PART 3
The Station was into its usual business when Nina Bloom came to talk to George. When she arrived, she spotted an older woman talking to him and she didn't approach, letting the constable do his job. Once George led the woman toward the constable responsible for the sketch and she gave the description and the drawing to George, Nina approach, greeting the woman before she left.
''Nina, what a surprise, what brings you here?'' George asked.
''Your investigation,'' she said showing him the newspaper. ''Remember when you ask us girls if we know any Molly Jones? Here is she, a criminal from Winnipeg and this man, Desmond must be the killer.''
''Nina! This is brilliant!'' George exclaimed. ''We suspect she was a con artist, by the objects we found at her place…This man, however, can be our killer?''
''It says they were husband and wife. His name is Desmond and they acted in Winnipeg mostly,'' replied Nina.'' And… and I have seen him at the club already.''
''You did?'' George asked amazed. ''Why didn't you tell me?''
''Because I didn't know he was a wanted man… and he isn't my client, his favorite is Virginia,'' she explained.
''Then we have a problem and I need the Inspector to know this.''
''What is it?'' the dancer asked, confused.
''You remember my old mentor, Mr. Murdoch, the one I told you about?'' he asked and Nina nodded trying to remember. ''The woman you saw leaving, is Mr. Murdoch´s nurse. She came here, because Mr. Murdoch had been visited by a mysterious man and Mrs. Murdoch asked her to come here and give us the description… which matches with this Desmond.''
''Oh… what you will do now?'' Nina tried to understand.
''I will have to talk to the Inspector,'' George explained before giving Nina a kiss. ''Thank you, Nina, you helped a lot,'' he said and went to the inspector's office.
Once George finished explaining everything to the inspector, the older man, shocked, just got up and took his cane and hat, announcing he was going to the hotel, to have a chat with his former detective.
_/_
After making sure William was all right, Julia convinced him to get out of bed, so they could go to dinner with the other guests in the salon, when as they left the elevator, they spotted the inspector coming toward them with a frown. However, when they asked if everything was all right, Thomas told them they needed to have a chat.
"Listen Murdoch, this isn't because you aren't a detective anymore, that you need to join the dark side," the Inspector said and in response both Julia and William frowned.
"Don't understand," William said, and the Inspector showed him the drawing of Desmond Jones.
"Your nurse came to the station a few hours ago, talked to Crabtree who said that you had been visited by this man, the same man Miss Bloom had seen in the dancing club a few nights ago. The same man whose face is in the newspaper, accused of being a con artist from Winnipeg along with his wife, who we suspect he killed,'' Thomas explained. ''Now, my question is, are you protecting him?''
''No!'' William said firmly.
''So, tell me how and why you met him?'' the Inspector asked. ''Remember Murdoch, you don´t have your badge anymore, if you play dirty, the judge won't pity you, to say the least. You aren't involved in this trouble, are you, Doctor?''
''No, of course not… although…'' Julia started. ''For a few days now, William has been acting strange, like he´s afraid of something,'' she said and in response, her husband lowered his head.
''I… I not protecting him… witnessed.''
''Witnessed?'' Thomas was confused.
''There, Sir, the window, I saw it… the crime,'' the former detective tried to explain. ''The Window.''
''You…? Bloody hell…'' Quickly, the Inspector rushed to the window and upon seeing the crime scene, he coughed. ''Why didn´t you tell us before?''
''Could not,'' was the answer.
''I will accept it as if you have been threatened - one more motive for you to contact us, Murdoch,'' Thomas said. ''I will send a constable here to take notes and you will tell them everything, but please you two, don't leave this apartment,'' he said quickly and left.
Once the inspector left, Julia got up and started to walk around the apartment, a serious frown on her face. For the past three days she saw her husband nervous, spending most of his hours sitting in front of the window and significantly afraid of leaving his apartment. Part of her of course felt guilty, she remembered when she came home that night and saw him on the floor, anxiously telling her about a murder he said he witnesses. If only she had believed him first.
''So, its means that the 'friend' Mrs. Parker said came to visit you, was Desmond Jones?''
''Yes,'' William answered.
''And I suppose it wasn't the first time he came to talk to you?'' Julia asked again and William confirmed her suspicion. ''If this man was indeed threatening you, William, why didn't you tell me? Or even Mrs. Park, she certainly would have called the police.''
''Lia… I needed… to p-protect…''
''Who you need to protect? Me? That's how Mr. Jones threatened you? By threatening me?'' she asked, and William nodded sadly. ''William, even so, I thought you should tell someone about being threatened.''
''Love You, J-lia… don´t want you hurt.''
''Don´t worry William, everything will be solved in no time,'' Julia said and in turn, William just hoped she was right.
_/_
As promised, the Inspector asked George to go to the hotel the same afternoon, to collect the information from Murdoch and for the first time in three days, the older man picked up the courage to tell his old friend everything.
''I owe Higgins an apology. He told me you had probably witnessed the crime and I called him crazy,'' George said as William finished the face puzzle. ''Sir, it's the same man from this photo?'' George showed him the two matches.
''Yes.''
''Right, Sir, I want you to tell me with your own words what you saw on Friday night, please.''
''Where Watts?'' William asked.
''Detective Watts passed the case to the Inspector as he was needed elsewhere,'' George said. ''Now Sir, the facts,'' he asked, and William told him everything, from the fight he heard, until Desmond left Molly´s body on the ground and the two visits Desmond paid him after that.
''He hit me,'' William said again.
''He hit you? Where?'' George asked and when William pointed to his stomach, George just nodded. ''Right Sir, thank you for your collaboration, I will pass the information to the Inspector and since I know where we can find him, we will get this Desmond arrested by tomorrow, don´t worry.'' George said good bye to both the former detective and the doctor, and left.
_/_
Once at the station, George told his superior everything William told him. Apparently, Desmond had killed his wife Molly because she flew away with the money they stole. And since the former detective had seen him, Desmond swore revenge, in case he told the police.
''That's explains a lot,'' the Inspector said, taking a deep breath. ''Now how do we get this bastard?''
''Sir, may I have an idea? I don't think the detective would like to be used as bait…''
''Of course not Crabtree, what are you thinking off?''
''Well Sir… Nina said she saw the suspect hanging around The Star Room,'' George said. ''If I asked her, she could tell us the next time she sees him there.''
''If your idea doesn't endanger her, do it… it's Thursday and I wanted this dammed case solved by tomorrow!'' the Inspector growled impatiently.
With that then, George left to his desk in order to call Nina, who in turn, was more than anxious to help solve the case.