They spent the day talking to various other members of the community. Young Mr Murphy was eager enough to help, but he'd only moved to Alaska two years ago and had little insight to offer. They did pass a fascinating hour in Mrs McGinty's parlour, learning about the town's history and the perils and rewards of a teacher's life on the frontier of civilization. Still, at the end of the afternoon, Phryne was feeling increasingly frustrated with their efforts.

In view of what she'd secretly termed the 'Moose mishap', they decided to forgo a warm meal and stocked up on bread and cheese instead. They had just settled down in their cabin for an early dinner of sandwiches and biscuits, when an energetic knock on the door interrupted them. Phryne opened it to find Maisie, her face gleaming with excitement, her chest heaving from the effort of running.

"There's a telegram for you, miss. From Juneau." Maisie handed them the slip of paper.

Phryne quickly scanned the message. "Sarah Bates… gave birth to a boy… 5th of April 1919, at the hospital of the Order of St. Ann." There was more, but already, her suspicions were confirmed. Raising her head, Phryne smiled at the girl. "Thank you so much, Maisie. You've been a big help."

"My pleasure, miss." The girl beamed at her. "Have you solved the case now?"

"I think we may have, yes." Phryne caught Jack's gaze. He nodded almost imperceptibly. "I'll let you know tomorrow."

If Maisie was disappointed, she hid it well. "Right. I'll be off then. See you tomorrow, miss. No news about your prop, by the way."

"Well, I guess that can't be helped." Resolutely, Phryne reached for the doorknob. "Good night, Maisie."

As soon as the door had fallen shut, Phryne turned to face Jack. "Well, I guess it's time for a chat with Miss Granger."

Sarah had returned to her mother's house, and considering the way things had developed, Phryne was glad about it. She didn't fancy having Mrs Seward there for what promised to be an unpleasant confrontation.

Sarah greeted them politely and offered them tea, which Phryne gracefully accepted. Though something stronger is probably called for.

"Miss Granger…" Jack took the lead. "Regarding your mother's passing, a few interesting facts have come to our attention, and we'd hoped you could clean them up." Everything about his tone and demeanour screamed 'policeman', Phryne thought, and it had the desired effect on Sarah. Not for a moment did she question their authority, though she'd have had every right to do so.

"Yes?" Sarah swallowed nervously. "How can I help you?"

"You could tell us what happened ten years ago." Phryne took care not to sound threatening. "We already know about the baby."

"Oh." Sarah was quiet for a long time, but when she raised her head, her expression was calm and determined. "I guess I'd better tell you the whole story. That summer-"

"That would be the summer of 1918?" Phryne clarified, and Sarah nodded.

"Yes. I had just turned seventeen, and my brother had recently gotten married. Father…" She swallowed again. "Father was gone, and Mother was beside herself with grief. Then a plane crashed, about a mile downriver."

Jack was still all business, taking notes in a little black book he'd brought with him. "Was anyone hurt?"

Sarah shook her head. "The pilot managed to get out of it without serious injuries. He arrived here on foot, much like you did."

"And just like us, he probably stayed for a little while, until his plane could be repaired?" Phryne gently nudged her on.

"Yes. About two weeks." Sarah was smiling now. "He stayed in the cabin, too, and I went there every day, to bring him food. His name was Ben, and he was very handsome." She blushed slightly. "I named our son after him."

"Did he know?" Phryne could imagine the whole thing only too well: a dashing young man, full of stories about his exciting adventures; a shy, sweet young girl, immediately smitten… the whole thing was only too predictable.

"No." Sarah sounded offended. "He wouldn't have- He was a good man, kind and gentle. But by the time I found out I was expecting, he'd already left, and I had no way of finding him. My mother was furious. She took me to Juneau, to stay with her sister. And when little Ben was born…" Sarah's smile was gone now, replaced by an expression of sheer, naked pain. "They took him from me. The said it was for the best."

"I'm so sorry." And it was true, Phryne thought. She was sorry, but more than that, she was angry, incredibly, furiously angry at everyone involved in this sad little tale. Everyone except for Sarah, and for Sarah's sake, she tried to keep her composure. But the young woman wasn't even looking at her.

"We never talked about it, all those years. I knew Mother wanted to forget about it, so I kept quiet. But then you showed up, miss, with your story about the plane crash, and you wanted to rent the cabin, and…" Sarah fell silent.

"And it all came back," Phryne finished for her.

"Yes. My mother… She kept going on about you, all through the evening." Sarah looked down. "She… she called you horrible names, whore and slattern and worse. And she said I was just the same, sinful and godless. I told her it wasn't true, that I'd been good all those years, but she wouldn't have it, just kept ranting. And then-" Sarah took a deep, shuddering breath. "Then I mentioned the baby and she said…"

"What did she say?" Jack's tone was full of compassion, but he was still taking notes, Phryne noticed.

"She said 'Thank the Lord for freeing us from that burden, at least.' And then I knew." Sarah looked at Phryne. "My boy is dead, isn't he?"

Phryne nodded. "He was sent to an orphanage, and he died three weeks later."

Sarah sobbed once, but her eyes were dry. "My mother… She'd always claimed he was with a family in Juneau. Good people, who were taking good care of him. But I should have known it was a lie. She'd promised me photos, one every year, and they never arrived. I got suspicious, but I didn't dare ask her. But when she said it… I just knew."

"So what did you do?" Phryne held her breath.

"I… I don't know." Sarah shivered all over. "My mother went out for firewood. She hadn't even noticed her blunder, you see. But for me, it all fell into place, and I…" She closed her eyes, as if to relive the moment. "Everything went bright red. I don't know what happened next. But when I came to my senses again, she was dead on the ground before me, with the axe in her head. And my apron was all covered in blood."

"And then?" Jack's pencil was dancing across the page.

"I went inside." Sarah's voice had an odd quality, as if she was recounting a dream. "I took off the apron and burned it, and I washed the blood from my hands. I locked the door, and I went to bed. I was… not myself, I think. When I woke up in the morning, I thought at first that it had been a nightmare. But then Mr Seward showed up and-" She sobbed once. "It's such a relief to tell you, miss. And you." She smiled wanly at Jack. "I feel better now."

"We will have to inform the police in Fairbanks as soon as possible." Jack's calm tone was a balm for Phryne's frayed nerves. "Do we have your word that you will stay in this house until morning, Miss Granger?"

"Of course. Where would I go?" Sarah looked genuinely surprised at the mere suggestion that she might choose to flee. "Do you… Do you think the Lord will forgive me? Eventually?"

"I'm sure he will." Phryne had trouble keeping her voice steady. Poor Sarah indeed. "He's supposed to be merciful, after all."


They barely made it back to the cabin before Phryne was in his arms, kissing him hungrily, clinging to him like a burr. Jack didn't object. He knew she needed him now, needed something to cope with the depressing story they'd just heard, and if he was honest, he felt much the same.

"Shhhh." When she finally paused for breath, he gently stroked her hair. "I'm here."

"I need you to make love to me, Jack Robinson. Now." Phryne's face was flushed, and she was trembling under his hands.

He raised an eyebrow. "Now?"

"Well, I might need a moment to prepare." Phryne's smile was brittle, and it didn't reach her eyes. "I'll be back in a moment."

"I'm not going anywhere." While he was waiting for her, he slowly started to take off his clothes, carefully folding them and putting them on a chair. He was down to his underwear when she returned.

"Jack." He turned around at the sound of her voice to find her standing in the doorway, stark naked and incredibly beautiful. And he couldn't help himself; the sight of her went straight to his cock. "Make love to me," she repeated, stepping closer and putting her hands around his neck.

He groaned as she brushed her body against him, then pulled her close to make her feel how much he wanted her. Phryne gasped, closing her eyes.

"Phryne. I love you." He breathed a kiss on her cheek, but she shook her head. "Don't speak. Just-" Grabbing his right hand, she brought it up to her bare breast, moulding his fingers around the perfect globe. "Yes. Good."

Jack took the hint, kissing her hard and kneading her soft warm flesh, teasing her nipple with his thumb. Phryne whimpered at this, and he knew he had to get his mouth on her, right now. Two quick steps took them to the bed, his remaining clothes came off, and then she was in his lap, and he could feel all of her, touch all of her, so sweet and soft that he nearly lost it.

"Damn it, Phryne." His lips locked around one nipple and he sucked hard, making her cry out with the sudden, sweet shock of it, and at the same time, he was running his hands all over her body, nearly frantic with want. He needed her so badly, her mouth on his, drinking his moans from his lips; her thighs quivering under his hands; her tight, wet heat around his fingers. She felt so good, so perfect, like nothing else in the world, and she was all he could think of right now. Nothing else counted except for this raw need to be inside her, to be joined with her, and it almost frightened him to lose himself like this.

Phryne was just as far gone, her voice a hoarse whisper as she urged him on, yes, Jack, more, now, please, and her desire fed his, spiralling higher and higher until he spread her wide and slid inside her, as deep as he dared. And for a heartbeat, his need was sated, and he was where he wanted to be, but within moments, it returned, stronger and more insistent than before. With a deep groan, he pushed himself up on both arms above her, so he could move freely, and then he let go.

His first deep thrust made her shudder all over, her lips opening in a long sigh, her legs tightening around his waist. Pulling back, he adjusted the angle a little, and the next time was even better. Phryne was mewling at him, as he pushed deep inside her willing flesh.

"More." She was panting now, and flushed all over. "Oh God, Jack, more."

He saw no reason to deny her. With every move he took her higher and higher, focussing so fully on her pleasure that he hardly noticed how close he himself was already, his whole body buzzing with want. Another thrust, deep and slow, and Phryne was beginning to tighten around him, one more, and he felt her unravel, her nails scrabbling frantically at his back, her eyes glazing over. One more sent her over the edge, sobbing and shaking, and he wasted no time in joining her. And it was such a blessed relief, pleasure washing all over him like a warm wave, making him feel alive and happy and free.

Phryne came into his arms afterwards, hiding her face against his chest, and for the longest time, she seemed unwilling to speak. When she finally faced him, there was a stubborn set to her lips that he knew only too well. "Do we have to do it, Jack? Do we really have to hand over the evidence?"

"What else would you have us do?" He knew, of course. But he needed her to say it.

"Well..." Phryne chewed thoughtfully on her lower lip. "We could burn the drawings, tell Sarah to be quiet about it, leave the whole thing to the local police. They'll probably blame it on some passing vagabond."

Jack didn't answer right away. Instead he held her gaze for a long moment, then sighed deeply. "Phryne. You once told me to remind you that you are not above the law. That it's not up to you to decide who gets to walk free."

"Yes, but back then, I was talking about Murdoch Foyle. He was a monster, a madman. This is different." Phryne took his hand. "Sarah isn't dangerous. The poor girl couldn't hurt a fly."

"And yet, she killed her mother." Jack wasn't about to ignore that fact. "Brutally slaughtered her, in fact. You know just as well as I do that justice needs to be done."

"But this isn't justice, Jack! The poor girl never had a chance." Phryne's eyes were flashing with indignation. "And her mother had it coming, you said so yourself."

"It's not that easy, Phryne!" Jack shook his head. "You heard Sarah. It was a relief for her to finally confess the truth. She needs to atone for what she's done, or she'll never heal. Sarah has spent the past ten years living a lie. Do you want to force her to continue with it?"

"I… No, I don't." Phryne swallowed. "But-"

"And what about Bobby Seward?" Jack hated the look of pain on her face, hated that he was the one causing it, but he knew he had to make her see. "If this case is never solved, people will keep blaming it on him. You know what small town gossip is like." She didn't reply, but the look in her eyes told him he had finally gotten through to her. "We have to let things take their proper course, Phryne. The girl will find a sympathetic jury, I'm sure. And maybe you can help her by paying for a good lawyer. She won't hang for this."

"Maybe not. But she'll be locked up for years." Phryne sighed deeply. "It's so unfair, Jack."

"Life's unfair." He was relieved when she allowed him to pull her into a tight embrace again. "I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault." Phryne hugged him tightly once again. "All right. First thing in the morning, we'll go to the store and telegraph the police in Fairbanks."

He nodded, gently stroking her cheek. "Yes. And afterwards…" He kissed her softly. "Afterwards let's head back to Melbourne as soon as we can, shall we? Dot will be so glad to see you again."

"And I'll be glad to be home again." Phryne sighed deeply. "What a day."

"It's all over. Sleep now." He watched her face as she drifted off to sleep. Home. Yes. It was time to go home.