Chapter 3:
A whole month had then passed since the charity work when Chief Inspector Brackenreid called Murdoch into his office. He invited him to dinner with Dr. Brenks and himself. William hesitantly accepted but having no real choice.
"It's an important dinner. We must have a good relationship with this man." began his superior.
"I don't understand, sir. Why do we have to have a good relationship with him?" William asked with a slight frown.
"Well… I haven't really told you everything. Not only is Ethan Brenks able to provide us with access to his morgue and coroners – especially since we currently have none in this position – but he is also a great friend of Terrence Meyers." sighed Thomas.
"The government agent?"
"Yes, the one who can put us all on trial for treason if we don't do what he says. We need to have a good relationship with him. This may allow us to have "favors" if he were to stick his nose in our business." the man with bright red hair annoyed.
"I understand better…"
"Well…Doctor Brenks isn't hard to be around. He only has a superior air which exasperates me." immediately admitted the chief inspector. "On the other hand, his wife… Have you seen her Murdoch? She's beautiful, don't you think?"
"Well…" William suddenly felt uneasy.
"But no! Don't tell me it didn't work for you either! It's impossible! I'm going to start believing you're not interested in women and love, my dear friend!" Brackenreid scoffed. "Finally! I invite you to this dinner at my house! Do not be late!"
William nodded and walked out of his superior's office.
"Ha, detective! We've received Mrs. Hernandez's fingerprints." Officer George Crabtree informed Detective Murdoch.
"Very well. Try to analyze them with those found on the glass that the victim had in his hand."
William thought once again of Dr. Brenks' wife as he watched George rummaging through the various sheets on the desk. During this month, they had had the opportunity to see each other several times during various events. They had met during dinners or receptions. William kept getting invited to all that pointless stuff ever since Brackenreid had formed a close professional bond with Ethan Brenks. But, although these receptions did not matter to William, he was always so happy to go there because he knew that he would meet Julia Brenks.
At each event, the two adults spent whole hours together talking. They discussed science, progress, technology, and much more personal matters. William had been captivated by the young woman. By her intelligence, her conversation, and her beauty. Ethan Brenks was so lucky...
The young woman had told him about her daughters of whom she was so proud. She also told him a bit about her family. Of her deceased parents and her sister who was alive but who seemed to prefer a more atypical way of life. The detective had detected a hint of jealousy in Mrs. Brenks' words about her sister's life and he was sad for her. Such a smart woman should not have to stay home. She should serve society. She should put her talent and her thinking at the service of a company that would make elegant use of it.
On the evening of the famous dinner with the Chief Inspector and Doctor Brenks, William put on his best suit. He felt like he used it more times in a month than he had since buying it. When he went to the Brackenreids, the door was opened to him by Margaret, whom he politely greeted with a big smile. He heard laughter in the living room, and he realized that the doctor had already arrived.
He entered the living room, followed Margaret, and saw the doctor standing with the chief inspector. They turned to him, but he paid no attention. What he saw was Julia Brenks sitting in one of the armchairs in the living room. She stood up and gave him a smile and a polite nod.
Although the evening went wonderfully, he kept avoiding looking at Dr. Brenks' wife - which looked almost suspicious, he finally thought. He felt the doctor's dry gaze land on him at the same time.
"Well…detective? Are you as smart as people say?" Ethan suddenly asked with a vicious look, one elbow on the back of his chair.
"Ethan…" Julia scolded in a whisper that William caught right on.
"Well…it all depends on what people say about me." William said without flinching. He did not like the way the doctor was talking to him. As to a man much inferior to him.
"People…"
"Ethan that's enough. It's time to go home, I think." Julia cut in a little more firmly.
"I think you're right..." sighed the doctor who sounded a little drunk.
"I must speak with you before you leave." Thomas Brackenreid suddenly declared as he stood up. "I suggest you take a walk in our garden, Mrs. Brenks, you won't regret it, I assure you. Margaret will accompany you."
The inspector waved nonchalantly at his wife as he dragged the staggering doctor with him.
When the chief inspector closed the door to his office behind him, Margaret stood up.
"Excuse me, but I'm going to have to take care of the dishes if I don't want to go to bed too late when you leave." began Margaret Brackenreid. "And you can imagine that if I don't do it, it's not Thomas who will carry out this task."
Mrs. Brenks burst into a beautiful laugh that immediately caught William's attention. He did not remember ever hearing her laugh. Not when they had met at that charity ball, not during all the dinner or receptions. The young woman seemed extinguished when she was in the presence of her husband, or when he was nearby. He seemed to diminish her and tended to dominate the audience with his presence. Although it was clear that he was very proud of his wife.
"William will accompany you to visit our garden." Margaret smiled at them one last time and slipped away to the kitchen where she knew she would probably spend the rest of the evening.
Note: William and Julia are alone… What could happen?