Chapter Ten – The Science Behind My Madness

It felt like five minutes after her eyes closed that her phone started ringing beside her. She picked it up, still buried under the covers.

"Dunham."

"Hey Olivia, it's Simon. When are you heading to the lab?."

"Soon. What's up?"

"Ruby thinks she found something."

All traces of sleepiness gone, Olivia sat up, letting the blankets fall from her body.

"What?"

"She thinks she knows how Mrs Green died. We want to take another look at the body."

"Head to the lab. Astrid should be in. I'll be there as soon as possible."

Olivia ended the call and pushed herself out of the bed. It took her another moment to realize that Peter wasn't in bed beside her. She listened carefully and could hear the soft sound of him singing in the shower. She smiled as she got dressed, pulling her hair back into a ponytail.

When they arrived at the lab, Walter in tow, Simon, Ruby and Astrid were leaning over the body of Mrs Green . Walter, deeply unimpressed and having already told Peter and Olivia he felt like his lab was being invaded, strode forward, flustered and angry.

"What are you doing?"

Olivia moved forward.

"Walter, I said they-"

"I DON"T CARE WHAT YOU SAID!"

Olivia flinched away from Walter's booming voice. For a man who barely raised his voice, he had an incredibly thunderous volume. It wasn't just Olivia who froze. Everyone else did too. The behaviour was so unlike Walter that a shocked silence fell. Walter huffed, his fists clenched at his sides.

"This is my lab. You have no right to come in here without my permission."

Walter passed a hard glare over Simon and Ruby before turning on his heel and heading to his office. If his yelling wasn't enough, the loud slamming of his door certainly made it clear where Walter stood on the subject of people being in the lab without him. Peter sighed and made a move to follow his father but paused when Olivia touched his arm.

"I'll go. I was the one who agreed to it."

Peter nodded slightly, moving towards Simon, Ruby and Astrid. Olivia knocked lightly on the office door before pushing it open.

"Walter, can I come in?"

Walter said nothing, sitting at his desk, his head in his hands. Olivia slipped into the room and shut the door quietly. She took a seat across from him, leaning forward slightly.

"I'm sorry Walter. I was the one who told Simon and Ruby to come in without us. She thought she found something."

Walter shook his head, finally raising his head.

"I am not angry at you. I am angry at them."

Olivia frowned.

"Them?"

"Ruby and Simon. I don't trust them."

"Walter, you like Simon and Ruby."

Walter shook his head.

"I don't trust them."

"Why?"

Walter stood and started moving behind his desk.

"I know what Simon wants. And I'm not going to allow this to happen."

"Walter, calm down. You've lost me. What does Simon want exactly?"

Walter frowned.

"I overheard your conversation the other night. Simon is trying to get you to leave Peter. And I will not stand by and watch my son get hurt because some little-"

"Walter! You misheard. Which is what happens when you eavesdrop."

Walter stood still, his body stiff.

"I did not eavesdrop. I just happened to be there when you talked."

Olivia offered him a soft smile.

"Walter, I'm not leaving Peter. Simon is not trying to take me away from Peter. In fact, Simon is going to ask Ruby to marry him. Doesn't sound like an evil plan to carry me away, now does it?"

"Really?"

"Yes."

Olivia pushed herself out of the chair, making her way around the desk and taking Walter's hand.

"Peter has nothing to worry about, ok? I'm not going anywhere."

Walter huffed but didn't try to pull away from her. Olivia offered him a small smile.

"You don't have to trust Simon or Ruby but you do need to trust me. Can you do that?"

"Don't be ridiculous. Of course I trust you."

"Then there shouldn't be an issue."

Walter sighed and softly nodded. Olivia released his hand and moved back to the door, leaving the office and Walter to his thoughts. She hadn't realized that he had heard their conversation the other night. He hadn't heard the whole conversation clearly and took Peter's concern to heart. She caught Peter's eye and he moved towards her, out of the earshot of the others.

"What's up with him?"

"He overheard our conversation the other night. He thinks Simon has come back to try and steal me away."

"Crazy old bugger. Why would he think that?"

"In his defence, you thought the same thing."

"I know but that's not the point. Why was he even listening?"

"I don't know. He thinks Simon is out to hurt you, to hurt us. But I told him that neither of you have anything to worry about. He wasn't aware that Simon wants to marry Ruby."

"And after you told him that?"

"He seems fine. I told him that he didn't have to trust Simon or Ruby but he had to trust me."

"What did he say to that?"

"He said he did. He should behave now."

Olivia nodded towards Simon, Ruby and Astrid.

"So what's the theory?"

"I'm not sure. Ruby is dissecting Mrs Green's heart."

"Why?"

"No idea."

Olivia and Peter made their way to where all the action was. No one said anything about Walter's behaviour which surprised Olivia. Her, Peter and Astrid were used to Walter's odd little behaviour but Simon and Ruby were not. But they kept working as if nothing had happened at all. Which Olivia was grateful for.

"Olivia nice of you to join us."

Simon offered Olivia a small smile before lowering his eyes back to Ruby's busy hands. Olivia was fairly certain she wouldn't get an answer if she asked how Ruby knew how to dissect a human heart. She did it with a confident, well-practised air, her small hands moving nimbly through the tissue and muscle.

"Ruby, care to share your theory?"

Ruby smiled, the goggles she was wearing actually making seem even younger. She looked like a high school student playing doctor.

"In a moment. Once I find what I am looking for. I wanted Dr. Bishop to confirm the theory for me."

"Well, since you've already cut open a perfectly fine specimen of a heart, what choice do I have?"

Walter's voice still had an edge to it as he flicked daggers at Ruby. Ruby merely shrugged.

"I don't mind either way, Dr Bishop. Because if I am right, we break open the case. If I am wrong, you can harvest the heart for samples."

Walter nodded slightly.

"That is a very good point, Miss Carter."

Ruby worked in steady silence until finally she gasped and smiled.

"Bingo!"

When they all leaned in to examine what she found, she pointed to a tiny char mark that was no bigger than a pin prick.

"She was electrocuted."

Olivia frowned.

"What?"

Ruby nodded, smiling brightly.

"You'll find the entry point somewhere on her body. Either way, it was rigged to hit her heart, which faltered and then stopped. No matter how healthy her heart, her age was against her. Her body couldn't protect itself or recover the way it would have when she was younger."

"Well done, Miss Carter."

Walter's compliment came out in a low huff of breath, as if he reluctant to pay it to her. He cut the sample from the heart and put it under the microscope. Before he examined it, he glanced at Peter and Simon.

"Search her body for the entry point. Everywhere. From the crown of her head to her toes."

Peter glanced at Simon.

"We get all the fun jobs."

Astrid grinned.

"Better you than me."

Ruby slipped off her bloodied gloves and moved closer to Walter.

"Thank you Dr Bishop."

Walter frowned at her.

"For what?"

"For allowing me to work in your lab and dissect the heart. I haven't done that since medical school."

Olivia raised her eyebrow at Peter. So that's where she learnt that little trick. Good to know it wasn't anything to terrible. Walter caught Olivia' eyes and she smiled slightly at him, hoping that he chose to trust he and what she had said in the office. Ruby was a lovely woman and didn't deserve Walter's cold shoulder just because she was caught up in his suspicions that Simon was going to take Olivia away from Peter.

"You are welcome. I apologize for my earlier outburst. I find it difficult to give up my personal space."

Ruby smiled.

"It's forgotten."

Walter nodded once and ducked behind his microscope. He hummed for a moment before looking at Ruby again.

"I believe, my dear, you have broken open the case. It looks as if you are correct."

Olivia was still trying to put the pieces together in her head when her phone rang. She looked at the screen before accepting the call.

"Hi Broyles."

"Dunham we have another body."

Olivia turned away from the others.

"Is it connected?"

"Hard to say. But I would appreciate Dr Bishop's input on this one."

Olivia turned back and glanced at Ruby.

"I think I have the next best thing."