𝒆𝒍𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒄 𝒕𝒐𝒖𝒄𝒉

𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒇𝒊𝒗𝒆

✩ ☽ ✩ 

Betty was awakened by sounds from the hallway behind the bars. She rose from the floor where she had been lying and pressed herself against the wall in the darkest corner of the cell. The footsteps, however, died down before they reached her cell.

Nothing happened for the next few minutes, until a voice spoke. It was a girl's voice, and Betty recognized it immediately. Enola, it flashed through her mind. On all fours, she cautiously climbed over to the bars and peeked out. Lestrade went with her, trapping her in a cell in the opposite row one space closer to the exit. Betty was taken aback by the girl's appearance; or rather the ball gown she was wearing.

„You don't understand," she said to the man. He shot her one last look and started back down the dark corridor. Only then did Betty dare to stick her head out properly. She looked around to see if they were alone. As far as the eye could see, there was no one. On the other hand, it was hard to see anywhere; the conditions weren't quite right for it.

„Enola! Hey!" She shouted half-loudly, not wanting to accidentally draw any of the guards, or even the Grail itself, to her. Betty heard footsteps, and a moment later a second girl appeared behind the bars of the cell. „Betty," she hissed in disbelief. „It's you!"

Enola couldn't believe her eyes. It was a shock to her to see her friend here. What could she have done? Had she scalded a customer with hot tea? „What are you doing here?"

The girl in the blue dress laughed desperately: „That's quite a story."

„Well, I seem to have plenty of time. So..."

„Long story short, I met you when you were just jumping out the window, then Lestrade and Grail got tangled up in there and somehow there was no way to get out. Well, because they heard me screaming your name, they brought me here," Betty said in one breath. And that it took a lot of work.

Enola stared at her in disbelief. „Sorry."

„No," she said firmly, „you have no reason to apologize. They do," she made sure to put emphasis on every word. It really wasn't Enola's fault. Betty didn't have to yell after her when she saw the police running after her.

„And you weren't at work...?" „I didn't even get there," she shook her head, „and I still managed to get wet on the way."

„It wasn't raining," Enola frowned uncomprehendingly, and Betty nodded. „I know."

Later that evening, Grail came to visit Enola. Betty crouched by the grate, listening intently to every word. Her job was to protect her if he tried anything. But their conversation gradually turned into an argument.

Betty overheard something about the ball and Master Lyon, then Sarah Chapman's name came up.

„Why did you follow me that night?" „I don't know," she replied. She heard Enola speak, and her eyes widened. A vivid memory flashed before her eyes of the moment when she had run into Enola, who had told her that she was being followed. She pricked up her ears.