Dear Diary
I have a new painting, an early Margaret Preston, the fee for helping to find the evidence to stop an innocent woman being charged with murder.
People find interesting ways to see off someone who is getting in their way – in this case a Polish Jew working with the Zionists to fund a Jewish homeland.
To be honest I had more trouble with Cec and Bert – or rather Bert – when Cec announced he was engaged to Alice and they were looking for a place to live. Of course Bert went off on one – decided Cec wanted out of the partnership when they were offered a farm out of the city and Cec is the quiet one, not one for an argument, Dot says she thinks he was in shock over Bert's reaction, but he was happy to keep on going with the taxi and working for me but I have to admit he and Alice would need a home of their own. Dot decided to skew the request from me and said they had to work together – she treats them like naughty schoolboys but it gets the job done.
Anyway, the victim, Saul, was killed with a poison in the spine of a book that had a formula to turn lead into gold – alchemy – at least that was what everyone thought, but after Mac had had a go at it it turned out to be the formula for artificial rubber – worth its weight in gold – a way to make money for the Jewish homeland. The poison was delivered through a cut Saul received from a tiny blade in the spine of the book. Saul had a room above the bookshop he was in, where he did his experiments and worked out his formulae and bedded the young lady who worked there, Miss Leigh who tried not to appear too upset over his death. Saul had a wife in Poland, Miss Leigh was only a distraction for him, which I find rather sad, she knew it wouldn't be for keeps.
Jack was at first reluctant to let me in on the investigation but one glimpse of my stocking top and the dagger I keep there I had him hooked, he couldn't think straight!. I did tell him he hadn't seen it but I don't think the poor chap will forget in a hurry – at least I hope not!
The murderer was the second son in a family who felt he had been overlooked, not allowed to get as good an education as his older brother, he kidnapped his nephew and shot him (he survived, Chaim is a rotten shot), he tried to kill himself with my gun but I knew it had run out of bullets – Jack needs to learn to count I scare him each time I get in front of a madman with a gun - .
So, as I say, I have a new painting, rather lovely though I am not sure where I will put it just yet, the Raggers are back together, Cec did not want to leave the partnership – I swear Bert could have an argument in an empty room!