ACT 2
Julia Ogden looked like a mad woman when she arrived at the scene. When she received the call from Mr. Dilbert, she literally left everything she was doing behind and not even caring to pick up her belongings, she rushed to the scene, forcing herself to not think dreadful thoughts.
''WILLIAM!'' upon seeing her husband pressed between the car and the bus, Julia almost jumped out of the carriage and ran to him, holding his face with one hand, while checking his pulse with the other. ''William, answer me,'' she exclaimed and in response, he just squeezed her hand.
''Its alright Julia, truly.'' He smiled weakly.
''How this happen?'' Julia gasped and when Nina told her what she knew, Julia got angry. ''Why did no one tried to get you out?'' she exclaimed.
''Julia… I can't… I can't feel my legs, but I'm not in pain… I'm fine…'' William smiled and Julia just caressed his face with worry.
''Doctor…'' Nina started, uneasy. ''I suppose he had hurt more than his legs, so I gave the order for no one move the car.'' Nina explained looking down.
''You ordered?'' Julia snapped. How dare a burlesque dancer know what was best to do regarding William?
''He´s… he´s sweating cold… at the Star room, the last thing that happened… one of the girls had internal bleeding.'' She explained, and Julia just looked at her with a frown. Of course, as a doctor, Dr. Ogden knew that there must be a reasonable explanation why they didn´t released William, however, as a wife, all Mrs. Murdoch wanted was to get her husband in a more comfortable position.
Suddenly, the Inspector come back and once getting Dr. Ogden's attention, he asked Nina if she could find George and both of them could find who belonged the car.
''Mr. Dilbert didn´t… know who create the fraud?'' William asked.
''He does, but he is afraid to say the name and the suspect try kill him again. He has a point,'' said the Inspector and with a nod Nina left. ''How are you doing, Murdoch?''
''Could be better Sir…'' the detective smiled.
''We´re going to get you out Murdoch.'' The Inspector nodded.
''Julia… I love you, you know that?'' William smiled back to his wife instead of talking to the Inspector.
''William, its hardly the time!'' Julia scolded him.
''Julia, you listened to Miss Bloom…''
''Ah, so you prefer to believe in a burlesque dancer´s judgment than in a Doctor´s one?'' Julia frowned. ''The Important thing now William, is to find out who did this and get you out of here,'' she said, and in response, William lowered his head.
''Julia, could you buy me a glass of water? I´m thirsty,'' he said and in response, the wife left without a word.
Once she did, Murdoch turn to his inspector with a serious look. ''Sir… I don´t think I will be leaving here… Julia may deny it, but she knows as well,'' he said in the Inspector frowned to him.
''Don´t lose your hope, Murdoch, for your wife´s sake. Miss Bloom isn´t a doctor, and as much she is trying to help, you can´t believe in her judgement,'' the Inspector said and in response, the detective nodded.
_/_
More than one hour had passed and George and Nina had not come back yet. Meanwhile, after what William told her, Julia refused to talk to him, but stood by his side, holding his hand.
In the meantime, the bus driver lost his patience again, complaining that all the tourists had left the bus and he lost money. In addition, he wanted to go back to his station and the car was blocking his way.
''Sir… there´s a man pinned between your bus and the car, could you have a little compassion!'' Mr. Dilbert warned him.
''I don´t even care, get out of my way!'' the driver exclaimed, however, when he was about to command his horses to walk, Julia yelled a loud no.
''Julia…''William looked at her shocked.
''They can´t do this…'' she gasped and looked at her husband. ''William… Nina… Miss Bloom is right, you may have broken your pelvis on the impact. This car is the only thing keeping you alive… if we took it away, you… you will bleed to death.'' She cried and with a smile, William just caressed her face.
''You heard the lady, if you move one more inch, you will be arrest for murder, Sir.'' Det Watts told the driver who looked furious.
Half hour later, as much he tried to hide it, William started to get delirious. If life flashes before the eyes as they say, the older detective started to have flashes of his childhood, his years as lumberjack, his start at the police force, as well as the first time he met Julia and when they get married.
''William!'' Julia exclaimed. ''William, look at me!'' She held his face in her hands making him look at her as George and Nina came back.
''So, what have you two found?'' the Inspector asked.
''Sir, we went to the city hall to go through all the citizens who have a motor vehicles in their names and guess what? The last purchase came from Mr. Flannelly, the owner of the Water Company,'' said George.
''And we learned he paid my brother, who is a mechanic, to cut the brake lines,'' said Nina.
''You found the suspect, George, Miss Bloom?'' William asked above a whisper.
''We did Sir. And I suspect that he must be hurt with the impact as well, if he hadn't a seatbelt.''
''Now we need to take you to the hospital detective, the ambulance is ready!'' Mr. Dilbert smiled.
''And I will be assisting the ambulance's assistance.'' Julia proclaimed.
''But… the suspects?'' William asked.
''Don´t worry about it now Murdoch, we will take care of them, now it's about time we take care of take you out of here. Crabtree, when you and Watts move the motorcar back, be sure to go far enough to give Dr. Ogden and the assistants room to work.''
''Yes Sir!'' they nodded.
''It will hurt?'' William asked looking like a child fearing a vaccine and with a smile, Julia kissed his cheek.
''Don't worry William the nurse has a morphine right… where´s the nurse?'' Julia panicked looking around and seeing no one.
''She was here a minute ago!'' Mr. Dilbert exclaimed.
For a minute they stopped, just looking side to side for where the woman who said she was a nurse was, not focusing already, at the woman who was approaching behind Mr. Dilbert with a needle in hand ready to inject the man with a fatal dose of morphine. Sadly enough, she wasn´t discreet enough and ended up calling Nina´s attention.
''You viper!'' Nina barked grabbing the woman by her hair.
''Let me go you whore!'' the nurse exclaimed, now getting everyone´s attention.
''You… Miss Liston…'' Mr. Dilbert pointed to her with wide eyes.
''Miss Liston, you were the one pushing the stroller!'' Watts push Nina away and grabbed the other woman´s arm.
'' I beg your pardon! I was simply going to assist the doctor.'' She smiled at Watts.
''Of course! I recognize her, Detective. She did this! She is a jilted lover. Angry enough to try to hurt me,'' said a man with the broken nose, the car owner, Mr. Flannelly. "You! Hurting this poor, innocent man.''
''Mr. Flannery,'' the Inspector started. ''Miss Liston likely had an accomplice. And I suspect we'll find that you are a principal at the Water Company.''
''I...''
''You found out that Mr. Dilbert had information that could cost you a city contract. A loss big enough to bankrupt your company, I'll wager,'' he continued.
''What?''
''So you learned Mr. Dilbert's routine. You and Miss Liston set about to prevent him from telling anyone what he'd learned. She pushed the stroller into the intersection, giving you the excuse you needed to do what you intended all along: to hit Mr. Dilbert with your motorcar… Too bad my detective got into your way!''
''That's ridiculous.''
'' You said yourself the brakes were sabotaged. You cut them, sunshine. That's why you knew to wear a restraint. Miss Liston then returned to the scene and helped you get rid of it,'' the Inspector finished.
''I suspect we'll find marks on this belt matching the metal hooks behind the seat of your motorcar,'' Watts added.
''No! It was an accident!'' Mr. Flannelly exclaimed.
''Tell this to the man who got hit by your car! Take them away,'' the Inspector ordered as the constables took both man and woman away.
Once they left, the Inspector, Nina, George, Mr. Dilbert and Watts looked at the detective who was now too tired to keep himself upright, and his wife Julia, who leaned her head on his shoulder. It was a tragic but beautiful image.
''Inspector?'' the clerk called him in anxiety.
''Let's go help the detective, its time,'' Brackenreid simply said as they approached the couple.