Chapter Nine

During the years of their acquaintance Jack saw Phryne Fisher in various states. He saw her excited, joyful, scared, depressed, carefree, almost naked, singing, dancing, struggling for her life, but he wished, he would never have the opportunity to see her having a nightmare. That strong, exception woman, tossing and turning on the bed, trapped in the inescapable madness she had no control over. Jack had his share of nightmares after the war, recently they were exchanged for nightmares with different content. Jack suspected Phryne could have nightmares, about the war, Foyle, possibly her other dangerous escapades. Maybe that was the reason she constantly sought male companionship – to distract her enough in bed so the nightmares would not resurface.

"Phryne, Phryne, cheri, wake up. Wake up, you are having a nightmare, it is not real."

Phryne's eyelids snapped open and Jack was devastated to see tears in them. What could possibly frighten her so much?

"Thank God you are here, Jack," Phryne breathed out, franticly tracing the contours of his face and shoulders.

"Where else could I be?"

"I dreamt… I dreamt that I lost you, cheri."

"Tell me."

"No! I cannot, it is too awful, I cannot live through it again."

"It is better to unburden yourself, Phryne. This way you know, it is not real."

"I was on a case… Something ridiculous, jewelry theft from one of my friends or something of the same, I staked out the suspect and was pursuing him through the streets and dark alleys. I have finally reached him, we struggled, I neutralized him, but then another thief appeared with a gun. He shot at me, I ran for cover, shot at him. We exchanged bullets until I ran out. I knew he had one bullet left, but I risked it. I wanted to circle around, but he was smarter, the moment I got out from the cover I was looking down the barrel of his gun. And then you appeared, you pushed me down, you took that bullet for me, Jack. There was so much blood, you died in my arms, Jack. The feeling… it was excruciating. If this is how you felt after Gertie's accident, how you feel whenever a gun is pointed at me or when I am kidnapped or running off somewhere… I am so sorry, Jack. How many times have you literally save my life? Ten? Fifteen? And I keep doing these silly stunts… Promise me, cheri, that you will never take bullet for me. Promise!"

"I cannot promise you that, Phryne. If the only way to protect you is to put myself in danger then I will do it. But only if there is no other safer way to proceed."

"I will try not to create such situations in the future."

"Let us hope for that, though I doubt-"

"I promise you, Jack. I cannot survive feeling this way again. The moment I saw blood on your sleeve… After reading those case files… The reality just crashed on me. I do not know what would have been better: not knowing anything or knowing that you were injured. You must promise me to be careful. For the child, for me."

"I promise, Phryne."

"Can you hold me in my sleep tonight? So I know that you are still here?"

"Of course."

"It will not disturb the stitches?"

"I doubt it."

Phryne moved to settle on Jack's chest. Hearing his steady heartbeat calmed her nerves. She never sought protection from anyone, always relied on her own abilities that she had in abundance, but after starting working with Jack, she realized how good it felt to have someone having her back, knowing that someone cared enough to look after her.

"How did you get that scar?"

"Which one?"

"This one." She traced the fresh scar under the pajamas, making Jack shudder at the touch.

"Suspect resisted arrest. It looks serious, but it was only a superficial wound."

Jack's heartbeat did not change, but Phryne knew her husband was lying. For the first time in five years, Jack was lying to her. What or who was behind that wound for Jack to hide the truth?

…..

Waking the next morning in Jack's arms, Phryne declared it a wonderful experience she would not mind to partake in regularly. Though she did not want to make Jack uncomfortable with need to extract himself from her when he went to his morning shifts. Has she ever woken up in an embrace of her previous lovers? Phryne could not exactly recall. A postcoital cuddle – most definitely, but sleeping the whole night? Out of the question. And Jack was not her lover. Yet. But he was her husband. A rather conflicting situation, but was their relationship a conventional one?

Phryne watched Jack sleep. He was up the whole night during the raid, had only a brief nap after breakfast and left to further process the arrested gang members. At least now he had the opportunity to catch on the missing sleeping hours. Jack was a very neat sleeper, he did not move much, his breathing was quiet. If not for the arms that moved to hold her tighter the moment she changed her position, Phryne would have thought he was unconscious.

Come to think of it, Jack was very neat at everything. The way he dressed, ate, drove, organized his papers, even folded the newspaper. He always straightened the sheets on his side of the bed. Deposited his worn clothes so they would not wrinkle. Phryne only now realized that she joined her life with a soldier. The discipline was engrained into Jack already during his youth. First the Police Academy, then the army, the service in the force. For her who spent every breathing moment of her adulthood to break all kinds of stereotypes and conventions to work and have a rather close relationship with a straight-laced Inspector was outright impossible, but here they were. And he did not always do the right thing.

Having a call of nature, Phryne carefully untangled herself and left Jack to have a restful sleep. The life-threatening situation was avoided. For now.

Later in the day Jack had to leave for the station yet again. Phryne was waiting at the base of the stairs to… to send him off more or less. But she was not sure that she was welcome. After the previous considerable disasters of initiating physical contact, she was at a loss of how to act. Men always craved her touch, her kiss, her body. The only men who did not react to her were homosexual. And now she did not know how make a good-bye kiss properly! Ridiculous! But her name was not Phryne Fi- Robinson if she was going to give up!

"Are you not forgetting something, Jack?" she asked, when he already put his hat on, but did not show any signs of noticing her presence in the hall.

"What would that be, Phryne?"

Phryne cautiously neared her husband. She straightened his lapels and tie that were already perfectly straight just to do something. "I came to send you off… I just do not know if… my advances are welcome." Her breath hitched in her throat when she caught Jack's smirk.

"Kiss me, Phryne."*

Phryne was developing a strange fondness for "Taming of the Shrew" as of late.

….

"Phryne, I need your help with a case."

"Finally!"

"The dinner will be served in ten minutes, Inspector, ma'am."

"Please, do not refer to me by rank while I am off-duty, Mr. Butler."

"Very well, Mr. Robinson."

"So what intriguing case have you brought to me, off-duty Inspector?"

Jack looked at the half empty large chocolate box in front of her and followed how another chocolate disappeared inside Phryne's mouth, quickly joined by another one. "Are you feeling alright?"

"Yes, cheri, I am feeling marvelous. Cravings and so forth. So what about the case?"

"I do not think, you will be all happy about it. Miss Cecilia Mortimer was found dead this morning. The scene photos and autopsy report are in the file. I thought you would not stand by your friend's murder, but if you feel uncomfortable-"

"Like Hell I am going to stand by! Give me that file. I am going to her residence first thing tomorrow."

Phryne usually only skimmed the police files extracting the useful information and ignoring all other mundane descriptions, but Cecilia was a friend. She would not let possible murderer go unpunished. She met Cecilia, a young attractive blond about two years ago on the meeting of the Adventuress' Club. They instantly got along, having the same interests be it cars, dancing, music or men. And Cecilia had a lot of men clamoring for her attention which she gave in spades. That gave her quite a reputation, but, just as Phryne, she did not care in the slightest.

Cecilia's body was found flown onto the beach near her villa. The coroner's report confirmed presence of sea water in her lungs that showed drowning as the cause of death. And another detail…

"Cecilia was pregnant?!"

"She did not have a lover?"

"Oh, she always had a lover, Jack, but was extremely careful. She never wanted a family."

"Hm…"

"Yes, Jack, we were of the same opinion. Being an independent woman who enjoys life is not a crime."

"I did not say that."

"But you think it got her killed, do you not?"

"I have not said, it was murder."

"What else could it be? She was drowned. Most probably tossed down from the veranda she is so proud to show everyone. From there opens a magnificent view to the ocean. And it is soiled now by being a murder scene. Disgusting!"

"Nothing is clear as of yet."

"That is why we need to investigate! But after we have dinner."

"You still have appetite for dinner? After all those chocolates?"

"I now have appetite all the time, for almost anything. Soon I will not be able to rise up from the chaise in my own parlor, I will be this huge!"

"Not to worry, I will always give you a hand."

…..

It was one of those rare times when Phryne arrived onto the crime scene in a police car. She meticulously studied the case file during the drive not to miss the tiniest detail.

"It is said that Cecelia was seven weeks pregnant."

"Yes. Do you think she knew?"

"What do you mean, Jack?"

"She could have been unaware at such early stage."

"Of course she was! When a woman keeps male company she must always track changes in her body!"

"Hm…"

"What is that supposed to mean, Jack?"

"Nothing."

"So you knew… How could you possibly knew it back then? You know now, but how could you know I was almost two months pregnant when I discovered it?"

"I did not. I just wanted to point out that her knowledge or the absence of the said knowledge about her pregnancy may be determining factor in her death."

"On that I agree."

They arrived at the large villa around noon. The house spoke of its owner having financial independence and willingness to spend money on her guilty pleasures. There was a pool, a tennis court, and a spacious garden with a pond.

Jack and Phryne entered the house without any obstacle. The building seemed to be abandoned. Phryne knew the layout very well so they guided their steps to the veranda, the possible murder scene. Which as it happened was not abandoned at all. Seven ladies lounged their sipping what looked like to be cocktails.

"Phryne! What a surprise! I thought you completely disappeared on us! Have you heard? Poor Cecilia!"

"This is Inspector Detective Jack Robinson, he is in charge of the investigation. It is good you are all here, so we can ask questions related to Cecilia."

"We most definitely do not mind being questioned," one of the ladies said, exchanging glances with the others.

Phryne knew what those glances meant and she did not like those measuring up glances thrown at Jack.

The maid appeared out of nowhere asking if guests wanted refreshments, Jack refused while Phryne asked for a lemonade, which earned her surprised looks from her friends. Phryne Fisher never passed an opportunity to enjoy a good cocktail.

"So you were closed to the deceased?" Jack began the questioning, while Phryne watched the women's reactions and nonverbal communication.

She knew them very well, though she must admit she was the oldest among them. All present women were of independent means, some inherited, some smartly invested. None had any serious vices that required lots of the money. Some hashish, some cocaine, lavishing parties, but nothing that could motivate murder since Cecilia was very wealthy for her age. There was, of course, blackmail and men. Lots and lots of men. Phryne knew that the women exchanged partners or indulged in sharing bed with multiple people at the same time. To find needle in that haystack could be problematic.

"Is something the matter, Phryne? You seem rather quiet today," Jack asked while they were heading to Cecilia's rooms.

"I do not want to treat my friends as suspects, but they are so… frivolous! Their friend is not even in the ground yet and they drink her cocktails on her veranda! Not that it is unusual, Cecilia always allowed such visitations."

"So anyone could enter the house at any time?"

"Not at night. Cecilia informed her staff about those, so no uninvited guests could interfere."

"Is that all that upsets you?"

"Yes… No… We have a rule! And they blatantly..."

"What rule?"

"Never get involved with married men! I knew you were married the moment I saw you. Men like you cannot be unmarried! And they are sitting there and ogling you like some piece of candy!"

"Jealousy does not look good on you, Phryne."

"I am not jealous of those… those…"

"They were your friends just an hour ago. Jealousy is a powerful motive. Could Cecilia also have broken the rule? Got involved and then pregnant by a married man and either this man or his wife or one of the pretty ladies upstairs discovered the situation and…"

"Pretty ladies, Jack?"

"You have to agree, they are young and vibrant, wearing such beautiful garments, they can make any man's head spin."

Phryne stopped in the middle of the corridor and turned to say some choice words to her husband when she realized he was holding back laughter.

"Are you teasing me, Jack Robinson?"

"Whatever gave you the idea? Let's go, we have a woman's boudoir to search."

"You seem unexpectedly eager, Jack. Want to go through Cecilia's undergarment drawers?"

"Those are usually the places where women keep their secrets. Dairies, love letters… Policemen have to search through such places on a daily bases."

"You do not say… Wait till I tell Dot how her husband spends his work hours."

The search of the rooms did not bring any results. They did recover piles of correspondence and momentos from former lovers. Several years of Cecilia Mortimer's life were boxed and brought to Wardlow to sort through. Phryne did not look forward to looking through her friends' secrets, dirty or not.

*A/N: Jack quotes Petruchio's words after Katherine's final monologue. The famous "Kiss me, Kate!" after which Katherine and Petruchio kiss and make up.