Undisclosed Desires

Chapter 5

It took the detective a few seconds to compose himself

"Gilles...what on earth?"

Gilles chuckled harshly still clutching his injured leg "business deal gone bad, very poor sport he thought he could kill me without returning the money I loaned him, don't worry I got him before he could finish the job"

Sweat started to form on James' forehead. Murdoch knew if the wound was not treated it would get infected

"Gilles..." the two men locked eyes

"Murdoch I need your help"

Murdoch was used to seeing the mischievous glint in Gilles eyes but they only held pain and desperation "I'll be gone as soon as my leg is better it's not like I can walk into a hospital now is it?"

Murdoch swallowed "I should arrest you" Murdoch was stiff at his closed front door as he took in the wounded man. Gilles winced and clutched his leg

"We've been through this charade before detective, remember?" Gilles mockingly raised his eyebrows "if you want I could always remind you"

Murdoch looked down hiding the faint redness to his cheeks while Gilles chuckled "relax detective I am in no fit state to repeat my rather outstanding performance, I never did quite compliment you on the rather impressive bite you gave me" Murdoch rubbed his hand through his hair "fine I'll help you" shrugging off his jacket he helped Gilles to his bed

+()_*)(

Murdoch washed the blood from his hands while Gilles lay on his bed fast asleep Murdoch couldn't help but move a stray piece of Gilles hair away from his face. What was he doing? Murdoch should arrest this man let him hang at the noose. But his heart clenched

...no...

Murdoch's feelings had changed which left him in a slight dilemma, sooner or later Gilles would be caught either by another station house or by his own. Gilles wasn't one to shy away from attention in fact he thrived from it the theatrical dolls he left as breadcrumbs a few years back was proof of that

What was Gilles doing in Toronto anyway? He should be long gone like he promised.

It had been a long day and Murdoch's body and eyes grew heavy, pulling up the wooden chair Gilles was occupying before he pulled his jacket over his body and instantly fell into a dreamless sleep.

(+)(+)

Murdoch opened his eyes and saw Gilles sat upright eating some toast and reading the newspaper

"Morning detective"

Gilles folded the newspaper and held the plate which still held two pieces of toast towards the detective "Breakfast?"

Murdoch rolled his eyes before grabbing the plate "how's your leg"

"Sore but better, you slept later than I imagined you would"

Looking towards the tiny clock above his table Murdoch jumped up and sipped some tea before rushing to work, in all his years as a detective he was never late for work, just as Murdoch reached the door Gilles spoke "no kiss?"

Murdoch sighed before quickly leaving his home and ignoring the chuckles of Gilles behind him.

(+)

Murdoch was practically hunched over the microscope glass as he took in the tiny spectictrums of fibre he had found just off the sowing factory which didn't belong there.

"You alright Murdoch" Murdoch looked up and smiled politely at Brackenreid

"Fine sir, just trying to find some clues on this case"

"Sirs" Crabtree quickly rushed into Murdoch's office Higgins close behind him "Word of one of the mine workers said they saw James Gilles down at the docks last night"

Murdoch's blood ran cold

"Bloody hell" Brackenredi rushed to his office

"Did anyone see where he went?" he asked Crabtree

Shaking his head regrettably "no sir, they thought he might have jumped into the water but it was dark sir, however we did find another body the ID shows he was a miser Clark Davieson one of the benefactors of the factory, Clark was actually fired two months ago when he was laundering money from the company"

Brackenreid came back into the office now wearing his hat and coat carrying his walking stick "Come on lads, let's get the bastard"

(+)(+)

It was later in the evening Murdoch returned home after comforting a frightened Julia, she had requested he stay the night with her but he declined stating a police constable would be stationed outside her house and he needed to get back to work. Opened the door he was shocked to see Gilles attempting to walk

"What on earth do you think you're doing?"

Gilles gave him his trademark smile "well I was about to walk detective, there's been a lot of commotion out there today I think I might have heard my name a few times, I gather they found Davieson?"

Murdoch nodded "down by the docks, bullet wound straight through his eyes"

Gilles scoffed and sat on the chair "it was in self-defence William"

Murdoch's body froze, never did Gilles address him by his first name "tell me, how is Julia taking the news? I assume that's where you came from, that perfume of hers is still so powerfully strong, I smelt it the first day I saw you, you know, like roses dipped in lavender oil"

"I'd rather not talk about Julia Gilles"

"Of course not" Gilles smiled innocently at the detective, James looked down at the detectives from and couldn't help but admire him "you must give me the name of your tailor"

Murdoch tightly smiled "I'd rather not have him traumatized thank you"

James chuckled "of course"

Murdoch still stood in the centre of the room "would you like something to eat?"

Gilles, for the first time, looked startled at the detectives question, momentarily losing his otherwise poker face "I suppose"

Nodding Murdoch left the room before returning with some beef stew and bread the landlady had kindly made him luckily she made enough for two, giving her the excuse he had no lunch. "Here, this should be ok, Mrs Lowling is a rather good cook"

Gilles stood up and wobbled over to the detective resting his hands on Murdoch's shoulders before leaning in and kissing him ever so softly on the lips "O Murdoch, I think I'll have to keep you"