CHAPTER 5
As They left for breakfast the next morning, Julia couldn´t help but noticing how her husband was tense. This way, instead of following for the dinning saloon, the woman pushed her husband to the side and look at him deeply.
''William, what's the matter?'' she asked.
''Honestly Julia, I'm biggening to doubt when I'm going to have just a nice trip or even a nice evening, just me and you, without interruptions.'' He growled and in response, Julia just embraced him.
''William, we will have all the time on the world to do this, we will have our time to enjoy ourselves, you don´t need to be grumpy about it,'' Julia laughed. ''it's the case that's worrying you, right?''
''It is as well,'' he breathed heavily. ''I Just want to see it close before we dock tomorrow.'' He said as he saw John Jacob and his wife Madeline walking over them. ''Julia, I got an idea how we will end this case.''
''What's your idea?'' asked the wife.
''We should have done this before, why I didn´t thought of it… we need to look into the crime scene, I think, we will find the answers we need there.''
''And you want to ask the Astors help? William don´t forget you just put them on the suspect list.''
''I know, but you think I had offended them?''
''Not exactly, but I don´t suppose they want to help you anymore.'' Julia replied.
''Well… I think it will be worth try.'' He said walking toward the other couple, who smiled at them.
''Detective, good morning, may we have a word?'' John Jacob asked.
''Of course, Mr. Astor,'' William frowned. ''I would like to speak with you as well.''
''Detective, Madeline and I were talking and we thought that maybe she could start a search party at the crime scene with other ladies, to help you solve the case… with your permission of course.''
''Maybe Mrs. Murdoch would like to assist us as well, what you think Mrs. Murdoch?'' asked Mrs. Astor.
''Well, I will be delighted, it will of course help very much.'' Julia smiled, turning the table.
''Well, we have nothing to lose, Mr. Astor, I think it wont hurt, if we join forces to solve the case, thank you,'' Murdoch replied. ''Maybe after that, you can help me with some finger marks, if you don´t mind.''
''Of course not, it will be my pleasure help you, detective.'' Mr. Astor shook hands with William.
Once the Astors left, Julia couldn´t help but laugh and slap Williams´s shoulder affectionately. ''See my darling, sometimes things got better than we expected.'' She laughed.
''Yes, it does.'' He replied with a smile as they walk around the deck.
_/_
The search party the ladies prepared went smooth; once making sure Lady Stevens left the cabin, Mrs. Duncan, one of the maids distracted the maid, while Mrs. Astor, Mrs. Murdoch and Mrs. Hockley searched around the room very closely.
''What are we looking for?'' asked Mrs. Duncan.
''A clue, something that leads my husband, the detective to find the killer.'' Julia replied.
''I have read about Detective Murdoch on the papers, I must say he have quite a reputation, Mrs. Murdoch.'' Mrs. Hockley pointed out.
''Oh, thank you, Mrs. Hockley for the complement, I will make sure to pass it to him.'' The doctor smiled.
''Ladies, come over here,'' called Mrs. Astor who was kneeling near the bed. ''I found part of a cigarette….''
''Wait, Mrs, Astor, don´t touch it,'' Julia warned and picking a handkerchief, she grab the cigarrett from under the bed. ''If you touch it, your fingermarks will be on it.''
''Its looks like the same cigarette Lady Stevens were smoking.'' Said Mrs. Duncan.
''Are you sure, Mrs. Duncan?'' Julia asked serious.
''Yes, I am,'' the woman said ''She smokes a lot at the saloon.''
''That's quiet something.'' Julia agreed.
''What are you going to do now, Mrs. Murdoch?'' Mrs. Astor asked.
''I will give this to William, so he will find the culprit´s fingermarks,'' Julia explained. ''Mrs. Astor, would you come with me, please? I believe Mr. Astor is still assisting William at the investigation.'' Said the good doctor and once saying goodbye and thank you to the other women, they left.
_/_
William and John Jacob were just leaving the captain´s office after ask him supplies to work on the fingermarks, when they saw their wives approaching them and without wasting time, Julia soon told her husband what she had found and Mrs. Astor, told him her suspicions.
''I also had seen Lady Stevens smoking cigarettes, more than once, Detective.'' John Jacob nodded.
''Thank you for the information, Mr. Astor,'' William said quietly. ''Julia, may I ask you a favor?'' he asked and she give him a teasingly look. ''Mind if I ask you and Mrs. Astor to get back to the main saloon and keep an eye on the passengers, while I work on the fingermarks?''
''Of course, William.'' Julia told him and with a kiss, the women left.
''Sir, I will need your assistance here.'' The detective asked the passenger.
''Of course, detective.'' Mr. Astor agreed.
For the next half hour, the detective compared the fingerprints on the cigarette, with the murder weapon and a glove, Julia had stolen from the Stevens´s cabin, so William could prove he had indeed found the murder. Once he finished, he put his tools on the table and took a deep breath.
''Mr. Astor, could you please find the captain and meet me at the saloon in ten minutes?'' Murdoch said. ''I think we found the killer.''
''That's a fantastic news, Detective, I will go find the captain right away.'' Mr. Astor patted William´s shoulder and left.
_/_
Back at the saloon, Mrs. Murdoch and Mrs. Astor ordered a tea, while observing the other passengers taking and laughing here and there. Of course, the two ladies, now knowing who had killed Lydia Stevens, keep their eyes mostly at the suspect, as Lady Stevens smoke her cigarette while talk with another woman.
''Mrs. Murdoch, I confess that if your husband are right and Fausta Stevens is the murder, I will be shocked, never thought that a mother could kill their own child…. Its monstrosity!''
''I agree, Mrs. Astor.'' Julia nodded as the detective came in with Mr. Astor, the captain and the master-at-arms.
Instead of going to meet his wife, William walked directly toward Lady Stevens, who looked at him with disgust.
''You again?'' she said.
''Lady Stevens I want you to tell me what really happened the evening of your daughter´s death.'' William snapped. By that time, a lot of people stop their doing, to get around and see what was happening, while Julia and Mrs. Astor, stood with Mr. Astor watching from afar.
''I have nothing to say about it!'' the woman replied.
''We have found fingermarks on the murder weapon, matching exactly with the ones on your cigarette, how you explain your fingermarks ending up there?'' the detective asked and the woman just paled, her eyes full of anger.
''How dare that insolent girl to give in to a tramp's charms, she was willing to squander all my fortune on an unworthy person, I had to do something!''
''So you kill her? Your own daughter?''
''She wasn´t my daughter anymore, Detective…'' she said. ''I did that, I lost my control, hit her with the lamp and smooth her with the pillow… I just though you would arrest that tramp instead and that I regret.''
''Well Lady stevens, you will have a lot of time to think of what you had done while behind bars. Master at arms, you can take her.'' William replied and the woman gone without even complain.
''William!'' Julia rush to him. ''I knew you will solve it in due time!'' he said kissing him.
''Congratulations, Detective!'' Mr. Astor congratulated him.
''I just did my duty,'' William said unhappy. ''But I still can´t help but feel shock when I find murders like this.'' He said, just wanting to put that investigation behind.
_/_
With the case closed and Lady Stevens behind bars, the rest of the trip went well, sure, it was the morning of the returning, so the couple had breakfast and decided to spend the morning walking around the ship, before returning to their cabin to pack their bags.
When the ship docked, the Murdoch's said goodbye to the Astors, thanking them to assist on the investigation and hoping to meet them again someday. However, Julia could notice her husband was still upset about something and decided to interrogate him.
''I´m just upset that my gift to you, turned into a fiasco, I really wanted you to have a perfect birthday, my love.'' He said and in response, she smiled.
''Mr. Murdoch, solving a mystery abord the most amazing ship on Canada, alongside the man I love, I couldn't have ask for a better gift!'' she exclaimed, making him laugh.
And with a kiss, they took a carriage back home.
END.
END NOTE: John Jacob Astor was a real person, he died on Titanic sinking, 1912. His wife, Madeline, who was pregnant at the time, survived.