Once again the night was barely on the city when the young woman left the kitchen to go to the living-room. She paused in the doorway, looking at the man with whom she lived for four years, sitting in his comfortable chair by the fire, reading a medical journal. He did not notice her presence, took too much by reading and thus, Julia looked carefully the little girl who quietly drew on the carpet in the center of the room. The young woman could not help but smile before heading to her gently. She knelt on the floor beside her and looked at her carefully drawing.
-Still ten minutes and you go to bed Olivia, Julia whispered softly.
The girl nodded and she kissed her hair before looking again her daughter drawing. She saw three people, a man, a woman and a little girl, holding hands in a park bathed in sunshine. There was a house in a corner of the drawing and a horse on the other side, more or less well chewed. Julia knew Olivia had a passion for horses, and like any child at her age, she would often ask for it. Julia had been dreaming to have a ranch with some horses. She imagined living in the heart of the plain, with a huge property with a white fence made it all the way round. She would be occupied horses, Darcy could have opened a small cabinet of Doctor and she would had another child. Julia wanted a life like this, she wanted to leave town and start over elsewhere. But she knew that people were counting on her. She could not leave these defenseless young women. Her medical knowledge allowed her to help them, to protect them and for nothing in the world she wanted to stop this. Even for a peaceful life on a ranch by a lake. Well then, she knew Darcy would never have wanted such a life.
She looked up at his companion a moment, then she gave her attention to the girl again before speaking.
-It's time my love go say good night to Darcy and we'll go up to your bedroom.
Olivia nodded and stood up to come stand in front of Darcy. He smiled and kissed her cheek before walking away.
-Goodnight princess, simply threw the young man as the girl walked towards the door.
Julia soon followed, and they rode in silence in her room down the hall. The young mother helped her daughter to change, she donned, trying to untangle her hair as curly and unruly as her, and she tucked.
-The story of the White Rabbit? Julia asked, smiling.
-No mom, not this evening.
-Oh, she was surprised, then what story would you like tonight?
She saw her daughter frowning and tightening her arms around her doll to give courage to speak again.
-I want you to tell me about my dad.
-Olivia, sighed Julia, you already know all about your dad.
-Please, begged the girl, still tells me once.
-Well, Julia whispered, sitting on the edge of the bed, your dad is a great, very great Doctor. He treats people very far away.
-New York?
-Further.
-Mmmmhhh Texas, there are cowboys.
-Still much, much further. It is the other side of the ocean, in Europe.
-There was war? Olivia asked that surprised Julia. I saw an article in the lounge, Darcy read before dinner. There were wrote by large "War in Europe." This is where he is?
-You know that girl from your age is not supposed to read? Julia threw shaking her head from side to side. You're too smart Miss Ogden.
Olivia gave her a huge smile and Julia spoke again more seriously.
-Your dad is in Europe, he treated people fighting.
-He is very brave then.
-Yes, Julia admitted, he left Canada just before you were born to see the world and when the war broke out, he was there where we needed him.
-Why he not stay with us?
-Well, it's complicated my sweetheart, Julia replied stroking her forehead, but you know we were not alone long, Darcy came to live with us and he's like your dad. It is also thanks to you that I met him. You could barely walk and when I went to visit a friend in hospital. In the corridor starting, you ran to a doctor. And this Doctor was Darcy.
-You love don't love my dad anymore?
-No Olivia, I loved him when we were students and you are the living proof that this is the case, but today everything is different, I love Darcy.
-But one day you do not love him anymore then.
-Well, Julia stammered, thinking back to Detective Murdoch and how this man gives her as she had never felt this to Darcy.
She did not answer and she looked at her hands before looking up at the little girl who stared relentlessly.
-It's alright mom.
-You look a lot like your dad, you know? Gave the young woman smiling tenderly stroking her cheek. He was as smart as you and he could understand me without speaking.
-Do you miss him?
-Not today anymore. You are here, and that's all that matters. I will never love anyone as much as I love you.
They smiled gently and Julia leaned over to kiss her on the forehead.
-Sleep now Olivia, I love you.
-Me too, I love you mom.
The young woman kissed her again on the cheek and walked away from her gently. She gave her one look and left the room, turning off the light in her path and closing the door behind her. She stood there, leaning against the door, eyes closed. She knew her daughter had guessed that she felt nothing for Darcy. Olivia herself had never called him "Daddy" as she had only known him. But Julia did not want to impose the harsh separation to her daughter, so she accepted the fact that she was not madly in love with Darcy Garland, she had never even been. She had wanted a male figure in Olivia's life, she wanted to remain independent and that's why she had told him from the beginning of their relationship she did not want to marry him. But Julia had deluded, this charade had lasted four years and today she regretted it. She kept good memories with this man of tender moments and crazy nights of passion, but she did not feel for him what she felt crossing the gaze of Detective Murdoch.
It was with the thought of this man that Julia down stairs to the living room and find Darcy. Yet in the corridor, she froze, hearing the phone on the other side of the door ajar.
-No, out of the question you stay in Buffalo.
-...
-I don't care. Police questioned Julia.
-...
-Yes, she is at home, this is proof that they have nothing against her if they would have kept her. So do not meddle with it.
-...
-I know her, she will soon understand.
-...
-I'll take care, it will not be a problem.
-...
-Don't call me and do not come back into town.
At these words the young woman heard the receiver being hung up. She walked quickly and quietly to the stairs and climbed some stairs. Then she went down, making sure to make noise to signal her presence. She walked to the living room, and she entered, saw Darcy in his place, reading again.
-The phone rang? She said the most innocent of the world. Who was it?
-Richard, he wanted advice on a patient, Darcy grumbled without looking.
-I see, sighed the young woman before leaving the room to tidy the kitchen.
Once finished, long minutes later, she went to the salon again.
-I'm going to bed Darcy.
-I'm coming, he replied, rising.
They walked in each bathroom and after having prepared, they lay in bed, one against the other. Julia felt Darcy kisses her neck but yet she did not let him continue.
-Not this evening Darcy, she murmured, I have no head for that.
-What mind? He asked, sitting up to meet her eyes.
-The club ... it is closed for too long. I went today but we lost money and I do not know when the police allow it opening again.
-When they have the culprit probably, Darcy replied with a shrug before lying down beside her to look at the ceiling.
-Do they interviewed you?
-As everyone, but they go round and round on this case, I doubt that the culprit is still around and we know it. Probably a homeless.
-It was my fingerprints and that of Olivia on the knife, Julia murmured at him, the knife that pierced the body of Dawson.
She saw him pinch the lips a moment before he turns to her.
-Are you involved in this murder Julia? You know you can tell me anything.
-Do you think me capable of such a thing?
He remained silent for a long moment before Darcy leans forward to tenderly caress her cheek.
-No, of course not, my angel, he said on her lips before kissing, sleep now, we'll see what we can do for the club tomorrow.
She did not answer and he lay down beside her again. Yet Julia, did not close her eyes. She knew Darcy was hiding something, she knew that he was involved in the murder, one way or another and that, she could not bear it. She wanted to yell at him, to tell him that she had heard that mysterious telephone call, she did not believe him. But instead, she remained there, motionless and silent, just waiting for him to sleep.
When she heard his deep, steady breath, she leaned toward him to see that he was fast asleep. She then left the bed quietly, she joined the bathroom and dressed quickly again. She walked into the bedroom of her daughter and she opened the cupboard to get out a small leather suitcase. Then she shoved them clothes for several days. She went to bed and woke her gently.
-Mom? Olivia grumbled, rubbing her eyes.
-My love, come with me but do not make noise.
-Where are we going?
-To a friend, come.
Julia made her get up and handed her a robe, then she placed a blanket over her and she took her suitcase in one hand and the other that of Olivia. They left the house stealthily, without looking back. Julia brought up the girl in the back seat of the car and covered her with her blanket and she began at the front and she drove off. She gave a look at the piece of paper she had under her eyes and she immediately went into the diving street in the dark of night. She took a few minutes through the nearly deserted city before parking in front of a red brick building. She remained there, sitting in silence, glancing at the girl who had fallen asleep again. Her eyes looked up again toward the building, toward the window where she could still see the light on. She had made her decision.
Detective Murdoch was sitting at the small table in his kitchen wood, rereading yet again the police report on the death of James Dawson. They had conducted further interviews, other arrests. They could dismantle a drug trafficking rife within the University and in which the poor man was involved. But they had not got hold of his murderer. That was a long time that William was no longer focused on this case. In truth, he had never really had his head in it. He could not drive from his mind the young woman he had not seen for three days already. Three days and he missed her terribly. He clung to the memories he had of her, her eyes, her smile when she left the police station. He could not stop thinking about that little girl that she was in the arms and that was her spitting image. In a glance, he felt that little girl to break all the barriers he had erected around his heart. She had touched him deeply. Just as it was to admit, her mother before her.
Lost in thought, William jumped as two small strokes were given to his door. He frowned, wondering who could well come to disturb him home at this hour. George, no doubt, thought William, rising and crossing the small studio to come open the door. But when he met the gaze of the person on the other side, his heart skipped a beat. She was there before him, his gaze plunged into hers. She looked exhausted and yet she was holding against her her little girl wrapped in a pink blanket, closely packed, face on her chest, eyes closed. Julia had not had to say a word, he understood. She needed him and she had come in the night with Olivia to ask him help. And that was what he intended to do. He smiled tenderly and she did the same. Then he stepped away from the door and let her in, closing it behind her.
to be continued...