Edward Graves: Temporal Detective

Two weeks after the Battle of the Watch – as it was being called – on a sunny Wednesday afternoon, Jessica was putting some new releases on the shelves of Horizon Books. She heard the bell above the door jingle and she stood up so that she could see over the bookshelves. A large woman in her forties walked in, accompanied by two little girls and a little boy in school uniforms.

She smiled at them and asked them if they needed assistance, which they politely declined and headed for the education section, except for the older looking girl, who stopped at the children’s section on the way and began excitedly flipping through the pages of a sparkling, pink princess book. Jessica adjusted her position so that she could keep an eye on them while she worked, they seemed like rambunctious kids and you could never be too careful. Besides, she knew that it was only a matter of time before the mother asked for help finding whatever particular book the teacher had assigned.

The little bell jingled again and she thought that there was going to be an after school rush, so decided to move behind the counter. When she stood up, however, she didn’t see another mother flanked by children, nor a group of high schoolers, trying to bring Slurpies into the store. Instead, she saw Edward.

“Hey!” she said, excitedly.

“Good afternoon, Jess,” he said. He was wearing a tan coat and waistcoat, with green, check patterned trousers and a red cravat. In one hand, he held his hat, in the other, his cane.

The woman at the back of the store was looking at him with an incredulous gaze, as if she were actually offended by how weird he looked. One of her boys began whispering very loudly about the weird man and she told him to keep his voice down, before they continued browsing the shelves.

“I haven’t heard from you in a few days,” she said, “I was beginning to worry.”

“Ah yes, sorry about that, been a bit busy. Time flies, you know. Well it doesn’t really, I mean, you should know that as well as I, it’s just an expression. But why do people say that, I mean, why don’t they say that time runs?” He paused mid sentence and tilted his head, thinking. “Where was I? Oh, right, busy! Yes, I’ve been very busy and, actually, that’s partly why I’m here.”

“We’ve got another case?”

“Yes, actually. But first, how are you holding up now that the drama at the Watch has died down?”

“Oh yeah, you know, I’m good,” she said. “I’ve actually done some travelling on my own.”

“Oh, really? When did you go to?”

She took a look around cautiously, to make sure that nobody was watching. Then, with a barely contained grin, she pulled out a copy of the complete works of William Shakespeare and opened the cover. On the title page, a nearly illegible text was scrawled in flowing, cursive script - four full lines, followed by two words beneath the main block of text.

“You got William Shakespeare’s autograph?” asked Edward, impressed. “On a collection of his works, published in 2010?”

“I know, right? He was little confused by it, but I think he’d had a few ales, so he didn’t over-think it too much.”

“Not bad penmanship for an inebriated fellow,” said Edward. “Though, Will always could hold his drink – that’s how I ended up owing him ten quid.”

“It was just amazing, watching him write,” she said. “I had to really fight the temptation to take a selfie with him.”

Edward examined the book and then handed it back to Jessica. “Do you realise that you now own what is arguably the most valuable book in the entire English-speaking world, and yet it is also completely worthless?”

She nodded. “Yes, yes, the irony is not lost on me.” She carefully put the book back in her bag. “So, what’s this new case?”

“Are you sure that you’re up for it? I mean, naturally you find an enigmatic and devilishly handsome gentleman, such as myself, irresistible, but things got pretty rough with that last case, so I’d understand if you needed some more time off, or if you changed your mind completely.”

“Yeah, it’s dangerous,” said Jessica, “but for the first time in my life, I feel like I can do something worthwhile. What’s the point in having these powers if I’m not going to use them for good?”

Edward smiled, “Oh Jess, I knew that I was right to take you on as my student.”

“Oh yeah, because it was entirely voluntary.”

“Oh course it was, from the moment we met, I knew that you were just the kind of girl I needed.”

“That’s not how I remember it.”

The woman at the back of the shop called out, rather brashly.

“She’ll be with you in a moment ma’am, we’re just arranging to go out for a romantic evening which will involve Jazz – no, young people don’t listen to Jazz anymore, do they? – Rock n’ Roll – no, Hip-Hop? Yes, lots of loud Hip-Hop and probably some kissing and various illicit activities.”

The woman’s jaw dropped and Jessica, trying to smile, assured her that she would be with her in a moment.

“Sometimes I don’t know whether you’re deliberately trying to embarrass me, or your just way too eccentric for your own good.”

Edward held his hands up, mimicking a set of scales. “A little bit of column A, a little bit of column B.”

“Well, I’ve got to get to work. I’ve got two jobs, but this is the only one that actually pays the bills. We can’t all be the idle rich.”

“Right-o,” he said, pulling his hat on and grabbing the door handle. “Give me a buzz when you’re off work. The Moon has been stolen and the President of Earth is keen for us to get it back, and trust me, you do not want to get on her bad side.”

Jessica said goodbye and turned to help her customer, who was now standing with her hands on her hips, her face scrunched up and waiting impatiently. Her children were jumping up and down all around her, like they were part of one of those Whack-a-Mole games.

Jessica stopped, looked over her shoulder, offered a quick apology to the woman and then ran out the door.

“Is it always going to be like this?” she called. Edward, who had just reached the corner, stopped and looked over his shoulder. “This crazy; this dangerous?”

“If you’re lucky,” he said.

“Am I insane for being excited by that, for actually enjoying the danger?”

“Probably,” said Edward. “But then again, all the best people are.”

Then, with a smile and a wink, he was gone in a blur of blue light, leaving Jessica standing there with a smile on her face. It didn’t subside, even as she turned to walk back into the shop to face the undoubtedly angry customer, for she finally felt, after nearly nineteen years, that her real life had finally begun. She didn’t know where it would take her or what trials she’d encounter on the way. She only knew one thing.

Only time would tell.

THE END