Here's the next chapter. I know I spoiled you a bit with daily updates, but please don't get used to it. Real life keeps me from writing more times than not
Chapter 8The next day was a Monday which meant that both Julia and William had to work, no matter if an urgent case came in or not. While he walked around the precinct and did some paperwork, he whistled a joyful tune, replaying the scenes of the previous two days in his mind over and over again.
He wasn't aware that the men were already talking behind his back, wondering what had him in such a suspiciously good mood. Ever since the pretty doctor had left and later returned with her fiancé, detective Murdoch had been irritable and impatient, something they weren't normally accustomed to when it came to him.
„Detective," George Crabtree addressed him around noon that day when he was sitting at his desk looking through his notes of a case he had recently solved. „Higgins just told me that the neighbor of his aunt Frieda, who works at the hospital, told her and then she told him that Dr. Garland went back to Buffalo. Is that true?" he asked him in his usual cumbersome way.
„Well, George, from what I heard it might be true," he tried not to let on that he knew quite a lot about the topic.
„So he and Dr. Ogden are no longer engaged?" George wanted clarification.
„I don't think so," he nodded and kept his face as neutral and indifferent as possible.
„Well, that is awesome!" Crabtree exclaimed loudly and with a wide smile that lit up his face. „Now you and Dr. Ogden can get married. I understand why you're in such a good mood."
„George really!" William said shocked about George's correct observation and analysis of the situation.
„I'm sorry, detective," the constable apologized, taking William's reaction as one of being insulted. „I didn't mean to imply that you and Dr. Ogden... I mean... none of my business," he finally shut up when he had pushed himself into a corner.
„Constable, Dr. Ogden surely wouldn't appreciate being the topic of talk here at the precinct. If she wants to talk about her personal matters with any of you I'm sure she'll let you know," William scolded him and hoped that he came across just strict enough so George would stop gossiping.
„You're right Sir. My apologies again," George nodded and walked away like a lost puppy, hanging head, slumped shoulders and all. William nearly felt bad about taking the fun away from him. He didn't mean any harm and it was nice to know that George was on his side when it came to Julia. However the young man wasn't known for his secrecy and so he had to be kept in the dark for as long as possible.
With the whole precinct knowing about Julia's broken engagement he managed to use it as an excuse to Brackenreid so he could go and see her. Naturally the Inspector had pulled him aside and had asked him if it was true. He was worried about the doctor and when William had told him that she wasn't doing so well, already knowing he could use it as an excuse, the inspector had threatened to go to Buffalo and beat Darcy into a pulp. William had told him that as long as they didn't know what happened that might not be a good idea, but that he would very much like to go and check on her.
And so around for that day, and with the consent of the inspector he entered the morgue to see the woman he had missed all day.
„Detective, do you have a case for me?" she asked him and looked around, showing him that they weren't alone when he followed her eyes.
„Indeed doctor," he lied nervously while she went over to the sink to wash the blood off her hands. The body she was working on still lay at the table in front of him and a quick look told him that the man had obviously shot himself.
Julia couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed when he admitted that he was only there to see her on behalf of a case. She had hoped that he would miss her just enough to show up without a reason, much like she had considered doing herself. However there were far more men at the precinct than at the morgue and so she had decided against it.
Still, she smiled when she turned around, happy to see him at all. „So, what have you got for me?"
„It's just something I want your opinion on, doctor. Maybe if you have a moment alone you could take a look at this?" he asked and handed her a wooden box, about the size of an envelope.
„Is it save to look inside?" she wondered, because with the things William brought her it was sometimes better knowing what was coming your way.
„If you just peek for now it might not be harmful," he replied cryptically. Carefully she lifted the lid and looked inside. She had expected some kind of remains, maybe a finger, or a small dead animal. Instead she found a precious golden necklace and her engagement ring.
„Oh," she gasped, placed a hand on her chest to calm her wildly beating heart and closed the box again.
„I hope it didn't scare you," William grinned, happy that he had been able to surprise her.
„Not at all, detective," she smiled back, the happiness radiating off of her in waves he could feel flowing right at him.
„Will I see you tonight?" he asked her in a quiet tone so they wouldn't be overheard.
„Why don't you stop by for that dinner we missed last night?" she whispered back. „I will tell you about Ruby's visit then. "
„What time?" he simply asked.
„How about eight? I should be home by then, "she let him know.
„Very well, then I'll see you tonight," he nodded as their eyes had a conversation of their own and said the words they couldn't say with the workers around. „Have a good day then, doctor, and I hope you'll find the case as intriguing as I do," he said much louder and then left, while she still cradled the box in her hands.
~*~
It was ten to eight when Julia finally entered her own home. A case of another constabulary had come in and the post mortem had to be done right away because the body had been in a very bad state already and the detective wanted results.
She hurried upstairs to her bedroom and changed into a nicer blouse and a light green skirt. Looking into the mirror she saw that her hair was a mess. Quickly she took out the remaining pins and let it down. With her brush she tried to tame it somehow, but it didn't seem to help. She heard the doorbell ring downstairs and knew that William had arrived- right on time as always.
Quickly she twirled her hair and pined it up again. She tore a few locks out of the bun so it didn't look to strict and then gave herself a once over in the mirror again. She looked slightly better than before, but she still wasn't totally fine. A bit of powder and rouge would have done some good she decided, but there was no time left for that. Knowing Dawson she was giving William a hard time downstairs.
When she came down to the first floor, she found William still standing awkwardly in the entry way studying one of the pictures on her wall. So she had been right about Dawson; she really needed to talk to her.
William turned around when he heard her on the stairs and she could feel his eyes taking in her appearance. "Good evening Julia," he greeted her.
"Good evening, William. Please excuse my appearance, but I just got home a few minutes ago and didn't have…" She was interrupted with a soft kiss.
"You look very beautiful," he told her and she could only smile back at him, her head still buzzing with excitement of the first kiss she had got that day.
"Shall we go and eat?" she asked him, still a bit flustered. William nodded and followed her into the dining room. Dawson had set the table for two, but had avoided anything slightly romantic. There were no candles or decorations on the table and wine was absent from the table. She came bustling in loudly and put the different foods on the table without saying anything. Julia and William exchanged an amused look and started laughing once she was gone.
"You want some wine, William?" Julia asked him, knowing Dawson surely wouldn't offer.
"No, thank you. I'm good with my water," he replied still chuckling.
"Alright then, Bon appétit," she grinned.
"Bon appétit," he returned the wish and helped himself to some potatoes.
~*~
After dinner they adjourned to the patio that went out to the backyard. It was a secluded spot and one couldn't look at it from outside or from the inside of the house. Julia had brought two woolen blankets out with them to shield them from the chilly air. Their respective body heat turned out to be a much better source of warmth though as she snuggled against his side, her head resting on his chest and he wrapped one arm around her shoulders.
"So Ruby wasn't shocked then?" William asked her after she had told him about the talk with her sister the night before.
"I think she considers me some sort of saint and that's what shocked her," Julia shrugged. "It would have been odd for her to be shocked, considering she had an affair with a much older and married man," she pointed out.
"She doesn't know about your wild time at College," he smiled, obviously teasing her.
"Well, she knows about my arrest. My whole family does and I think they will never let me live it down," she laughed. A comfortable silence spread between them and Julia sighed in contentment when William started caressing her neck with his thumb.
He wrinkled his forehead when she suddenly untangled from him. "Something wrong?" he asked.
"No, I just forgot something important. Just a second," she excused herself and hurried off, back inside the house. He wondered what could be so important that she would leave so suddenly. When she came back with the small wooden box however he knew.
"Ah," he grinned and lifted the blanket for her so she could sit back down next to him.
"I didn't want to put it on at work and afterwards I had no time to," she felt the need to apologize and opened the box. "Would you put it on for me?" she asked him then and handed him the necklace with the ring on it.
"My pleasure," he nodded and carefully opened the clasp then placed the necklace around her neck and fastened it. "I know it's a bit long, but considering the pendant I thought it might be better," he told her.
"It's perfect, William," she replied and lay back against him, so her back was resting against his chest. He didn't hesitate to wrap his arms around her shoulders and kissed the side of her head when she placed her hands on his on top of her shoulders and laced her fingers through his.
"William? She asked after another while of silence. "Would it shock you if I asked you to stay tonight and just hold me like this?"
"No, it would not," he replied and she could already hear the 'but' swinging in his voice. "However I don't want Mrs. Kitchen to get suspicious as she surely isn't as discreet as your Ms. Dawson."
"You're right," she nodded but sounded so disappointed it tugged on his heart. He let go of her right hand and tipped her chin up and in his direction with a finger.
"Maybe this will help," he said huskily and pulled her into a deep but tender kiss.
TBC
