Armed with the information from the messenger lad, Joe headed in the direction of the brothels. A nice boy like him had no real business being down in this part of town, but then Pearl certainly didn't either. He passed the time before midnight in a nearby tavern nursing a pint, far too anxious about Pearl to enjoy it. He had wanted adventure, but this wasn't he had had in mind. At the sound of last call, he headed towards where the lad said Pearl might be.

She was running, then she fell. "Oof." It was in front of the alehouse where he sat. She pushed herself up and dusted herself off, then was prepared to start running again. She knew she was at risk being out on the streets this late at night, but Magnus had to be stopped. The man was going to keep killing if someone didn't stop him.

Poor Gareth had no idea what he was going to find, least of all that a raving lunatic murderer would be on the loose exactly on the location he had been summoned to. Proof, her note had said. He thought she had found a witness in the brothel, or perhaps there was a body. He had no idea what awaited him.

At least he had had the presence of mind to slip a gun under his coat.

He found the address and looked up at the front entrance. The door was closed. Did he knock or did he slip in?

Rising from his thinking spot, Joe reached out a hand to the fallen woman.

"Sorry Miss, I didn't see you like. You okay?"

"Joe!" she exclaimed when he helped her up. Oh no! He wasn't supposed to be there. She got a really worried expression on her face. Shit, what was she going to do? She eyed him guiltily, hoping that he wouldn't ask questions. Pearl knew she was going to be in more trouble.

Marcus saw the man before the man saw him. He fit the description of the fellow that Miss Pearl had told him about... the reporter. He approached and said, "Ye don't wanna go that way unless ye're lookin' to bed a wench. Ye lookin' fer Miss Carrington?"

"Joe!" she exclaimed when he helped her up. Oh no! He wasn't supposed to be there. She got a really worried expression on her face. Shit, what was she going to do? She eyed him guiltily, hoping that he wouldn't ask questions. Pearl knew she was going to be in more trouble.

"Pearl! Thank God I found ye. I been looking all over.  Tilly told me you were looking fer a.." Joe dropped his voice lower "a murderer!". He was still trying to figure that one out. He sighed and put his hands on her shoulders.  "Do what ye want, but I'm seein' you safe, so no use tellin' me to push off because I aint goin'.  Who are ye lookin' for anyhow?"

"Magnus... My eldest brother." she whispered, stricken. "He's killed someone." He needed to go to prison, she thought tiredly. She looked into Joe's eyes and she shook her head, "You shouldn't be here." Neither should she, but it was better that she got her brother safely put behind bars than someone shoots him, right? So why did it feel so bad?

Her Brother?! 

"Your Brother? Is there anyone in your family who isn't scum?" Joe grimaced almost instantly as he said aloud words that should have stayed inside his head. "Sorry, I shouldn't have said that. Anyways, I came lookin' fer ye. You shouldn't be here either."

Gareth turned and looked at the man who addressed him. Who the hell was he? "I am..." he said suspiciously.