Murdoch and the Chimney Sweep

17.

"I don't trust this plan" speaks Inspector Brackenried as he and Murdoch watch Stephanie leave the station house,

"I trust her" Murdoch replies, "She's helped us out so far, why not solve her parents murder?" He questions looking back to his superior,

"Whatever you say Murdoch," he shrugs, leaving Murdoch's office and retreating to his own.

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

"Hey," Stephanie calls jogging up to her brothers, "I need your help"

"What's up?" Questions Henry as Stephanie pulls them both into an alleyway,

"My cover with the detective has been blown" she begins, her brothers look to her shocked, "but that's not what's at stake here" she continues before they even think about arguing and glances back out the alleyway, "I need your help"

"Anything" Alex replies and Henry nods in agreement, Stephanie relays her plan to her brothers and the three of them separate to get things in order.

Night begins to fall on Toronto and the children slowly gather on the rooftops surrounding their building, undercover constables along with detective Murdoch discreetly surround the building on the ground. Stephanie stands with her brothers in the middle of a growing group of kids she looks to Henry,

"Everyone know their place? The signals?" She questions him

"All ready to go" Henry replies,

"And it seems our brothers in arms are ready too" Alexander comments with a nod to the men dawdling on the ground,

"Good, cause I don't know how this will go" Stephanie replies concern in her eyes as she looks from Alexander to Henry, 

"This will work" Alex speaks and gently takes Stephanie's shoulder, both boys nod to their sister as the children begin receiving their sections for the night. The trio wait until they're the only children left on the rooftop, Stephanie takes a deep breath in and out before approaching the open window.

"Who's next?" the old man questions and looks up to the approaching girl, "Ah yes, Stephanie Lynn" he answers and looks away to the map on the wall, his old frail hand searching for the girls name tag.

"Do you know what happened to my parents?" she questions in a small voice, his hand falters at the map and he turns in his chair to look at her, 

"Stephanie, your parents came to me for a business transaction, everything went smoothly and I sent them on their way" he speaks with an open gesture around the room,

"Liar"

"Liar?" he questions, "What proof do you have?" he speaks standing up and taking a step towards the window,

"My parents never would have left me here alone" she yells, he takes another step, "You killed them" she accuses and he takes another step, "And if you didn't do it, you know who did" she calls as he stands face to face with her, "Tell me the truth" she demands, not cowering down from his gaze,

"You're right, I enticed them to Toronto," he takes a small step back and Stephanie freezes, "I brought them here to fleece them out of their life savings" he calls and casts her a wicked smile, "I killed them, yes, yes I did," Stephanie's eyes well with tears, "I remember it like it was yesterday" he rambles and tears fall down her cheeks, "They were looking for an insurance company, but they found me instead" he sits in his chair, his hands clasped together in front of his face, "I took care of them but I didn't know they had also brought you" he speaks and Stephanie nods slowly,

"You took me in"

"I did"

"Why?" she questions in a small voice, 

"I'm not sorry for what I did" he shrugs, "I take children off the streets, I give them a home, work to do, you were just another child I took in from the street" he speaks with a shrug and Stephanie wipes the tears away, "But unfortunately dear girl," he speaks gently and approaches the window, "you know too much" he snaps and grabs Stephanie by the throat hauling her inside. Stephanie thrashes against his hold and she looses touch with the floor, Henry and Alexander rush to her aid but get knocked away by their boss. Their attempts futile, "Stephanie, you should never have spoken to Detective Murdoch" he speaks and tightens his grip around her neck, she gasps for breath and claws at his arms,

"Let her go" calls Detective Murdoch, the children's boss looks to the man standing in the doorway, Henry and Alexander try again to knock their boss down. Constable Crabtree and Higgins scramble past Murdoch to hold the young men back, "We have your full confession" he continues as Stephanie slowly stops thrashing, "It's over." the boss looks towards the Constables pointing their weapons, standing between him and the open window before looking back to the Detective. He then looks to Stephanie, her eyes drooping slowly,

"For now, maybe." he narrows his eyes at the girl before tossing her to the ground,

"Stephanie!" call Henry and Alexander, they push past the constables and fall beside their sister, who begins to cough and gasp for breath, her vision and hearing slowly become clearer and clearer.

"Constables" Murdoch speaks and they quickly move to apprehend their suspect, he looks to the trio gathered together, and Stephanie continues to cough and forces herself to sit up. Murdoch approaches her, Henry and Alexander shooting wary looks to him, Murdoch responds by holding his hands in surrender as he approaches, "Take it easy, Stephanie" he speaks as the boys return their attention to their sister,

"That didn't really go as planned" she coughs out and nods to her brothers,