Virtual Reality (Sue Thomas FBEye / Murdoch Mysteries)

Virtual Reality - Intro

With Lucy gone for the evening, Sue logged onto her new laptop. She'd found the fan fiction site by accident and she'd started reading the stories about the obscure Canadian television series after her mother had sent her a tape of Murdoch, a gorgeous detective in the late nineteenth century who used unorthodox methods to solve crimes.

One day, she'd have to thank her mother's friend for smuggling them across the border.

And here she was working for the FBI. She smiled at the irony.

"Levi." Lying on the carpet beside the couch, her dog pricked his ear. "Forensic101 posted today."

Murdoch walked into the coroner office. His nose twitched at the familiar odour to which he still hadn't grown accustomed.

"Detective." Dr. Ogden's voice rose melodiously with each syllable. "I was wondering when you'd come to see me."

"I... I was reviewing the crime scene and interviewing the witness."

Sue noticed the intended hesitation and sighed. Murdoch reminded him so much of another dark hair, dark eyed man... the reason behind her lone evenings.

"Any luck?"

Murdoch's brow rose in confusion. "What luck?"

Julia Ogden chuckled. "With finding more evidence, William."

"Oh... No. I'm afraid the explosion and the subsequent fire destroyed all the evidence and no one saw anything. What can you tell me about how victim?"

The doctor approached the table on which a charred mass lay. "Well, she's dead."

Hat in his hands, Murdoch stared intently at the cadaver. "She?"

Sue rolled her eyes. Murdoch had obviously missed the morbid joke.

"Yes, a young woman. I'll boil her skull and try that reconstruction technique you showed me."

"Very well." A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips as he nodded. "Once you have a picture, I'll give it to George so he can canvass the neighbourhood." Constable George Crabtree was his young, eager assistant, and Murdoch trusted him implicitly. "Someone has to know who she is... was."

Hands on her hips, Julia faced him. "You know, William, I find it strange that no one has reported her missing."

The rim of his hat rolled between his fingers. "Maybe someone will come forward before the evening is over."

"Where exactly did the explosion occur?"

"On Richmond, near Yonge." An eyebrow arched over his gorgeous brown eyes. "Why?"

She shrugged. "Just wondering. I know someone who lives nearby."

Murdoch grew concerned. "And have you heard from her today?"

An enigmatic smile lit up Julia's face. "No, William, I haven't received any news from HIM today."

"That's it?" Another cliffhanger? Sue disliked cliffhanger with passion. Who was HIM? As she scrolled down the screen of her computer to see if Forensic101 had posted another scene, Sue skimmed the replies.

CRABBY-- Is Dr. Ogden involved with a mysterious man?

LUCKYJULIA-- A suitor for Julia? Will Murdoch get jealous?

MURDOCHFAN-- The town people are lucky it didn't occur at 7:30am or there'd be more than one corpse in the morgue.

MED78-- I can't wait for the facial reconstruction.

ROSY&WILLIE-- What did Murdoch think Julia was asking when she said "Any luck?"

BLACKWIRE-- With all that excitement, I'll need coffee by 17:09.

STARSHIP-- The doctor needs to work on her joke. It wasn't funny.

The other fans had already covered her observations, so Sue turned her computer off without adding a reply. "That's it for tonight, Levi. Would you like to go for your walk?"