Murdoch and the Chimney Sweep

6.

"So, he's been back at it again." she speaks as she disappears down a chimney and appears moments later to stare at both boys. "What's that look for?" she questions the boys as they abruptly run off towards other chimneys and disappear quickly. "Fine, tell me later." she sighs and jumps to the next building shimmying down the chimney of a hotel, the chimney getting hotter and hotter as she decends. She shuffles down quickly only to stop as she hears noises from one of the rooms. Listening through the walls a chorus of creaks and moans sound from the room just beyond. A female voice begins to groan a name louder and louder as Stephanie shimmies back up the chimney quickly and sits on the top of the building. Her brothers catch up and sit either side of her.

"What happened in that building" Alex questions with concern on his face,

"The fire was lit" she speaks flatly looking at her more sooted clothes and blackened arms quickly forgetting about what she heard. "Is there anything else I need to know about?" she questions the boys as she looks towards the bright full moon,

"I think that's about it" speaks Alexander following her gaze,

"Well, I have to go. I've got a different section tonight" she speaks and stands on the roof,

"Be safe" speaks Henry and Stephanie nods, jumping off the building and onto another until she is on the outskirts of town. Standing on the roof she looks towards the city of Toronto. The twinkling lights of buildings, the occasional child jumping from one rooftop to another. She turns around and jumps down the chimney, quickly hearing voices.

"A most peculiar case Murdoch" speaks a loud male voice,

"Indeed it is, Sir" speaks Murdoch and footsteps walk around and a large shadow stops before the chimney, Stephanie stops abruptly, she holds her breath as she watches the shadow of a man who isn't Murdoch. "Sir, shouldn't you be heading home?" questions Murdoch and the large shadow turns around and walks away from the chimney.

"You're probably right, I've got to get home and see the misses" he speaks and footsteps walk further and further away from the chimney where Stephanie hides. She begins to relax, and concentrates on her breathing, taking deep sooty breaths in and out, slowing her heartbeat down to a fairly normal rate without coughing from inhaling soot.

"Are you here chimney sweep?" questions the detective who walks closer to the chimney, his question brings Stephanie out of her trance.

"Yes, Detective" she replies with a happier tone, "Who was that man, if I may ask" she questions back and climbs further down the chimney, settling in to a comfortable position near the bottom of the chimney.

"Ah, that man is Inspector Brackenried, he is above me." he replies, "You don't come 'round often do you?" he questions,

"No, we get assigned to different parts of the city and we each have our schedule" she replies leaning her head against the corner of the chimney.

"We?" he questions and Stephanie's eyes snap open, "So there are more of you?" he questions and she quickly becomes more attentive, her breathing rapid undoing her attempts to calm down, "I take that silence as a yes" he speaks and she leans her head in the corner again,

"Why all the questions?" she inquires to the Detective, closing her eyes still taking deep sooty breaths, slowing her heart rate again.

"I'm a detective, its what I do" he replies and walks away from the chimney, "I also don't know who you are, or if you can be trusted" he finishes after shuffling some papers and returning to the chimney.

"You have a good point" she speaks in a small voice, "What's your new case?" Stephanie questions after a long moment of silence.

"Well," he begins, "a Doctor was shot with an arrow" he speaks and holds his hand inside the chimney, showing Stephanie the arrow. She reaches down and takes it, giving Murdoch a quick look at her sooty hand. Stephanie shuffles back up the chimney and sits on top in the light of the moon, spinning the arrow within her fingers and looking down the shaft at the blood. Her eyes trail to the point and the fletchings where there is small drops of blood before jumping down the chimney and getting comfortable again.

"That's something you don't see every day" she speaks reaching her hand down into the light, Murdoch takes the arrow from her grasp.

"You would be right, I've never seen an arrow used for such purpose" he speaks and walks away from the chimney again,

"What are your leads?" she questions as the room falls silent, for Murdoch to disturb and rummage through some papers and walking back to the chimney.

"Well, a few witnesses speak of a hooded man, like a grim reaper... but with a crossbow" he speaks and brandishes a sheet of parchment into the chimney holding the sheet in the light of the room he stands in. Stephanie's eyes scan the sheet of paper, the outline of the hooded figure holding a crossbow.

"That's a detailed drawing" speaks Stephanie and Murdoch quickly removes the sheet of paper from her view.

"I'm sorry, you shouldn't of seen that picture" he speaks and walks away.

"Detective, I'm old enough to not be scared of what's on the sheet of paper" she speaks and begins to get an odd feeling, "There is something else, isn't there?" she questions and his footsteps stop, "Something more you haven't said" she speaks and hears Murdoch sigh.

"I have been told... that I will be a victim of this hooded killer" he speaks slowly, Stephanie moves from her comfortable spot,

"And you neglected to tell me this, why?" she questions back, Murdoch sighs

"Well..." Murdoch begins only to fall silent, Stephanie awkwardly holds herself above the edge of the light, willing herself to not step into bright room beyond the darkness.

"You didn't want me to know did you?" she questions the silent room beyond,

"I feel that I need to protect you" he speaks and takes a step towards the chimney, the silouette of his head covering the unlit wood.

"You barely know me!" she speaks louder and shuffles out of her awkard position,

"That doesn't stop me from protecting you," he speaks hurridly hearing Stephanie shuffle up the chimney, "Please chimney sweep" he begs and Stephanie stops her climbing and looks down towards the bottom where a white hand holds itself in the darkness, "Please, I may need your help" he speaks, the hand holding itself still. Stephanie slowly and carefully climbs towards the outstretched hand. She holds her right hand near the Detectives wondering if this is a good idea. Their hands stay that way for a long moment before Stephanie's cold hand take's Murdoch's smooth one and they shake hands. When they release their hands Stephanie looks up to see the edge of the moon creeping past the top of the chimney.

"I have to go" she speaks and begins climbing towards the moonlight.

"I will need your help soon" Murdoch's voice echos through the chimney walls as she climbs out.

"I will be back, don't worry Detective" she speaks and jumps off the rooftop and into the trees making her escape back to town to wash herself before some sleep.

Authors Note:

Hello readers, hope you are enjoying this story. I had a few different versions of this chapter planned out before I settled on this one. The ending I am still unsure of at this point but its written and you have a chapter... I promise there will be some more action in future chapters.

I do have one request. Would you mind suggesting some female names that I could use please. Thanks heaps!

Again any request for cases or characters are welcome. Just leave a comment or message me!

Thankyou for reading.