Streets of the Ripper

Chapter 4 - Little Em

"Well.......?" Homer asked, as Drum returned to the front desk.

"What.........?"

"What were they sayin..............?"

"Nothing when I went in. Jim..........I mean, the lady thanked me for the tea, and I left.........."

"Some help, you are..............." Homer teased, before turning and leaning his elbows in the desktop. His eyes looking between the office, and Drake, who was still to say anything about this.

"You know something, Drake. It's a shame that you and Flash hadn't got along better. I mean, there is many a girl that would say that Jim Walker was a handsome man. But if you want my opinion; I think she makes an even better lookin woman. You never know.......you and she............"

"It's a good job then that no one did ask your opinion, innit. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have better thing ta do than ta stand around here and wait fa a woman ta tell me how ta do my job........" Drake growled back, not even bothering to look at the captain as he grabbed his hat and made his way out of the station.

"Ah, me thinks the Sargent doth protest too much, Drum.........." Homer added, as the front door was slammed. Drummond merely giving the captain a confused smile in reply. The Pinkerton agent shaking his head and chuckling before making his way to the office, in hopes that the bottle of whiskey in his desk draw, wasn't as empty as he thought it might be.

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"Did you know Miss Macurdy...............?" Reid suddenly asked, as he noticed Elizabeth still looking at the postmortem picture of the woman.

"Not as well as some of the other girls; but her and James' paths had crossed on a couple of occasions. My normal dealings with the women usually involve me sitting with them and listening when they talk in the pubs. Its surprising what men will let slip, when a woman is...........well, I am sure that I don't need to go any further with that. Some men are even willing to confess things to these women, that they would be too ashamed to admit to their priest. Other times, girls will come up with bits of things that they have heard; its mostly about houses they think that Jim can turn over when the owners are away. But occasionally they can say something they didn't know was important. And that is where Emily came in. Her normal patch was down at the docks, trying to catch the sailors as they left the ships with their pay; but occasionally Little Em would come up here to work with a friend of hers, by the name of Tabatha Graham. One night I met them on the corner of Old Street. She let it slip that one of her customers had said something about a strange crate his ship had taken onboard in the very last minutes before they were due to set sail back to London. I passed the information on; the authorities searched the ship, and the crate was found to be full of guns. A little part of me can't help but worry that someone overheard that evening, and this is payback for her slip of the tongue." Elizabeth explained, as she put down the picture.

"But even if it does, it might mean we have something to go on. As I said, Emily would always work with Tabitha when she was in Whitechapel. So, it might be worth going to see Tabby. She might have seen something, someone........Though, any questioning would have to wait until this evening. She never goes out onto the streets, until she has settled her daughter down for the night." The agent continued, before picking up the cup from the saucer, and taking a drink.

"You know, I really should apologise, Inspector............."

"For what, Miss Quinn.............?"

"For Jim being a bit of a thorn in your sides. I had to make a name for him, you see. I had to get him that reputation, because I needed him to be trusted in Whitechapel. And I quickly found that the best way to be trusted in Whitechapel, was to cause the police, nothing but trouble. Though Drake seems to have taken Jim's presence on your patch as more of an insult than any of the other officers. Though going head-to-head with Bennet Drake, certainly didn't do me any harm. In fact, it gave Flash a few bragging rights after standing toe to toe with your Sargent. Though I seriously doubt my jaw could survive one of his infamous right hooks.........." Elizabeth chuckled. A knock coming to the office door.

"Excuse me, Sir........" Drum began, before turning to look at the lady.

"There's a hansom waiting outside for ya Jim......Miss......"

"Thank you, Drum........Well, if you will excuse me, Inspector. I think its best that I change my clothes and don't look so much like Flash, anymore. If its alright with you, I'll be back here tomorrow morning and we can start this new job of mine. And in the evening, we might be able to find Tabatha........." Elizabeth continued, as she got to her feet; Reid quickly following. The pair nodding to one another before the agent left the office.

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Bennet sat in the darkest, quietest corner of the pub, a glass of scotch just sitting between his fingers. His mind going over that morning's events. Ever since Jim fucking Walker had come to Whitechapel, Drake's life seemed to have become more difficult. The Flash bastard seeming to enjoy making a complete fool out of him, at every opportunity. The month previous, not being the only time that the Detective Sargent had wanted to punch his lights out. Drake had always hated men like Walker. Men that seemed to get everything without trying. Men that had the money without working for it, that the women threw themselves at, just because he smiled. But now he knew that it had all been an act. That the man that he had clashed with and hated for the past two years, was in fact a woman. Bennet not sure whether that made him feel better or not; though he was now glad that he hadn't punched Jim whenever the urge had taken him. The Sargent not sure what would have happened to his career if he had not only decked a woman, but a woman that was working for the Ministry of War. Yet the worst part was, that the Yank had been right; Jim Walker was a beautiful woman. Drake finally swallowing his drink, and deciding that he needed one more, before heading back to the station.