Lol Caroline, that word has more than one meaning. The common one is what you are thinking of but the less common is basically just another way of saying exclaim. I am wondering though if somehow that word got the story blocked from my initial K+ rating.
Emily had her hands deep in the chest cavity of a wealthy elderly woman who had passed away during the night. It was her task to determine if the woman's demise was completely innocent or not. A large inheritance hung in the balance. She was in the process of removing the lungs when she heard footsteps echoing in the hallway. Assuming it was George, she quickly wiped her hands on her apron and went to greet him. After last night's events, well, let's just say she was just as eager to say a second good morning as he apparently was.
The door started to push open, curiously slowly, and she said, "Back for seconds are we?" She jumped and flushed briefly when Detective Murdoch's stuporous face poked through. Composing herself as well as she could she continued, "Detective." She frowned at his inky upper lip. "Shouldn't you be at home with Julia?"
He stumbled past her and plopped into the chair behind her. He looked up at her happily, "What did you mean by your first comment, Dr. Grace? Seconds of what?"
After she deciphered what he said, Emily swallowed and dodged the question. "Is Julia around here somewhere?" She was doubtful considering the state of his face. "I'm rather busy at the moment."
The detective appeared to think very hard. "I don't believe she is." Like a lost puppy separated from its mother he asked, "Could you help me find her?"
"Surely you must have some idea of where your wife is." He was staring off into space. "Detective?" He gave her a blank look. "Your wife?"
"I'm married?" he said suddenly, laughing. "I never thought that would happen!"
Neither did I.
Though his eyes were half closed, he studied her face closer than he had ever done before. "We don't get along very well, do we?"
Emily stiffened at that remark.
In the past you would snap at me all the time for minor infractions.
"Sometimes we still find ourselves at odds, it's true."
"Why do you think that is?"
Because I took over your wife's position and you have never fully forgiven me for it.
"I'm not sure, detective."
"That's a pity. I was hoping we could become closer colleagues...and maybe even friends one day." He smiled dreamily. "Julia would like that I think."
A few seconds later, heavy boots could be heard. The tread was distinctly different from shoes and she wondered how she could have mixed the two. This time it was George and she felt familiar stirrings at the sight of him. Apparently he shared this sentiment because he just stared at her for several moments before visibly snapping out of his trance.
"Emily," he said with a curt nod.
"George." Emily had a strong urge to kiss him but instead clasped her bloody hands tightly in front of her and focused on dead bodies. She probably should have picked something more odious though as this did little to affect her growing need.
Her beau of the last two months looked to Detective Murdoch. "Sir, I really must get you home before you end up in a ditch somewhere."
"I found a dollar in a ditch once." The detective was repeatedly bobbing his head. "I used it to buy a pornographic book. Quite instructive."
Emily and George shared a shocked and slightly amused look.
"Really?" George said, open mouthed, getting that same salacious look in his eyes as last night. "Instructive, how?" Emily elbowed George in the arm and he shook his head and helped his boss to his feet. "Come along, sir."
George glanced over his shoulder at her, giving her a longing look and she felt gratified...and frustrated.
Well then, back to Mrs. Jefferson.
When they were out of earshot George whispered, "What was the name of this...book, sir?"
"Book? What book?"
"The...special one you were just alluding to."
The detective made a face. "I haven't the foggiest what you are going on about, George."
George grumbled to himself and then his face lit up. Once he dropped the detective off, he could take a quick peek at the ample Murdoch book collection. With any luck he would be able to find the 'forbidden' material that the detective, and presumably the doctor owned. While he had enjoyed himself last night, and he thought Emily had too, he was sure his 'technique' could do with improvement. Given his increased work load lately, he wasn't likely to get another chance any time soon to study up, so he was determined to make the most of this opportunity. He hoped there were a lot of pictures...a lot of detailed pictures.
"Why are you smiling like that, George? And why are you flushed?"
"I'm not flushed!" he yelped. Murdoch blinked at him in confusion."You're flushed!" he added nonsensically.
The detective stared at him some more and seemed close to laughter. Not wanting to get him riled up again, George commanded control of himself and hailed Tom, the constabulary carriage driver. After assisting him up the step, George climbed in too and told Tom where to go.
Shortly before they arrived at The Murdoch's, the detective had fallen asleep on George's shoulder. The constable gently roused him and they made their way to the door. George noticed the detective was more or less managing to walk unassisted, but he continued to give his support regardless.
"Your key, sir," George asked, holding out his hand.
Detective Murdoch stuck a hand in his pocket and then patted himself down. Murdoch gave him a rueful expression. "I seem to have forgotten it, George."
Oh for the love of...
George ran an irritated hand along his face and then said, "All right. Where do you keep the spare? Surely you must have one."
"Ah, yes," the detective said, surveying the porch, "I believe we have one somewhere around here..." another rueful smile, "but I can't quite remember where."
The constable clenched his hands tight and contemplated breaking a window.
He had to get a peek at that book, he just had to!
More sense returned to him and he instead took out a pocket knife, inserted it into the narrow slot in a window and moved it sideways until he hit the latch. Putting the instrument away he pushed against the glass and lifted upwards. The window seemed to be stuck on something so he applied a bit more pressure. It still wouldn't budge. On the third attempt he applied so much pressure that the glass began to bend and shake, and Detective Murdoch cleared his throat.
"That doesn't appear to be working, George."
George glared at the window like it had done him unspeakable wrongs and the idea of smashing it with his baton crossed his mind again.
"Oh wait!" said Detective Murdoch. "It's over here!"
George whipped his head around to find Murdoch standing on his tiptoes, reaching into a small hole in the brick wall. Clearly his balance was fully returned to him once more.
The detective walked the few feet over to him and said, "Well, thank you for all your help, George, but I'm feeling much more like myself now, so you can head back to the station house." George felt like a thunder clap had struck him. "I'm sure Inspector Brackenreid is most anxious for your return."
He was about to say, 'yes, sir,' but then thought better of it. "That may be true, sir, but Dr. Ogden told me to expressly watch you until she returned." He felt incredibly slimy as he continued, "I would feel just terrible if something happened to you because I was remiss in my duties."
Detective Murdoch eyed him for a moment and shrugged.
"Suit yourself, George."
They went inside and his boss enquired if he wanted any tea.
"That would be delightful, sir."
While Murdoch was filling up the kettle, George put a hand to his tummy and said, "Sir, I suddenly have to use the little boys room. Could you direct me to the water closet?"
"It's straight down the hall, right at the end."
George headed that direction and then when Murdoch's back was turned, changed course and like a thief in the night, tip toed around, keeping an eye out for the library. He hadn't been in their home too many times since they married, and out of those few times, it was always only briefly in order to fetch them after a crime had been committed. That isn't to say that they hadn't had a house warming party, because they had, but George had unfortunately been ill with some bug that was going around.
After what seemed like ages but was probably only thirty seconds, he located the library and slunk in, quietly closing the door behind him. He stood back and admired their combined treasure trove of knowledge...and felt his mood sink like quick sand. How in the devil would he ever find what he was looking for if he didn't even know what it was called!
Rallying his spirits, he rushed forward and began quickly scanning the titles, looking for anything and everything that sounded out of the ordinary. There were a number of science fiction novels by H.G. Wells, as well as Jules Verne and other like minded authors. There were also a variety of horror books such as Dracula and Frankenstein and stories by Edgar Allen Poe. Romantic works by Jane Austen and Charlotte and Emily Bronte. Adventure novels such as Treasure Island and Gulliver's Travels over here. A large selection of poetry; curiously one of the books appeared to have a hole in it, if he wasn't much mistaken, it looked like a bullet hole! For a little while his attention was diverted as he concocted increasingly silly ways that that could have happened but then he got back on task. Lots of historical, general knowledge books here...clearly they were all the detective's. Many old, beaten up medical textbooks and copies of medical journals towards the end of the second book shelf. All the titles sounded very technical and dense, the sort of thing he normally avoided...
George pulled one out at random and was disappointed when there was no hidden compartment for a smaller, more lascivious book, as had been the case with 'the rose' series from a few years back. He pulled a few more textbooks out to much the same result. However, when he was putting these back he noticed something in behind and reached in and with some difficulty pried it loose. It had been secured to the wall with the detective's very own adhesive strip invention!
Sure this is what he was after, his heart began to race and his palms began to sweat. When he opened the seemingly innocuous book to the index page, his face grew hot and mouth went dry. Then as he turned the page to the first of the depictions, there was a loud ahem from behind and he whirled around exclaiming, 'oh my socks!' and dropped the book. It landed open on a particularly erotic page and it was with great difficulty that he looked up at the detective. His mentor appeared completely unaffected by what he found him doing, save for a slight twinkle in his eyes.
"This isn't what it looks like!" he blurted out.
Detective Murdoch chose to ignore that comment. "Your tea was getting cold so I went to see how your stomach was faring." Murdoch's gaze lowered almost imperceptibly to the book.
George was pretty sure he resembled a boiling tomato at this point and he tugged at his tight collar, trying to relieve some of the steam pouring off of him.
"Sir, I-"
Murdoch removed a hand from behind his back and held it up. Then he pointed at the ground, still with eyes on him. "Would you like to borrow that book, George?"
He gulped but then nodded once. Murdoch walked over to it and picked it up, snapping it closed as he did so. "I'm quite fond of this one." This one, this one?! How many illegal books did the well respected police officer own!? "As is Julia. Please take good care of it."
"I- I will, sir," he stammered.
"Pages 53 and 77 are of particular note. One day I'm sure you'll work your way up to such...demanding exercises."
George just stared at him open mouthed, barely able to believe they were having this conversation.
"Before I give this to you, I need to know one thing."
Timidly, "What's that, sir?"
Murdoch smiled mischievously. "When's the wedding?"
Yeah so in case you didn't realize, pretty much all of these S8 stories I've done are in the same timeline and in chronological order. I don't include the mind swap one as part of this though because it's kinda too crazy and in it's own category. But the honeymoon, the dark places and now this one are continuations of the same 'world'.