For more information on how Julia became acquainted with Silkie O'Sullivan, please see Ruthie Green's story "Deviation".
Wednesday Night
It was not entirely true to say that William agreed with Julia's proposal to ask for the assistance of Rioghnan "Silkie" O'Sullivan, but in the end he conceded because he was tired of living in continual fear that he would be recaptured and wouldn't be able to look out for Julia, who was in just as much danger simply because she was his wife.
Together, they composed a message for her to send to O'Sullivan's offices in the docklands, asking for a meeting at ten o'clock that evening at the Devil's Drum. The two of them waited nervously, picking at a light supper and pouring over the evening news editions and Davis' hidden papers. William managed to turn the back of the room's door into a make-shift chalk board for him to use to visually organize what they knew.
Even though there was no guarantee O'Sullivan even got the message, let alone as going to even respond to such an abrupt and out of nowhere request, they made plans for how the evening should ideally go. Thus, William advised 'Gideon' to rent a room at a seedy hotel next door to the Devil's Drum tavern and redress as a woman to meet Mr. O'Sullivan, so as to not let him know of her male alter ego.
She had assured him that she was more than capable of meeting with Mr. O'Sullivan by herself while William worked on other things, but William wouldn't hear of it, insisting that he would sit nearby unobtrusively.
He was well aware that his wife was an amazing woman with the strength of multiple men, but his honour wouldn't hear of allowing his wife to go to sordid tavern frequented by prostitutes and their customers, without his protection.
Particularly when said wife was meeting such a dangerous man.
By the time Julia walked into the tavern, clothed as a woman once again, she spotted William sitting at a table. Clutching her shawl about her as she made her way into the bar, she suddenly felt very self-conscious, as it dawned on her that every other woman in here was a prostitute. Despite her worldliness, she felt nervous at the unsavory world she'd just stepped into, and knew why William had insisted he accompany her here. She was glad that he was there.
To her grateful surprise, "Silkie" O'Sullivan was already waiting for her. Not wanting to attract suspicion, Julia ignored her husband and went straight to where O'Sullivan was sitting. A large, paunchy man with a shock of white hair and ruddy cheeks, he looked much the same as when Julia had last seen him several years ago.
Mr. O'Sullivan does not seem to recognize me, she thought. But, then, why should he? Julia was dressed in the red wig she retained from the Star Room and dress she altered to be more revealing. She immediately moved to take a seat at O'Sullivan's table despite his frown and waving her off. Julia smiled nervously, unsure of how to begin.
He glowered when she tried to sit. "Move off darling, I am waiting for another…"
Julia put her hand on his and whispered, trying to hold his blue eyes with hers. "Mr. O'Sullivan, I know how much you hate it when people do things against your wishes, but I think I am just right for you tonight and am hoping we can come to another understanding…" She decided to reference the conversation she had with him in his office as a way to identify herself, sliding in next to him as if she was soliciting him as a customer.
O'Sullivan narrowed his eyes for a moment. He finally recognized her, his bushy brows rising in surprise with a double-take. Laughing softly then, O'Sullivan shook his head. "Good Evening, doc…"
"Ruby. My name is Ruby," Julia interrupted with a flutter of her lashes and mischief in her heart.
"Ah. Your hair, I take it?" he asked, pointing to her head.
Julia touched the red wig and giggled. "Why, yes, what else?"
"Well, Miss Ruby, it's been awhile since we've last spoken."
Smiling nervously, Julia struggled with where to begin her request. She'd never even dreamt that she'd ever have to have a conversation or make a request like the one she was about to have. The last time she and Mr. O'Sullivan had dealings, she helped him identify a killer in his community and he made sure that man paid the ultimate price. She took in a breath to speak then her companion interrupted.
"Miss Ruby, you didn't call me here to catch up on our lives. So, I'm assuming that you need my assistance. I see your husband has gotten himself into a bit of trouble of late, murder it seems," he whispered in a low rasp right into her ear, cutting straight to business.
Blunt as ever, she observed. Nodding, Julia smiled in gratitude that he'd spared her the awkwardness of an explanation. "Yes, but William Murdoch is a good man, I know for a fact that he'd never…" she began before she was cut off again.
"I know who William Murdoch is and I have followed you in the papers as well. He is currently wanted in a burlesque dancer's death." At this the man threw back the remainder of his drink and signaled for another one for himself and offering one for her as well.
Julia nodded and accepted the whiskey; she was going to need liquid courage for this conversation.
"Yes, exactly," Julia confirmed. "Those have been false stories given to the papers to distract from the truth. Lydia Hall was not only herself a victim, she was also a witness. She saw Franklin Williams murder the labour organizer, Edward Dobbs with his own hands at the behest of Robert Graham. She was in fear for her life and came to my husband for protection. Only they followed her to our home and knocked William out and then murdered that poor, terrified woman. They placed her body in my bed, next to my husband, to make him look like the murderer," Julia added.
"Edward Dobbs was a good man. He didn't deserve the sendoff he got," O'Sullivan commented with a scowl. "So Franklin Williams is in cahoots with Robert Graham for the murder you say? Most interesting… Of course Graham has always made you wonder what he was up to; furthermore, I have despised him for years. What else do you know?" he asked, tipping the barmaid well once she brought the drinks over.
"Mr. Dobbs was murdered at the Bacchus Club and we've tipped off someone we trust in the constabulary. Hopefully, he will go there and collect any evidence. Furthermore, I suspect you heard that I was missing, but that I later retracted it? That actually happened, Mr. O'Sullivan. I was abducted from my suite and was held hostage for over a day. I never saw Mr. Graham, yet I heard his men speak of him and I actually did see Franklin Williams. I have no evidence of Graham's involvement, yet I know he was complicit," Julia explained.
O'Sullivan went very still, his face revealing nothing. "We have helped each other in the past but I owe you nothing. What is to my benefit that I can help you with?"
Julia knew his reputation for deal making, so she decided to lay it out for him. "That development deal which Mr. Graham won for Melinda Street was corrupt at its core. He bought and paid for Franklin Williams' seat on the Board of Control which signed off on the deal, and bribed and blackmailed his way into the proper permits."
"I can't say that I'm surprised," he replied, seeming to be bored with such a revelation, being well versed with this as the normal cost of doing his sort of business.
She took in a deep breath. "Even with your resources, I cannot imagine you were pleased with Mr. Graham's unfair advantage. But it is more than that: we believe that deal is actually an attempt by Americans to take advantage of the Toronto fire to get a foothold into Canada, and that the money that went to pay for it came from an illegal American crime organization known as the Black Hand."
She saw the man's veins bulge at his temples and for a moment, Julia worried that he might have a stroke before he regained his composure.
"Ruby," he said quietly through a tight jaw. "You know I support my community when others bypass it. After the fire I organized assistance for the victims even before the city fathers put a dollar in the kitty. I have created wealth, security, opportunity and jobs for thousands of people: Canadian people. The idea that Americans are trying to infiltrate my country is abhorrent to me and that a criminal element from the States is intruding here in that way is not something I can suffer without redress."
Julia believed him, while having a perfect understanding that O'Sullivan possessed multiple motives. "It seems to me to be in your interest then for us to help one another. I also have other information that you might find useful," she added.
O'Sullivan examined the whiskey in his glass, holding it up to the light then gazing around the smoky, crowded room, while Julia waited for him to speak. She kept her gaze intently on him, pushing everything else out of her awareness except his flat eyes. Nothing changed in them when he answered.
"What do you need?"
She and William planned this part out, assuming Julia could get this far with her quarry. "I want Robert Graham to be brought down by all of this, destroyed socially, politically and financially. I want justice not only for Edward Dobbs' family, but for Miss Hall and my husband, who is wholly innocent of her murder. However, Graham has been smart in that a lot of this can't easily be traced back to him, so I need your assistance in his getting his co-conspirators to admit their part and turn evidence against him so that we can get a conviction," Julia stated, trying not to be distracted by what she saw out of the corner of her eye – namely her husband engaged with another woman. She took a deep breath and did her best to stay focused on the task at hand.
"Who are the weakest links?" he asked sipping his drink again.
"Two men, Mr. Fergus and Mr. McFadden were helping Williams, but were ultimately working for Graham and are members of the Black Hand headed by Giuseppe Falcone and his son. They are the link between Graham and the Americans. By the way, Chief Constable Davis is also involved in the conspiracy," Julia added, watching the man's eyes go wide with mention of the last name.
Meanwhile she did her damnedest to disregard the very buxom woman sitting next to her husband and making decidedly friendly overtures to her husband.
O'Sullivan leaned forward. "As for the Falcones, it won't be the first time they've tried to make a move into Toronto. They're feeling the heat a little too much in Buffalo and are looking for a new place to do business. Fergus and McFadden? I might know who those two idiots are, or where to find them. Can't say I'm surprised about the involvement of Jeffrey Davis either; I thought it was suspicious that he magically got his old job back despite the scandal last year. Problem is that no one knows where he is, and word on the street is that Graham wants him dead just like Franklin Williams now that the poor bastard's served his purpose," the man trailed off, taking another sip of his drink.
Julia tried not to show her interest in the fact that O'Sullivan already knew about the connections between Davis, Graham and Williams, and that Graham was after Davis. That wide-eye reaction I got a second ago about Chief Davis was an act…well I have one better for him! She decided to set that fact aside for later consideration. Julia smiled her most winning, cat-with-a-canary smile.
Shaking his head, he laughed as he saw the grin on Julia's face. "But you know where he is, don't you?" he asked
"Not only do I know, I have him in my custody," Julia stated. "But I'm afraid I can't keep him past tomorrow," Julia informed him. "Mr. O'Sullivan, I could use your assistance in getting him to cooperate in the investigation of the murders of Lydia Hall and Edward Dobbs, by getting Mr. Fergus and Mr. McFadden to testify about the whole conspiracy, in exchange for immunity from any involvement in the murders. I want to see the parties responsible for such acts charged, not innocent parties like my husband and who knows who else," Julia explained.
"I can do that. I'll make sure Fergus and McFadden are persuaded to help your investigation against Graham. As for Davis, I'm assuming you need help in both moving him and persuading him to assist you, correct?" he asked.
"I do. We'll need to wait until later at night to move him, there's no way of moving him without someone noticing him during the day," Julia added while staring at her husband who was entirely too close with the woman at his table, the displeasure crossing her face when she saw O'Sullivan look across at William and laugh softly.
Julia froze in fear when she realized that she had just given William away, but O'Sullivan merely looked at her and winked. "Can't say that I'd allow my wife to walk into a place like this on her own either. Come to think of it, I wouldn't allow her to walk in a place like this at all," he chuckled, tossing back the remainder of his drink.
Julia said nothing, but nodded in understanding.
Standing up, O'Sullivan grabbed his hat and cane. "Very well, Miss Ruby. Shall we meet tomorrow night at The Tipsy Ferret? Same time?"
Julia agreed. "Yes, that will work fine."