The very floorboards seemed to creak for no apparent reason and every time they did, Patricia would jump involuntarily. If the alcohol had still been flowing through her veins full force, she would have found this amusing, but given the body that had been found, she thought it best to keep her wits sharp so she would not be partaking any further, a sentiment some of the other girls didn't seem to share. As it was, this response had rather begun to get on her nerves. As did Emma's insistence at playing around with a Ouija board.

"Everyone in the room has to participate or it won't work," Emma informed her when she first refused.

Oh yes, that is the reason it won't work, Julia thought sarcastically. I can just leave then.

"It could be fun," said Emily, with a glint in her eye.

Julia was well aware of her friends belief in the after life and spirits in general. The lengths Emily had gone to to discover this after life had astonished and sickened her. Julia had thought Emily beyond such fanatical behaviour, and had firmly chastised her when she learned William had almost died due to her ridiculous and dangerous experiments. Given this unrelenting devotion, it was a wonder to her that Emily couldn't make things work with George. They seemed perfectly suited to one another in that regard, the constable having gone to great lengths to prove his many zany theories.

"Oh all right," she muttered for the second time that night.

Julia felt like a little school girl again, succumbing to peer pressure on a regular basis. That is, until she learned to stand up for herself better. It might have cost her some friends but she had been happier for it in the long run. Ruby had never had such an issue, largely because she had always been the one pressuring others. But as it was, this was a one time get together and she would likely never see any of these women again so it behooved her to relent.

She plopped herself down on the large blue picnic blanket they had laid out on the dusty floor.

"Let us begin," said Emma with barely contained glee.

All six women leaned in and placed an index finger to the wooden arrow. Julia felt incredibly silly to be participating in such a thing but there was nothing for it. She couldn't very well be shown up by Patricia of all people. Then again, Patricia was heavily medicated and probably would have agreed to do just about anything.

"We invoke the power of the spirit world," half chanted Emma. "Oh great ones, hear our call. Come forth and let your presence be known!"

Not surprisingly nothing happened.

"Is there anyone among us?" continued Emma.

This time the arrow slowly glided towards the large YES.

Felicity and Patricia gasped at the sight but kept their fingers in place.

Oh please, thought Julia, rolling her eyes. She could see the smirk on Betty's face, it was so obvious she was the one directing the indicator.

"What is your name?" said Felicity in awe.

"I'm the one asking the questions here!" snapped Emma in reproach. Felicity looked quite abashed. It seemed as though Emma got rather irritable (not to mention uncaring about her friends emotional states) the longer she was drunk. In other words she became an awful lot like Betty. How delightful.

Emma composed herself into a more serene manner and said, "Oh great spirit, what is your name?"

The indicator moved across the board until it landed on an L. It proceeded to do the same thing for A, W, S, O and N.

"Lawson," intoned Emma, more to herself than anyone else. "What happened to you Lawson?"

When the arrow spelt out M-U-R, Patricia jerked her hand back and said, "I think that's quite enough! We shouldn't be meddling in things we don't understand!"

"Stop being such a baby!" said Emma, sharply. "Nothing's going to happen to us!"

Just then the door swung open with a loud thwack and almost everyone jumped.

"That was odd," she muttered to herself, with a slight frown.

"Most intriguing!" pipped up Felicity. Emily seemed to share this thought.

"There's nothing intriguing about it," deadpanned Betty. "The latch is broken."

"Regardless of how it happened, will somebody get the door?" said Emma. "It's letting in all the cold air!"

"I'll get it," said Julia, surprising even herself.

She hadn't meant to volunteer but it was too late to take it back now or be labelled a coward, so she stood up and went over to it. Julia peered out into the moonlit path and the forest it led to. Then her eyes wandered to the placid lake and the two upside down canoes. Everything appeared to be in order. As far as she could tell, there was nothing and no one else out there. Still she had begun to experience a sense of great unease, as if Gillies had followed her even here and was continuing to play mind tricks on her.

So it was that she was very jumpy when she closed the door, this time planting one of the boxes they had brought along with them as a door stop.

When she turned around someone said "Boo!" very loudly from very close and she instinctively shot out her fist. It landed in Emma's throat and the woman staggered back a few feet clutching it while she violently coughed.

"Oh I'm so sorry!" exclaimed Julia, trying to come to her aid, but Emma weakly flailed at her with one hand to keep her at bay.

Felicity shot Julia a dirty look as she quickly came over and shepherded the bride to be back over to her place on the floor. Emily approached her then.

"Emily, I didn't mean to-"

Her friend cut her off. "I know. I told her not to do that but she wouldn't listen." Emily observed her closely and put a hand to her forearm, a rare look of concern on her features. "Are you all right, Julia? You really do look as though you've seen a ghost."

"I'm fine," she said, rather unconvincingly.

"Did you see something?" Emily asked a little too eagerly, as if she really did think a spirit had opened the door. "Something unusual?"

"Don't be absurd. There's no one else here but us."

Emily gave her a queer look. "You did see something, didn't you?"

"Oh for heavens sakes, Emily, I can't believe you take any stock in this-"

There was a loud crash and their heads whipped in that direction.

"Oops!" said Patricia, very drunkenly. The girl had simply dropped a plate while attempting to get something to eat. Now that she thought about food, she realized she was very hungry. Over to the food bin she went. "A thousand pardons your grace," Patricia slurred bowing to Emma, who was still obviously ticked off at her by the way she was being glared at as she approached.

"Emma, I truly am sorry."

"Yes, I heard you the first time," Emma replied huffily, massaging her throat. "Not very ladylike, are you? No wonder you can't find a man willing to have you."

"Emma," warned Emily, clearly annoyed.

Julia decided to ignore Emma from here on out, or at least until she sobered up. The latter option was a long time away, considering the foolish girl was still imbibing heavily. The doctor in her wanted to tell her to take it easy but the slighted part simply paid no mind.

After even Murdoch had had his fill of the Barosaurus exhibit, the three men rode their bicycles to Brackenreid's house and the inspector poured himself yet another drink. Murdoch had the funny feeling that the only reason the man had agreed to the exhibit was for the free alcohol. But apparently he hadn't gotten quite enough and the reason soon became rather obvious.

Scotch in hand, Brackenreid said, "About Dr. Ogden..."

"Yes, sir?" he enquired politely.

"Well, what the bloody hell do you think happened?"

Murdoch frowned. "As I've already informed you, sir, I don't know."

"But surely you have some theories? A woman in love doesn't refuse her sweetheart with no good reason."

Murdoch was silent and George pipped up. "Perhaps she didn't understand what was going on?"

"Bloody hell, Crabtree!" burst out Brackenreid laughing. "That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard from you! And that's saying something!"

George looked very offended but didn't comment.

A brief pause and then his boss prompted him again, "Well?"

"I can only speculate at this point."

"Go on then," the inspector said with a loud slurp of his drink.

"She said she was going out of town for a few days in order to check up on a patient."

"And?"

"And it was just after she came back from this visit that she refused me. It's possible there is a connection."

"You think something happened to her while she was away?"

"It's possible," he said with a nod.

"What are we waiting for, sirs!" exclaimed George, jumping up. "Let's investigate!"

"He's right, Murdoch, let's go!"

"Sir, it's quite late," he said glancing at his pocket watch which gave the time as after ten. "Perhaps it would be better to wait till morning? I wouldn't want to intrude on anyone's slumber."

"Bloody hell, Murdoch, if ever there was a time to intrude, it's now!"

A moment of reflection. "Yes, I suppose you are right, sir," he said grabbing his hat.

Before they left, Margaret made an appearance. She gave him her sincerest apologies and then took her husband aside for a moment.

"Did you ask him, Thomas?"

"Yes, I bloody well asked him the goddamn questions! Just like you wanted me too!"

"Language, Thomas."

Brackenreid groaned, said sorry and gave her a peck on the cheek. Then they were out the door.

Am I disturbed that I laughed a lot writing the bit where Julia winds Emma? I've noticed she's been karate chopping a lot of people in the throats this season so I decided to keep that tradition alive. xD