Murdoch and the Chimney Sweep

18.

Two Days Later...

Stephanie sits before Detective Murdoch, bruises dusting her neck from where her boss held her by the throat. Henry and Alexander stand behind her, also summoned to this meeting by the Detective. The three children spent the past two days figuring out what to do next. The children's home being torn apart by constables searching for evidence of corrupt matters and anything else that could help them solve many more cases.

"It's all over now" Detective Murdoch begins looking to Stephanie, "Your parent's murder has been solved, and many more unknown cases can be too, and that's all thanks to you three"  Alexander stands proudly until Henry speaks up,

"But what will we do now?" he questions and Alexander pauses to think, "You've pulled apart our home, our jobs, we now have nothing"

"He's right, we may have solved a murder, but at what cost?" Alexander replies,

"We can't go back to living on the street, please Detective Murdoch, don't send us back there" Henry pleads,

"What if we worked for you?" Stephanie speaks up, everyone looks to her, "We hear plenty more about what's happening on the street, we could tip you off and help you solve cases" she continues and the brothers look between each other, "Only the older of us, I won't allow the younger one's to be caught up in anything dangerous"

"That's an interesting idea"

"It's not an idea, that's what we've just done" Henry comments,

"We just helped you to solve three murders, why not help you some more?" Alexander explains, Detective Murdoch thinks for a moment before excusing himself from the present company, he heads over to Inspector Brackenried's office and discusses it for a few minutes. The pair then make their way back into Murdoch's office,

"Is this true?" the Inspector questions, "You kids want to work for us"

"Sir I believe they could be of some use" the Detective continues for the children

"What exactly are you proposing?"

"We need a place to call home, we need to keep a normality in our lives."

"Yes."

"You keep our home up and running, we help you on cases and give you cases should we hear of anything"

"I see."

"I believe this would have to be all under the table Sir, I do not believe our superiors would approve of this" Murdoch comments,

"I agree." the Inspector adds and pauses a moment in thought, "You kids have yourself a deal." the three children smile at each other in happiness.

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

The following afternoon Detective Murdoch and Dr Julia Ogden arranged for a funeral for Stephanie's parents. The three children plus Murdoch, Julia, Crabtree, Higgins and the inspector stand around two marked graves in silence. The procession had finished, Stephanie meekly smiles at the graves feeling proud for her actions. As she turns around Julia and Murdoch approach her, 

"Your parents would be very proud of you Stephanie" Julia speaks with a hug, Murdoch half smiles and nods to Stephanie,

"You have done great work and will continue to do great work for us." Murdoch speaks, Stephanie looks between them,

"I never really thanked you for all that you've done for me, and for my family." Stephanie speaks with a small smile, "Thank-you, both of you, for everything."

In the weeks and months following the ceremony, Stephanie, Henry, Alexander plus all the other trusted children put themselves to good use. Keeping their listening ears out during their days on the street, and in their nights chimney sweeping. They helped Detective Murdoch solve many more cases, and gave him many more cases. Sure they had their battles, wrong information was fed to Station House No. 4 and the children paid the price for that, but nonetheless the cases were still solved. 

As the children grew up, the trio moved their separate ways, while the memories of their adventures with Station House No. 4 remained. Stephanie defiled the normality of her time, with help, by attending a prestigious University. Alexander joined the Army and Henry joined the Police Force to hopefully one day make a difference in people's lives.

A/N

So, that's all folks. Thankyou for sticking around with this story. I hoped you enjoyed the ride I will probably go through and re-edit my work at some point but for now, thank-you and goodbye.