Brackenreid entered the morgue, "Good morning Doctor."
"Good morning Inspector." Julia replied surprised to see Inspector Brackenreid in her morgue, "To what do I owe this pleasure?"
"How is the post mortem coming along on our latest victim?"
"Post mortem? Is Detective Murdoch not investigating this case?"
"That task has fallen to me Doctor."
"I beg your pardon? Is the Detective ill?"
"No ... he's gone."
"Gone? Gone where?" Julia was confused.
"I don't know."
"When will he be back? Has he gone for long?"
"Your guess is as good as mine Doctor," was all Brackenreid could reply.
"I don't understand Inspector. Are you saying Detective Murdoch has left the constabulary?"
"I don't know, but to be honest I don't hold out much hope of him coming back." Brackenreid turned back to the matter at hand. "The victim Doctor, do you have a cause and time of death?"
Julia was shocked, she couldn't reply, William ... gone.
"Doctor?"
"Oh ... oh, sorry Inspector, yes I do. I've almost finished you'll have my report soon."
Brackenreid glanced around the morgue and noticed one of the attendants, "In that case," he gave Julia a look and a nod, "why don't you bring it to my office as soon as you've finished." With that he left.
Julia had of course heard about William's escape from custody and then Constance Gardiner's escape whilst everyone was at her wedding. She wondered, could William have been responsible? Was that why he hadn't come to the church? She'd thought it was because he no longer loved her but what if she was wrong? She had taken a chance that her letter would get to him in time, perhaps it hadn't; but perhaps it had. Did he choose Constance Gardiner over her? Had he sacrificed a life with her to set Constance Gardiner free? Why would he do that though? Questions, all she had were questions. She felt the Inspector was going to tell her more but they weren't alone in the morgue; she had to go over to the Station House as soon as she could.
Julia entered Station House 4 and went straight down the corridor to the Inspector's office, hoping she hadn't been noticed. Brackenreid had seen her as she entered the station door and pulled down the blinds to his office; he didn't want anyone else to witness their conversation. Julia knocked on the door, he beckoned her in.
"Doctor, please, sit down." Julia placed her report on the desk and sat in one of the chairs opposite.
"Inspector, I had the feeling you would have said more had we been alone."
Brackenreid perched on the edge of his desk, glanced down and sighed, then looking at Julia, "He tried to resign. I wouldn't accept it. I told him to take a leave of absence, if he felt the same after a few weeks maybe then I'd accept his resignation."
"Why would William resign? He loves his work."
"You can't figure that out Doctor?"
Julia hung her head, so he did still love her. He'd left because of her. Because he couldn't face seeing her knowing he could never be with her. But why didn't he come to the church if that's how he felt?
After a moment the Inspector carried on, "You know Constance Gardiner escaped." It was a statement, not a question. Julia nodded. "Well she didn't. Murdoch released her."
