10. Notifying whom?

Constable Giamati told Mr Butler: "Inspector Robinson is currently investigating a mysterious death in Kew. He has sustained a minor injury. He needs assistance with a bicycle."

Mr Butler told Phryne: (Who was still in bed) "There has been a mysterious death in Kew involving a bicycle. The Inspector is injured. He requires your assistance."

Phryne heard: "Jack wants your assistance with a murder in Kew. He's been injured!"

Phryne jumped out of bed!

Phryne reached the front door. "Dot, we need to assist the Inspector investigate a murder in Kew."

It was Mr Butler, however, who accompanied Phryne to Kew. "Due to the bicycle" he told Phryne, who did not appear to have heard that part of the related message.

It took nearly an hour for them to reach the Studley Park Boat house, which is where they were directed by the telephone message. On arrival, Phryne could not see any evidence of a police presence or of any disturbance at all, apart from the number of Police vehicles in the parking area, and the coroners van.

Eventually, they heard voices from a path along the river. They walked for a few minutes along the path from the parking area and found the crime scene. The police were scouring a hillside covered in shrubs and ferns, downhill from a rambling property. Phryne spotted Hugh Collins, easily visible amongst the greenery of the plants, broad in his blue uniform. Mr Butler remained well away from the unfolding events. He did not want to be involved unless called on.

"Hello Hugh" Phryne said, "Lovely spot for a murder."

"Ah, Miss Fisher" said Hugh, looking around. "Acting Deputy Commissioner is here. He does not want civilians involved in murder investigations!"

"Then you should not have called me! Where's Jack?"

"He's with the Deputy Commissioner. They're looking for path access further down around the bend. Please Miss Fisher; don't approach near the crime scene."

"All right Hugh, Why don't you tell me about it instead?"

"It's a female, young, in her 20's, hit over the head with a blunt object, dumped here in the ferns, probably yesterday, no way of identifying her at this stage."

"Do her clothes tell you anything?"

Hugh looked around, highly embarrassed, and then whispered. "She's not wearing any clothes, only her..um..undergarments!"

Phryne whispered back. "That's alright Hugh; I do know what women's undergarments look like!"

Hugh turned red. "They're not um..usual bloomers and ..um.. things! They're ..um.. what "those"ladies wear!

Phryne responded "And what do "those" ladies wear as undergarments Hugh?"

Hugh was so embarrassed that Phryne was able to slip under his arm and step up to the covered body.

A quick look under the sheet confirmed the undergarments were not traditional, but hardly scandalous. They also were not the right size. Phryne looked at the dead girl's body and limbs also. However, her investigation was cut short by Acting Deputy Commissioner Harold Stevens, who returned from their search around the bend in the path. Jack was with him.

"What are you doing here Miss Fisher?"

"Hello to you Deputy Commissioner, hello Jack. Oh, you're injured!"

"What are you doing here Miss Fisher?" asked Jack, whose arm was tied up in a makeshift sling.

"I received a telephone message that you required my assistance."

"I don't know who called you Miss Fisher, but I did not telephone you" said Jack, "However, as you are here, perhaps you could help me get home, as my bicycle is in need of repair and I'm not fit to ride at this present time!"

The Deputy Commissioner interjected. "Miss Fisher, this is a crime scene, and civilians, especially females, are not permitted to be present. Constable Collins, I am reporting you for calling Miss Fisher when I gave specific orders that she not be contacted!"

"But Sir, I did not contact her!"

"That's enough Constable. Now Miss Fisher, please take your manservant lackey and go home. We have to investigate the murder of this lady of the night."

"Oh, she's not a lady of the night Deputy Commissioner, she's a house maid. I'll bet my hat on that!"

Jack rolled his eyes at this. He was white and obviously in pain, he sat down on the side of the path, holding his arm close to his body. Phryne appeared to notice his distress for the first time.

"Oh Jack, you don't look well, let's get you to a doctor. Help me Hugh! Mr B, can you help?"

As Jack was helped to his feet, the Acting Deputy Commissioner said "And how in your limited knowledge of murders, can you tell she' a housemaid Miss Fisher?"

Phryne was concerned about getting Jack up to the car at this stage, so she shouted rather bluntly to the Deputy Commissioner. "She has the hands of a housemaid, she's been using carbolic soap, and she has housemaid's knees. The undergarments don't fit her, so they are obviously not hers. I'd say that she borrowed them or found them. She's hardly a prostitute, but was probably bought here in a car, got knocked on the head by the man who she resisted and thrown in amongst the ferns here for good measure."

The Deputy Commissioner looked about to explode "My good woman, how can you make such assumptions!"

"That's not all" called Phryne "If she's not dressed now, I'd bet that her clothes are somewhere in the undergrowth on this hillside. If you're lucky, it might be her housemaid's uniform!"

Jack was looking very pale now, and it took Hugh and Mr Butler to get him up the hill and into the back seat of the car. Mr Butler went about trying to fit the Inspectors bicycle into the boot. It had a damaged front wheel.

Phryne said to Hugh. "I bet that girl comes from one of the big hotels or a large house. When you find her clothes, check them for laundry marks. Some of the hotels do their staff laundry, and they number the uniforms to identify them easily."

To Jack she said, "How are you feeling Jack? I'll get you straight home. We'll call Mac to see you there."

"My house" said Jack weakly. "Why are you here Phryne? Who called you?"

"Somebody called me Jack and I'm glad they did. You would be sitting in the dirt with a broken arm for hours, and those men would be barking up the wrong tree all day and that poor girl's family would never know she'd been murdered!"

Phryne turned to Hugh "Hugh, please let me know when they find the clothes, check for any missing persons from yesterday, and check any large hotels if they are missing a member of female staff. You know where to find me."

As she climbed into the driver's seat, Hugh said "I was at the station when Greg Bryson's called notifying us of the discovery of the body. I did not make any phone calls; I came straight out here with the Deputy Commissioner! So, who called you Miss Fisher?"

"No idea!" said Phryne, started the engine and speed away!