2. Setting the tone.
Jack Robinson scowled at the dilapidated house in front of him. It was Friday afternoon. He had men by the front door, back door and in the lane behind. However, the occupant was not coming out. Jack knew that there was more than one person inside. He wanted a peaceful resolution to this situation, especially because of the residents within!
He sighed. "Collins! Find the nearest phone and call Miss Fisher! Ask her come immediately and to bring Miss Williams, a thermos of tea and biscuits!"
"Are we having afternoon tea, Inspector?" asked Hugh.
"Not us Collins!" growled Jack, and he nodded towards the house.
"Oh" said Hugh, the penny dropping into place and he raced to down the street to find a telephone.
Jack settled in to wait.
Half an hour later her large red car screeched into place beside the police vehicle.
"Hello Jack, fancy a spot of afternoon tea!" Phryne was bright and bubbly as usual. Dot followed behind, always reliable, carrying a picnic basket.
"Miss Fisher, Miss Williams," Jack returned the greeting, ignoring the tea reference.
"What are we doing here?" asked Phryne, perching on the bonnet of the police car.
"Firstly Miss Fisher, you are getting off my car! But then I want you to go in and negotiate with the man in that house. See if you can get him to come out."
"And you are sending me into negotiate with a wanted man instead of any of your men, because…?"
"We found a body of a gent who been in a fight, down a Richmond lane last night. He had been seen arguing with the man who lives in this house. The assailant, George Abbot, is within, but the door is barred by his pregnant wife, who also has two small children inside. I don't want to use force if I don't have to. As we have no female police officers and welfare refuses to come out at this time on a Friday, I would rather rely on your expert skills of persuasion!"
"You want me to negotiate with a man who beat another man to death!"
"Probably not the case! We think the deceased died as a result of hitting his head on the cobblestones. However, he was fighting with George Abbot, who I have been reliably told is about a jockey's stance and probably about Jane's weight wringing wet! If you can't handle the situation, I may have to enter with force!"
"I see! So why did I have to bring afternoon tea?"
"The kids are hungry Miss Fisher. Their father is unemployed and his wife is rake thin and pregnant. Something to eat may be a lot more persuasive than a force of men in blue!"
Indeed it was. Phryne and Dot gained entry within minutes. Jack and his men continued to wait, although Jack had ceased pacing by now.
The young constable who was at the rear of the house reported to Jack, that he could hear conversation and the woman crying. There was some arguing and raised voices, mainly by the man George Abbot. However, within twenty minutes, George Abbot appeared at the front door, with his hands held out. The uniformed police swooped and had him handcuffed and in the car in seconds.
As the men sped away with the perpetrator, Jack entered the house, to find Phryne consoling the man's wife in the kitchen, and Dot reading the children a story in the front room.
"I am sorry Mrs Abbot," Jack said to the lady, "but we have to enforce the law!"
'But Colin Redgrave was trying to do my George out of his rightful winnings!" said Mrs Abbot. "It's the only money we had!"
"I will call the Welfare office for you on Monday Mrs Abbott, that's all I can do!" said Jack.
"Mrs Abbot," said Phryne, "I can come over tomorrow with some food and supplies to get you through until Monday. Welfare should be able to help."
"Welfare, they don't know anything!" cried Mrs Abbott "I've got kids to feed, and I don't know where the next rent is going to come from either!"
Jack sighed; this was one aspect of his job that was unpleasant. "I am sorry Mrs Abbott, but your husband is a suspect in a suspicious death. Lack of rent money is no excuse for killing someone!"
Jack, Phryne and Dot extracted themselves with some difficulty. Phryne promised that Dot would bring over more food the next day.
"That is a sad situation Jack" said Phryne as they stepped off the front porch.
"The sadder part is that her husband has a returned veteran's pension, and choses to gamble most of it on the SP bookies!" returned Jack. "If he goes to jail, she may be better off!"
Phryne stopped by the car.
"Thank you for your help today," said Jack, "It saved us valuable man hours and it lead to a peaceful resolution."
Phryne smiled. "I think I did the right thing." She changed the subject. "Tell me, are you coming to visit me tonight?"
"Not tonight!" said Jack. "I have to get this matter settled, and then do the paperwork. I may even come in tomorrow afternoon to finish it all. I hope to see you for dinner tomorrow night."
"I am taking Jane and Catherine out for afternoon tea tomorrow" said Phryne. "I hope to see you for dinner then." She smiled. They both knew what happened after dinner!
….
It was late on Saturday afternoon that Phryne returned from a long afternoon tea with the two girls. They had also included a long walk in the Botanical Gardens, where they started their afternoon. They were not accompanied by Dot, who was, of course, delivering a food parcel to Mrs Abbott.
On entry to Phryne's home, they found Jack in the parlour, reading the newspaper, with a drink at his side. He stood up at their entrance, casting the paper aside.
"Miss Fisher, Jane" He smiled at the feminine group.
"Catherine" said Phryne to Jane's friend, "I would like to introduce you to Inspector Robinson, from City South Police station. The Inspector is a friend of the household. Inspector: this is Catherine Cook. Catherine goes to school with Jane."
"Catherine" Jack addressed her. Catherine was too timid to reply. She made a small noise and slid behind Jane.
"Hello Inspector," Jane was quite comfortable with Jack.
"Did you have a good day Jane?" asked Jack
"Yes, thanks. It was a lot of fun. We had lovely afternoon tea. They had éclairs, which are really rich."
"I believe they are! Did you see any famous people in the Gardens?"
"No, just us! Although, I did see one man who could have played football! But I don't know for which team. I will have to study the Richmond football guide again!"
"As long as it's not a guide to Collingwood players!"
"That's enough about football!" said Phryne. "Richmond lost the Grand Final to Collingwood, but I don't go around looking for Footballers to admire!"
They all laughed at this, even Catherine, who probably did not understand the references!
The girls went upstairs and Jack pulled Phryne into the parlour by the hand. He realised there was one corner, where they could embrace without being seen.
"You've made yourself at home!" murmured Phryne when she came up for air.
"Mr Butler's doing!" Jack was exploring her jaw with his lips.
"I can taste the whiskey!" was Phryne's response, enjoying the contact.
"I can only taste you!" was Jack's return.
Phryne giggled, but pulled away. "Enough Jack, Catherine's parents will be here soon to collect her. We must have some decorum! Oh, lipstick!"
There was a flurry of handkerchiefs and rubbing of cloth on faces, before Mr Butler came in with inquires about drinks!
…
Jane and Catherine were in Jane's bedroom.
"Why do you have a Policeman in your house?" asked Catherine
"The Inspector and Miss Phryne solve murders together. He comes over for dinner a lot."
"Do they solve murders while they have dinner?"
"Not always. They usually solve the murders in the daytime, and after dinner they sit in the parlour!"
"On their own?"
"Well Dot and Mr Butler are usually in the kitchen.. And so am I!"
"Do they talk about the murders?"
"Sometimes. They talk about other things too. But do you know what they did once, when Dot wasn't there! I saw them kissing!"
Catherine stared at Jane. Clearly she had never seen adults kiss before! However, as it was 1928, both 12 year olds were prepubescent, their immediate response was identical.
"Kissing! Eww!"
…
Catherine's father arrived shortly afterwards. Phryne introduced Jack and Mr Cook. Jack was again "Detective Inspector Jack Robinson, a friend of the household."
Mr Cook was friendly toward Jack, cool toward Phryne and did not wish to linger once Catherine was in his grip.
However, it was Jane who accidently threw the spanner in the works!
"Good bye Catherine" she said, "Kisses!" "Mwah, Mwah!"
Catherine glanced at Phryne and Jack and giggled. "Mwah, Mwah" to Jane!
Her father looked shocked. "That's enough of that young lady! My apologies, Inspector Robinson, Mrs Fisher!" turned his heel and left ushering Catherine before him.
Jane giggled after the door closed. "He called you Mrs Fisher, Miss Phryne!"
Phryne smiled "A common mistake!" Although she was a little unsettled, but she was not sure why!
…..
After dinner, Phryne and Jack sat in the parlour, until Mr Butler and Dot went to bed, which was tactfully early. Phryne told Mr Butler she would ensure the front door was locked after the Inspector left.
They had however, developed a charade, where Jack would say good night and shut the front door loudly. They would then both sneak up the stairs in unison, trying to keep quiet!
Once in Phryne's boudoir, Jack began an assault on Phryne's clothes while Phryne was trying to undo Jack's shirt and tie.
"Jack" she asked, "Was that a strange situation when Mr Cook was here?"
"In what way?" Jack was focusing on her buttons.
"When he called me, "Mrs Fisher"!"
"I thought you said it was a common mistake!"
"Yes, but he was a little cool toward me. He directed his attention to you!"
"I am a policeman Phryne. I command attention by being present!"
"But I am Jane's parent. And I am the Honourable Miss Fisher! I thought that was obvious!"
Jack sighed; the disrobing had slithered to a halt. "Phryne, what he saw was an upper class lady who goes by the title of Miss, who apparently has a daughter, even though he knows Jane is your ward! You were alone in the presence of a gentleman who was obviously at home in her parlour and well known to her said ward. The said ward is obviously comfortable in the presence of the said gentleman, who happens to be a policeman!"
They looked at each other. "And your companion was nowhere to be seen!" he finished.
"Dot was in the kitchen!"
"Nowhere to be seen!" Jack repeated
"He thinks we are having a liaison!" stated Phryne.
"We are having a liaison!" confirmed Jack. "He probably sees it for what it is! It is the presence of his daughter in the house where the liaison is occurring, that is bothering him!"
"It's really none of his business" said Phryne as Jack pushed her backwards gently.
"I thought it didn't bother you!" said Jack, leaning over her.
"It doesn't! Really! Not at all!" Phryne's grip on conversation was losing.
"Good" said Jack, focusing on what was at hand.
Speech was lost for the rest of the night.