Thunderstorms – Continued
Chapter 6: Thursday, August 7, 1913
The carriage pulled up to the front gate of the Don Jail. The day was incredibly hot, and William was already sweating even though it was not even 10:00 in the morning yet. He left the bag he had packed in the carriage and instructed the driver to wait. As the Warden had planned, the crowd was held at bay by a tape and some guards. William marveled at the size of the crowd – protesters both for and against contraception, and by the sound of the cameras clicking away at him, a large number from the press as well. Only a moment before he reached the gate to enter, it opened and the Warden appeared with Julia and a guard. His heart thumped so in his chest. It was really true – she was coming home. He pulled his hat from his head and shook the Wardens hand (click, click the camera shutters went). The moment Julia appeared the crowd grew into a roar, protesters yelling, her surprisingly numerous supporters cheering.
It seemed that she saw only him. "William," she said. Somehow she looked so vulnerable – It tugged at his insides. He stepped closer to her and took her in his arms, evoking an even louder cheer from the crowd. As a unique and often news-worthy couple, the Murdoch's had become famous and somewhat popular. He gave her a brief kiss.
Some of the calls from the crowd became loud enough, distinct enough to be heard – "Dr. Ogden, How does it feel to be free?" "Are you frightened about confronting the poison trap?"
Once her attention was drawn to them, she lifted her hand to shade her eyes and took in the impressive sight. "Oh my God William," she declared.
He leaned close to her ear and replied, "Well, you said you wanted to draw attention to your cause. You are quite a celebrity; it's the talk of the town." He turned to take in the view of the crowd, "It has only gotten bigger since your sentence was first set down," he said, dropping his eyes to draw attention to the three-day old newspapers from back then that she cradled in an arm.
She felt both overwhelmed by the size and energy of the crowd, and empowered by this … amazing man, this man who seemed to always say the right thing. She turned her head, held his eye, hoped with all her heart he could see how very appreciative she was to have him love and care for her so.
"What?" he asked.
"You know what," she answered.
"Do I?" he teased, raising an eyebrow.
"You do," she asserted, reaching up and stroking his tie. She brought her lips to his again. The crowd erupted into cheers again. "I guess they are happy for us," she suggested.
"Mm," he replied.
Julia asked, "Do you think I should go talk to the press – I mean I did want the publicity, as you said."
William worried. He'd been hounded by the press at the courthouse a couple of times now, and he didn't think Julia knew how harsh they would be. Even the bundled up newspapers she carried in her arm right now showed how inconsistent and ruthless the press can be. He warned, "Julia, although you have quite a few supporters, there are many that would like to hurt you with their stories – And even those on your side who would sell out for anything they thought were … juicy for the masses to read."
Julia turned to the Warden and asked if it would be possible to allow just one reporter to come speak with her. He agreed and had the guard send over the reporter from the Toronto Gazette. Julia was able to talk with him about the noble cause she was fighting for – the right to learn about and use contraception. She even risked scandal by mentioning abortion, as she had met women inside that would be there for life for having helped women procure abortions, some of them to save their own lives, and she felt the laws should at least be considered as too harsh in such cases.
After the reporter finished with Julia he asked William a question, "Some say you killed the coroner – Reynolds, to get your wife freed… Knowing that only she would be considered able to safely handle the poison trap, and thus be let out on parole?"
William and Julia were both taken aback – neither of them had heard such allegations, and hadn't even considered such a possibility. Looking slightly stunned, William responded, "I love Julia, missed her terribly, our children suffered without their mother as well. It is true I wanted her freed, but NO, No I did not, and would not, do such a thing."
Julia interjected, "Ben Reynolds was a colleague and a friend. We mourn his loss. Frankly, it's insulting that you would think such a thing possible!"
She was sounding more and more heated, and William decided to pull her away before the situation escalated to dangerous levels. "That's all we have to say. Thank you for your time and good-day," he said, taking Julia by the arm and leading her to the carriage.
She plopped down on the seat and exhaled sharply. He could tell she was riled up. He sat next to her and closed the carriage door. The driver already knew where to go. She slapped her hand down on her lap and said, "The nerve …"
William simply reached over and took her chin in his fingers, turned her face to him, tenderly ran his thumb across her lips. She held his eyes for a moment and then let out a sigh. She pressed her back deeper into the seat and looked out the window as they pulled away from the prison, as they passed through the now rancorous crowd. Only when she sat quiet for a moment did she notice it – The overwhelming attack of the outside world on her senses. The light was so bright, the temperature so hot, the sounds so loud, the smell of mud and horse manure reeked. She had been locked away in a place that was too quiet, too dark, with barely any stimulation of any kind, and now, out in all of this, she felt utterly engulfed and crushed by all the activity and sensations. She wondered how much worse it would probably feel for someone who had been in prison for years. It was troubling. Then she remembered William – quiet, by her side. Only last night she had fantasized about wildly making love with him while on this very carriage ride. That seemed entirely impossible right now.
Her eye fell to the bag on the floor. "You packed a bag?" she asked.
He was wondering about the wisdom of his plan. Romance seemed surprisingly far way right now, although he was not quite sure why. He felt embarrassed about the blatant and selfishly hedonistic reasons he had for having booked a hotel room. He tried to explain, "I, uh …Yes. Um…"
He had her attention.
"I booked us a room at the Windsor House Hotel. We don't need to be to the station until 2:00, and you won't be …um, you don't have to go to the morgue at Stationhouse #5 until tomorrow," he said.
"Oh, I see," she said. She looked back out the window. She wondered if he would explain his motives, although she knew them, loved him for them. He fidgeted and moved about. "He is definitely uncomfortable," she thought, with a little internal giggle of delight.
"Um, Julia, This meeting we have – at 2:00, It is with the Inspector and the Chief Inspector, and Meyers , and Clegg, and … it's important, about this whole poisoning mess and, I … I was concerned I would …" William stopped. He wasn't sure he could say it so plainly. He sighed.
She turned to him. He lifted his head, met her eyes. He looked so hopeful. She smiled. He breathed as relief flowed through him. "Come here," she said. He slid over, confidence building within him, and she took his hand. She couldn't be more in love. A tilt of her head was all it took. They kissed passionately, hands exploring the body of the other, setting flames to desires, racing hearts and breathing rates. It seemed to take mere seconds before the carriage arrived in the front of the Windsor House Hotel.
The clerk recognized them, welcomed them. They had the same suite they'd lived in years ago -312. William closed the door behind them and took the bag into the bedroom to place it on the bed. He quickly joined Julia in the living room, where she wrapped her arms around his neck and he placed his hands on her hips.
William bowed slightly to her and said, "I have missed you."
"And I you," she replied. She reached around the back of his head and took a handful of his hair. "You need a haircut," she said.
"Mm," he explained, "With the children and work, I just couldn't find the time."
She sighed and reflected, "Yes, it seems I had too much time on my hands – and you too little. I'm sorry William. I know it must have been hard." He kissed her. She broke the kiss off rather quickly and said, "William, I know this is silly … But I feel somewhat nervous." She saw concern on his face and regretted having said it. "Um, I mean, it kind of feels like we're on our honeymoon… Like we, um…" She slid her hands down to his chest, played with his tie, and tried to explain better, "I have, and I believe you have, imagined making love with you so very much since I have been away. And, well, I am worried that with all that expectation, well I think you might be disappointed."
He chuckled. She was glad, she so loved his laugh. He slid his hands up the small of her back, calling her insides to alert, desire was growing in her. He said, leaning closer to her ear, "I do not think I will be disappointed." He kissed her neck. His breath flooded her skin. She knew her head would start to spin with lustful need, and yet, she still felt uncomfortable. She pulled back and said, "I'm sorry William. Perhaps a bath … It has been too long since I have been properly clean."
William stepped back even further, "Of course," he said. "I'll order us some lunch?" he suggested.
"That sounds delightful," she replied, "French toast for me!" And she headed to the bathroom.
He called after her, "I packed some of your favorite soap, and your shampoo."
She opened the bag and marveled at her husband. He had packed everything she could want. She could hear him on the phone now – He knew the man on the other end. "Amazing, it was ten years ago," she thought.
William ordered some champagne and two glasses, as well as their meals by the time Julia stood before him, now only wearing her corset and bloomers. She had a seductive look in her eyes, twinkling and dancing their magnetic blue. While he tried to concentrate on sounding coherent to the man on the other end of the phone, working hard to focus on deserts, she undid his tie, and then some buttons on his shirt. She had undone all of the buttons on his vest and most on his shirt before he hung up the phone – his self-control still intact, barely. Before he could protest, she covered his mouth with her finger to silence him and said, "Undo me." She turned and he loosened the strings on her corset. He was aroused, but fought the urge to kiss her or explore any other parts of her body. Once her corset had been removed she turned back to him and said, her voice husky with want, "Windsor House installed showers. Come take one with me."
Warm, steamy water poured down from above, flooding their skin. Julia lathered up her hands with soap and smoothly rubbed and slid her hands all over his chest, his shoulders, his upper arms, admiring his muscles, feeling her own insides tighten and twist in response to the touch. "I do say, William, these muscles seem even more exquisite than before I left for the prison," she declared.
"Less time sleeping and making love – More time making muscles," he explained.
"It seems it was time well spent... Just lovely," she said with passion in her eyes as they dilated to soak him in. She stepped close to him, letting the suds slip and slide between them. Up and down across his skin. He could feel her bosom mold and bend to fit against him as she moved. Usually the quiet one, a moan escaped from his throat. The room was spinning. He felt he might lose control. He roughly took her in a kiss. The taste of her lips, liquidy and intensified from the water flowing down over them, set a fire in him, creating a voracious hunger to take her. He reached down, firmly took a hold of her and lifted as he pulled her tighter to him. Now it was Julia who moaned.
He had grown very excited, and she could feel him pressing strongly into her body. "Oh, I have to have him, touch him," she thought as she reached once more for the soap and lathered up her hands. Julia stepped back and reached down to slide and lather his most sensitive aspect. William's hips thrust forward, once, then again. He was crazed with need. He turned her around, frantically explored the front of her body with his hands from behind; along her smooth, flat belly, up her ribs, to squeeze, and press her bosom. "Oh my god you feel good," he said into her ear, burning his breath into her soul.
The tension she felt in her womb nearly singed her, surging her back into an arch. "William," she pleaded, "Please." They separated briefly, him to let the water rinse the soap off of him, her to fumble with the shower curtain to make enough slack in it that she could lean forward and place her chest against the tiled bathroom wall. He stepped back in close to her, bent forward over her. She gasped as he took a firm hold of her hips and she felt him begin to make love to her. Irrepressibly, "Yes! Yes!" she cried out. "Please William, Please … closer!"
He pushed forcefully into her. He was so close.
"Hurry," she said to herself, reaching down to touch herself, escalating the stimulation he was giving her.
"Right there," she heard him utter, starting to go over the edge. She breathed wildly, "Oh yes," she thought. "Oh yes," as she felt the edges of her insides begin to untwist and burn. Now all she had to do was wait for the wave of pleasure that would flood over her, "Mmm," she moaned as it arrived and she felt him burst, seeming to send a warm glow outward to every cell in her body, filling her with bliss.
Stillness, except for their rapid hearts and roaring breath and the rumble of the shower. He took her ear lobe in his mouth, sucking and nibbling on it. She straightened up, leaned back heavier against him while he wrapped his arms more tightly around her waist. "Oh, how I've missed this," Julia's breathy voice shared. She could feel his smile form as the tension of his lips against her ear stretched. It was not possible to be more content.
"I should go – Lunch will likely arrive any minute," he said. She turned around and nestled into his arms. She didn't want to let him go – at least not yet. He understood, stayed, held her, breathed with her. After a few moments she released him.
Outside of the shower, towel around his waist, Julia asked him, "Oh, William, can you help me get this knot out of the French braid you put in my hair?"
"I have a pocketknife – I'll be right back," he answered. He stepped back into the shower, she turned her back to him and he cut Katie's bootlace and then slid the braid out to enable her to free her curls.
"Such a handy little tool that is, hmm?" she said. Right there and then he decided he would be buying her one, she was just as likely as him to need it someday. Just as he wrapped the towel around his waist again, there was a knock at the door. He decided to forego the towel, dropping it back on the floor, and quickly put on the complimentary men's robe hanging behind the bathroom door. Once the lunch was laid out on the table, William poured both glasses of champagne.
Julia soon joined him, also dressed in the hotel's complimentary robe. He stood and walked over to the two glasses of champagne on the counter, offering one to her.
"But William, I know you to only very rarely drink alcohol," she said.
Knowing it would bring to mind one of their favorite memories – of drinking absinthe in the park and nearly making love, he replied, "Yes, only on special occasions."
She knew her line, saying, "And this is one," with the slightest of smiles at the end of the sentence. They each smiled.
"Yes," he answered, with a slight bow. She took her glass from him and they toasted to freedom. Over lunch, they discussed the case, or possibly cases if they weren't actually connected, and William filled her in on his plans for using the Hazardous Materials Suits when working in the morgue with the poison. They also discussed the children and all the people who had helped care for them while she was away.
After they packed up the dirty dishes, Julia pushed the cart out into the hall to be picked up by the staff. She closed the door and leaned back against it, bringing her eyes to meet his across the room. Gazes locked together, they each breathed and focused on the feelings the other stirred inside of them. Julia was the first to break the trance, approaching her husband, reaching up to trace the edge of the collar of his robe, making sure her fingers glanced along his skin. She stood close enough to him that one of her strands of curls blew in the breeze as the waves of his breath flowed across it.
William couldn't resist its temptation and took the lock in his fingers, twisting and teasing it. "We still have nearly an hour till we need to leave," he said.
"And, have you any ideas on how we could spend this hour?" she asked provocatively, tilting her head and ducking her lips just under his, placing them tantalizingly close to his.
He leaned in, whispered in her ear, "Ishinpō." (Ishinpō is an ancient Chinese method of lovemaking in which the man puts off his urges to tease and pleasure the woman, culminating in lovemaking that is extremely pleasurable for both of them).
Julia was surprised at the way just William's voice saying the word "Ishinpō" could penetratingly arouse her. She started to feel that lovely swirling in her head, making speech challenging. She simply responded, "Mmm … delightful."
William asked her to retrieve the ice bucket from the food cart in the hall and to meet him in the bedroom. He found the Chinese scented oils he had packed in the bag. Taking the ice bucket from his wife, he reached down and undid the sash of her robe, pushing the garment to the sides to reveal some of her feminine curves. She watched as his eyes grew wide with the sight of her. Lust swelled in him, his breath on her was hot and strong. His first attempt to speak failed as his voice was dry. He cleared his throat and instructed, "Take the robe off and lie down on the bed on your stomach." He turned and went into the bathroom. There he filled the bucket with hot water, added a few drops of the Chinese oils and drenched a washcloth in the bucket. Returning to the bedroom he was greeted by the most beautiful sight he may ever have seen. His wife, her curvaceous and firm derriere completely exposed, inviting and vulnerable, was laid out before him. The thunderbolt traveled immediately to his groin. "William," he coached himself, "Self-control." He dropped his robe and then kneeled in front of her feet at the end of the bed, placing the hot water down on the floor next to him.
He used the hot washcloth to warm, relax and soothe her feet before massaging them. After a few moments, he intensified his attention to rubbing, kissing and sucking on her arches, and then her ankles. Her moans of pleasure verified Ishinpō theory, that the feet harbor much sexual energy. Each of her enchanting utterances, combined with the twisting and clenching of her muscles as she writhed and arched in response to her growing desires, caused his own lustful flames to burn higher. He worked his way up her legs, massaging, kissing, and treasuring each inch of her flesh. Upon reaching her buttocks, he had to strain to control himself. He would delay taking what he wanted; he would tease and tempt, increasing her ripeness, her flooding need for him. He breathed over her, kissed around her, bit and sucked on the firm flesh near her. Desire arched her back, an uncontrollable response to his teasing, lifting that which most lured him up closer, as she moaned and wriggled with yearning. "Please William," she begged, then twisted and tensed, pleading, "Oh my God, William," only to have him move on past the spot where she most ached for his touch.
He slowly slid upwards over her body, allowing her to feel the superb sensation of skin sliding over skin. He let his weight press down into her back, stealing her breath, and then he tantalized and tortured her neck, her ears, with his mouth. Rolling her over onto her back, he laid the hot, moist cloth over her face, and then sucked, kissed, and nibbled her neck, her shoulders, her upper arms. He removed the cloth and then cherished her face with his hands, then his mouth. He kneaded every inch of her. Her underarms suffered excruciating focus from his mouth, creating a deluge of sweltering urgency deep within her. He worshipped her bosom, before his own urges overtook the wildness of his caresses, driving him to squeeze, suck and nip fiercely on her flesh. Thrilling him, as such roughness seemed to urge her on stronger, intensifying her moans and abandoned twitches.
His hot breath finally stoked the fires far below her navel. She weakened and dropped into a floaty daze as his velvety tongue finally slid onto her most sensitive spot, evoking her womb to flip and soar. Her moan was deep and desperate, evoking a moan from him as well, as his body demanded a deeper contact. With all his might, he held off. He took her gently into his mouth, gliding his tongue across her while he pushed down firmly against her, providing both the pressure and the rhythm she needed. She moaned again and again. He knew he had her. She was nearly at the edge. Her insides were so tight with want that she had to grip and twist the blanket to withstand the sweet agony of it. Her breathing changed – her breath caught as she teetered, about to fall. William was attuned and knew the moment of ecstasy was about to unfold. He pressed down onto her harder and he moaned in anticipation, pushing her over the edge, surging her into a stronger, slower motion as a heavenly moan escaped from her throat. Husky she called out, "Oh yes … Oh my God … Yes William." Her motion ceased and she swallowed. "Oh my God," she said again as she felt the heat spreading throughout her in ripples of pleasure, the room's spinning slowing.
William softly kissed his way up to her face. He rolled over onto his back, bringing her with him to rest her head on his chest. He kissed and stroked her hair; waiting with her while she recovered.
Her breathing slower, she said, "I feel totally weak … limp … absolutely wonderful, William." She knew she wanted to do to him what he had done to her, but she felt virtually unable to move. Love for him pushed her, and she began to kiss and nibble on his chest. She slowly worked her way down to his groin.
He moaned, the sensations nearly causing him to come undone. With a kiss or two to his belly, she sat up, slid a leg over him and straddled him. "Explode, I'm going to explode," he thought. Julia lay down on his chest, tilted her head, and took his neck aggressively, sucking against the skin, sure to leave a mark. William paused, forcing himself to stay in control. His breath was ragged, she knew he was desperate, struggling, about to give in to his desires. She released his tortured skin and whispered tauntingly in his ear, "Take me."
Every ounce of control burst away from him. He wanted only one thing – to make passionate love to her. He flipped her over onto her back and loved her with all of his might.
"Oh my God … Yes William … Closer, Please," she begged of him.
He lost everything else. "Right there," he thought, feeling so close, nearly touching her delicious core. "Oh my God," surged through his mind. "Right there, Yes, Right there," his thoughts flowed through his brain as pleasure gushed outward. His movement stretched out, consumed his entire body, driving him closer and closer to her. Fireworks of ecstasy rushed to his edges as he heard her exquisite voice, moaning - "Mmm," and he knew she felt the ultimate pleasure.
The strong, smooth rhythm of their lovemaking stopped, leaving them with only the pulse of their rapid hearts and rushed breaths. Julia was crying. Tears had drenched her face even before the stillness had come. She was completely overwhelmed with exhaustion, with having been cared for so intensely, with knowing that so much of her life had been without such love, and with subconscious memories of pain, of fear, and of hope. He held her tightly in response to the shaking of her body with her soft sobs, cradling her, grounding her. Rolling over to place her on top of him, he stroked the tears from her cheeks, tenderly played with her curls, kissed her ear, her cheek. He loved her with every ounce, every drop, that he had … A few deep breaths – she followed suit. Spent, consumed, she said, "I have been thoroughly loved, William – thoroughly and completely loved."
She felt his warm breath roll over her before he replied, "Good. Perhaps, even, as Ruby would say, magnificent?"
She chuckled, "Mm," she answered, kissing his chest.
"I'm so very happy, Julia," he added, receiving a squeeze of glee from her. He reached over to lift his pocket watch off the table and checked the time. "We should be there in 20 minutes," he said. They both knew that meant they would be late. They hurried. The bag William had packed had a fresh set of clothes for her. He helped her with her corset. Both done dressing, only Julia's hair left to finish, she sat at the vanity while William leaned his buttocks against it, conversing with her.
"Um, Julia … There's something that has been bothering me … Something I need to tell you about that happened while you were away, that's been … I have been feeling guilty – having dreams," he started.
"Oh," she replied. She stayed looking at her reflection in the mirror, working on her hair, but he had her attention.
He stammered, knowing once he said it there would be no turning back, "Well, uh … remember when I visited you and I had a bump on me head…"
"Yes," she said.
He took a deep breath and pushed on, "Well, I … had been trying to find this man, Connor, but at the time I only had a description – he had a scar and an Irish accent. Well, the trail led to a particular prostitute … named Jane…"
Julia was starting to get it – he wanted to confess some attraction, or worse, with this Jane. Her interest was piqued – she had a warm loving feeling towards him, so morally good to be so troubled, and yet she was worried that maybe he had betrayed her. She took a deep breath, "Go on," she said.
"Uh, well," he continued, clearing his throat, "When I got to her room, and she said to come in … well, I didn't know there was someone – probably Connor, behind the door … And she most likely was trying to distract me, which she did. Um, she had on only these little knickers, kind of like the ones that go with your blue … lingerie. And she, um, turned around and bent over, pulling them down … and I, uh…" He was really struggling now. Julia had stopped (her hair was done) and turned to look more directly at him. William exhaled sharply, trying to calm down and continued, "She walked up to me, touched me, and kissed me…" Julia lifted an eyebrow at him, raising his concern. Another deep breath, "I … She …"
Julia said, slowly, "Oh I see... Did you desire her?" resting her chin in her hand, trying to be more a psychiatrist than his lover, his wife.
He sighed, remembering her asking a similar question of him back when Eva Pearce had flirted with him during an interview, "I did … Um, she touched me … She knew I desired her. But, Julia, err… this is different than when I dreamed about Eva Pearce. This was not a dream – This was in real life." He dropped his eyes, feeling ashamed. William decided to finish the story, "The man behind me pushed his gun against the back of my head and cocked it, I made a move, tried to tackle him – That's when he hit me, knocked me out. But, the worst part is that … I had thoughts after that, even dreams." He turned to look at her, not catching her eye as she had shifted her focus back into the mirror.
She was delaying responding, admittedly upset, but trying to remind herself of William's steadfast loyalty and devotion to her. Reason told her that there was no point in digging this knife into him any deeper – He had already made quite a wound all on his own. She pulled a few curls free to dance playfully about her face, took a deep breath and stood before him. "William – I know you love only me, you say you always have and always will – That after you met me you knew I was the one for you. You say you had loved Liza, but at the time you believed that such a love as the one we have now was not possible. I believe you feel this way. And I know you are human and you will find other women attractive – and as I get older, you may even find other women more attractive than me..." William shook his head no. She stepped closer to him, fondled his tie and shirt collar and said, "So, I guess the relevant question right now is – to you, William Murdoch, Who is the fairest of them all?"
The question disturbed him, a creepy feeling from his dream the night before crawled into his gut, slithered up into his brain, making it hard to think.
"William? You should tell me that I am the fairest of them all," she teased, hoping that her playfulness would put him at ease.
William struggled to pull himself out of the unnerving quagmire, tried to shake it off. "Of course," he said, "And you are … the fairest. But, well, the dream I had, um I had it after I read Snow White to the children last night, and in it, Eva asked that those exact words into our vanity mirror, up in our bedroom. When Eva heard that you were fairest, well … She trapped you in the mirror – And you watched me… me with Eva, and then with Jane. You were devastated … in the dream, and you didn't believe me anymore when I told you I loved you."
Inside, Julia smiled to herself. This man, such a wonder … He dreams of the pleasure and reprimands himself for it in the very same dream. She sighed, "It was just a dream William," she said. She pondered for a moment and then added, "Although it is a little uncanny, I mean how now I have this, "poison" to deal with... I'm sure it is just coincidence, hmm?"
Making an effort to sound convinced, William replied, "Yes, of course… We should get going." They rushed out, Julia grabbing her purse and bundle of newspapers, and William grabbing the bag of dirty clothes and sundries.
In the carriage on their way to the meeting at the station, Julia asked William, "Do you think you obsessed with this woman, Jane, because I was not around?"
Seeming to take some offense, William answered, "I don't think I was obsessed, Julia…" He sighed, "But your absence, well, I must admit, it left me quite inclined to fantasize and dream more…"
She wrapped her arm in his and squeezed it tight, interrupting him to say, "As was I." She took his cheek in her hand, rubbing her thumb across the slight stubble on his chin.
He dropped his eyes, working to formulate what he wanted to say, "She's the fairest," he thought to himself. A deep breath and his eyes rose to meet hers. There was a power in the look; they both felt it. "Julia, when I think of how crazed and desperate with desire I was for you, how much I wanted …" He looked to the ceiling, the heavens, suffering with his Catholic upbringing making speaking about such urges unacceptable, and then looked back into her blue, entrancing eyes once again, he continued, "Julia, I have never desired a woman more in my life."
"So, I'm the fairest of them all?" she teased.
William's smile answered her. "Yes, milady, you are the fairest of them all," he said with a bow, then leaning in to kiss her.
"Oh, my God, this man is winsome," she thought as she succumbed to the flood of dizziness such a passionate kiss riled in her.
The carriage pulled up to Stationhouse #4 at 2:15 PM. The Inspector was waiting for them at the door, looking agitated and tense. "Well, don't the two of you look happy – not a care in the world," he said sarcastically. Concern swept over William's face. Brackenreid added, "I've got Chief Inspector Davis, Meyers, and Clegg in my office …"
"Sorry sir," William offered.
Julia, still a big grin on her glowing face, took William's arm, leaned into him, and said, "William took me out for a romantic lunch, Inspector – at the Windsor House Hotel…"
Raising an eyebrow, the Inspector snidely replied, "Oh, lunch … at a hotel?"
Julia squeezed tightly against her husband, contentment spewing off of her and said, ""Yes. It was delightful. I haven't had a good … meal in quite some time. You should try it with Margaret – it's quite stimulating." Her statement caused a somewhat crimson complexion to appear on her husband's face.
The Inspector rolled his eyes, "Come on lovebirds, we've got serious work to do," he said. William and Julia went quickly into William's office and the Inspector stopped by George's desk, informing him not to let anyone disturb them during the meeting.
In William's office, Julia placed her purse and bundle of newspapers on his desk as her eyes drifted to the Hazardous Materials Suit hanging in the corner. Placing the bag on the floor, William noticed the Suit catch her attention. He heard the slightest of gasps, sensed she was holding her breath as she tried to mask her concern. He stepped up behind her, wrapped his arms around her waist and intimately said in her ear, "I really believe it will keep you safe Julia – We'll try it after the meeting, hmm?" He nibbled at her earlobe. She turned around and they kissed.
From inside the Inspector's office, Meyers and Clegg stood together watching the couple through the glass. Quietly, voice low enough to exclude Chief Inspector Davis who was on the phone, Clegg said to Meyers, "Sorry old chum, she looks quite enamored with her husband."
"Yes," Meyers responded with a sigh, "We must play with the cards we are dealt," deciding that hiding his feelings for Julia was fruitless, aware that Clegg already knew. He lit a cigar, turned and took a seat.
Soon after, the Inspector and William and Julia entered the room, and greeted everyone. Chief Inspector Davis took a seat across the room from the couch on which William and Julia had sat. As he sat, he said, "Yes. You two are very late. Just goes to show that there are major problems with having women in the workplace."
All eyes turned to Julia. Yes, she was fuming. She took a deep breath, preparing to counter him…
William spoke up, "Now Chief Inspector, I assure you that our being late is solely my fault. My wife played no role …"
Meyers then insisted, staring firmly at the Chief Inspector, "Further, I'll have you know that there is no coroner, man or woman, who even compares to Dr. Ogden in all of Canada. I dare say, and Mr. Clegg, you can verify this, even in all of North America."
Clegg nodded, "Never a man I've met," he agreed.
Clearly being outnumbered, Chief inspector Davis dropped his male chauvinistic rant. Julia took a deep breath and fidgeted in her seat, trying to let it go.
Inspector Brackenreid started them off, "Doctor, before we begin talking about the work you will need to do in the morgue, do you need to be caught up on the cases we think might be involved?"
She looked at the man sitting next to her and answered, "Detective Murdoch explained a little, but perhaps it would be helpful to hear a quick overview."
William explained that they had a body, that of Agdar Flate, a man working on weapons technology inventions, that they thought was connected to the dead body in the morgue at Stationhouse #5 by similar black ink stains on the bottoms of their shoes and similar cotton fibers on their clothing. They did not have an identity for the man in the morgue. They did however know that this body was rigged, likely with a poison, that they speculated was intended to kill a coroner. After checking into people with motives to kill Ben Reynolds, it was determined that the targeting of the coroner did not seem specific. As Flate was from America, Clegg was able to inform them that he had sent a spy, a woman named Jane Wolfe, to determine if Flate was selling American inventions to other nations…
Clegg leaned forward and interrupted Murdoch, "Did you have any luck at the hospitals?" he asked, his worry apparent.
Detective Murdoch responded, "Um yes," he held a finger up to Clegg asking him to wait and turned to Dr. Ogden and said, "There was evidence that, um … Jane had found a man likely dealing with Flate and making his weapons, and selling them illegally. The man's first name is Connor…"
Meyers interrupted and asked the doctor, "Would you like to see a photo of Jane?" William wiggled uncomfortably.
Julia glanced over at her husband and answered, "Why yes, I would," looking back at Meyers. Meyers gestured at Clegg, who passed the photo to Julia. William leaned forward and clasped his hands together in his lap and fidgeted with is wedding ring, his eyes down. He blew out a sigh, trying to control the racing of his heart and the buzzing of anxiousness in his head.
Julia took the photo and held it up to view it. "Oh my," she said, "She is quite attractive…" She turned the photo toward William and continued, "Wouldn't you say detective?"
Needing to clear his throat first, William said, "Yes," reaching up and rubbing his forehead, "Yes she is."
Clegg took the photo back from the doctor and continued to explain, "Detective Murdoch found blood in Jane's room and speculated that this man Connor had hurt her – That he might have taken her to the hospital to get stitches."
The detective reached into his vest pocket and took out a small package, about the size of a pen, wrapped in toilet paper. He passed it to Clegg. "I found this at the hospital where they went. According to the nurse, Connor's behavior with Jane was controlling and bordering on violent. It was hidden under the toilet lid in the ladies room. Perhaps you can help us make heads or tails of it? Maybe the typewriter key, an 'A,' signifies something specific, like Aasen Corporation perhaps?"
Clegg unrolled the paper, revealing the typewriter key and a hat pin. Unable to hide his emotions when seeing the hat pin, he paled. He returned to his seat, dropped into it, seeming to be in shock. He raised his head and looked at Murdoch. "The hat pin was a gift from me…"
Davis interrupted, "Did you have feelings for this woman?" he charged.
Clegg took a deep breath, "Yes. Jane and I were lovers. I know not to get involved. It just happened," he said, finding Meyers. "I think she left the pin to make sure I knew the message was from her… The 'A' … Well, it likely indicates that she is calling for plan A."
The Inspector asked, "And what is plan A?"
"It means, 'Agent in grave danger. Remove as soon as possible.' It means she will likely be killed if we don't find her – That her cover is probably blown," he said.
Murdoch said, "We have a few clues, not much though. Connor may have visited someone at the Don Jail – a woman…"
Julia leaned forward, excitement in her voice, "The footprints… That would link him to the other two men!"
"Yes," William answered. "And I thought…" He shrugged a little, showing he was going out on a limb, "Well, ink and cotton fibers – I thought the illegal weapons business might be operating out of a textiles factory." He sighed, "But none of them panned out." He looked at his wife and continued, "I was hoping we might get something from the autopsy on the man in the morgue."
Chief Inspector Davis said, "And that brings us to the point of this meeting, does it not gentlemen? … uh, and lady. Dr. Ogden, What do you think you need in order to deal with this whole 'poison trap' mess?"
Dr. Ogden looked to the detective and said, "Well, Detective Murdoch tells me he has made some … suits that will keep the poison out. Um …"
Murdoch took over, "I call them 'Hazardous Materials Suits' sir, though Constable Crabtree suggested something shorter, like 'Haz Mat Suits.' They are rubber deep-sea diving suits with rubber boots and regular rubber surgical gloves, and a mask, or hood to protect the head, eyes, etc. They should protect from contact with the skin. An oxygen tank is worn to protect from inhaling the poison. Probably the first thing the team should do is determine whether there is an airborne threat – If not, then the oxygen tanks can be removed and the rest of the investigation can proceed breathing the air in the morgue. Um, I made three suits, one for Dr. Ogden, one for Reynolds' assistant – Mr. Drakes, and I was thinking the third one would be for me…"
Dr. Ogden sat up rigidly, releasing an exasperated sigh. "Really William! Isn't that just typical," she steamed. "Why would you think you should go in?" she demanded, throwing her hands up in the air in exaggerated disbelief.
William looked completely lost. He stuttered, "I, uh …"
Meyers leaned in, sitting in a nearby chair, close enough so he could touch Julia's knee, he looked at Murdoch and said, "My dear man, consider the danger. Consider the impact should both of you perish."
Before William could consider what Meyers was saying, he found himself stuck staring at the man's hand on his wife's knee. All eyes followed the aim of his sight and Meyers quickly removed his hand, looking to Murdoch and saying, "Sorry."
Redirecting his attention to figuring out the reason for Julia's anger at him, he immediately understood that his mistake was to forget about their responsibilities – HIS responsibilities, as a parent. "If we both died, the children would be orphaned. Of course," he thought. He sighed, knowing he was in trouble. The fact that it was Meyers who pointed it out only made matters worse. He lifted his eyes to meet hers, and with them begged for her compassion. "I wasn't thinking clearly. I was distracted by my concern for you. I wanted to…"
She leaned back in her seat and crossed her arms. She interrupted him, "You wanted to be the big man and protect your feeble little wife."
"Uh, oh," he thought. Actually, every man in the room thought the same thing. Not taking the time to consider the consequences, he jumped to defend himself, "No," he calmly said, although fear had gripped his stomach. "I thought my … Um, I thought that I might notice an important clue, something that would be useful in …" he tried to explain before she interrupted him.
"Never mind William. Let's just move on… I believe the third person should be an expert on poisons. I have a friend who specializes in toxicology. He works at the University. Of course, he would be risking his life and he may be unwilling to do so, but I thought I'd give him a call – See if he would be willing to work with us on this," the doctor suggested.
"Great idea," the Inspector rushed to say.
"I'll use the phone in Detective Murdoch's office to give him a call then?" she asked.
"Yes, of course," William said. Dr. Ogden left to make the call. The room took a sigh of relief once the door was closed. The conversation moved to whether the USA or Canada was ultimately in charge of the results from the autopsy – There was no evidence that the man in the morgue was Canadian, but Clegg fought on, claiming he was connected to Flate who was American.
Dr. Ogden returned. Her friend, Dr. Feldman, was more than happy to take part in what he saw as the 'adventure.' She mentioned to Murdoch that there might be some concern, as he was a tall, well-built man, and the suit may be too small.
"Of course he would be tall and well-built… Of course," thought William. He sighed, finding once again that he was struggling with jealousy, and smiled and nodded, "I'll work on it," he said. The group agreed that Murdoch would be in charge of the overall investigation, with Dr. Ogden in charge of anything pertaining to the morgue, the poison, and the autopsies. Meyers and Clegg were welcome to be in attendance at Stationhouse #5. Neither Inspector Brackenreid nor Chief Inspector Davis would come. Murdoch would have the rest of the day to acclimate Dr. Ogden to using the suit and then transporting the necessary equipment to, and preparing the scene at, Stationhouse #5.
Later, in her own morgue at Stationhouse #4, Julia struggled with wearing the Hazardous Materials Suit and performing essential tasks, like lifting and using tools, etc. It was a squelching hot day in August, and she was drenched in sweat inside the rubber suit. She had the nearly 50 pound oxygen tank on her back and constantly had to remind herself, "In through the mouth, out through the nose." One important problem would be communication while using the oxygen – the feed-tube was in the mouth. Julia planned on devising some hand signals and using writing on a big pad to communicate with Mr. Drakes and Dr. Feldman, or David, as she more commonly referred to him. Further, the hood, mask and goggles, not only added to the excruciating heat, but also limited visibility. She was finding it more challenging than expected, but refused to show it, being determined to prove that a woman could handle it. After about 10 minutes, they decided she could manage with the weight of the oxygen tank if necessary, and William removed it. She spent another hour working in the suit. She determined that she would be able to perform the necessary tasks while wearing it. As she removed the hood, her red-hot, soaked, skin praising the waft of cooler air, she said to William, "The heat is nearly unbearable – I worried about my ability to think. I got dizzy."
He helped undo the rest of the suit while he replied optimistically, "Fortunately, the plan is to begin first thing in the morning. It shouldn't be that hot yet."
"Yes, Good," she agreed. Once she stepped out of the heavy, rubber suit, she looked down at her body. Having decided that it was impossible to wear her skirt in the suit, she now had on only her petticoat, bloomers and stockings. Of course, they were dripping with sweat. William couldn't help but laugh when she gave him an exasperated look. Julia fought back a laugh and placed her hands on her hips, stuck her derriere out and puckered her lips, friskily taking the same pose that Jane had used in her provocative photo.
His laughter escalated as William playfully said, "Definitely the fairest of them all." He opened his arms to her; joy bloomed in their hearts as they shared an embrace. They separated, finding the hug to add to the discomfort of the heat. He began collecting together the equipment to bring over to Stationhouse #5 while Julia cleaned up the morgue.
William decided to clear the air and said, "I'm sorry about assuming I would join you in the morgue tomorrow. I …"
"William, I'm sorry I didn't appreciate your effort to care for me. Really, let's forget about it, hmm?" she said.
"Good," he replied.
They planned that he would take the supplies to Stationhouse #5 while she gathered up all of her resources on poisons, and that they would meet back here to head home together. They would be home before dinner. Julia was finding it hard to wait to see the children. She asked him to hurry. Before he returned, she was able to change into the other, dirty, garments in the bag he had packed for the hotel, so at least under her dress she was dry.
As they exited the cab and walked down the front path to their house, a big banner could be seen above the porch. It read, "Welcome Home Mommy." There were some balloons bouncing in the breeze, tied to the front steps. William was impressed with the work the children, and of course Claire-Marie and Eloise, had done – The decorations looked marvelous.
"Oh William… How exciting!" Julia declared. She bolted off ahead of him, no longer able to control her desire to hug her children. William hurried along behind her, bag in tow. Julia pushed the front door open and rushed inside. "Where are my babies?" she cried out, barely noticing the bundles and bundles of flowers throughout the foyer and leading a trail into the parlor. When she followed their trail, entering into the living room, her three children threw confetti up into the air and jumped for joy, cheering the arrival of their mother. Before Julia could even utter their names they were all entwined in a hug. Tears flowed down Julia's cheeks. Squatting down in front of them, Julia asked them each how they had been. Chelsea worried that her mother was crying – Thought she was sad. Julia reassured her that they were tears of joy, and it only happens when someone is really, really happy… And right now, being with them, she was really, really happy. William leaned against the wall, watching, letting the happiness of the scene flow through him. Claire-Marie and Eloise looked on, big smiles showing their enjoyment of the reunion as well.
When Julia hugged her son, William Jr. she asked him if he could breathe better now, remembering the note he had written to her in prison. He nodded and seemed surprised, experiencing this, 'tears of joy,' thing for himself; he was crying too. Julia took him into a tight hug, while his small, 8-year old body shook from his sobbing. She whispered in his ear, "You're crying because you are so happy I'm home?" Keeping his head tucked to her shoulder, he nodded vigorously, relieved that she was helping him to put words to the feelings. His mother continued, "And you're crying because it hurt so much while I was gone?" With those words he squeezed her as hard as he could, nodding 'yes,' and seeming to crumble in her arms. Julia glanced up at William, sharing with him her sadness, maybe even guilt, in the face of their little boy's suffering. She placed her lips back next to his ear and said, "I missed you that much too." As she held her son, waiting for the wave of grief to pass over them, she found herself thinking of her husband, of William as a little boy, the same age as the boy currently in her arms, and how he had no one to comfort him, hold him, understand him, and know his pain, as her son did now. More than she thought possible when it came to empathy, she felt her heart breaking for that little boy whose mother had died so many years ago. She held her son securely, and lifted him as she stood up, then she carried him over to stand in front of William. William wrapped his arms around them both, blanketing their son with both parents. Wanting to be part of the emotional event, Katie and Chelsea joined in, wrapping themselves around their parent's legs.
Only moments later, Julia broke off the family hug. She tenderly put William Jr. down on the floor and said, "These decorations are beautiful. Thank you all so much. I love the signs and the banner and the roses… Knowing Katie had not gotten any special attention yet. She pointed at Katie's sign, then squatted down in front of her little 7-year old daughter and asked, "Did you make that spectacular pink one for me?" Katie nodded. Julia swept her up in her arms and carried her over to the sign. "Can you read it to me sweetie?" she asked.
Katie pointed at the words on the sign as she read, "Welcome home to the best Mommy! Please don't ever go away again because I miss you too much. Love Katie." Julia spun her in a circle and then said, like it was a secret, "I missed you too much too!"
Julia put Katie down and then turned to thank Claire-Marie and Eloise. She told them she was only able to survive being in the prison because she knew they would be taking such good care of her family. She told them that she had missed them too. Eloise informed her she was making her favorite dinner – French Cuisine, Beef Bourguignon.
Later that night, after the children were sleeping soundly in their beds, Julia sat in the parlor studying and taking notes on poisons. She was focused and relaxed, sipping on a glass of wine as she worked. William had headed downstairs to work-out and then up to take a shower. He stopped in to check in on her. He was wearing his pajamas and barefoot, nearly irresistible to Julia, and he knew it. His eyes sparkled. "Oh my God, he's so gorgeous," she thought. He sat down next to her on the couch. She looked back down at her notes, decided to try to ignore him, or at least not be enticed by him. She felt she was making good progress in preparing for tomorrow, and did not want to be deterred.
He took one of her curls in his fingers, twisting and playing with it. "I know it's hot, but I'm going to make myself a hot chocolate anyway. Do you want one?" he asked.
Not looking up, she replied, "No, thanks. The wine is perfect."
"Good," he responded. He put his hands on his knees, and hesitated before he stood up to go. She heard him sigh.
Still keeping her eyes away from his gaze she thought, "Oh, believe me William, I do want to too." She decided to make her plans clear, "I'm probably going to be working on this for quite a while longer. Do you want me to wake you when I come to bed?" With that she risked looking at him; she wanted him to know what she meant, that she would wake him and they would make love.
He smiled, lighting her inside. "Yes," he said.
"I will," she promised.
He rose to his feet and walked towards the kitchen. He stopped before he exited the room and turned back to ask, "Julia … We have to decide what to tell the children about tomorrow."
"Yes, yes, of course …" she answered, "I think we should say that I am doing something dangerous for my job, but that we are confident I will do it well – That everything will be fine and we will both be home for dinner."
"Good…Good," he said, turning on his heel and heading for the kitchen.
She heard him in the kitchen and then noticed he went out on the porch. She finished her notes on ricin, noting that it could kill through inhalation. She decided to join William out on the porch. She stood at the screen door, before opening it, before drawing his attention to her presence, and watched him. He sat near the bottom step, hot chocolate in hand, eyes lifted to the sky. There was a lovely breeze. She felt happy. Although he did not shift his position with the sound of the door, she was certain he knew she was approaching him from behind. She pulled her skirt up and sat behind him, one step higher than he, placing him between her legs. She massaged his shoulders, leaned down and kissed his ear, reveled in the feelings inside of her as he rubbed his hand up and down along her calf muscle. He took a sip of his hot chocolate.
"No moon tonight?" she asked, barely above a whisper, her voice wrapping them in both intimacy and awe. She knew he would tell her about the science involved – how moon phases work, and where they were in the cycle right now. The sound of his voice soothed her deep inside so. As he spoke, she softly reached around and guided him to rest the back of his head in her bosom. She ran her fingers through his hair while she listened to the description of the third-quarter moon. He finished his lesson and they sat together quiet for a time.
Julia remembered the books on poisons waiting for her in the living room. She knew she needed to do more work. She wanted to be as prepared as possible; there was so much at stake. A sigh slid out of her chest and she said, "I could die tomorrow."
William sounded so calm, and so caring as he responded, "Julia, when I … died, when I was with Dr. Grace," he paused, giving her time to remember the situation – it had been years since they had discussed it. "Well, dying was beautiful Julia. There was more peace and contentment than I remember ever feeling at any time in my life. I do not worry that you will suffer, whenever the time comes. I would not feel sorry for you, knowing what I know… My sorrow, and there would be interminable sorrow, would be for myself and the children, to suffer such a loss," he explained. Having missed you, thinking it might be years and that I, we, needed to make our lives without you… It was," he sighed, "Everything reminded me of you."
"But you could think of that as me being everywhere, in everything," she offered as comfort.
He responded, with a tone of sadness that pulled at her heart strings, that felt so lonely and far away, "But it is not you, it is memories of you…"
Again, moments passed, each drifting in their own thoughts. Finding his ear, Julia whispered, "I want you to know that I believe you when you say that you will never love another, and so … when, or if, I am gone, then you will be alone." She started to cry, the thought of him suffering as a result of losing her brought such an intense burning pain to her heart. Her face wrinkled, her voice more squeaky, she sniffled and said, "That breaks my heart William... Please, if such a thing happens, please let someone else love you." Her crying escalated and she continued, "You deserve to be loved, I want you to be loved William, I really, really do." He turned around, kneeled on the step below her and wrapped his arms around her, muffling her crying in his chest. He had tears in his eyes too. She did not see. Julia turned her head sideways, allowing him to hear her message, although she was so upset she found it very hard to make the sounds she need to speak. She pushed on, comforted by his tender strokes sliding over her hair, her ear. "I'm sure there will be women who love you … and if you fell in love with one of them…" She felt him shake his head 'no,' denying the possibility, but she insisted, "But if you did, you would not be being disloyal to me – I remember how you fought against your feelings for me out of loyalty to Liza… I would be happy, if I could know you were loved, and that you loved. And maybe this woman who loves you could love our children. I know you resist it, but just in case, I wanted you to know how I felt."
He leaned down to her, took in a deep breath to take in her scent, remind himself that she was right there, with him. He decided to reassure her. He whispered, "I know." He kissed away some tears and then they stood and went back inside, her to learn more about poisons she may encounter tomorrow, him to try to fall asleep once more without her.
It was only an hour until she slid into bed with him. He was asleep. She lay with him in the dark. She battled, "Wake him as I promised or let him sleep?" So many challenges were ahead, she decided to let him sleep. In the middle of the night she was awakened as he startled from a nightmare. He bolted upright in the bed, eyes darting about trying to find something solid, real to connect to – to find his place. She sat up next to him, placed a finger to his chin and brought his face to her. "I'm right here," she whispered as she pulled him down to rest his head on her chest and stroked his hair. Sleep took him again quickly. He could breathe, everything was alright, she was here.
(THUNDERSTORMS LOOMED. When it comes to protecting yourself during a thunderstorm, remember, rubber is NOT a good conductor. Place rubber between yourself and the danger).