Axiom Tilt Chapter 2

"Good morning, Miss."

Sunlight hit her harshly as the increasingly pleasantly rotund Dorothy Collins opened her curtains. Phryne stretched her arms out and felt that Jack had obviously been gone from the bed for some time. She felt a little guilty for getting to sleep in after the rigor of their activities the previous evening, but she still felt deliciously sated and slightly sore—the guilt was fleeting. Whatever their other issues, compatibility in the boudoir was not one that currently concerned her.

"Miss Phryne, there is a Miss Isaacs waiting in the parlor for you," Dot informed her, Phryne opened her eyes wide and sat up quickly.

"Rebecca Isaacs?" she asked.

"I believe so. Yes, Miss." Dot nodded at her. Phryne launched herself out of bed and threw open her closet. "Dot, tell Miss Isaacs I will be down directly."

"Of course, Miss Phryne," Dot waddled toward the door, "I've made tea."

"Oh… thank you, Dot! You really are marvelous."

Fewer than ten minutes later Phryne glided into the parlor to greet a nervous looking Rebecca Isaacs who seemed lost in thought. Her eyes and nostrils were lined red and her face was puffy. The hair that had been neatly pinned back under the nurse's cap yesterday was loosely tied with floating tendrils crooking unappealingly away from her face. She was still a pretty girl, but she was not looking her best this morning.

"Miss Isaacs, I'm so sorry to have kept you!" The young woman startled at her entrance, fumbling with her tea cup as she tried to stand in greeting. "Oh… Miss Fisher…"

"Don't get up," Phryne stopped her with a warm smile, "I'll join you." Miss Isaacs sank slowly back into her chair with a small nod. "How can I help you, Miss Isaacs?"

The young woman in question picked up her cup again without meeting Phryne's eyes. She seemed to be trying to collect her strength to share her story so Phryne gave her a moment. Phryne poured herself a cup of tea and sipped at it, waiting.

"I…" Miss Isaacs began, and then sucked her lips into her mouth. Phryne looked at her encouragingly. "I think I may need your help after all… I believe my life is in danger."

"Oh my," Phryne took a sip of her tea, "Please go on. Tell me everything you can." Miss Isaacs considered for a moment before nodding and beginning her story.

"Last year, I began working at Royal Melbourne shortly after finishing school," she began, "At first I was very happy there…" she took a sip, considering. "And then I met Brian… uh, Dr. Gilbert."

Phryne waited for a moment before she pressed, "Who is Dr. Gilbert?"

The young nurse's eyes dampened but tears didn't fall. She shook her head lightly trying to collect herself.

"He was lovely… at first." Phryne closed her eyes, stealing her nerves. She thought she knew where this was going. "He would flirt, and say such nice things…" Miss Isaacs put down her cup and took a handkerchief out of her pocket, "we stepped out a couple of times… and then…" she trailed off.

"And then he changed." Phryne finished for her. She nodded, dabbing at her eyes.

Miss Isaacs nodded, closing her eyes. "He started getting jealous," she said softly, "It was little things… jokes really… or so I thought at first."

"Jokes?"

The young woman's eyes darted to Phryne's, "Uh, yes… it seemed that way. I'd be talking to another doctor and he'd walk up to us laughing saying such as, 'Hands off. This one's taken'" she mimicked a deeper voice, "But then it would get more serious."

"How so?" Phryne pressed.

"It wasn't just at hospital. I started seeing him all over. Where I do my shopping, at the zoo in Royal Park, even when I went to Hepburn Springs! No matter where I went… " she clutched at her handkerchief in frustration, "Brian always seemed to be there. He told me…" she stared off at nothing.

"What did he tell you, Miss Isaacs?"

Tears were forming in her eyes, "He told me I was his and… and that he would never leave me... but," she wiped at her eyes with the handkerchief, "It wasn't romantic. It was a threat."

Phryne nodded in understanding. Yes, she was getting a very familiar picture of this Dr. Brian Gilbert. A very familiar picture, indeed. Feelings of her own youth in Paris started to bubble to the surface.

The young woman took a deep breath, holding it for a moment before slumping with an exhale. Her hand passed over eyes as she touched her fingertips to her forehead. "I finally couldn't take it anymore. I moved and didn't tell anyone I was leaving. I got the job at Women's Hospital and thought everything was fine…"

"You did the right thing. That took a lot of courage. So, what happened?" Phryne asked, "Why do you think your life is in danger now, Miss Isaacs?"

Miss Isaacs looked at her with wide eyes for a long moment. She finally looked away and shook her head. She continued her story, "A few weeks ago, I saw one of my former classmates who still works at Royal Melbourne… Doris… She told me Bri… Dr. Gilbert had found a new girlfriend."

"That's good, isn't it? He's moved on?" Phryne tried to encourage with a gentle smile.

"I… I thought so… but, now I'm not so sure. Doris called me last night… the girl he was seeing before me…" Phryne nodded at her encouragingly. "Marjory. She dropped dead yesterday afternoon." Phryne looked at her in horror. "What if… what if he's done something?"

Phryne looked down at her tea cup. "Why would you think that?" Her voice was unexpectedly ragged with emotion.

"One of the last things he told me… before I left," Miss Isaacs said quietly, "he… he said… I belonged to him… and no one else would ever have me… for as long as I lived… and that…," A tear dropped down her cheek, "and that…was up to him. I… I was afraid… but I didn't think… and now Marjory… what if…"

"Do you know if he acted the same way to Marjory? As possessive?" Phryne asked, trying to get more information.

The young woman shook her head, "I'm sorry… I don't. I wish I had paid more attention… He just kept calling her horrible names. I… I don't want to say them."

Phryne's eyes were also filled with tears. "I won't let him hurt you, Miss Isaacs," her voice was low, ragged, and filled with a rage that was directed more at her own demons than Dr. Brian Gilbert.

"Please… call me Rebecca."

Rebecca had to get to work, and now, so did Phryne. Her first stop was City South. She swept through the station without pause greeting Constable Blalock as she passed, "Hello, Bill! Is he in?"

"Yes, Miss," Constable Blalock barely glanced up as the blur of aubergine chiffon and ebony hair glided past him.

She knocked on the door, opening it at the same time, "Hello, Jack!" she said brightly.

Jack Robinson looked up from his stack of paperwork and greeted her with a smile, "Miss Fisher," he said tossing his pen down and leaning back in his chair, "what brings you in today?"

She closed the door behind her and rounded the desk. He held his arms out and she dropped lightly into his lap, looping her arms around his neck. She brought her lips to his and kissed him soundly.

"Hello," he said softly as she pulled away.

"We've got a case, Darling!" she said excitedly.

"Have we really?" he asked, "Which case is that?"

"Marjory Murdockson!" Phryne said, "I feel confident she was murdered,"

Jack lifted his eyebrows, "And why is that?"

"Rebecca Isaacs came to see me this morning," Phryne reported, "Both she and Marjory used to see the same doctor at Royal Melbourne… the doctor who was the reason that Rebecca Isaacs suddenly switched jobs, moved, and didn't tell anyone where she was going."

"Hmm. That is interesting," he said very placidly.

"Don't you find that suspicious?" She pushed back from him with her hands on his shoulders.

He kept his arms around her waist. His face was stone, but his eyes were dancing at her, "Extremely, suspicious, Miss Fisher, considering I just got off the telephone with Dr. MacMillan and Marjory Murdockson was definitely poisoned."

"Oh!" she rolled her eyes at him as he broke his stony mask and grinned at her. "That was fast. How did she determine so quickly?"

"I'm not sure," Jack replied with a smirk, "I was just on my way there if you'd like to join me."

"Try and stop me," she leaned forward to kiss him.

"Wouldn't dream of it," he responded as she pulled away.

As they headed out of the station, Jack stopped to talk to his constable, "Blalock, have Collins meet us at the morgue. His shift is due to start soon."

"I'm still running tests, but from what I've found," Mac said with confidence, "my money is on hydrofluoric acid."

Jack's jaw clenched and Phryne blanched, "That sounds unpleasant," Phryne stated, "how do you think it was administered?"

"I'm seeing burn scarring in the trachea and lungs, and some evidence that Miss Murdockson was asthmatic. Did she have a nebulizer?" Mac turned to Jack in enquiry.

He pulled out his notebook, "Ah… yes, an Pneumostat electronic nebulizer was found in Miss Murdockson's flat. I'll have Collins bring it back here for you to test for hydrofluoric acid."

"Even a small amount in could have induced the cardiac arrest and caused the burn scarring," Mac declared, "Tell Collins to be careful."

Jack left Phryne and Mac to head Hugh off at the entrance to the morgue.

"Have you talked to him yet?" Mac asked.

"Have I talked to who yet?" Phryne asked in a high-pitched voice that told Mac that she knew exactly who they were talking about and the answer was "No."

"Phryne…"

"Mac." The women stared at each other over the corpse of the young nurse. Neither of them were going to budge on this issue. But as it didn't really concern her, Mac looked away first.

"Rebecca Isaacs came to visit me this morning," Phryne directed the subject back to the case, "The problems she solved are not so solved after all… and may be connected to our young guest here," she pointed at the body between them.

"Really?"

"Mmm. Do you know anything about Dr. Brian Gilbert?" Phryne asked.

"Ah… a little, but only by reputation. I think we've been to a luncheon or two, but we've never spoken to the best of my recollection," Mac stated, "Why?"

"What is his reputation?" Phryne asked.

Mac thought for a moment, "He's younger, maybe early thirties. Brilliant doctor from what I've heard."

"Any scandals?" Phryne probed, "reputation for being a Lothario?"

"Not as far as I know… look, why so many questions about this Dr. Gilbert?" Mac was getting annoyed.

"According to Rebecca, both she and Miss Murdockson here were past paramours of the allegedly good doctor."

"Ah… well, that sounds like an excellent line of investigation for your Inspector and yourself," Mac declared, "I'll stick to the science, thank you very much."

Phryne rolled her eyes at her friend, "Fine," she said with a huff, "But Rebecca didn't mention Dr. Gilbert as the reason for her leaving Royal Melbourne?"

"Phryne, I really can't discuss personnel questions with you like that, but the short answer is, 'no' that wasn't the reason she gave for leaving Royal Melbourne."

"That's odd," Phryne scrunched her brows together.

"Not really, Phryne. It could have been a contributing factor and one she decided not to include in her application. Look, I can't give you details, but it had to do with a disagreement about medication that wasn't her fault… and that's already more than I should tell you," Mac said after looking around for secret listeners, "ask her yourself."

Phryne caught up with Jack as Hugh was departing. Jack had instructed him to head back over to the Murdockson flat to (carefully) pick up the Pneumostat and return it to Mac.

"Royal Melbourne?" he asked. She nodded and they started walking toward the Hispano Suiza.

"Why would Rebecca Isaacs tell me one thing about why she left Royal Melbourne and tell Mac another?" Phryne wondered out-loud as they walked arm-in-arm.

"Any number of reasons," Jack offered, "it could be as simple as she didn't want her new employer to know she'd been romantically involved with a doctor."

"Yes, I suppose that's possible," Phryne still had a funny feeling about this case, but she couldn't put her finger on it.

When the detectives arrived at Royal Melbourne Hospital they were first directed to the office of Dr. Joseph Florey, the director of the hospital.

"What happened to Nurse Murdockson is a terrible tragedy," Dr. Florey was doing everything in his power to be as blamelessly helpful as possible, "but murder? Surely not."

"All the same, Dr. Florey," pressed Jack, "we'd like to have a word with Dr. Gilbert if you could summon him for us."

"Yes," Dr. Florey finally agreed, "alright. Hilda!" he called out to his secretary, who came into the office immediately, "get Brian Gilbert up here right away won't you, doll?"

"What was the relationship between Dr. Gilbert and Nurse Murdockson?" Phryne asked.

The head of the hospital laughed, "As far as I know, doctor and nurse only," he smiled, "but they keep all kinds of things from the boss, don't they?"

"You weren't aware of any rumors that they were a couple?" Phryne seemed shocked.

"Miss Fisher, is it?" he shot her a condescending look, "I have better things to do with my time than to keep track of the office gossip. We have rules… and I expect people to follow them. If I find out they haven't, then I get involved."

"Did you ever get involved handling gossip or anything else with a nurse by the name of Rebecca Isaacs?" Phryne pushed.

Dr. Florey paused for a moment to look at her carefully, "Why are you asking about Rebecca Isaacs?"

Something in his eyes triggered an emotional response in Phryne to be extremely careful here. Rebecca was still in danger, from either Brian Gilbert—or Gilbert and someone else. She needed to be careful. She couldn't let anyone here at Royal Melbourne know where Rebecca was now. She glanced at Jack, but for the first time since—well, it seemed like the first time since Gertie Haynes—he did not seem to be picking up on her tacit conversation.

He narrowed his eyes at her as if to say, "What?" but was saved from the tacit argument by the knock at the door.

"Come," Florey barked at the door.

Hilda opened it, "Dr. Florey, Dr. Gilbert is in the staff meeting room waiting for Inspector Robinson and Miss Fisher whenever they're ready," the tight-lipped blonde reported.

"Yes, ah… thank you Hilda," he turned to the detectives, "If you need anything else, check with Hilda. Good day to you both," he ended rather tersely.

Hilda led them down the hall to a small conference room. They were met there by a nice-looking man in his early thirties with blonde hair and hazel eyes. He had taken off his identifying coat, but he greeted the pair as they came in, "I'm Dr. Brian Gilbert. You wanted to speak with me?"

Jack glanced at Phryne and noted that she was clenching her fists, so he decided it would be safest for him to start, "Yes, Dr. Gilbert. Thank you for your time. We wanted to ask you a few questions regarding the death of Marjory Murdockson."

Dr. Gilbert frowned in sadness, "Yes, such a tragedy. And so shocking for such a young lady."

"Dr. Gilbert, we understand you used to be in a relationship with the deceased, is that true?" Jack continued.

Dr. Gilbert let out an involuntary laugh, "Uh… I wouldn't call it a relationship. We… I took her out to dinner one time about two years ago. We had an agreeable enough evening, I thought, but she declined to accept another invitation."

"Did that anger you?" Phryne almost spit out at him. The venom of the statement caused both Jack and Dr. Gilbert to look at her in surprise.

"Um… No… not at all. We had a pleasant evening, she wasn't interested in going out again. No big deal." He shrugged, "Plenty or other fish in the sea."

"Like Rebecca Isaacs?" Phryne pushed.

"Who?" Gilbert asked looking genuinely confused.

Phryne narrowed her eyes at him, "Young nurse who worked here until recently? You went out with her?"

Dr. Gilbert looked between the two of them trying to catch up, "Uh… Becky? We went out a few times… but not in… what? At least a year? What has she got to do with all of this?"

Jack looked nervously at Phryne and the young doctor, "Possibly nothing, Dr. Gilbert, but there may be a connection between the two."

"You haven't seen her in at least a year?" asked Phryne dubiously, "what about Hepburn Springs?"

Dr. Gilbert looked at her oddly, "Hepbur… what are you talking about?"

"Do you deny going to Hepburn Springs, Dr. Gilbert?" her voice was getting increasingly angry. Jack was moving closer to her.

The young man looked very confused indeed, "Of course not, I was there with Emily a few weeks ago."

"And who is Emily!" Phryne demanded.

"Emily Flynn… she's... well, she's my fiancée," the doctor admitted, "since Hepburn Springs," with a lift of his eyebrows.

"Thank you for your time, Dr. Gilbert," said Jack, "We'll let you know if we have any more questions."

He steered her out of the office and down the hallway.

Phryne turned on him with eyes flaming, "What the hell was that, Jack?"

"Excuse me?" he hissed at her, "I was about to ask you the same thing. Phryne, what is going on with you?" he reached out to her. She pulled away as if he were about to strike her.

"I told you, Jack!" Phryne was livid, "He's been threatening MY client."

Jack closed his eyes taking a deep breath, "Phryne, all you have to go on here is her word."

"He's lying, Jack!" she said in shouted whisper, "I can feel it!"

He studied her for a few breaths. She was really worked up about this case. He wasn't seeing what she was seeing but she was almost never wrong. He had learned to trust her instincts. He had also learned the hard way that fighting Phryne when she was truly passionate about something was not a battle to be taken on lightly. Nothing needed to be decided now. He would let her investigate and see where it led. He nodded slowly.

"Possibly, but right now there isn't any evidence…"

"Jack!"

He continued with his hand held up to her, "there isn't any evidence, but I won't stop you from investigating… just… be careful, and try not to harass him. Right now, there is nothing I can do…"

"But Jack, what about the…"

"If we get anything back from the nebulizer, then we may have something to work with," he tried smiling at her, "we're on the same team, Miss Fisher."

She took a deep breath trying to calm her own nerves. She knew she was letting this case get to her too much. She knew it was because it reminded her of Paris. Yes, Dr. Brian Gilbert seemed perfectly charming. He seemed like he was innocent of all of this… but a good narcissistic psychopath could do that. Convince your friends and family and everyone around you… and even convince you, that they were in the right and you were in the wrong. It was a sick game, and she wasn't going to let Dr. Gilbert play it with Rebecca. Not if she could help it.

She moved closer to Jack, allowing him to embrace her, "Thank you, Jack."

She agreed to drop him off at City South. She debated about whether it would be better to go back to Wardlow or to the Women's Hospital, but decided on the latter to see if she could find Rebecca Isaacs.

As she parked the Hispano, from the bushes near the building she heard "Miss Fisher!" in a whispered cry. A terrified Rebecca Isaacs came stumbling out of the shrubs, "Miss Fisher, please, you have to help me!"