A/N: Hi everyone. Thank you for reading the last chapter, and for taking the time to review. I hope you enjoyed it. This chapter was going to be divided into two parts, but after considering my plan I felt that ta his posed the risk of making the ending seem 'rushed', which I did not want to do, especially as this chapter features a very important discussion between Phryne and Jack. Based on this, I have decided to divide it into three sections, the third of which will be uploaded during the week. I've also altered my plan very slightly to enable Aunt P to find out about the baby at the end of part 3, as I think it would be only fair to you as the readers given the circumstances. As always, if you have any constructive/general criticism or comments, I would be very glad to hear it. I'm trying to improve my work and so I am very grateful for any input.
Tazman10: Thank you for your review, and your comments. I am very grateful that you pointed out the error, which I will amend. I hope you enjoy this update.
Love,
HQ21
Phryne and Jack arrived at the station just before half-past two in the morning, and were immediately engaged in the interview of Thomas Emmerson. During the hour-long interview, Mr Emmerson stated confidently that he had killed the man; he informed Phryne and Jack that it had not been intentional, that he had confronted him over his assault of Persephone/Sarah and had lost his temper, striking the man and causing him to hit his head. When pressed, he would not (or could not) tell them what the object was that he used in order to assault Councillor Hamilton, describing it only as 'something I had to hand', and claiming that it happened so quickly and was such a shock that he could not recall exactly what it was that he had used. He said that when he realised what he had done he panicked and fled.
"Then why did you return?" Phryne asked, watching the man attentively as he spoke. "And why would you confess immediately to the crime when there was nothing connecting you to it?"
"I couldn't risk someone else being blamed for what I'd done" Thomas said gently, meeting Phryne's eyes with his own. "I'm sorry."
Although Thomas's answers were immediate and unchanging, neither Jack nor Phryne believed that he was the perpetrator of the crime; but they were both acutely aware that a confession was one of the most powerful pieces of evidence available and, combined with his absence from the club, made him appear a very viable suspect. As they left the interview room at half-past three, they found themselves facing a dilemma that they had encountered before during their work together.
"So instead of finding evidence to support a suspect's confession, we are searching for something to exonerate him" Phryne stated as she sat down in a chair in Jack's office.
"Apparently so" Jack agreed, placing his file down upon his desk and turning towards Phryne, whose eyes were slightly red and whose face was notably paler. "Why don't you go home, get some sleep, and come back later today?" he tentatively suggested, despite knowing his attempts were in vain. Phryne looked up at him with tired eyes. "The next few hours are going to be spent interviewing the thirty-seven members of staff from the club, I can give you the notes on the interviews this afternoon."
"I'm not tired" Phryne lied, before reaching past him and picking up the file that Hugh had prepared for him. "Are these the police records of the people of interest?" she asked, as she leafed through the pages. Jack sighed and turned towards her with a gentle expression.
"Phryne-"
"Councillor Hamilton was investigated for an allegation of assault six months ago, but the investigation ended shortly after the victim rescinded her statement four weeks later" Phryne stated, as she continued to peruse the file. "How interesting" she added, before looking up at Jack, who was watching her with an expression somewhere between sadness and concern. Phryne's shoulders fell and she placed the file in her lap. "Jack, I'm fine" she assured him. Jack stared at her for a moment before lowering his eyes from hers.
"Fine" he responded quietly, before walking around his desk and sitting in his chair. Phryne looked up at him with concern, as a brief silence fell between them.
"Jack, if I feel unwell-"
"It's not just feeling unwell that we need to be thinking about, Phryne" Jack interceded, causing Phryne to look up at him with confusion. "You need to take care of yourself to prevent yourself from becoming unwell" he explained.
"I am taking care of myself" she protested, feeling hurt by the insinuation. "Jack, a few hours of lost sleep is not going to harm the baby" she stated. Jack looked up at her with a look of concern. Before they could discuss the matter further there was a knock at the door, and Jack sat up in his seat as he glanced towards it.
"Yes?" he called, watching as Hugh opened the door and stepped inside. Phryne held the file in her lap and averted Jack's gaze, finding herself feeling oddly unsettled by their recent exchange. "What is it, Collins?" he asked. Hugh stepped into the room and held a file in the air.
"Contact information of Councillor Hamilton's next of kin, Sir" he said, handing him the file. Jack nodded and accepted it.
"Thank you" he replied. Hugh nodded and, noticing that Miss Fisher appeared to be uncharacteristically quiet and pensive, turned and left the room. Phryne was silent for several moments as Jack read the file, before finding the silence between them unbearable.
"I'm sorry, Jack, I didn't mean that to sound so-"
"I know" Jack said gently, meeting her eyes with a reassuring expression. She felt herself begin to relax slightly. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to question you, I just-"
"I understand" Phryne stated warmly. "You're trying to make sure that the baby and I are healthy, and you don't have to apologise for that" she stated, "and although I don't admit it often, sometimes I do need to be questioned" she stated reluctantly. "And if you think for a moment I'm doing something that could jeopardise the baby's safety you would have absolutely every right to-"
"No, Phryne, that's not what I was suggesting" he assured her, as he looked into her kind and attentive eyes and attempted to gather his thoughts. "That's not what I meant" he said gently. Phryne considered him for a few moments before speaking.
"I know this must be difficult for you" she said tentatively, causing Jack to meet her gaze and watch her expectantly. "Please believe me when I say that I don't mean to make it so" she added. "I would do anything in the world to protect this child" she assured him, as he looked upon her and seemed ready to speak. "But I can take care of myself and this baby whilst working, Jack" she said gently. "If it gets too much for me today, or tomorrow, or a week, or a month from now I will stop" she stated with conviction. "But the loss of a single night of sleep isn't going to harm our child or me" she reassured him. "And from what I understand, sleepless nights are something we are both going to have to get used to fairly soon" she added, punctuating her statement with a nervous smile. Jack's expression softened and he nodded gently in response.
"Alright" he said quietly, looking up at her with kind eyes, as he drew the file back towards him and opened the first page. "Shall we discuss the late councillor's next of kin?" he asked, as he looked up at her from behind the file. Phryne smiled gently in response and nodded, leaning forward slightly in her seat as Jack read the contents of the page.
The next six hours passed surprisingly quickly, with all staff members from the Palace of Eros being questioned. Due to the number of staff who needed to be talked to, Jack sent ten officers and four detectives to the Palace of Eros, and was unsurprised to find an uncommon lack of complaining when the officers were roused several hours before their duties were due to begin to conduct interviews at the new yet already notorious gentleman's club. The majority of the interviews proved to be very useful to the officers, as it helped them to establish the whereabouts of the guests and the staff during the crucial time period between 11.40pm and 12pm when the victim had been murdered. The interviews revealed (to Jack's relief) that none of the male patrons could have committed the murder, as they were all suitably engaged with various ladies of the club. The five university students who Phryne had the misfortune of encountering were also discounted during this process, as two young goddesses draped in light pink and purple silk respectively beguiled the interviewing officers with a tale of the arrogant and inexperienced youths, which was quickly shared amongst the rest of the staff, and even made its way back to Jack and Phryne, much to the lady detective's amusement. Some of the goddesses and guards who provided what the officers considered to be crucial information were taken back to the station to be interviewed by Phryne and Jack, who had spent the early morning hours interviewing Miss Cassidy, looking into the Councillor's private and personal life in great detail, and creating a picture of the whereabouts of every person in the club at the time of the murder, which was greatly assisted by the information they were receiving at regular intervals. It was during this time that Phryne and Jack interviewed two people of interest.
Although Thomas had been due to stand guard outside the entrance to Miss Cassidy's rooms from midnight with his colleague Janus, Phryne had been quite keen to interview the guard who he preceded them both, and would have been on duty at the time when the Councillor and (presumably) the killer entered the room. After a lengthy interview with Miss Cassidy, who was nervous and very cautious with her answers, it was revealed that only one guard was on duty upstairs the night before, until a second one was required due to an increase in the amount of rooms being occupied; Miss Cassidy had a policy of one guard to each four girls, at least, meaning that when rooms five and six were occupied shortly before eleven thirty, another guard was arranged to assist Janus at midnight, and that guard had been Thomas. But the solitary guard who had been on duty from 10 until midnight was Poseidon.
Poseidon, also known as Robert Evans, had been on duty upstairs from ten o'clock until half past eleven, and reported no incidents occurring during the early part of his shift. However, at approximately eleven-thirty five, one of the drunken young men he identified as being part of the university party staggered upstairs and began banging on a door, imploring the young lady and her guest inside to permit him entrance. After cautioning the young man about his conduct was unsuccessful, Poseidon was reluctantly forced (or so he claimed) to 'escort' the young man downstairs and deliver him to his friends, who were in the front bar. He informed the guard in the room of his conduct and advised him to remove him from the premises if he caused a scene, which had been agreed to.
"And when did you return to your post?" asked Jack, as Phryne considered the sandy-haired young man before her with interest.
"About ten minutes later, Sir" he replied. "I got back to my position just as Sarah was comin' upstairs with one of the guards, to see Miss Cassidy" he stated. "She looked upset."
"Why did it take you so long to return?" Jack asked. Robert/Poseidon sighed.
"The young man was not very… keen to return to his friends" he explained. "He managed to slip away from me and headed towards the Underworld, and so it took a few minutes to change his mind about what he was doing, and also convince the other guards not to kick him out."
"That was very generous of you" Phryne said gently. "What had this young man done to deserve such a favour?" she asked. Robert/Poseidon blushed.
"He's my cousin, Miss" he admitted quietly.
"Ah" Phryne returned, before nodding in understanding. "I see." The young man blushed slightly and clasped his hands on the table before him.
"Did you see anyone else go upstairs when you were dealing with your cousin?" asked Jack. The young man shook his head.
"No, Sir, but I wasn't facing the stairs, so it's possible someone went up without me knowing" he explained. Jack nodded in understanding.
"And after you returned to your post at quarter to twelve, when did you leave it next?" Phryne asked.
"At midnight, Miss" he stated promptly, "when Hephaestus came and took over from me" he explained.
"And did you hear anything from between the time you returned to your post and the time you left?" Phryne asked. Mr Evans shook his head.
"No, Miss" he replied. "Nothing." Phryne nodded and offered him a polite smile.
"Thank you, Mr Evans" Jack said politely. "You're free to go."
As the young man left the room Phryne glanced up at the clock on the wall, which proclaimed the time to be just before nine o'clock, which she found herself almost unable to believe. The past few hours had had the good fortune of being busy, so they passed quickly. But she hadn't realised how quickly, and nor, to her surprise, had her exhaustion which, now she realised the hour, was creeping up upon her again. Phryne stifled a yawn and sat up straight in the uncomfortable chair to rouse herself.
"So the killer and victim must've headed upstairs at some time between eleven-thirty five and quarter to twelve" Phryne stated. "And presumably it was closer to the former, as Mr Evans claims he was back at his post by quarter to midnight, and he would have heard the struggle from his position mere inches away from the room." Jack nodded in agreement. "But all the staff and guests have alibis" she stated with confusion.
"Except for Thomas, who no one remembers seeing after twenty-past eleven" Jack stated, as he consulted his notes. "And Miss Cassidy." Phryne looked up and met his gaze.
"You think they're in on it together?" she asked. "They colluded to kill the man, somehow?" Jack inhaled deeply and considered the question.
"Mr Evans confirmed the accounts of Miss Cassidy and Sarah, who claimed the young lady was taken to Miss Cassidy about ten minutes after the altercation, which would have been at around quarter to twelve, give or take a couple of minutes" he stated, remembering Sarah's account of the assault having taken place at around half-past eleven, which was supported by the guard. "Perhaps Miss Cassidy went downstairs shortly after Mr Evans left his post, saw Councillor Hamilton walking into the room and questioned him?" Jack offered. "If his conduct with women is anything to go by, it's possible he tried to take advantage of her" he added. Phryne considered the theory.
"Maybe" she admitted. "She certainly seemed startled by the necklace" she stated, having already explained her reaction to Jack. At the memory of the necklace Phryne put her hand on her head and frowned with concentration. "If only I could remember where I had seen it" she said quietly. Jack considered her for a few moments.
"It'll come to you" he assured her. Phryne inhaled deeply and nodded, before removing her hand from her head and meeting his gaze.
"Do you think the hour is suitable enough for us to inform the late councillor's wife and sons of his death?" Phryne asked. Jack glanced at the clock and nodded.
"I do" Jack replied, as he and Phryne rose from their seats.
"My car or yours?" she asked cheekily, meeting Jack's raised eyebrows with a smile. "Fine" she said, feigning disappointment, as they walked together out of the interview room.
Phryne and Jack spent almost an hour with Mrs Hamilton, who was a reserved but kindly woman in her mid-fifties with light brown hair and deep blue eyes. There was something very kind and maternal about her, and she greeted her guests with the manner of one's favourite aunt, conducting them into her home and offering them a choice of refreshments so extensive that Phryne had quite forgotten what the first option was by the time she was offered the last. Jack and Phryne both politely declined all offers of refreshment and sat in the dark blue upholstered armchairs in the parlour, as Mrs Hamilton looked upon them expectantly. The fact that the Police had arrived at her home and she had not yet mentioned that her husband had not returned the night before demonstrated that it was a regular occurrence. However, once the formalities associated with greeting guests had been dealt with, Phryne saw her consider them both with confusion, before she paled slightly, and looked at Phryne with worried eyes.
"It's not Harry, is it?" she asked suddenly. Phryne, who recognised the name as being that of the Hamiltons' eighteen year old son, who was apprenticed to a mechanic and had been arrested on several occasions for alcohol and violence related matters, shook her head.
"No, Mrs Hamilton, this isn't about your son" she responded warmly, meeting the kindly older woman's gaze, and watching as she appeared visibly relieved. There was brief pause as Mrs Hamilton looked from Phryne to Jack.
"Mrs Hamilton, I'm afraid we have some bad news" Jack said gently, watching as the older woman considered him for a moment before nodding.
"Y-yes?" she asked, glancing back towards Phryne, who watched her with a tender expression.
"I'm afraid your husband, Councillor Basil Hamilton, was killed last night" Phryne said gently. Mrs Hamilton stared at her for a moment, her expression unchanged, her eyes unblinking. After a few moments she exhaled sharply and looked from Phryne to Jack.
"No" she said, turning back towards Phryne, as if hoping that she would correct herself. "No, he can't be. No, there must be some mistake-"
"I'm afraid there is no mistake, Mrs Hamilton" Phryne said gently. "I saw your husband myself" she added tentatively. Mrs Hamilton swallowed hard.
"What happened?" she asked, as she stared at Phryne with glazed eyes. "What happened to my husband, Mrs Robinson?" she repeated.
Phryne, who had anticipated the question and had been considering her words carefully, gave a very tame account of the circumstances surrounding her husband's death, describing the location only as 'a local establishment' and his death as 'the result of an altercation, and possibly unintentional', which seemed to comfort the woman slightly. Jack and Phryne spent the rest of their time with Mrs Hamilton, who was calm but understandably in shock, answering her questions and explaining the course of action they were taking, reassuring her that they would find out what happened. Just before they were about to leave Phryne asked Mrs Hamilton about her neighbours and, after being informed that Hillary next door was a 'dear friend' who she played bridge with on most nights, Phryne politely excused herself and walked out of the house, knocking on the door of this friendly neighbour. When Phryne returned less than a minute later with a confident and composed older woman with a determined look in her eye, Mrs Hamilton burst into tears immediately, and was instantly comforted by her close friend, who assured Jack and Phryne that she'd take care of her. Phryne smiled gently and nodded in agreement. She believed her.
Phryne and Jack arrived back at the station shortly after 10am, where they were immediately informed that the Coroner had sent over a provisional autopsy report, which they perused in Jack's office. As they considered the report together, Phryne found her exhaustion returning to her once more, and she struggled to resist the strong urge she had to kick off her shoes and curl up in the chair she was currently sat in. It wasn't particularly comfortable or spacious, but nor were the beds (or, rather, mattresses upon the floor) of her childhood, and she was quite confident that she could fall asleep anywhere. Especially now. Thankfully for Phryne, a familiar knock at the door drew her instantly from her thoughts, and she smiled warmly up at Dot as she stepped into the room following Jack's invitation. After greeting her companion warmly, Phryne's eyes drifted to the wicker picnic basket and thermos she was carrying.
"What's this?" Phryne asked gently, as Dot placed the basket upon Jack's desk and handed the thermos to Phryne, before producing two mugs from the basket.
"Mr Butler told me that you were both called away very late last night, so I thought I might bring you breakfast" she replied kindly, as she poured two cups of the hot beverage, which smelled divine. Phryne accepted it gratefully and drew the cup to her lips.
"You truly are an angel, Dot. Thank you" she said warmly, as she took several revitalising sips of the thick, chocolatey beverage. Dot's cocoa really was first class, and Jack, who drank his quicker than Phryne, evidently agreed. Dot smiled gently upon them, before removing some items from the basket.
"I brought you some muffins – including the lemon ones you like, Miss – and some other pastries, sandwiches and biscuits" she explained. Phryne found herself feeling acutely aware of the hunger she had not known existed within her, as she edged slightly closer to the desk. Dot smiled and passed her a lemon muffin, which she had made for her that very morning, and watched with satisfaction as her employer leaned back in her seat and began to eat it, closing her eyes for a moment as she savoured the taste.
"Thank you, Dot" Phryne repeated.
"Yes, Dorothy, thank you" Jack said warmly, as she offered him the basket. He selected a croissant and placed it on one of the napkins she provided.
"It was no trouble" Dot assured them. "How's the case going?" she asked with interest. Phryne drew a chair towards her and patted on it invitingly, as she informed Dot of the details between bites of the delectable muffin, which was one of Dot's latest lemon-inspired culinary finds. And this one truly was a masterpiece. Phryne finished her narrative shortly after eleven o'clock, and Dot looked at her with an expression of keen interest.
"Is there anything I can do, Miss?" she asked. Phryne considered the question for a moment.
"You might speak with Bert and Cec and see if you can uncover anything about the late councillor's activities, habits and tendencies" Phryne suggested, which Dot nodded to immediately. "Also, his son, Harry, works at a garage called 'Murphy's' in Carlton. Jack's men have already informed him of his father's death, but I'd like to know more about him" she said. Dot smiled gently and rose from her seat.
"Of course, Miss" she said, her eyes bright as she considered her latest mission. "I'll tell you the moment I discover anything" she assured her. Phryne smiled at her warmly.
"Just be careful, Dot" she returned. Dot nodded, smiled, and left the room. Jack watched as Phryne turned back to face his desk, her eyes drifting down to the picnic basket as though considering some internal debate, before leaning forward and removing another muffin, pulling a small piece of and placing it in her mouth before she'd even leaned back in her seat. Jack smiled.
"Hungry, Miss Fisher?" he asked gently, as she delicately placed another piece of muffin into her mouth. She looked up at him with a wide-eyed look which he found adorable, his expression softening at the sight.
"Starving" Phryne admitted, as she tore another piece from the muffin and rose it to her lips. "If your child continues to insist I consume this much citrus, I fear my skin will become yellow and waxy and I might actually turn into a lemon" she stated, before placing the piece of muffin in her mouth and removing another small amount as she chewed. Jack watched her with a warm and tender expression. After a few moments of silence, Phryne looked up at him and met his gaze, and found herself softening at the look in his eyes. "What?" she asked curiously. Jack pressed his lips together and shook his head.
"Nothing" he replied gently. "Nothing at all" he added. Phryne chewed slowly and nodded in response, suddenly finding herself feeling inexplicably nervous, and wishing to conceal her self-consciousness from Jack immediately.
"You should try one, inspector" she stated kindly. A small smile played on Jack's lips as he watched her eat the second muffin, which she appeared to be enjoying immeasurably.
"I wouldn't dream of denying you a single one, Miss Fisher" he returned, prompting her to look up and meet his gaze. Her expression relaxed immediately and her eyes softened. Jack, who sensed her anxiety from before, sought to reassure her. "I fear that if I made such an attempt you might remove a dagger from your garter and impale my hand to my desk" he replied, watching her with a small smile. Phryne smirked in response as she gathered the final remnants of her second muffin.
"What a gruesome image, Jack" Phryne returned, as she rose the final piece of muffin to her lips and met his gaze. "Though not altogether an inaccurate one" she teased, before placing the delicious piece of muffin into her mouth and raising her eyebrows cheekily.
Before Jack could respond his telephone began to ring, and he found himself picking up the call which he had been anticipating. Phryne sat quietly in her chair and read through the files relating to the victim and the interviews with the staff as Jack endured a lengthy telephone conversation with the Chief Commissioner of Police, who was extremely concerned that such a well-known public figure had been murdered, and certainly in such circumstances. After almost twenty minutes on the phone Jack hung up and sighed, closing his eyes and inhaling a calming breath as he considered the Commissioner's words; why had no arrests been made? He had better keep the news out of the press. The crime needed to be solved quickly, dammit, before the vultures began to circle. Did he understand what would happen if this wasn't solved soon? It would be like the Sanderson case all over again. Why didn't he just charge that young ruffian he had in custody, who had already confessed to the crime, instead of interrogating decent, law abiding and politically influential members of Melbourne society? The words swirled around and around in Jack's mind and made his head spin. When he opened his eyes again he was somewhat surprised to find Phryne perched on the edge of his desk and facing him, her eyes soft and sympathetic, her hand outstretched. Jack's gaze drifted down to her hand and fell upon the lemon muffin that she was holding, which she moved slightly closer towards him, in a mark of gentle insistence. Jack met her eyes and smiled at her warmly as he accepted the muffin, removing the case from the cake as she adjusted his position upon his desk, picking up a file and flicking through it as he ate, flashing him occasional glances filled with warmth and satisfaction. Jack forgot about his demanding employer within moments.
The next few hours were spent interviewing the various individuals who were in the building at the time of Councillor Hamilton's death. Although the staff present had already been interviewed, many of the patrons had not, and had been approached by Jack's officers throughout the morning and early afternoon, and had given their accounts of events at the Palace of Eros the night before (though somewhat reluctantly, and on the proviso that their wives were not informed). However, despite the fact that almost forty-five people had been interviewed in the twelve hours following the discovery of Councillor Hamilton's body, relatively little of their testimony proved to assist. As small amounts of information was brought to light it was delivered immediately to Phryne and Jack who, between interviewing some of the patrons and re-interviewing the immovable Thomas Emmerson, spent a considerable amount of time in one of the rooms in the station, laying out the statements and creating a timeline of events. The only information which was of some interest to the detectives were the independent accounts from three of the patrons who claimed that they saw a guard matching Thomas's description speaking with a young goddess with blonde hair and a silver silk dress, shortly after half-past eleven the night before. Phryne cast her mind back to the night before and found herself struggling to remember a woman of such description, and laid out the Police notes made on the interviews with the goddesses, scrutinising them closely once more. And so it was that, shortly after 1pm, Phryne was sat in a chair bent over files worth of statements from the goddesses of the club, each of which she had read at least three times. The officers who had interviewed each goddess had, due to Jack's instructions, provided an account of the clothing and jewellery, with the detail provided varying enormously based on which officer was interviewing the woman in question. But as Phryne had suspected, none of the goddesses from the night before were described as wearing silver silk; and, to their credit (and Phryne's amusement), each officer had made a rather admirable note upon the colour and 'style' of the dresses they wore. Phryne read the description and accompanying statement of the final goddess once more and leaned back in her chair with a small sigh.
"All three witnesses claim they saw Thomas with the same woman shortly after half-past eleven" she began, causing Jack to close the file he was reading and turn towards her. "A young woman dressed in a silver silk dress, who he was with near the staircase just before the incident with Persephone" she added. "But according to the notes your officers have provided, none of the goddesses wore silver silk last night. I certainly can't recall seeing a young lady of this description, can you?" she asked.
"No" Jack admitted. Phryne nodded and turned her attention back towards the files.
"So it's possible that this woman, whoever she is, was attacked by Councillor Hamilton as Persephone had been, and she defended herself against him" she stated. "Which would explain Thomas's loyalty to her and his admirable attempts to protect her, but not who she was or why she was at the club, let alone in one of the rooms" she stated. "If only I could remember where I'd seen that necklace before" she sighed with frustration, as she stared ahead of her and attempted to think. Jack walked towards her and leaned against the table beside her.
"Perhaps you saw one of the goddesses wearing it?" he offered. "If we consider which goddess was wearing silver jewellery that night, we should be able to establish whether-"
"It was heart-shaped pendant which isn't consistent with ancient Greek jewellery" Phryne said gently, subconsciously running her fingers along her own necklace, as she looked up and met his eyes. "Though points for knowing that the wearer would also be wearing the same colour jewellery" she stated with a small smile. Jack looked at her with a gentle expression. Phryne, although completely engaged in the case, was growing increasingly tired. Her eyes were reddening, her skin pale, her concentration levels decreasing. If it weren't for a knock on the door that very moment, it was quite possible that the lady detective would have taken an impromptu nap upon the table before her.
Jack turned towards the door and called for the knocker to enter, prompting Hugh Collins to open the door and step inside, handing his employer the file in his hand.
"The final autopsy report on the victim, Sir" he explained. Jack accepted the file and nodded.
"Thank you, Collins" he stated. Hugh nodded and left the room.
Phryne watched as Jack walked back towards her and leaned against the table, scanning the file quickly and flicking through the pages. After a short while in which Phryne had remained admirably silent, Jack looked up at her.
"The coroner confirms the cause of death as being a result of the blow to the front of the head he sustained during the altercation, when he fell against the mantelpiece" Jack stated. Phryne nodded and waited patiently for him to continue. "He also notes recent scratch marks and abrasions consistent with a physical altercation shortly before he died" he added, scanning the notes once more and turning over a page. "The Coroner also describes a bite mark to the man's right hand, which was concealed beneath blood and debris at the scene" he stated. Phryne nodded slowly.
"Which would support our theory that he attempted to attack the young lady in silver, and she put up quite a fight" Phryne stated. Jack nodded in agreement.
"Which is merely conjecture at this point" he said tentatively. Phryne nodded in agreement.
"Then we had best find something more substantial to support it" she declared, as she rose tiredly from her seat. Phryne felt slightly dizzy as she stood but concealed it, facing Jack with a resolute expression. "Before an innocent man is sent to the gallows."
Jack and Phryne spent the next few hours interviewing people who knew the victim, and quickly established a very believable portrayal of him as a bully and a cad, whose colleagues despised him and whose friends tolerated him only due to their fears of his influence. Jack's men had even been able to locate Annabelle Grant, the young lady who had made the assault allegation against him. It appeared that he had threatened to have her fiancé removed from his position in a local bank if she did not rescind her 'wicked lies which no decent person would believe', and so she had done so immediately. As Jack and Phryne spoke with her, however, had no doubt as to the late Councillor's guilt. Phryne was relieved that the young woman was tall with dark hair, not petite with blonde hair as the mysterious woman with Thomas had been described on three occasions. She called Cec and Bert and asked them to drive the young lady home, and stay with her until her fiancé returned. Annabelle appeared close to tears at Phryne's care and kindness. Phryne and Jack also re-interviewed Miss Cassidy and each of the goddesses, providing them with a description of both the mysterious lady in silver and showing them the necklace, which they all claimed not to recognise.
And so it was that at half-past four, Phryne and Jack headed into the latter's office, intent on discussing the matter further in light of this temporary stagnation. Before Jack could speak, he watched as Phryne walked slowly into his office and eased herself into a seat, leaning wearily against the wall as her exhaustion overcame her. Her tiredness had been prevalent throughout the day, but had increased exponentially in the past couple of hours, and the fact that she no longer attempted to conceal it was very telling. As Jack perched on the edge of his desk and looked at Phryne, whose eyes were half-closed as she leaned against the wall, he found himself remembering their previous conversation, and torn between how he should approach the subject. And so it came as both a surprise and a relief when the lady detective broached the subject without prompting.
"I'm sorry, Jack, I don't think I can stay awake for much longer" she admitted, her voice tinged with exhaustion and sadness, as she blinked herself out of her stupor and rose slowly from her seat. "I think I'll go home for a couple of hours and then-"
"Stay at home for as long as you need, Phryne" Jack said gently, as he rose and stood before her. "There's nothing more you can do tonight" he stated. "The best thing you can do to assist with this case is to rest, and approach it in the morning with a fresh perspective." Phryne considered Jack's words for a few moments before nodding in response, finding herself feeling embarrassed and slightly frustrated by her exhaustion. "I'll be home in a few hours" Jack assured her. Phryne exhaled deeply and nodded, before looking up and meeting his gaze. "Can I drive you home?" he asked. Phryne's expression softened.
"No, stay" she said warmly, as her tired eyes met his. "There's no reason for us both to sneak off early" she added. Before Jack could respond, she ran her hand down his arm and offered him a teasing smile. "Don't have too much fun without me, inspector" she said sultrily. Jack smiled in response.
"That wouldn't be possible, Miss Fisher" he returned. Phryne smiled in response and removed her hand from his arm, before collecting her things and walking out of the office. Jack watched as Phryne closed the door behind her, and found himself feeling relieved that she was allowing herself the rest that she needed, even though he knew how difficult it was for her to admit it. He turned on the spot and walked behind his desk, drawing his files towards him and perusing them with renewed vitality, as he found himself wishing away the hours until he could return to their home and join her.
Phryne smiled politely and said goodbye to Hugh as she left, stepping into the warm evening air and pausing on the pavement for a moment, as a cool breeze drifted over her and restored her somewhat to her senses. Phryne inhaled deeply and walked across the street to where her car was parked, getting into her Hispano and starting the engine, before driving down the road and towards her home in St Kilda.
As Phryne drove towards her home once more, she found herself experiencing a nagging feeling of embarrassment, as she considered how her exhaustion had forced her to remove herself from the investigation. For tonight, at least. As she drove down the street, Phryne found herself remembering how she would often go dancing at the Green Mill in the evenings, drink copious amounts of whiskey and return home for a few hours of sleep, before being awoken by Dot at some unholy hour in the late morning and informed that the inspector requested her assistance with a case. Despite having been exhausted by dancing, imbibed by liquor and deprived of sleep, Phryne had always managed to bathe and dress quickly, attending the crime scene with the inspector as though she had been dressed and ready and waiting for his call. Phryne chuckled slightly at the notion as she turned left towards St Kilda. Now, however, her body did not seem to be able to withstand a single night of missed sleep, and was punishing her quite unjustly for her omission. As Phryne stopped at the traffic lights she found herself considering her internal critique of her perceived failure, and felt suddenly warm with shame at her thoughts. Her eyes drifted down towards her abdomen, which was perfectly concealed beneath the dark blue silk blouse she wore, and her eyes softened as a nervous smile played upon her lips.
"I'm sorry" she said quietly, her eyes fixated upon the cool silk which drifted over her skin. "I promise I will do my best to reign in these late nights" she said gently, a small smile playing upon her lips as she spoke. "It's just unfortunate that criminals do not stick to a nine to five schedule like other members of society" she added, before finding herself feeling suddenly rather embarrassed by her conduct.
Before Phryne could consider the matter further, a car behind her tooted its horn and she looked up suddenly, noticing that the lights had turned green, and driving hastily forwards. As she did so, she found herself leaning forward slightly, causing her silver necklace fall from her neck and swing from side to side before her, in a manner which caused a memory of something she saw in the Palace of Eros to return to her, and realisation dawned upon her. Phryne's eyes widened at the memory, which quickly developed into a thought and then a theory, and prompted her to park her car by the side of the road as she placed her fingers upon her own necklace.
"Of course" she breathed, her eyes widening, as the theory and possible solution to the mystery caused adrenaline to course through her veins, temporarily banishing the overwhelming feeling of exhaustion which had held her so completely just moments before. "How could I forget?" she said to herself, before starting her engine again and turning the car around, as she drove away from St Kilda and back towards the Palace of Eros, where the answer to the mystery lay.
Phryne arrived at the club at half-past five, parking across the street in the same spot her beloved Hispano had occupied seventeen hours before. As Phryne turned off the engine and placed her hand on her door, she glanced towards the palace and watched as a motorcyclist drove along the road beside it, before stopping by the large window to the left. Phryne opened her car door and stepped into the road, watching as the motorcyclist, who was clad in leathers and wore no helmet, reached into a bag which was slung around his shoulder and pulled something out. Phryne felt her heart race at the sight, as she was suddenly overcome by the odd yet familiar sensation of something being very, very wrong. She walked cautiously across the road and towards the cyclist, who had not seen her, and watched as he produced something from his bag and held it in the air. His body shielded his actions from her, so she walked slightly faster, her eyes fixed upon him, as she slowly opened her bag and removed her golden revolver. As Phryne removed the gun from her bag, she watched as the man on the motorcycle made a brief action with his right hand, before raising the item he was holding into the air, and launching it at the window. Phryne's eyes widened as she watched a glass bottle containing liquid and a rag which had been set alight was thrown through the window, which shattered immediately, as the long red curtains and interior of the room were set ablaze.
Phryne ran towards the motorcyclist, a dark-haired young man who wore a scarf around his mouth, and reached him just as he sped off down the street, leaving a trail of grey smoke in his wake. Before Phryne could react, she heard the sound of a woman screaming coming from inside the room which was now ablaze, as the fire crept up the red curtains and along the walls, shattering the bottles of liquor behind the bar and sending glass across the room. The sounds of smashed glass, the smell of burning and those terrible screams sent Phryne straight back to the French battlefield in 1917, and before she had time to think she found herself running towards the building, towards the flames and the sounds of those terrible screams.
Phryne reached the front door in seconds, and was unsurprised yet frustrated to find that it was locked. She quickly removed her lock-picking instruments from her bag and opened the heavy door, pushing her shoulder against it as she cast it open, before rushing into the marble-floored corridor and heading immediately towards the first door on her right, as the sounds of screaming and breaking glass intensified.
Phryne put her right hand upon the handle of the door to the parlour, which was incredibly hot, burning her skin and causing her to draw her hand instantly from the door. Her hand was throbbing and felt like it was on fire, and she frowned in pain as she looked down upon it, noticing her reddening palm and broken skin, which was already beginning to blister. As she looked down towards the ground she saw the orange glow of the flames beneath the door, as the flames began to travel across the doorframe, burning the heavy dark wood between. Phryne quickly removed her scarf and wrapped it around her uninjured hand, before reaching for the handle once more and opening it quickly, throwing the door open and rushing inside.
The room was ablaze. The red curtains had completely disintegrated, wallpaper was peeling from the blackening walls, and the expensive bottles of liquor behind the bar had shattered, casting their flammable liquid in all directions, which immediately became ignited. In the far right corner of the room were two young women standing close to each other, one with dark curly hair one with light brown, dressed in simple cotton dresses and holding each other as the flames crept towards them. Upon seeing Phryne enter, both women looked up at her in amazement.
Phryne ran towards the women, placing her hands upon them and wincing slightly at the stinging of her right palm, as she drew them from the wall and through the room. The women were hesitant and whimpering, reluctant to take even the smallest step through what was threatening to become an inferno. Phryne encouraged them to keep walking, placing her hands on the back of the taller dark haired young lady who was holding her friend, and practically pushing them both out of the room and into the corridor, as a tall stone statue which had stood to the right of the doorway fell across the threshold and crumbled. As Phryne drew the young women into the sanctity of the corridor she looked up at them with concern, scanning them quickly for any signs of injury, and quickly satisfying herself that there were none. Before she could utter a word, she heard the sound of heavy footsteps coming up behind her, and two men she recognised as guards approached.
"Where are the fire extinguishers?" Phryne asked urgently, as the guards approached her.
"Inside, Miss, behind the bar" one of them responded. Phryne nodded.
"Don't worry, Miss, we'll take care of it" declared the second guard. As Phryne was about to respond, the shorter of the two women began to cough loudly, her entire body overcome by violent trembling.
"Call the fire department, an ambulance and the Police" she ordered, before placing her left arm around the smaller woman, who her taller companion released immediately into her care, "ask for Detective Inspector Jack Robinson, of City South Police Station" she instructed, as she led the young women from the building, speaking to them soothingly as they walked out of the doorway and into the street, where a small number of people had already begun to gather. "You're safe, it's alright" Phryne soothed, as she led the women past the building and towards the edge of the pavement, where she encouraged the younger of the women to sit down. "It's alright" she said gently, as she removed her coat and wrapped it around the trembling young woman, who was continuing to cough. "Shh" she soothed, rubbing her back and looking upon her with concern. Phryne watched as the young woman's coughing ceased, and she immediately began to cry, clamping her hand upon her mouth and leaning against her saviour, who held her close. "It's alright" Phryne repeated, as she placed her right arm around her and encouraged her to lean into her, which the young woman did without argument, closing her eyes and pressing her forehead to Phryne's chest.
Phryne, whose right hand was throbbing, ignored her pain and held the young woman close, stroking her hair soothingly with her left hand, as she whispered words of comfort to her. Phryne felt very strange, almost vacant, as though she were in a trance. What happened had not felt real, and it didn't, even now, despite the presence of the distressed young woman clinging to her like a child, the unbearable burning sensation in the centre of her right palm, and the heavy smell of smoke and petrol which permeated the air. The sound of the screaming, the flames, the smell, had taken Phryne right back to the battlefield, where she found herself still immersed, comforting the wounded as the danger was fought behind her. She repeated her words of comfort to the young woman like a mantra, uttering the exact same assurances to her that she had given the men she had tended to during the War, who often clung to her in a similar manner to the girl beside her. It was only when the ambulance arrived ten minutes later that she blinked herself out of her stupor, as one of the paramedics held the girl's hands and encouraged her to her feet, causing her to reluctantly release her hold upon Phryne, who felt suddenly very cold and exposed without her beside her. The second woman was standing beside her friend, wrapping her arms around her and guiding her towards the ambulance which the paramedic was leading them towards, as the second medic knelt down beside Phryne and began to talk to her. Phryne, who had not heard the words he spoke initially, turned towards him with bright green eyes and looked up at him.
"Are you hurt, Miss?" he asked, putting his hand upon her upper arm. Phryne stared at him for a moment and shook her head.
"No" she lied, her voice low and hoarse, as she pressed her left hand to the pavement and rose to her feet. The paramedic rose quickly and stepped towards her, placing his hands upon her arms lest she should fall. "Thank you, but I'm fine" she said weakly, before blinking herself out of her stupor and walking past him. She could hear him calling after her and hurry towards her, but he was stopped in his tracks by the sound of a man's yell from behind him. Phryne turned on the spot and watched as one of the guards held an injured colleague against him and led him from the building. The fallen guard was covered in ash and soot and had burns to his right arm. His hair was dishevelled, his body limp, his clothes torn and singed. The paramedic quickly turned from Phryne and ran towards the man, assisting his colleague with him as they escorted him towards the ambulance. The sobering scene drew Phryne immediately from her haze and she found herself back in the present moment, standing in the middle of the road covered in soot and ash with a hand that felt as though it were ablaze. Phryne glanced down at her right palm, which was raw and bleeding, and frowned. She instinctively removed her scarf from her pocket and began to wrap it carefully around her injury, wincing as the contact of the silk upon her raw skin caused the burning sensation to intensify tenfold. She had just managed to tie off her make-shift bandage when she felt a hand upon her waist, and she turned around immediately to find herself facing a very worried looking man.
"Jack" she breathed, somewhat confused, as she looked up into the eyes of her husband, who was staring at her with concern.
Jack placed his hand upon Phryne's waist and stared at her for several moments, taking in her dishevelled hair, her soot-stained skin, her singed clothing. Her eyes were wide and haunted and her skin deathly pale, and her left hand clasped her right as she looked up at him. Jack's eyes drifted quickly from her face to her abdomen, which he stroked tenderly with his thumb, as he struggled to resist a strong temptation to place his hands upon her swollen stomach. His eyes drifted quickly back up towards her face and met her gaze.
"Are you alright?" he asked urgently, his panicked eyes drifting quickly over her face. Phryne, who found herself feeling instantly sobered by Jack's presence, nodding immediately in response.
"I'm fine" she responded, finding herself feeling surprised by how low and haunted her own voice sounded. "I'm fine" she repeated, her tone more confident and assured, as she met his gaze. Jack did not respond immediately, and simply stared at her, his panicked eyes meeting hers. Jack's concerned eyes drifted from her face to her hands, where they noticed the dark silk scarf wrapped around her left hand, which she was holding against her.
"You've hurt your hand" he remarked, placing his hand upon her left wrist and attempting to draw it towards him. Phryne, feeling embarrassed and not wishing to worry him, resisted.
"It's nothing" she replied, her voice low but almost restored to normal. Jack met looked into her eyes and stared at her.
"It's not nothing" he responded firmly, his tone surprising Phryne somewhat. "Phryne, what were you thinking?" he asked, his voice confused and slightly breathless, as he stared at her with an incredulous gaze. "Why were you here? I thought you were going home" Phryne instinctively tensed at his tone and lowered her hands, as she looked up at him with an expression between hurt and confusion.
"I was going home" Phryne replied, somewhat affronted. "But then I remembered where I'd seen that necklace before" she stated, her eyes alight. "There's a picture of Miss Cassidy and a young woman on her desk in her office, and that's where I've seen the necklace before" she explained. "When I arrived I saw a man on a motorcycle throw what I believe was a petrol bomb through the window and-"
"Miss!" came the panicked voice of Phryne's assistant, prompting the lady detective to turn to the left and watch as she ran towards her.
"Dot?" Phryne asked, confused, as her concerned-looking companion hurried towards her and placed her hand upon her arm, her eyes immediately befalling her injured hand.
"I was at the station when a local officer telephoned and explained what had happened" Dot replied. "Hugh drove me" she added, before returning her attention to Phryne's hand, which the lady detective drew away from her in pain. Dot looked up at her with a worried expression.
"You ran into a burning building?" Jack asked, his voice low. Phryne looked into his eyes and felt herself feeling suddenly rather worried. Was he angry? Disappointed? Both?
"It wasn't quite that dramatic, Jack" she responded quietly. "It was only a small fire, and-"
"It doesn't matter how small it was, though judging from the damage to the building I'd say it was fairly considerable" Jack countered. "You should never have gone into that building." Phryne tensed slightly and looked up at him defensively. Jack met her gaze with a worried look. "What on earth would possess you to-"
"The two terrified young women screaming for help is what possessed me, Jack" Phryne replied defensively, her eyes ablaze as she spoke, finding herself feeling hurt by his tone. "What would you have had me do? Leave them in there to burn?"
"Of course not" Jack replied, his voice slightly calmer, as he looked at Phryne with concern. Jack sighed as he attempted to calm himself and compose his thoughts. "This is a busy street, and there are people all around" Jack explained. "You could have gone for help-"
"There wasn't any time to go for help" she countered. "The flames had engulfed the curtains within seconds and then set alight to the alcohol behind the bar, causing significant-"
"So you saw all of that and you went in there anyway?" Jack asked, shocked. Phryne stared at him in amazement, and was about to respond when something in his eyes stopped her words, and her shoulders fell. Dot, who had been watching the scene with a worried expression, was considering whether she should intercede, when Miss Phryne stepped towards the inspector.
"Jack, I'm fine" she stated, her voice low and gentle, as she took a step towards him. Jack's eyes drifted across her face and rested upon her deep-green eyes. "We're both fine" she said gently, her voice almost a whisper. Phryne watched as Jack swallowed hard and averted his eyes from hers. She felt her heart plummet. "Jack" she breathed, suddenly feeling very worried and afraid, as she reached out towards him, placing her uninjured hand on his arm. Jack looked up at her immediately, and found himself staring into her worried eyes. His expression softened and he looked upon her with gentle but worried eyes.
"Phryne, I'd like you go home and let Dr Macmillan take a look at you" he said gently. Phryne's lips parted and she seemed surprised for a moment, but quickly adopted a calm expression and looked upon him tenderly.
"Jack, that's not necessary-"
"It is absolutely necessary" Jack stated with conviction, his voice gentle but compelling. Phryne looked into his eyes and found herself consumed by anxiety once more. Was he angry with her? Hurt? Disappointed? She couldn't tell. "Please, Phryne" he said gently, trying to remove the emotional edge his voice was adopting. "Please go home." Phryne stared at him for a moment, finding herself suddenly overcome by guilt, and inhaled deeply. She seemed poised to respond when Jack interceded. "If you won't go home for me, or even yourself" he began, watching her as he spoke, "go for the baby" he said gently. At the mention of the baby Phryne, who felt sick with guilt and shame, combined with an overwhelming sense of fear that she had upset Jack, nodded once.
"Alright" she said quietly, her voice slightly choked, before walking past him and across the street towards her car.
Dot looked from her employer to Inspector Robinson, who looked worried and upset, as he opened his eyes and turned to face her.
"Dorothy, would you please telephone me at the station and let me know that she's alright?" he asked gently. A small smile of reassurance played on Dot's lips and she nodded.
"Of course" she assured him. Jack nodded.
"Thank you" he replied, as Dot smiled once more in response and walked quickly after Phryne, who had already reached the car. Jack watched as Phryne and Dot got into the Hispano, before Phryne started the engine and drove down the street, her head low and her face concealed by her cloche. Jack's mind drifted back over the memory of the telephone call, Phryne's injury and their conversation, and he felt as though his heart had been ripped from his chest.
"Sir!" called Hugh, who was standing in the middle of the steps which led into the Palace. "We've found the cause of the fire" he stated. Jack stared at him for a moment before nodding almost imperceptibly, and following his senior constable into the building.
Phryne drove herself and Dot back to her home in the Esplanade in silence, as Jack's words played on a loop in her mind, and she found herself feeling overwhelmed with guilt. Phryne attempted to push these feelings aside and consider the matter logically: what should she have done? How should she have acted? Phryne had ran towards the building on instinct, not premeditation, but the result was still the same. She had placed her life in danger and, in by extension, the baby's too. As Phryne pulled up outside her house in St Kilda she found herself feeling sickened by the realisation, and burdened with guilt so overwhelming she felt certain that it would consume her.
"Miss?" said Dot gently, causing Phryne to blink herself from her thoughts and turn towards her. "Are you alright?" she asked tentatively. Phryne offered her a polite smile.
"Of course" she assured her, before removing her hands from the driving wheel and opening the car door, stepping out onto the pavement before Dot had a chance to respond.
As Phryne walked up the path to her house she found herself feeling overwhelmed by the memories of the War and her argument with Jack, but more than anything, she was felt sickened by the danger she had unwittingly placed the baby in. Phryne's injured hand, which had been considerably aggravated by driving the five minute journey to her house, throbbed as she tormented herself, prompting her to clasp her wrist with her free hand as Dot walked ahead of her and opened the door. Phryne smiled politely and stepped inside, placing her bag and cloche down upon the table beside the coat stand and walking slowly towards the stairs. Dot closed the door behind them and looked up at Phryne nervously.
"I'll just call Dr MacMillan, Miss" Dot stated. Phryne smiled slightly at her words, which were her attempt at a declaration, not a question. She inhaled deeply and turned back towards her, facing her just as she reached the first step.
"Thank you, Dot" she said gently, looking upon her with a tender expression. "I'm going to have a bath" she explained. Dot nodded and offered her a reassuring smile, watching her as she walked upstairs, and not heading towards the phone until she stepped onto the landing.
As soon as Phryne was alone, she felt the emotions and internal conflict that she had been battling consume her completely, as memories of her actions and her argument with Jack returned to her, causing her to feel an unprecedented level of guilt which almost consumed her. Phryne felt tears burning in her eyes as she stepped into her bedroom, closing the door behind her as she attempted to blink them away, her breath hitching slightly as she placed her left hand to her mouth, before inhaling deeply, and walked towards her bathroom.
Phryne undressed herself as quickly as her injured hand would allow, casting aside her smoke-scented garments as hot water and chestnut blossom bath scent created a beautiful smelling vapour that overcame the remaining scent of the blaze. Phryne could smell smoke in her hair and her skin felt distinctly unclean, as did the area around her injured palm. As the bath was running, Phryne removed her scarf from her hand and dropped it into the bin beside the sink, before running her hand under the cold tap, clenching her jaw and wincing as the intense burning sensation began to sting painfully. After a short while under the tap, Phryne felt satisfied that the wound was clean, placing gauze and a dressing over it before wrapping it up with a bandage. She then glanced towards the bath, which was almost full, and began to remove her stockings and underwear, before drawing her camisole over her head. Phryne felt the cool silk drift up her skin, and she looked down upon herself as she dropped the garment onto the floor, her eyes becoming fixed upon her swollen abdomen. Phryne felt overwhelmed by guilt and fear once more, as the concerned look in Jack's eyes returned instantly to her, burning itself upon her mind. She felt sick with shame and conflict, and found herself instinctively placing her left hand upon the side of her abdomen, feeling the strong skin and muscles beneath her palm. Her breath hitched in her throat.
"I'm sorry" she said quietly, her voice inaudible over the sound of the running tap. "I am so, so sorry" she added sincerely, before tentatively splaying her fingers across her abdomen, feeling the warmth and strength of her skin. After a few moments she felt overcome by guilt and panic once more, and she lowered her hand from her stomach and walked towards the tap, turning it off and testing the water before stepping into the bathtub, and immersing herself beneath the soothing scented waters.
Phryne emerged from the bathroom half an hour later, dressed in a nightdress and her black nightgown with the brightly coloured embroidery. She was towel-drying her hair, which had taken three shampoo treatments until she was rid of the smoke, when she stepped into her bedroom and found one of her closest friends sat on the bottom of her bed, looking up at her expectantly. She lowered the towel from her hair and offered her a polite smile.
"What have you been up to, Phryne?" Mac asked, before rising from the bed and looking at her friend with concern, her medical eyes quickly scanning her for any obvious signs of injury.
"Hello, Mac" she said gently, meeting her friend's gaze and trying to establish how she would approach the subject they would both shortly be discussing. "Due to the speed at which you were able to make it to my house, I'd imagine you are already very well informed about my escapades" she returned. Mac nodded slowly, observing the guilty and frightened look in her eyes which she was clearly trying to suppress, and walked towards her.
"In our last consultation I cautioned you against attempting to apprehend knife-wielding serial killers" she stated, as Phryne watched her expectantly. "And although I didn't mention them, burning buildings were included in such prohibited acts" she added. Phryne offered her a weak smile and nodded, as a brief but comfortable silence fell between them. "I know this isn't easy for you, darling" Mac said sympathetically, her kind tone causing Phryne to look up and meet her gaze immediately, "but you can't afford to take risks like that. Not now" she stated. Phryne nodded solemnly in response.
"I know" she replied quietly. "I know, I… I wasn't thinking, I just-" Phryne began, shaking her head slightly as she spoke. "I heard those women screaming and I…" she stated, trailing off at the memory, which caused her to feel both indescribably guilty and morally conflicted. Mac nodded in understanding.
"Of course you did" Mac said gently, the lack of reprimand in her voice causing Phryne to look up hesitantly. "Your instinct is to help people, Phryne. You can no easier give that up than you could stop breathing" she explained. "But there are ways to help people that do not involve you running into burning buildings" she stated tentatively. Phryne swallowed hard and nodded. "I know you find it difficult to take a step back from some of the more dangerous and therefore more enticing aspects of your job, but at the moment it is absolutely vital that you do" she explained, watching as Phryne looked up at her with a solemn expression. "You have always put your own well-being behind that of everyone else, but you need to put yourself first now more than ever" Mac stated, her gentle eyes meeting her friends. "If something happens to you, then something happens to the baby" she said simply, watching as Phryne swallowed hard and nodded, before lowering her head slightly, unable to meet her gaze. "Darling, I know you would do anything in the world to protect this baby" she said gently, her voice warm and tinged with kindness, "and right now the best thing you can do to ensure the baby's safety is to prioritise your own" she added. Phryne nodded slowly in agreement.
"You're right" she admitted, feeling almost nauseous with guilt, "I know you're right" she added quietly. Mac, sensing her friend's anxiety, took a step forward and placed her hand tenderly upon her forearm.
"Now that the lecture is over, why don't you let me take a look at you?" she gently suggested, speaking to Phryne in a low, soothing voice, as her eyes drifted towards her hand. "Dot tells me that you've injured your hand" she stated.
"It's nothing" Phryne said dismissively.
"And when you earn your medical degree, I might believe you" Mac responded. Phryne stifled a small laugh as she looked up at her friend, who had the same calming effect upon her now as she always did.
"My hand can wait" Phryne said gently, staring at Mac with an imploring gaze. Mac nodded slowly.
"Make yourself comfortable on the bed" she said gently. "I'll go and wash my hands." Phryne nodded nervously in agreement and watched as Mac walked towards her bathroom.
Phryne walked towards her dressing table and removed her robe, draping it over the chair as she climbed onto her bed. Phryne eased herself back against the pillows which, combined with her soft sheets, reminded her of her exhaustion, which was creeping up on her once more. Phryne adjusted the pillows behind her and moved further down the bed, stopping once she felt the runner beneath her feet. She looked up towards the ceiling and inhaled deeply, as the conversation she had with Jack played on a torturous loop on her mind one more. Had it constituted an argument? Was he angry with her? She didn't know the answer to either, and part of her did not want to know. But another part of her desperately needed to. If he had been angry, he would have been justified, as she had put him in another difficult position by her actions. She was carrying his child and had acted in a manner which she felt certain made him feel powerless, in terms of both her and the baby, a child it was her job to protect and who she was already failing so completely, and forcing Jack to stand by and watch as she did so. Phryne was so engaged in her own thoughts that she did not notice that her injured hand had drifted subconsciously towards her abdomen. Phryne was struck by the intense burning pain as she placed her hand upon the curve of her abdomen, an action which she had not been aware of until she felt the pain in her hand. Her eyes drifted down towards her abdomen, which was just visible against her nightdress due to her current position, and she felt a rush of exhilaration followed by heart-wrenching guilt. And yet she could not remove her gaze from her abdomen. Nor, despite her injury, would she remove her hand. It was only when Mac entered the room a few moments later that she was startled from her thoughts, and she looked up at her friend with a small smile.
Phryne watched as Mac walked towards her, carrying a light pink towel from her bathroom, which she placed on the bed by her feet as she sat down beside her on the right. Phryne looked up at her expectantly.
"Have you experienced any pain since the incident?" Mac asked.
"No" Phryne responded promptly.
"Any cramping or bleeding?"
"No" Phryne stated.
"Dizziness?" Mac asked. Phryne shook her head. Mac considered her for a moment before nodding. "Good" she stated gently. "I'd like to take a look at your abdomen first, if that's alright?" she asked. Phryne nodded slowly in agreement, and Mac offered her a reassuring smile as she rose from the bed. "I'm just going to place this towel across you, alright?" she said.
"Of course" Phryne responded, as Mac placed the towel across her hips and upper thighs, before gently drawing her nightdress up her body, until the silk rested just above the base of her ribcage.
Phryne watched as a tender smile played on Mac's lips as she looked down at her abdomen, before placing her hands upon her, and examining her rounded stomach with her physician's hands. Mac's hand drifted over Phryne's curved abdomen, exploring its new shape and applying gentle pressure during her ministrations, as she ran her expert hands across her. Phryne suddenly felt struck by her own reality which, combined with her actions in the Palace of Eros, caused her to feel overwhelmed with terror and guilt, and she could feel tears burning in her eyes once more.
"I'm sorry" she said quietly, her voice low and sincere. Mac looked up with a start.
"Phryne?" she asked gently, concern present in her tone.
"I'm so sorry" Phryne added, feeling suddenly very warm and rather panicked. Mac slowly removed her hands from Phryne's abdomen and reached for her left hand.
"Darling, it's alright" Mac soothed, "it's fine" she stated. Phryne swallowed hard and shook her head.
"No, it isn't" she responded. Mac looked upon her with concern. "Mac, what if something had happened to the-"
"It hasn't" Mac assured her, causing Phryne's breath to hitch in her throat as she stared up at her friend with wide and emotional eyes. "Nothing has happened to the baby" Mac explained. Phryne stared at her for a while before slowly nodding. "From my examination of your rapidly-expanding abdomen" Mac said, earning a small smile from Phryne, "everything appears to be absolutely fine" she stated confidently. Phryne nodded in response. "I'd like to examine you more intimately, just to be sure, but I am quite confident that everything is alright" she stated. Phryne nodded once more in agreement and leaned back against the pillows.
Mac moved to the end of the bed and gently encouraged Phryne into the correct position, before performing the examination and gently encouraging her legs back down onto the bed, as she draped the towel across her and met her nervous and expectant gaze.
"The baby is fine" Mac said gently. Phryne inhaled deeply and nodded in understanding, leaning back against the pillows as she felt relief wash over her, quickly followed by guilt and remorse. As she inhaled deeply and released a slow breath, she felt Mac rise from the bottom of the bed. "I'll be right back, then I will tend to your hand, alright?" she said. Phryne nodded in response as Mac disappeared into the bathroom once more.
Mac returned less than a minute later and found Phryne sat up on the bed, with her legs tucked beneath her and her left arm resting across her abdomen. Mac smiled gently as she approached her, picking up her black case from the bottom of the bed and placing it on Phryne's dressing table, before removing various items and laying them out.
"You know, it really isn't necessary for you to run into burning buildings to get my attention, Phryne" Mac teased, her remark earning a small smile from Phryne. "If you'd like to spend time together, all you have to do is telephone me" she added. Phryne's smile widened slightly and she nodded.
"Is that so?" she asked.
"Mm" Mac affirmed, as she began to slowly remove Phryne's bandage. "I'm partial to dinner, dancing, the occasional whiskey" she added.
"Occasional?" Phryne teased. Mac smiled slightly in response, as she removed dressing and gauze from Phryne's hand. After considering the injury for a few seconds, Mac frowned.
"This looks quite deep, you've burned several layers of skin" she stated, before looking up at her friend. "How exactly did you manage it?" Phryne listed her shoulders slightly before responding.
"By trying to open the door of a burning room by its metal handle" she responded. Mac sighed.
"Of course you did" she said in a low voice, offering her friend a small smile. "What am I going to do with you, Phryne?" she sighed. Phryne shrugged her shoulders and watched as Mac cleaned the wound, before placing a piece of gauze and dressing upon it, and bandaging it up in a much neater manner than Phryne herself had managed a short while before. Though as she considered this point, Phryne reminded herself that Mac had the advantages of being a physician and the ability to use both hands.
"I'm sure you'll think of something" Phryne stated. Mac met her gaze and smiled.
"Yes, I'm sure I will" she agreed, "but until I do, I would be very much obliged if you could refrain from chasing down villains, entering burning buildings, wing-walking, swimming with sharks, or anything else that your worryingly curious mind comes up with" she stated. Phryne smiled gently in response.
"I will, Mac" she stated. "I promise" she added. Mac nodded. She believed her.
"Good" Mac replied gently. "Now, as your doctor and your friend, I am prescribing a nutritious and balanced dinner followed by a good night's sleep" she stated, "and I don't want you going near a candle flame, let alone a house fire. Am I clear?"
"Perfectly" Phryne assured her, before offering her a gentle smile. "Thank you, Mac" she said warmly. Mac smiled in response.
"You are very welcome" she responded. "I would still like to see you on Saturday" she added.
"Of course" Phryne replied. She had been thinking about the appointment a lot over the past few days, and Mac's examination of her had prompted her to consider it once more. As she did so, she found herself remembering the exchange between herself and Jack outside the Palace of Eros, which caused her heart to sink and her stomach to tighten.
"Phryne?" Mac asked, noticing Phryne's unusually quiet and pensive manner, "is everything alright?" Phryne was silent for a few moments, before turning towards Mac and nodding.
"I certainly hope so" she responded, meeting Mac's gaze. "I promise you I will eat and go to bed immediately after in a very short while" she stated, watching as her friend considered her with interest. "But first, I owe Jack an apology" she stated, somewhat nervously, as she rose from her bed and walked across the room. Mac watched her for a moment and smiled privately, as the lady detective quickly selected some clothing and disappeared behind her screen, where she began to prepare herself for yet another apology to the man who continued to save her.
