Chapter one

As you enter the pub and look around, the atmosphere is very welcoming. Soft lighting fills the spaces and happy chatter fills the air. Even the temperature inside is warmer than outside thanks to the picturesque open fires. The bar area isnt too busy, and there are a few remaining customers in the restaurant section tucking into mains and desserts.

As you look around for who you think you should be looking for you notice a young dark skinned woman hunched on a stool and leaning against the bar wearing black riding boots, black jeans and a cream halterneck top, with a black leather jacket draped over the back of the stool shes sitting on. Theres also a rather antique looking tricorn hat sat on the bar. She has a tankard of beer half drunk beside her and she is peering at something small in her hands, apparently lost in a world of her own save for the odd moment she stops to have a glug of her drink.

Trust walked up to her. "Joycelin, I presume?".

John will let the others take the lead here.

"Who wants to know?" She responds, not looking up from the object in her hands which is apparently a small silver box with some intricate engraving. She squints at it for a moment and seems to turn it slightly. "Why the lousy little..." she comments to herself, before lowering it and looking to Trust.

"Can i help you miss?" She then asks with a small smile.

"We've just come from a meeting with Sir Lawrence, regarding a most popular lady who is currently absent from the Finchley area".

Chariot listens to the exchange, waiting for a chance to chime in if possible

Joycelin slightly raises an eyebrow at the mention of Sir Lawrence, and then seems to think as Trust asks for information. She then gets up and downs the rest of her drink, pockets her silver box then picks up her hat and jacket. "Lets move to a quieter seat" she says, heading to a corner of the pub with two men sat and chatting. As she appears she looks to them sternly, and they leave providing privacy and seating enough for each of you.

Trust sat comfortably down.

"What are we all drinking?" John asked.

"[Random rum-cask ale on tap] if you're offering sweethart" Joycelin says immediately, taking a seat facing out into the pub.

Chariot takes a seat and says "I will have something brightly coloured and surprisingly alcoholic"

"I'll have a Dirty Redheaded Slut" Trust said with a grin.

John smiled "sounds like a good night out i'll be back in a moment"

John heads to the bar "evening, I have Rum, an Alien Brain Hemorrhage, a Dirty Redheaded Slut and a pint of Doombar" he said without a hint of humor on his face at the names of the drinks.

Chariot tried and failed to suppress a snigger at Trusts request

The barman looks at John slightly bemused. "Erm... I can do the rum and the beer, I'll see what i can do but im not sure we stock what you're asking for for cocktails" he says going about pouring drinks. He then produces a basic cocktail menu for John.

Joycelin gives a small snicker at the choices of drinks. "So you wanna know about Lacey" she then says thoughtfully.

"Yup, You know her full name?" Chariot asked

John smiled "Yeah my friends are sinkers I can tell you how to make them if you like I can see you've got all the right drinks back there" his mood lighting "If i;m honest I'd like a Dirty Redheaded Slut myself alas girl like that are hard to come by" he jokes.

Trust smiled. "One moment" she said, getting up and heading over to the bar.

"If you want me to keep it simple my good sir I'll downgrade to a Redheaded Slut: Jägermeister, peach-flavored schnapps, and cranberry juice. All common beverages in a pub, you can't go wrong" she said with a playful wink, as if she were well acquainted with bars of all types.

"and there she goes" john said with a wink at the barman.

Joycelin has a think. "Lacey... Barker" she says to Chariot as though a lightbulb has just lit. "Lacey Barker grew up in the area according to my sources. She went off to uni then came back. With her boyfriend. They met there, i think, he was really quiet though i met him once, he used to travel to work further into London. Quiet but quite smart, i think his name was Danial North. He never made much of an impression though because he was hardly around. But she seemed happy so, who's to judge" she says with a shrug, leaning back in her chair.

The barman sniggers at Johns comment and disappears under the counter for a moment, resurfacing with some bottles. "I'll see what i can do about the brain hemmorage, sluts though coming right up" he then says with a cheeky grin to Trust beginning to measure and pour things.

John smiles a waits.

"Mhm, excellent" she said. "I love a man who knows how to mix things up".

The barman looks at Trust and clears his throat a little. He then presents the drinks. "That'll be [says amount]" he says to John.

"Lacey Barker and Daniel North" Chariot says as he notes those names down on his phone. "Anything crazy go on at the house?"

John pays up "thanks" he said.

"Give us a hand with the other three glasses I'm sure I can handle the redheaded sult myself" he said giving her a wink.