The Experiment

The Invitation

A few weeks had passed since he had worked the Blaque case but William still felt like it had happened just hours ago. He hadn't seen nor heard from Dahlia since then she had taken both of her daughters to New York to see Daniel's parents after the events that had unfolded. She was so fascinating to him. She was so strong and yet so gentle. She had suffered so much for someone of her younger age and yet she fought for and claimed a spot in a profession that is all men all while raising two daughters all on her own.

A smile kept across William's face as he recalled the first time he had seen her. It had been about four years ago. A street child had been found on the steps of a church with his arm red, and swollen with pieces of skin coming off. There was a clear puncture wound that seemed to have been caused by fangs on the underside of the wrist.

She had been teaching local doctors new techniques on how to detect and differenciate between multiple types of venoms and poisons in blood cultures. So the chief constable felt it would be a good learning tool and Dahlia agreed. She seemed to take the case very seriously and insisted on working directly with the station. Her intelligence impressed William at every turn throughout that case but she kept her personal life to herself. As he put away a stack of papers, the smile still on his face, he heard a knock at the door. Before he could answer George peeked his head in.

"Sir there is someone here to speak with you." He said smiling big, William nodded and walked towards the door. He stepped out of his office and was taken completely aback. She was standing there with two simple wooden boxes in one hand and the other hand holding onto the hand of a little girl no older than five. He was joined by Thomas who had also been summoned out of his office.

"Hello gentlemen." She said kneeling next to Lilia, handing her one of the boxes and whispering in her ear. Lilia let go of her mother's hand grabbed the top box and ran up to George tugging on his sleeve.

George knelt down next to her and she held the box out for him. "Thank you Consable George for reading to us." She said hugging herself around George's neck making him chuckle along with everyone else. He opened the box to find a worn out book, he picked it up and looked at Lilia.

"You have to finish it!" Lilia said holding onto George's sleeve.

George just smiled and hugged Lilia picking her up. Dahlia used that time to stroll up to Thomas with the second box.

"Here you are Inspector a gift for saving my life. It's from my personal collection." He smirked and popped the lid off the box and inside was a large bottle of scotch. It had no name on it but it was in a crystal bottle.

"Well thank you Miss but..." She cut him off.

"No arguments Inpector. Consider this a recommendation from one scotch lover to another" She said winking at him. She felt her heart drop a little, that was from a barrel Daniel had reserved for the day Lilia was born but since he died she decided this was a good occasion for it.

She turned on her heels and walked over to William. "May we speak in private William?" She asked in a serious tone.

Lilia was still clinging to George who was reading to her at his desk, and the Inspector had made his way to his office. So William ushered her into his office and closed the door behind them.

"William this is quite an interesting work space." She chuckled scanning over all of the room. "It reminds me of my lab when I have a breakthrough. I must admit it was not what I expected , but it is definitely fascinating." She said in a rather amused tone.

"My office fascinates you? The woman who has seen untamed jungles, and handles deadly creatures sometimes twice her size with no fear?" He chuckled out in a curious manner.

"To be honest William you as a person fascinate me. That's actually why I wanted to speak with you in private. You see I have followed your accomplishments ever since that case four years ago, you have an incredible mind. It fascinates me and I would like to understand it. Therefore I wanted to inquire if you would join me, Lilia, and Molly for dinner at my estate tonight?"

He turned around and saw her shy eyes which made his answer even easier. "Of course Dahlia I would love that." He said smiling wide at her.

"Fantastic! Dinner will be served at seven!" She turned on her heels and after collecting Lilia she headed home.

After she had left the day didn't seem to end fast enough for William, it felt like ages before he was able to leave. First he headed home to change, he washed his face and changed into his grey suit before he hailed a carriage to take him to Dahlia's estate. The trip was a blur of thoughts, but the most persistent thought was that he found her as equally fascinating. She had been through so much at such a young age and yet she remained so strong.

He felt a sting in his chest just thinking about how heart broken he had been after Liza had died. Yet he could not wrap his mind around the amount of heart break she must have suffered when Daniel was shot in front of her and while she was with child no less. Nor could he comprehend the fear of knowing her husband's killer was still out there.

His head swirled with all of emotions she had to have felt over the years and he began to feel nauseated. He leaned forward slightly and closed his eyes. As of late he was not happy to do so because he would see Julia's face, but this time was different. He saw Dahlia's smiling face something he felt he didn't see enough of. A smile crept across his face as the carriage halted to a complete stop jilting William out of his thoughts.