Jean found Lucien in his study, sitting in the dark. "It's nearly time for dinner. Would you like me to keep a plate for you? Or I can bring it to you in here?" she asked gently.

"No, I'm sorry, darling. I didn't notice the sun go down. I was just thinking," he replied. "I'll come out for dinner."

Jean turned on the light switch and came over to where he sat. "It can wait for a moment. What are you working on? Can I help?" She stood behind his chair and wrapped her arms around him, resting her chin on his shoulder.

He sighed, patting her arm affectionately as he explained, "The police found a dart gun with tranquilizers matching what we found in Riordon's system in the hotel room of Jimmy Kane's manager."

"Jimmy Kane is the frontrunner in the race, yes?"

"Yes. Frank reckons that Kane's team was worried about Riordon's surprising gain in the race and wanted to eliminate the competition."

Jean frowned. "If they wanted to get rid of him, surely there would have been an easier way than shooting him with a tranquilizer gun in the middle of the race."

"Yes, that's what's been bothering me as well. The motive seems fine, but the method doesn't really match."

"Well, what motive would fit that method? Riordon wasn't shot with a bullet, it was a tranquilizer dart. Whoever did it probably didn't want to kill him. Didn't Alice say that the drug affected his lungs because of his asthma? If he didn't have asthma, he wouldn't have died, probably just gotten rather sluggish on the bike, maybe lost control a bit? Enough to keep him out of his third-place entrance into Ballarat," Jean thought aloud.

The pair remained silent for a moment, each thinking. After a moment, however, Jean couldn't lean over as she was without feeling a twinge in her back. She reluctantly ended her embrace of her husband and stretched.

"I think perhaps we should have dinner and talk it through with Mattie and Charlie. They might have more ideas." Jean kissed the top of his head and patted his shoulder to encourage him to come out of the study and into the kitchen.

Over the dinner, the four got to talking about the ongoing case, as they often did. Lucien and Charlie did most of the explaining to Mattie while Jean was busy feeding Valerie and trying to avoid the absolute mess that mealtime seemed to turn into.

Mattie listened intently and asked questions for clarification, always wanting to be of help when she could. But she was just as much of a loss as Lucien. She agreed that the dart gun was probably planted and the man in custody likely wasn't guilty. "It's weird, isn't it, that Riordon was doing so much better than the odds. From what I've heard, he wasn't expected to finish in the top ten, let alone the top three. I bet the betting agents were losing their minds before Riordon died. Of course, now they're probably losing their minds over this delay for the investigation. It can't really maintain the integrity of the race to keep everyone stuck in Ballarat for three days, can it?"

Charlie and Lucien continued on that vein while Jean continued to remain quiet and spoon baby food into Valerie's mouth. She allowed the conversation to wash over her like a dull hum in the background of her mind. And all of a sudden, Mattie's words caught up, and Jean had a spark of an idea. "Rick Abbott!"

Lucien looked over to her curiously. "What about him?"

"I think you should interview him again and see if he's a gambler. If perhaps he had a bet on the outcome of the race and suddenly Martin Riordon upsets all the predictions and odds?"

"And if he refused to keep himself out of the top three, Abbott may have taken things into his own hand. The method would make sense, not wanting to really injure Martin at all, what with his daughter engaged to marry him. Oh Jean, you are brilliant!" Lucien exclaimed.

Charlie scrambled from the table, shouting thanks to Jean for dinner. Lucien was right behind him. They had a case to solve.

Jean, it turned out, was exactly right, down to the last detail. Rick Abbott had bet quite a bit of money on the top three in the race, Riordon not being one of them. And when he begged his racer to lose on purpose, he'd refused. Abbott took matters into his own hand, trying to avoid detection by his daughter and anyone else, going so far as to frame another manager by planting the dart gun in the hotel room.

Lucien was out all night with the police. Jean didn't enjoy sleeping without her husband in bed with her, but she understood his enthusiasm and dedication to his work, and she didn't want to make a fuss. She slept restlessly that night. It felt silly after being married for a few years now, to miss him this way.

The next morning, after breakfast for Valerie and herself, Jean heard a familiar noise in the front drive. She put Valerie upstairs in her crib with some toys before going out to see what was going on.

And sure enough, there was Lucien, tinkering with that damned motorbike again. But this time he was sitting on the bike and wearing a leather jacket. He saw her come from the house and turned off the engine.

"Good morning, love," he greeted.

"I take it you solved the case?"

"Yes. You were spot on, as usual."

Jean nodded in satisfaction. "I'm glad. Now then, have you eaten or slept at all since you left in the middle of dinner?"

"I had some coffee and a pastry at the station. Mattie brought some by on her way to work. She had an early shift today," Lucien answered.

"And then you decided to come home and play with this infernal machine?"

Lucien knew that tone in her voice. It still made him nervous. "Well, yes. Dianna Abbot was understandably upset at learning that her father had accidentally murdered her fiancé, and she gave me Martin's jacket. Fits rather nicely, don't you think?"

"Mmm," Jean agreed rather noncommittally.

"Anyway, I wanted to have a ride with it, now that the bike is in working condition."

Jean took in the sight before her. Lucien in a brown leather jacket sitting astride a rather impressive motorbike. Her tongue darted out to lick her lips in a barely-noticeable fashion.

But Lucien noticed. "Would you like to come with me? I know you disapprove of the motorbike, but I do think you'd enjoy it."

"How do you expect me to come with you?" she asked dubiously.

"Well, you're wearing trousers, which is good for a whole host of reasons."

Jean rolled her eyes, feeling constantly pleased yet annoyed with Lucien's obsession with her trousers.

Lucien continued, "You just sit back here behind me and hold on."

"Hold on to what?"

"Well, me."

Jean didn't want to admit how attractive she found that idea. But they couldn't. "Maybe another time. No one else is home to stay with Valerie."

"If someone's here with Valerie, you'll come on a ride with me?" he asked excitedly.

"I suppose it's worth a try," she conceded.

Lucien practically jumped off the bike. He kissed Jean on the cheek quickly and told her to wait right there as he hurried into the house and picked up the phone.

Jean waited as Lucien had asked. The time passed, so she checked on some of her plants in the front yard. Eventually, her curiosity overtook her. She went back to the motorbike and looked at all the shiny chrome that Lucien had polished and the fine leather of the seat. It even looked exciting. Terrifying, but exciting.

A minute later, Lucien came back outside. "On the way," he announced with satisfaction. And just then, Matthew Lawson pulled up in his car.

Limping up the drive, Matthew asked, "Valerie in her room?"

"Yes. She's had her breakfast, so she might need a change soon, but we shouldn't be gone long," Jean replied.

Matthew waved her off. "We'll be fine. Have a good time," he told the Blakes.

Lucien didn't allow Jean a moment to protest. He got onto the bike and started the engine. Jean got on behind him and grabbed hold of his waist for dear life. And with a roar of acceleration, they were off.

Jean nearly screamed in fright. Everything was so fast and loud. She couldn't possibly see how this was appealing for anyone. She held Lucien as tightly as she could, burying her face in his jacket, her knees clenched around the bike in a desperate attempt to feel secure.

But after a few minutes, Jean came to see that Lucien really did know what he was doing; of course he did, he wouldn't have let her come with him if he didn't know he could keep her safe. The ride was starting to become less frightening and almost…fun. And the rumble of the bike between her legs certainly helped. Lucien's body was so strong and solid. She didn't often get to hold him like this. The texture of the soft leather against her cheek made her want to rub up against him. Goodness, that engine certainly caused quite a bit of vibration.

Lucien did a short lap around town before returning home. Jean didn't seem to be hating the experience, but he didn't want to go too far in case she was displeased. He parked the bike beside the garage. He had to pull her arms off him so he could get off the bike. After he did so, he immediately offer her his hand to help her off as well. "How was that?"

Jean's eyes were wide, slightly stunned. Her gaze darted around, finally landing on his face, the front of his trousers, and back to his face. "I didn't think it would be like that."

"Like what?"

"Arousing."

Lucien was stunned into silence. His jaw dropped as he stared at her.

"We should go in the garage before Matthew knows we've come back home," Jean told him.

He grabbed her hand and dragged her into the garage so quickly, she let out a surprised shriek that turned into an excited laugh.

Matthew heard the front door open and slowly made his way downstairs on his bum leg to greet the Blakes. "I changed her and let her play on the floor. You didn't tell me she's walking now," he noted.

"Yes, thank you, Matthew," Jean replied hurriedly. Her hair was all out of sorts and her face flushed. Motorbike rides can have that effect, he assumed.

Lucien thanked his friend for coming to babysit on such short notice.

"You were gone for a lot longer than I expected. What did you do, take her around every part of town?"

"Every part indeed," Lucien said to himself with a smirk.

"Your shirt is missing three buttons," Matthew commented.

Lucien looked down. "Ah, so it is." He'd need to remember to search the garage for the missing buttons and ask Jean to, once again, repair the buttons on a shirt she'd ripped off of him.

"By the way, since I'm here, I was wondering if you have anything in your surgery for bruises."

"Oh? What's wrong?" Lucien asked with concern.

"I'm fine. Nothing to worry about. But do you have some Vitamin K cream?"

And just like that, all the pieces fell into place. "Of course. Would you and Alice like to share a bottle, or shall I give you each your own?"

Matthew lowered his gaze to hide his blush. "Just the one," he muttered in embarrassment.

Lucien clapped him on the shoulder. "Coming right up. And well done, mate. I haven't seen Alice this happy in quite some time. Or you either, for that matter. How long have you been together?"

"Not long," Matthew replied vaguely.

"Well, it looks like you've already surpassed her in the ability to hide love bites on your neck."

"Mine aren't on my neck."

Lucien laughed, "Oh well done indeed. And now I don't feel nearly as bad about having you here an extra hour while Jean and I were in the garage."

Matthew groaned in annoyance. "She ripped those buttons off your shirt, didn't she?"

Jean came downstairs just in time to overhear Matthew's comment. "Lucien! Don't you dare spread details of our love life all around town!"

"Not all around town, just Matthew. And I only said anything because Matthew and Alice are in need of a bottle of Vitamin K cream," he explained to his wife.

Jean raised her brow in surprise. "Well done," she told Matthew.

Lucien laughed hysterically, and Matthew explained, "That's exactly what Lucien said."

"I'm not surprised. Now then, Lucien, go get Matthew what he needs, and let him go home. We've kept him here long enough as it is." When Lucien went into the surgery, Jean added to Matthew, "Honestly, it's wonderful you and Alice have gotten together. I've seen the two of you when you're both here for holidays and such, and you seem like a fine match."

Matthew finally left when Lucien gave him the bottle of cream. Jean pulled her husband into a warm embrace, snuggling into his chest.

"What's this for?" Lucien asked, holding her tight.

"I love you very much," she replied, her voice muffled against him.

"You know, I suspected as much in the garage," he teased.

She chuckled and nudged him. "I love you and our life. We have adventures on motorbikes and in solving mysteries, and we have Valerie and Mattie and Charlie and Matthew and Alice, and I've just never been so happy. We have everything I could ever want in life."

Lucien kissed her hair lovingly. "Everything we have is thanks to you, darling. You are the reason for everything good in my life, and I love you more every single day."

Their tender moment was interrupted by the screaming cries of their daughter upstairs in her room. Jean sighed resignedly. "I'll go see to her, and you go take a nap. You can't very well see patients this afternoon if you're dead on your feet from staying up working all night and then exerting all your remaining energy making love to me."

He smirked. "Fair point. I'll go to bed for a few hours. Thank you."

They went upstairs and went their separate ways. One mystery solved, and another was sure to be on its way soon. But until then, the Blakes would return to their chaotic, perfect ordinary life.