PART 4
Once Murdoch told the Inspector what he witnessed, he felt a weight left his shoulders and start acting like his old self again. That same night, knowing he couldn't turn to his side, he asked Julia to embrace him and for the first time in the week, he managed to sleep well. The next day, the couple started to make plans to go on the trip Julia suggested the other day. Everything seemed to go back to normal, as he fully trusted his former colleagues to catch the killer.
Meanwhile, as suggested by Murdoch himself, George managed to convince the Inspector to wait two more days to solve the case, so Desmond would not be too intrigued and in response, the Inspector reluctantly accepted.
''I have a bad feeling with this plan Crabtree,'' the Inspector confessed serving himself another dose of scotch.
''Sir, everything will be alright. Miss Bloom will call me when Desmond Jones appear there, I will go there with uniformed men, pretending to be late and when Nina points him out, I will arrest him.''
''If he doesn't kill her,'' corrected the Inspector.
''I doubt he will Sir… and besides, you give orders to Higgins and McNab to go undercover,'' George said. ''What could go wrong?''
''With Higgins there? You even ask?'' the Inspector smirked, getting George confused.
''Well, I suppose it will be worth try, Sir,'' the constable said and left to his work.
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Back at the hotel two evenings later, despite of the lightness he was feeling, William couldn´t help but felt insecure and once again, decided to sit in front of the window, as if waiting for something to happen, leaving Julia worried.
''William, what's bothering you this time?'' she asked, kneeling in front of him.
''Having bad feeling,'' he said without looking at her.
''William, you said yourself that the lads will take care of this. We are out of danger already, don´t worry,'' she said, and he nodded. ''Look, I needed to go to the hospital a bit, see if everything is alright there and pick up your medicine. I will be right back. Will you be alright alone?''
''Yes, love you.''
''I love you too,'' she kissed him and left, not knowing the trouble she got themselves in.
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Just a few hours earlier, it was the time to put the plan into action. At the Star Room, once spotting Desmond Jones arriving, Nina ran backstage, called George and ran to the stage to start her performance. Everything was amazing and going according to plan.
When George arrived, all dressed in his uniform, Nina approach him, saying he was handsome in his uniform and pretended to move to give him a kiss. She told him where Desmond was, however, as George turn around, he was already gone.
''What the… he was here a minute ago!'' Nina exclaimed.
''He escaped… Jesus, Nina, call the station and tell the Inspector to go to the hotel immediately, we've got a problem… but not leaves here.'' George ran out on the street with Higgins and McNab.
''Be careful!'' she said, trying to understand what happened and where the plan went wrong.
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While he walked down the streets as fast as possible, hiding from time to time in alleys, Desmond gritted his teeth in anger, as he regretted not having killed that burlesque dance before. She just took him for a fool, and he hated when someone did that - that's why he killed Molly in the first place.
Since three days ago, he knew something was happening, by the way the dancer looked at him, as if she was waiting for him to do something bad. He immediately realized he had fallen into a trap and when that constable arrived, Desmond stole a knife from the table and rushed after the only person whom he could harm with such thing.
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Alone at the hotel, Murdoch was finishing another book, when he heard knocks on his door. Thinking it was the tea he asked for, he went to answer it, just to come face with face with a truly angry Desmond Jones. Immediately, he tried to close the door, but the killer was stronger than him, managing to push the door open, knocking William on the floor.
''You crippled bastard! I told you to not call the police!'' he pulled William up by his collar, forcing him to get up.
''I didn't…'' William was disparate, for once fearing for his life.
''Don't lie to me! I know you sent that constable and a prostitute after me!'' Desmond yelled, throwing the former detective over a coffee table. In fear William tried to crawl away from the killer, but Desmond jump over the table and dragged the older man back by his legs.
''You will pay for what you did old friend,'' Desmond laugh. ''Imagine your wife's face, when she learns that her crippled husband was involved with a prostitute? Don´t worry, I will make sure the prostitute pays as well, so you can be together in the afterlife,'' he said furiously and without warning, start to kick the older man all over his body.
''No… stop!'' William pleaded trying to protect his head with his good hand, but Desmond didn´t seemed to pity him and kept kicking him over and over.
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In the hotel lobby, Julia was just about to get into the elevator, when she turned to her side, spotting the Inspector coming toward her with a furious look. ''Inspector, what happened?'' she asked.
''Doctor, what are you doing out of your appartment?''
''Went to the hospital, picked up William´s medicine. Why? What happened?''
''Crabtree´s plan went over the fence, our killer gone loose and…'' Thomas was saying when a footman came running, saying he heard a fight in one of the suites, the Murdoch's one.
''Oh God…'' Julia went pale, feeling her knees trembling.
''That bastard found Murdoch!'' the Inspector exclaimed and without saying another word they rushed to the suite, not even waiting for reinforcements.
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At the suite, Desmond had stopped kicking William and was now walking around the former detective like a vulture, while mumbling what he was going to do with the money when he recovered it. ''Maybe I even marry your widow and gain a new life, what you think old friend?'' He smiled down at William.
On the floor William was struggling to stay awake. Desmond had probably broken more than his ribs by kicking him, however, instead of killing him, he just left the battered old man on the floor struggling to breath or move.
Still, upon hearing his wife´s name, the former detective got angry. He couldn´t let the killer come closer to Julia, so, mustering his last strengths, he used his trembling hand to grab a lamp and throw in Desmond´s direction.
The killer laughed at the act, as Murdoch didn't manage to throw the lamp an inch way from his own body, before passing out of pain.
''You wake up!'' He slapped the man´s face and grabbed him by his collar again, putting him on sitting position. ''If you hadn´t told the police about me, I would have kept my word and you would be safe,'' Desmond growled. ''But you had to open your goddam mouth, so I had to do this,'' he said. ''Goodbye, Mr. Murdoch, it was a pleasure deal with you,'' he said grabbing a knife and slowly tug it on William´s side.
The former detective opened his mouth to scream, when suddenly the door burst open and the Inspector came in with Julia, followed by Higgins and George who arrived at the hotel that very moment.
''Oh, we have visitors!'' Desmond smiled dryly, finally releasing William. ''To what do we owe the pleasure, Sirs?''
''Desmond Jones, you are under arrest for the murder of your wife Molly Jones, not to mention thievery and assault against Mr. Murdoch and his wife,'' the Inspector said as Higgins handcuffed the killer.
Meanwhile on the floor, William was losing conscious again. He could see through blurry vision that both Julia and George kneeled by his side, but he was unable to hear their voices, their pledges for him to stay awake. Instead, he just smiled to the woman he loved before passing out once again.