Author's Notes: Thanks for all the reviews and follows! This is 9 of 11 chapters so winding up to the climax! Enjoy!

Previously: Jack and Phryne got a lead on Leo's whereabouts.

Chapter 9

"At least we know where they are."

They were sitting in Phryne's car, parked a little way in front of Leo Drake's vehicle and directly opposite Nellie's Café. It was, as Bert had intimated, a fairly low class establishment; grubby windows and faded red gingham table cloths. Above the ground floor was a row of windows that indicated the rooms above; the boarding house that Mrs 'Nellie' Myers would let out for a bit of extra money.

A plain clothes police officer had already been in to ascertain both Drake's room number, and the presence of him and his daughter. They had been in their room all day.

"I just don't want him to do anything stupid."

Phryne nodded. They were both itching for action, but they couldn't take any risks with Margo in the room too. Besides, the officer had reported back (courtesy of Mrs Myers) that as of this morning Margo had seemed healthy and happy. Jack had breathed a huge sigh of relief. Leo was at least able to look after her, then. And the chances were high that she wasn't in immediate danger. With that in mind, the most prudent course of action was to wait it out: no matter how frustrating that was.

"Jack!"

He followed Phryne's pointing finger. Inside the café, he could just see Leo on the ground floor. He appeared to be paying for something. Maybe the room, maybe lunch? Either way, Margo didn't seem to be with him.

"He's left her," he breathed. This was their chance. "You know the room number?"

"I'll get her, Jack." Phryne's voice was firm, confident. He stole a look at her, and they held each other's gaze for a split second.

"Go."

Jack opened his door and sped across the road. As her burst into the café he was only dimly aware of Phryne racing up nearby stairs to another level. Leo turned around and gave a bellow of shocked frustration at the sight of his brother-in-law, and unceremoniously pushed Mrs Myers out of the way in his desperation to escape.

Jack followed him through the back room of the café and then through a dingy outside alley, doing his best to sidestep old wooden crates and bags of rubbish as he did so.

"Drake!" he shouted.

But Leo had no intention of stopping, and with a spurt of speed he darted into the road, completely unheeding of the cars coming towards him.

Jack swore as a car collided with the running man. Leo's body was thrown upwards and he landed with a crack on the pavement. Blood pumping in his ears, Jack ran across the road towards where he lay.

"Arrgg-ngggg…." Leo's face was contorted with pain. "You… you fockin' did this," he rasped, his Irish brogue stronger than ever.

Jack knelt down beside him, panting. "It's alright," he called to the shocked driver of the vehicle. "It was his fault, not yours."

"My fockin' leg…."

His leg was certainly in a bad way, bent sideways on the stone. But, as far as Jack could see, there didn't seem to be any other injury.

"You'll live," he said dryly.

"You never could leave us alone, could you…" Leo's face was getting paler, and Jack looked around to see if anyone had bothered to call an ambulance. He didn't much care, himself. But Collins waved over at him and he nodded back.

"Help is coming," he told Leo curtly. "Not that you deserve it." He got to his feet. "Leopold Drake, I am arresting you for the kidnap of Margo Drake and the assault of Miss Phryne Fisher."

"Fock yis," was Leo's reply. "She's my daughter. Yis'll never make it stick."

Jack clenched his jaw in anger and turned away, leaving his brother-in-law to his own devices.

"Collins?"

Hugh ran over. "An ambulance is on its way, Sir."

"Never mind that. Where's Margo?"

Hugh pointed back into the café, and Jack jogged back into the building. Phryne was there, seated at a table. Margo was in her arms.

Jack released what seemed like a gigantic breath. She was alright. He swallowed, and approached them with a relieved smile. Phryne saw him and rose to meet him.

"Look who's here, Margo?"

"Uncle Jack!"

"Hello, trouble." Jack took Margo from Phryne's arms, hugging her tightly against his chest.

"I saw what happened outside," Phryne whispered softly. "I thought it was better to keep her in here."

Jack nodded gratefully before addressing Margo.

"What have you been doing all this time?"

"Daddy came," Margo said, and there was a hint of confusion in her voice. "Where's Mummy?"

"She's waiting for you," Jack replied, with a look at Phryne.

"I'll telephone home," Phryne whispered.

She slipped off. Jack drew back from his niece to look her in the face. "Are you alright, sweetheart?" He could see she was still in the same clothes as yesterday – not even any shoes, which he remembered were back at Wardlow. But other than that, she looked well.

She was nodding at him, though there seemed to be something bothering her. "We diddun make the sandcastle," she said, pointing at Phryne.

"Oh, no?" Jack asked. He smiled, thinking of how well Phryne had taken care of her, so that her abiding memory of the traumatic few days was not anger at her parents, but regret that she didn't get to make a sandcastle. He supposed it was for the best.

"That's alright, sweetheart. We'll make one soon, I promise."

()

They returned to Wardlow as soon as possible, where Jack was angered to learn that Isabel had not waited for their return, but gone straight to the hospital.

"I told her what had happened to Drake," Phryne said apologetically.

"She did ask that you take Margo to her as soon as possible," interjected Mr Butler, aware of Jack's darkening expression.

"For God's sake," Jack muttered. "Could she not have waited?" It was too like the Isabel he knew to go running off to see Leo, ignoring the fact that just hours ago she had been desperate for her daughter's safe return. He knew then, that he had been insane to hold out any hope that she would finally leave Drake. Her loyalties were to him and him alone.

"Mummy?" asked Margo, squirming in his arms.

Phryne leant in, seeing that Jack was struggling with his emotions. "We're just going to get you cleaned up, darling. Then we'll go and see Mummy." She passed the child over to Dot, who was to take charge of the cleaning and re-clothing process.

As soon as she was out of his arms, Jack stalked through to the kitchen, noting even in his anger that it had been turned back into the spick and span oasis he was so used to seeing. Not a trace of rubbish remained. In a strange way, it's absence made him feel slightly empty, as if this whole episode was yet another to be swept under the carpet; ignored, in favour of his sister's all-consuming love for what Jack was convinced was a thoroughly dangerous man.

"Jack? Are you alright?"

Phryne had followed him into the kitchen and was eyeing him with concern.

He nodded. She pursed her lips, but didn't say anything, just moved to the hob and set the kettle on the heat.

"We have time for some tea while Dot's getting her cleaned up. Sit down."

He sat down wordlessly, unable to express the thoughts running through his head. Half of him was angry with Bel, half of him knew it was Leo who should be blamed. And all of him was breaking for the little girl caught up in it all.

After a few moments, Phryne set a tea cup in front of him, and sat down in the opposite seat.

"It's alright to be angry, you know."

Jack shook his head, guilt filling him. "I know this is Drake's fault, Phryne. But God forgive me, I can't understand how she can do this. She's her mother."

Phryne nodded silently.

"I don't… who am I to… I mean, I don't have children…" he was babbling now, and he knew it. "But don't they come first? Isn't that how it works?"

"It should be," Phryne answered thoughtfully. "But you and I see things every day… it isn't always universal."

Jack thought of the cases he had seen. Poverty stricken families, usually. Caught in cycles of crime and violence, children first the victims, then the perpetrators. But he couldn't fit Bel into that pattern.

He thought about their childhood and internally fought down a surge of emotion as he wondered what his parents would make of all this.

"Our lives were always too bland for Bel," he blurted out. "Our parents had a good marriage. They didn't discipline us unfairly, or give us anything to rebel against. There wasn't any drama, and she felt like she was missing something. Then the war happened, and she missed out on that too. She's always been looking for danger." His eyes flicked up at her, as if worried he had inadvertently insulted her. "Not like you. It's not an adventure, or living life to the full, it's..." he shook his head. "It's the importance. The dramatics of being in the tortured, tempestuous relationship, or throwing hysterics in the middle of a police station... it's always... I love her, but I've always hated that side of her."

Phryne nodded. She could see how that would grate on Jack; so private and unassuming.

"People can change, Jack. You don't know how this will end."

Jack smiled at her sadly. She was an optimist, no matter how she tried to hide it. He loved it about her, like he loved everything else, but this time he couldn't bring himself to agree.

"Yes, I do."