Murdoch and the Chimney Sweep

7.

"What are you doing?" questions Alexander as he catches up to his female friend, with Henry nowhere to be found it was up to him to change Stephanies mind.

"I have to do this" she speaks and nods past Alex, he looks away for a moment only to lose sight of his sister.

"Dammit" he mumbles turning around in circles looking from face to face of the people on the street. "What are you planning?" he questions to the ever-busy crowd walking by him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Stephanie smiles as she looks down from a tall rooftop in Toronto, down towards her lost brother.

"I'm sorry, I had to do that" she whispers still looking down towards Alexander whose turning around quickly and frantically looking around for his sister, "I thought your first thought would be to look up" she speaks and heaves a sigh before turning around and running across the roof of the building and dangerously leaps onto another. She looks over the edge of the building down towards the people of Toronto casually walking around the square. Two constables slowly make their way down the street, in front of the building in which she stands upon. Stephanie recognises the smirk of Constable Crabtree as he and Constable Higgins walk by two women linked in arms. Stephanie jumps to action, running to the edge of the building and clambering down the fire escape and waiting in the shadows between two buildings for the Constables to pass.

"Well Henry, I believe today to be a good day" speaks Crabtree

"Why's that George?" questions Henry as they pass the small alleyway where a girl stands in partial light, going unnoticed by both constables.

"Allow me add to that then" she speaks leaning against the wall of the building of the alleyway. Both constables spin on their heels to find the source of the voice, quickly spotting her as she approaches them.

"Ahhh..." begins George completly lost for words,

"What can we do for you miss?" questions Constable Higgins in George's silence,

"I said that I'd get back to you with information, didn't I?" she poses to the Constables and George regains his stature,

"Well, what do you have for us then?" he questions bracing himself for the answer as she stands at attention looking between the Constables and into the near distance, "What's wrong?" questions George turning on his heals and looking in the direction of a small boy who runs out of the shop, hands full of goods. "Blimey" he speaks before him and Constable Higgins run off in the direction of the boy.

"Stop!" calls one of the two as they near the boy who bolts in the opposite direction,

"Stop him!" calls the other and soon enough the three are out of sight.

"Stephanie!" calls Alexander, jogging up to her, "Stephanie, what the hell was that?" he questions frustrated,

"Payback" she speaks turning to her brother, "For not outing what Tom has been doing for the past week" Stephanie finishes as the Constables round the same corner they disappeared through with Higgins holding Tom roughly as he struggles. Behind them is Henry with the smuggest smile on his face Stephanie and Alexander have ever seen. Both constables talk for a moment, giving Henry time to approach his family.

"That was the best plan ever!" he exclaims still laughing loudly and Stephanie joins in and giggles.

"Miss" comes the voice of Constable Crabtree from behind a laughing Henry, "Ah... You know each other" he speaks pointing between Henry and Stephanie as the two settle down.

"Yes I know both of them" she gestures to her brothers either side of her, chuckling

"Ah," he stutters again before remembering his duty, "Thankyou for helping us apprehend Tom, he will be treated with accordingly" he speaks formally looking between the three,

"I was watching him, if you would like a statement from a witness" speaks Alexander squaring his shoulders, taking half a step forward, George quickly studies him then nods gesturing towards the direction of the Station House. With that they both nod towards Stephanie and are soon out of sight.

"I would of loved to of seen his face" Stephanie begins causing the pair to laugh the afternoon away whilst walking arm in arm through the streets of Toronto before heading back to their home meeting up with Alexander and their overly moody caretakers.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Another body" speaks Murdoch as Stephanie gets comfortable once again inside the chimney of Detective Murdoch's house.

"Who this time?" she questions, leaning her head against the wall of the chimney

"One of the Doctors patients" he begins pacing through the room, "This time, shot with three arrows in the hallway of the institute" he speaks and Stephanie opens her eyes,

"Three arrows" she retorts loudly, "How many does it take to kill a man?" she questions not expecting a response from the detective considering their last encounter the previous night.

"Well, if you aim right, then one. But otherwise..." he speaks and trails off towards the end, there's a long moment of silence, Stephanie listens to the sound of her own heartbeat while, in the brightly lit room, Murdoch paces still fretting for his own safety after what a witness told him and keeps reiterating to him whenever she can,

"Detective," begins Stephanie as she closes her eyes, "Are you ok?" she innocently questions and Murdoch stops pacing,

"I'm okay I guess" he speaks and walks again only for the footsteps to stop as he sits at his desk, the pair stay silent for what feels like hours before Murdoch announces "I have an idea"

Authors Note:

So, I owe you guys another chapter for missing one the other week, that and the rest of this week will be hectic for me.

As always, any request - whether for case or character - are welcome anytime, just leave a comment.

I am still looking for five female names, there for the next chapter.

Thankyou for reading