My Little Experiment (James Gillies)

Chapter 11: Treachery

Detective Murdoch stands in front of Mr. Thorne with his arms crossed. Mr. Thorne shifts uncomfortably in his seat, not liking the penetrating glare coming from the man in front of him.

"What exactly did you tell Mr. Gillies?" Murdoch asks, trying to keep himself from exploding on the man. 

"He said he was a friend of yours, Detective. He introduced himself as a Mr. Brown. When we figured out you were a mutual friend, I was extremely surprised when he brought up Breanna before acting like he slipped up on something. I reassured him that he hadn't let the secret slip because I knew." Mr. Thorne says, scratching the back of his head.

"He was obviously lying." Murdoch huffs and Mr. Thorne rolls his eyes.

"Yes, Detective, I can garner that now because of the situation we're in. We started talking and he asked what had happened. So I told him everything thinking he was a mutual friend. You never talk about Breanna, so I figured if he knew her, you must be acquainted."

Detective Murdoch puts his head down, hating even more that he had never told Breanna the truth. If there was any chance he could get to her before Gillies exposed the truth, he would tell her everything. 

"Is there anything specific you told her that maybe isn't common knowledge to the small group of people who know about her?" He asks and Mr. Thorne thinks about the question before looking away from Detective Murdoch's eyes.

"I told him about Breanna's real parents and the experiments your parents put her through." 

Detective Murdoch's eyes widen and he goes to make a move at Mr. Thorne, but the startled movement from the man makes Murdoch catch himself, tightening his jaw as he exhales harshly through his nose.

"That information is supposed to be top secret. You and Mrs. Thorne are the only ones who knew about that." Murdoch says stressed and Mr. Thorne looked down.

"I'm sorry. He always acted as if he knew more than he was letting on, and he was oddly persuasive. I had told him really before I realized it."

"Why?" Murdoch asks. Mr. Thorne refuses to meet his gaze.

"I guess the anger pent up over the years finally got to me. My wife and I never really got to have our own lives because we agreed to keep Breanna. And because of everything your family had put her through."

Detective Murdoch swallows hard before taking in a deep breath. "You had better hope we find Breanna before this murderer destroys her."

With that, Murdoch walks out of the room, unable to think of anything else to ask him. He hadn't thought that his circle of trusted companions would be broken so easily when it came to Breanna's secret. And Gillies was smart enough to weasel his way inside that trust and get to expose everything about his family secret.

He starts making his way back into his office, thinking of how to obtain Gillies' new whereabouts. All of his clues and leads have now come to a dead end. He's got no idea where Gillies has snuck off to now. Every hotel has been swept through, and there's no sign of him anywhere. And with the countdown given to him by Gillies, there was only 24 hours left until time is up.

"Sir!" 

Murdoch turns around, seeing Constable Crabtree and Constable Higgins by his door. 

"What is it, George, Henry?"

"There's been a delivery for you." Henry says and Murdoch instantly begins walking over to them. 

"Where?"

"We've set it up for you sir. It's a tape. It's got to be from Gillies." George says, leading the detective into a separate room. They had indeed set up the room for the recording, and Inspector Brackenreid was already inside along with Dr. Ogden.