Warren McWilliams slowly opened his eyes. At first he wondered why he was so damp feeling, but then remembered last night and the storm. The then remembered the sack which he had stowed under the hay he was sleeping in. With a gleeful look on his stubbled face, he shoved his hand into the hay and pulled out the burlap sack; he was certain it was a bank roll and that he's be debt free by the end of the day. By the weight of the sack it had to be a sizable amount, which got him even more excited.

McWilliams made a face, as his hand grabbed something other than paper money. He quickly pulled the object out and his mouth dropped open as he stared right into the tiny face of a shrunken head. "Gaaaa!" he scrambled to his feet and streaked out of the barn, dropping the shrunken head that landed on the barn floor with a dull thud. It didn't even roll.

McWilliams was so fast to his feet and out of the building hoping to erase the mental image as he wiped his hand on his trousers trying to get the feeling of the course hair off his hand. He stopped just past the doors, slowly turning to make sure what he saw, was what he saw. Sire enough the little head stared back at him, even though the eyes were shut.

He shuddered at the sight, but he wasn't going back to move it. He fanned his right hand at the shrunken head and darted off, hoping to forget about it. He could well imagine what the farmer would think once it was discovered. Surely it would even make the news.

"This is official police business," Brackenreid stated firmly to the receptionist at City Hall, whilst lifting his left lapel to show his badge. He rocked slightly on his heels.

"What kind of police business? Mister Best doesn't like people in his office if he's not there," the receptionist stated.

"Pardon me, Mrs.?" Murdoch waited, noting her wedding ring, also showing her his badge.

"Mrs. Kelly," she replied with a slight smile.

"Mrs. Kelly," Murdoch glanced at Brackenreid, who wore that look on his face when Murdoch seemed to ace him, "a serious matter has arisen and it involves Councillor Best. It would greatly help us, if we could have a look in his office," Murdoch's charm almost oozed out of him. Again Brackenreid made a face.

"Oh, my!" the receptionist replied. "I hope Mister Best is all right," she said standing up from behind her desk in the lobby of the large building, retrieving the master key. She didn't see Murdoch and Brackenreid exchange glances. "I'll let you into this office," Kelly said with concern.

"Much appreciated, Ma'am," Brackenreid used his own charm as they followed the receptionist down the hall. They waited beside Mrs. Kelly while she searched and finally found the key on the ring and unlocked the door; opening it into the room. Murdoch touched the brim of his hat as he side-stepped Mrs. Kelly and entered the room. Brackenreid was right behind him. They both looked at the receptionist long enough that she grew uncomfortable and went back to her desk. "Right. Now what are we looking for, Murdoch?" the Inspector asked as the studied the framed photographs on the wall. They were all photos of the councillor with "famous" people he had met. The Inspector seemed interested and slightly saddened thinking he too could have met some of these people, have he actually gotten elected. But deep down, he was quite certain that he made the right decision to stay with Station House No. 4.

Murdoch walked around to the back of Best's desk and scanned the surface. His agenda book was neatly centred on the blotter, "Let's start with this," the Detective suggested. The Inspector joined Murdoch at the desk and watched as the Detective carefully opened the leather bound book with this metal probe. William went right to the page with yesterday's date and listed events; there weren't many scheduled.

"It seems that Councillor Best had a meeting at three o'clock this afternoon," Murdoch looked up at his boss.

"Well, he's not going to make it. Who's it with and where?" Brackenreid questioned.

"It's only initials. R.W. and there's no location," the Detective stated as Brackenreid looked over his shoulder. "They must have been friends and it was a causal affair," Brackenreid surmised.

Murdoch flipped the page back, "It looks like they met yesterday at the same time," he again looked at his boss. Brackenreid twisted his mouth in thought, "I suppose they had business dealings then," he replied. "His other appointments have full names and locations of the meetings. Perhaps you're right about R. W.," he looked to his boss as he pondered the initials, but nothing came to mind.

"What's this?" Brackenreid asked as he poked at the corner of a newspaper clipping that was under the blotter, and mostly out of sight.

Murdoch used his tweezers to pull the slip of paper from under the blotter, "A news article about a theft at the University of Toronto," the Detective stated.

"That's not in our jurisdiction," Brackenreid flashed a smile as if he was off the hook from further investigation.

"Yes, but Councillor Best's body was found in ours, Sir," Murdoch reminded his boss.

"Bullocks," Brackenreid cursed, which caused the Detective to smirk slightly. "This isn't going to be an easy case, is it?" the Inspector then asked as he gave Murdoch a quick look.

"Well, if we can link these initials to the missing article from the University and Councillor Best, we might have a better chance to make lesser so, Sir," Murdoch stated.

Brackenreid clicked his fingers, "I think that Best was on the board of the University's antiquities collection group. He used to jabber on to us at the Lodge meetings of some of the things that people donate. And I have to say Murdoch, there are some loo-loos out there," the Inspector grunted.

"Yes, I'm sure there are," Murdoch mused. "I think we should go to the University next," he suggested.

"We should take that with us," Brackenreid pointed to the agenda book.

"I suppose it would be prudent," Murdoch stated. "We'll inform Mrs. Kelly that we've taken it."

"I suppose that's wise," Brackenreid said as he watched Murdoch cover the agenda book with his handkerchief. "Who knows what else that contains," he finally added.

"Indeed, Sir," Murdoch noted. "Now, let's get to the University before everyone's gone for the day," the Detective suggested as he took a quick peek at his pocket watch.

"No rest for the weary," Brackenreid sighed and continued to follow the Detective.

Dr. Julia Ogden had the men move the gurney with Maxwell Best's body into the cooler, "I'm afraid, Mr Best you'll just have to wait until I get back from other matters that need tending to," she smiled awkwardly at the covered body. The slowly closed the heavy wooden door to the room.

"Do you always talk to the stiffs?" one of the men asked.

"They are still people," Julia stated, matter-of-factually. The man shrugged and rolled his eyes as he and his partner left the room. "Well, they are," she called after them, with a disapproving tone. She then huffed as she gathered her medical bag and left the morgue.

Feeling somewhat vindicated having stood up for those who couldn't speak for themselves, Julia lifted her head high and headed to Toronto General Hospital, where she was to meet a colleague about a patient they had, something her colleague suggested that she'd be quite interested in having a look at.