a sparkling cardigan that was so bright Valkyrie almost had to look away. Beryl was smiling, and it dropped when she saw Stephanie. She put it straight back up again.
"Hello Stephanie," she said in that screechy voice that she always used. "What are you doing here?"
"Hey, Beryl. Well, I was just passing, thought I'd come and… See you."
Beryl's face strained and pulled. She was evidently struggling to keep smiling.
"You don't have to smile, you know."
"I'm, I'm sorry?"
"Never mind." There was an awkward silence.
"So…" Valkyrie said, "I was thinking you should come for dinner some time."
Beryl stared at her in shock. Valkyrie shifted her weight once, twice.
"Well, uh, Stephanie that would be, well, lovely."
Valkyrie nodded. Beryl nodded. Valkyrie thought about hitting Skulduggery with a hammer. Beryl was probably thinking about hitting Valkyrie with a hammer.
She sighed, then put her hands together. "Well, I'd best be off."
Beryl nodded again, gazing into the distance.
"I'll, I'll get my dad to call to organise dinner."
"Okay Stephanie."
Valkyrie nodded again and turned and practically ran down the path. As soon as she had closed the gate, the door shut behind her.
She got out her phone and called Skulduggery. "Pick me up."
Valkyrie hung up and waited for him to get here. The black Bentley pulled up and she got in and hit Skulduggery's arm.
He flinched. "What was that for?"
She had to use all of her will power to stop herself from shouting. "What do you think?"
"Valkyrie, I honestly don't know what you're so upset about."
"You made me invite them to dinner."
"It will be good for you!"
"For me? You mean this is for me? You told me this would help with a case! Are you kidding me?"
"I lied. It's for you."
She folded her arms and glared at him.
He tilted his head. "Are you angry?"
She glared at him some more, then sighed. "Yes. But, I can get over it. Have we got any leads or is this whole case made up?"
"It's not made up."
"Okay."
They drove to the sanctuary in silence. When they got there, Valkyrie spoke.
"But why did you have to make me invite Beryl?"
Skulduggery looked at her with his giant eye sockets. "It's been half an hour and you're still moaning."
She wanted to kill him. She wanted to grab a big hammer and smash his skull inwards. Then give the remains to a dog. Preferably a puppy.
She told him this.
"Why a puppy?"
"Why Beryl?"
"Because you don't like her."
"Well you don't like puppies."
"You don't know that."
"Yes I do."
"How?"
"You're a skeleton."
"Point taken. Are you coming?"
"In a minute," she murmured. She dialled her home phone number, and her mum picked it up.
"Hello?"
"Mum, is Dad there?" Valkyrie said.
"Sure," her mum said, then slightly muffled, "Des? It's Steph! She wants to talk to you!"
Her father came to the phone. "Steph?"
"Hey, Dad, will you do me a favour?"
"Depends what it is."
"Never talk to Beryl again."
"Too late, Steph, she already called. She said you wanted to do dinner? Why would you want to do that? We don't like her!"
Valkyrie groaned. "And you said yes?"
"Well you asked her."
"Fine. I'll be over tomorrow, okay?"
"Okay. Are you with Skulduggery? Have you got a case? Is it exciting?"
She laughed. "Yeah, I'm with him. Look, I've got to go."
"Alright. Don't die."
"Ok." Valkyrie hung up.
Skulduggery was waiting outside. "Did you manage to stop your dad?"
She scowled. "No."
The smugness almost radiated from his smile.
