Prudence kept pinching herself; here before her, in her parlour, sat her long lost niece, Janey, now a grown woman with children of her own. For so long she had held onto the hope, just as Phryne did, that somewhere out there Janey was alive – until a body was found then she believed the same as Phryne. She would write to her sister, immediately.

"Oh, Aunt Prudence," Janey smiled when she told her of her plan, "Phryne is going to send a letter with a photograph of me and the children. A good idea, don't you think?"

"Wonderful!" Prudence laughed, "and won't she be so happy? I expect she will be over here as soon as ever she can."

"Phryne says so, but she hopes that by then we shall have a house of our own, and our own Mr Butler … I think I shall ask Mr Butler to help me find the right person. I don't want a big house but I do think there should be enough rooms for the children to eventually have their own, and I should like a garden for them to play in and for me to sit in the sun."

"Darling, I think that is splendid, and yes, I'm sure Mr Butler will find just the right person to keep house for you and look after the little ones – they are such dears – I do hope I can persuade Guy and Isabella to come over soon."

"Phryne doesn't think they'll understand the children," Janey pursed her lips, "and, well Aunt P, do you think Guy will be kind to them?"

"If he isn't, he'll have me to deal with." Her aunt harrumphed, she was well aware that Guy bullied Arthur.

Janey laughed.

"Thank you for allowing the children to play with Arthur's toys, Aunt Prudence, it can't be easy."

"Oh my dear child," her aunt smiled, "I don't know why I kept them really. I suppose I just didn't know what to do with them, but perhaps, when you have your little house these little darlings could have them in their own playroom – shame to have them gather dust. I'm sure my Arthur would have loved to play with them with your children. Phryne and her little family helped me to come to terms with the loss, they held a little memorial gathering here, sang his favourite song and we had scallop pies, you remember they were Arthur's favourite?"

"I do, and how sweet. Phryne is so lucky with the people she has around her, and Jack, my word, what a lovely man. She told me about Rene and how she determined never to get that involved again and along comes a policeman and sweeps her off her feet."

"I don't know that the Inspector swept her off her feet, dear, he slowly wooed her, slowly and gently and with them both having served in the war they understand each other." Prudence smiled, "I think that was why he got divorced, you know, his first wife didn't understand what he had gone through, she only wanted …. Oh you did know he'd been married before, didn't you?"

"Yes, they told me, the stories are all a bit muddled at the moment, but I think I know what happened."

"Good, I wouldn't want to shock you, but Rosie wanted a hero. Jack was a hero, but he was also broken after all he had seen. Cecil and Albert also served which is why they all get along so well."

"They seem decent chaps."

"Oh they are. I'm afraid, at first, old prejudices rose in me, but now I see that they are the best of men, kind and generous, protective without smothering her or Jane, and always ready to help in any situation." Prudence positively glowed with admiration, Janey wondered if Phryne knew just how their aunt felt about the cabbies.

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They had had lunch and the children had played in the gardens by the time Phryne came to collect them. Janey declined the offer of dining with her aunt that evening, with the children, but said she hoped that perhaps they could all join together for lunch one day.

"I think the children would like that, Aunt Prudence," Janey kissed her cheek, "but for now, it has been quite a day for them. It has been so lovely to see you again, you will be one of the first to see my new house … after Phryne, that is," she laughed and lifted Psyche into the car.

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There was so much to do, so much to tell that the following days seemed to fly by in a flurry of solicitors, house hunting and clothes shopping that everyone was exhausted each night.

Janey found she was in possession of some considerable wealth due to her sister's clever investing and money management. There were so many things she could now afford as well as a house and new clothes. There was a good school for the boys and Psyche, nice furniture and she could have the house decorated exactly how she wanted it – when she found it.

"I think you need a bigger house than me, Janey," Phryne looked at the details of several houses a short distance from the esplanade, "if you each have a room, that's five …"

"Oh, I think that Psyche needs one of her own but the boys … well a big one for all three, for now, then as they grow maybe start to separate them."

"And of course your own boudoir," her sister smiled, "with your own bathroom …"

"That would be nice."

"And staff quarters …" she went on.

"Oh dear, it's all rather complicated," Janey sighed and slumped back into her chair.

"Don't worry, darling," Phryne leaned across and patted her hand, "it'll all work out, I'll help, so will Jack and I've already asked Mr B if he could find the right staff for you. A butler-housekeeper or a butler and a housekeeper and a maid or companion who can help you with the children and keep your clothes in order."

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While Phryne took Janey shopping and house-hunting, the letter had been written and the photograph taken and sent to the Baron and Baroness in England.

"What do you think they'll do?"

"Take the first passage out," Phryne shrugged, "but at least with mother around father is less likely to do something rash."

"Where will they stay? Do you want us in our house by then?"

"They can have a suite at the Windsor even if you are in your house by then, but if you have the one you prefer there is still the matter of having an en-suite bathroom for you, and your household staff …"

Janey giggled, "you make it sound like I have gardeners, and cooks and maids instead of the lovely couple Mr Butler has found for us."

"I think the Hammonds will serve you well," Phryne agreed, "Dot will find you a companion when she's up and about."

Dot and Hugh's son had arrived in timely fashion and she was now learning to be a mother herself. Janey had visited several times, to make sure she was coping, dragging Phryne with her and having her hold the baby boy. For Janey Phryne would do anything – even hold a baby though she passed him back as soon as he squeaked. Dot had laughed and told her it was hiccups.

"He's greedy, Miss Phryne," she rubbed his back gently, "if he took a little more time over his feeds he wouldn't get hiccups so much – too much like his father."

"Yes, well," Phryne cleared her throat.

"Miss Phryne has never seen the attraction of parenthood, Miss Janey," Dot smiled, "yet I think she would make a lovely, if unconventional, mother."

"Not all women are made to be mothers, Dot," Janey hummed, "but it doesn't mean they are incapable of loving. She gets on fine with my four."

"Hey, I am here, y'know," Phryne grumbled even though she felt Janey was more use to Dot than she was.

"How could we forget," Janey grinned.

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"A letter from Phryne," Baroness Fisher waved the envelope at her husband. "A thick one, too."

"Wonder what chaos she's wrought on Melbourne this time," Henry grumbled.

"I rather think, Henry," Margaret looked over the top of her reading glasses, "it was you who created the chaos last time – especially for Phryne and Jack."

She opened the envelope and let the photograph fall onto the table.

"Oh my, oh heavens!" she gasped as she scanned down the first page, then lifted the picture and stared at it, "Oh Henry, she's found Janey." She got up from her seat at the table and ran round to him. "Here, look," she thrust the photograph under his nose, "Janey and her family, four children, Henry, we have four grandchildren – we must go. This is wonderful! I had given up; I know I shouldn't have, not without proof, but after all this time."

"Eh?" he squinted at the image still refusing to admit he needed to use the glasses he had been given by their optician, "how? Is that three boys there?"

"Aha," she returned to the letter, "William, Robert, Arthur and the last one is Psyche – oh, oh dear, she has lost her husband, Phryne says he was murdered; my poor girl!"

Margaret read the letter out loud to him, giving little gasps at some parts and 'oh dears' at others. "We must go at once!"

"Six weeks on a ship."

"I know, I must find out when the next one leaves, chop chop, Henry, we have things to do!" She marched out of the dining room expecting her husband to follow. He shook his head and finished his toast and marmalade before going to find her in the parlour.

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As soon as she found a ship and booked a parlour suite the Baroness sent a telegram to Phryne and Janey telling them when to expect her and their father. She received a telegram in reply saying a suite was booked at the Windsor as Phryne's house was full of small humans and an extra adult.

"I'm so glad she has taken them in," she read the few words, "their house may not be ready when we get there. And staff, she will need staff; Phryne said in her letter that Janey intends to carry on working at the book shop – really, she should be doing good works," she huffed, "ah well, I can see to that when we get there."

"She's a grown woman and a mother, Margaret," Henry harrumphed, "seems like she knows her own mind."

"I'm her mother, Henry, Janey was always the easier child."

In his imagination Henry foresaw a battle between his wife and his daughters, Phryne and Janey would probably win, and what was wrong with working in a book shop?

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Janey had explained all that had happened to Mr Simons and insisted she would still come in every day and do as she had done for years.

"Oh, my dear," he croaked, "you have a position, now, surely you don't need to work."

"I may not need to, Mr Simons," she smiled and set a cup of tea in front of him, "I want to. I like being here. My sister is a private detective, she works, and she agrees that if I want to continue then it is up to me."

"I have to admit I wasn't looking forward to having to find someone else to look after the place. Someone with your knowledge of literature and your way with the customers. I am rather glad you want to stay."

Janey leant forward and patted his hand, "well, shall we open up then?"

"Let's."

The bookshop calmed Janey, with all that had happened recently she needed that normality, the everyday life she had come to find peace in. Her life would be different from now on, but that was no reason for her to change completely.

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They moved in a few days before the Baron and Baroness were due to arrive. The children were beyond excited, running around and getting in everybody's way until Mrs Hammond, who was to act as cook-housekeeper, took them into the garden to play and have milk and biscuits. She had taken an instant liking to her new mistress and had been intrigued by Miss Fisher for years, reading everything that was published. She found her bright and a refreshing change from many of the young ladies she had encountered over the years, but she was also kind and obviously loved her sister unconditionally. The children were little dears, William was so serious, Robert so quiet and Arthur a happy little soul; little Miss Psyche was obviously going to be much like her aunt and would need an eye keeping on her.

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Of course, while all the this was going on Jack was still trying to find out who 'the man' was that had abducted the four girls all those years ago and what he wanted with them. That he had been kind made his job easier and harder. Interviewing the tradespeople who habitually brought provisions to the house before he died he got very little information. His bills were paid on time but they never saw him, not did they see the girls as they left their goods in a box in the rear porch by the kitchen door.

"Did it not seem strange when the orders dried up?" Jack asked the grocer.

"Well, y'see, Inspector," he hummed, "there was a note. Very polite too, saying that no more deliveries were required. Payment in full was enclosed so we just assumed they was goin' away."

"I see, and you never saw the owner?"

"No, we got a letter, through the shop door years ago, with a list and some cash and an order to supply once a week. We got paid so it didn't seem we shouldn't do it."

Jack thought that seemed reasonable, but as he had got nowhere with the bank that held his account other than his name, Mr Immanuel Fredericks it didn't get him very far. There was money in the account, still, but no-one had accessed it since the day he had died and there was no safety deposit box with a will or any link to family or friends. It seems all Mr Fredericks had were the four girls.

"Perhaps you should put something in the paper, Jack," Phryne mused as he sat scratching his head one evening. "Asking if anyone knew him."

"Somebody must have," he sighed, "there is not even anything to say what the important job he had planned for them. I mean we know Foyle had a warped idea of the afterlife and the four goddesses but Fredericks has left absolutely no clue."

"If you can't find any family, at all, what will happen to the house and money?"

"I'm not sure. I suppose as he died intestate and the girls were all he had – his found family?- then I think they should inherit a quarter each. Perhaps sell off the house and divide the proceeds between them. It should make their lives easier, certainly more comfortable."

"Janey …"

"It will be her due, Phryne, if that's what happens. But it is up to her."

"Of course."

"So," he decided to change the subject, "her first night in her new home, and no small children running about here."

"It's been a bit quiet," Phryne admitted.

He arched an eyebrow, he had wondered how she would find her day. Dot was still taking time off to look after her new baby, Mr Butler had muttered something that morning about restocking the pantry so she would have been on her own.

"I'm sure they'll pop by," he shrugged.

"Oh yes, Janey said she'd be by, when she's not at the shop … I suppose I should take the chance to relax before the parents arrive."

"It's probably easier to look after four small children …" he grinned.

"Ugh!" she rolled her eyes, "are you thinking of that prediction? You know, four children and playing croquet?"

"You know that hadn't crossed my mind, but now that you mention it …"

"Jack, don't. Janey's children are … um … lovely, but I didn't look after them, Janey did …"

"You read to them, answered their questions, I even saw you cuddling little Psyche when she was upset."

"Small doses, Jack, I wouldn't have the first idea what to do with a baby."

"Isn't that what nannies are for?"

"Stop it. No, William is the heir, now, I shall continue to be the indulgent aunt," she sat back in her chair.

"Of course." It was no more than he expected.

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Due to a spot of inclement weather the ship docked a few days later than planned, which gave Janey and Phryne longer to prepare for the visit of their parents and also prepare the children for meeting their grandparents.

"Now children," Phryne smiled, "you mustn't pay too much attention to your grandpapa, he can be a bit grumpy sometimes. Just be polite and don't make too much noise."

"You have your playroom," Janey lifted Psyche onto her knee, "so you can go there if you want to."

The playroom was well stocked because their great aunt had given them her Arthur's toys which they treated with the ultimate respect. Phryne had also bought them some books suitable for their ages and they all had a bicycle or tricycle from Jack. He'd already taken William out for a cycle ride and said that as the other boys got older and able to ride safely he would take them all out when he was able.

"It's very kind of you, Jack," Janey had blushed.

"I used to with my nephews, but my sister and the family moved a little too far away for that to be a regular thing."

Phryne had assured him she would not be jealous of him spending time with her nephews as she and Janey and Psyche could have a little girlie time together without boring the boys.

"Not planning on introducing Psyche to Madame Fleuri, are you?" he laughed.

"Not yet, give me time," she nudged him with her shoulder, "it will probably be just me and Janey at first, if Mrs Hammond can be persuaded to look after Psyche."

"I don't think she has a problem with that," he hummed, "she seems to rather enjoy being with all the children."

"Janey says she is like a grandmother to them, but still firm enough to prevent too much rowdy behaviour."

"So, when do your parents arrive?" he decided to change the subject.

"Tomorrow, I shall collect them from the docks and take them to the Windsor. They are to see Janey for tea and then arrangements will be made for them to see the children and her new home." Phryne frowned, "Janey isn't really looking forward to it, father I mean, she worries he will frighten the children. Mother will have endless questions which she probably won't want to answer, or can't, and you'd better hide, she's bound to want to know why you haven't found out who this Fredericks was."

"Hey, it's as if he appeared out of thin air!" he threw his hands up in the air in frustration. "I have forces in the other states trying to find any record of him, as well as the major towns in Victoria. The house was bought for cash by an unseen buyer, none of the tradespeople ever saw him, he just left a list each week and the money for the goods in an envelope in the rear porch. As he never underpaid there was never any reason to speak to him."

"Talk about hiding in plain sight. Thing is," Phryne hummed, "Janey said he went out once a week, late afternoon, came back, usually with some papers and maybe another book or several for the library, sometimes cloth for the girls to make their clothes with …"

"We found no papers of importance at the house …"

The phone rang in the hall, they heard Mr Butler answer it before he came into the parlour and informed the inspector it was a Mr Hampson, solicitor to Mr Immanuel Fredericks.

"He took his time," Phryne muttered as Jack went to speak to the caller.

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"I've been out of the state," Mr Hampson explained, "just got back this evening to find your query in today's Argus."

"Ah, right," Jack hummed, "well, I really need to talk to you. Up to now no-one seems to know anything about him."

"Quite, well, Inspector," Hampson tapped his pen on his desk, "can you come by tomorrow …"

"Of course, would nine o'clock suit?"

"Perfect, I shall get all the paperwork ready. May I ask what it is in connection with, I haven't seen Immanuel for some time, years in fact?"

"He died, years ago," Jack wondered why it hadn't occurred to him to go and find him.

"Ah, well that explains it. You have to know, Inspector, that Immanuel and I although old friends, only saw each other for business. As he hadn't called I assumed all was well. Do his family know?"

"We can't find any family." Jack was perplexed.

"He had four daughters, adopted; do they know?"

"We really need to have a face to face conversation, Mr Hampson," Jack scratched his head in confusion, were the four girls – Janey, Mary, May and … and Beth adopted by this man, and if so, why?

So they agreed to meet the following day, he would take Phryne with him for no other reason than the case involved her sister.

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They had decided against telling Janey she was adopted until they were sure that was what had really happened.

"It's the oddest thing, though, Jack," Phryne slipped her hand into the crook of his arm, "adopting four girls without their knowledge and it still doesn't explain the 'important job' he had lined up for them when they turned sixteen."

"No, it doesn't, I feel as if I am in an elaborate fairy tale, with this case, Phryne, I hope Janey and the others don't get hurt."

"Bit late for that," she hummed, "kidnapped and brought up in quite a pleasant atmosphere, never assaulted or interfered with, given the run of a large house, within reason, and allowed to grow up and become quite independent young women."

"Hmm," he agreed.

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Feeling this was going to be a long conversation, Mr Hampson sent for tea and invited the Inspector and Miss Fisher to take a seat at the long table in the Board Room.

"There is so much to show you, so much to tell about Immanuel," he tapped his fingers together. "He was not a bad man, somewhat of a recluse but with a great sense that children should be brought up in a loving environment. He said he adopted the girls because they lived in less than loving homes."

"There are many children who live in unhappy homes," Jack hummed, "and there are orphanages he could have adopted from. Can you tell me the names of the girls?"

"They were, Mary, May, Beth and Jane, or Janey he called her."

"Did he know their surnames?"

"He did …"

"So did he ask permission from the families to take on their apparently unwanted children?" Phryne interrupted.

"He didn't say so, I assumed he did, I mean it would have been abduction, otherwise, wouldn't it?"

"Exactly," Jack nodded.

"Well, it was Mary Evans, May Worth, Elizabeth Harris and Jane Fisher. Hmm …" he frowned at Phryne, "I assume that you being here is no coincidence, Miss Fisher?"

"Janey is my sister," she confirmed the connection.

"Oh!"

"Quite."

"You have found her, I take it? The others?"

"Janey is safe, the other girls have all found gainful employment." Jack looked at Phryne, then back at Mr Hampson, "they knew nothing about Fredericks, not even his name. He allowed them to grow up and educate themselves through his extensive library. They taught themselves to sew and cook, manage a household and were quite content, from what we have found having spoken to the girls."

"How did you find them, and how did you find out that he had died?"

"It's a long story," Jack placed the case folder on the table.

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By the end of the day Hampson knew all about the girls, how they lived, what they had done when Janey found Fredericks dead and how they had found her; all they now needed to know was what was to happen to the girls and if there was any connection to the murdered men.

"Nothing will happen to the girls," Hampson hummed. "Immanuel left a will in which his fortune was to be divided equally between the girls; it is a not inconsiderable fortune."

"We know that Janey is the only one who married, the others are a maid, a bakery assistant and a seamstress. We are curious as to what would happen when they turned sixteen, he told them they had a special part to play, then. Of course, with him dying before any of them reached that milestone …"

"Oh yes, I see. Well, it's complicated and it's not," he drew his brows together. "You see, Immanuel was lonely he wanted a family but somehow never found the right woman, so he became a recluse until he hit upon the idea of adopting four girls …"

"Why four girls?" Phryne interrupted, "why not boys as well?"

"He thought that if he adopted boys they would not be kind to any women they met. His will stipulates that even if the girls marry their money is theirs and is not to become the property of the husband as is usual. He planned to find husbands for them, but they would only marry these men if they wanted to. They had to be courted, he said, properly. Who did Janey marry?"

"A man called Noah Sinclair," Jack thought that Fredericks was trying to set up a cult of some sort. "They met in the bookshop she worked in. He was murdered, as were three others, all in the same manner and all after having photographs taken of them and their families. Only one was claimed beside Noah, the others have been buried in paupers graves."

"Oh dear. That was not what Immanuel wanted, he wanted a family, grandchildren ..."

"Sounds like he was trying to create a dynasty …" Phryne muttered.

"I suppose he was," Hampson agreed. "I don't know who this Sinclair chap was, I don't know who Immanuel had in mind for the girls but it is of no importance now, I shall see to the distribution of the estate and a burial for Immanuel."

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"So who killed Noah and the others?" Phryne drove slowly, thinking over all they had heard from Mr Hampson.

"Well …" Jack took off his hat and placed it on his knee, "I think we have to go back to the photographer. We need to find his assistant," he frowned as he tried to recall her name.

"Marcia Evans," Phryne reminded him, "somewhere in the Bay Area, or not."

"We had no luck finding her when we went there; tried the photographers, nobody had ever heard of her."

"Dammit, Jack!" she hit the steering wheel, "we can't leave this unsolved!"

"Calm down, we'll sort it, it's just taking a little longer than usual. As there have been no more murders like those four I suspect it has nothing to do with Fredericks."

"So do I," she agreed.

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Marcia Evans made a mistake. She went back to the photographer Hugh had interviewed and asked for her job back.

"Really, sir," she smiled sweetly, "I see now why you are successful, giving the customer what they want is the only way to keep the business going."

"Hmm," he scowled, "so, your ideas for clever staging and fancy lighting didn't work, then?"

"Not for the portraits, no," she sighed, "it does for scenic shots, but there isn't a big market for them. Please, can I have my job back?"

He could do with an assistant, and she was efficient when she wasn't trying to be clever with her settings and lighting. "Alright, a week's trial," he huffed, "now, these plates need processing."

"Right away, sir, right away," she laughed and headed into the darkroom.

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"I see," Jack hummed down the phone the day after finding that Janey and her adopted sisters had inherited a considerable sum of money from Immanuel Fredericks, "well, I think we'd better come and talk to her."

"I wasn't sure if you had found her," the photographer kept his voice low so he wasn't heard by Miss Evans, "so I thought …"

"You thought right," Jack agreed, "it could be that she has absolutely no connection to the murders …"

"I do hope so."

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Jack couldn't deny Marcia Evans was pretty, she had large brown eyes set in a sweet heart-shaped face. When Phryne dragged him away, sharply, he briefly considered she was jealous; but that was not Phryne.

"Jack!" she hissed in his ear, "that is not Marcia Evans, that is Gloria Turnbull, we were at school together, until we moved to England."

"Are you sure, I mean it was some time ago?" he pulled her out of sight of the girl at the desk.

"Sure as eggs," she gripped his hand. "She was an evil girl, pulled the wings off flies, cut other girls plaits, cut mine, pinched and pushed, but it was when she was seen kicking a kitten into the path of a cart that everyone gave her a wider berth than usual. I mean we all tried to avoid her, I got into so much trouble defending Janey and other younger girls; kicking a kitten to its death is one step away from murder – isn't it?"

"Was that the only time?"

"No, one of Janey's friends found her dog with its throat cut and there was a blood splash on Gloria's dress that day. There were other incidences of pets going missing, turning up mutilated – we all knew it was her and, get this, all the animals were male."

"Would Miss Charlesworth remember her?"

"I should say so," she nodded, "she had her in the office so often that she eventually expelled her."

"Right, well, we'll talk to her now, you don't have to see her if you don't want to …"

"Oh no, I'm keeping you firmly in my sights …"

"Protecting me, Phryne?" he smiled softly.

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Marcia Evans/Gloria Turnbull was toothachingly sweet. She did recognise the men in the photographs Jack showed her and declared it too, too dreadful they were murdered. She didn't appear to recognise Phryne though Jack thought it was unlikely – enough had been written in the papers about his partner but still he took it as it appeared to be, for now.

She said she had no idea of their home lives and hoped that the women were strong enough to carry on.

"I mean, raising children alone, it can't be easy," she shook her head sadly.

"We are having trouble locating the families of these two men," Jack pushed the two unknowns pictures forward.

"I really have no idea," she lifted one then the other and peered at them, "they didn't leave contacts, as you know, we take payment on collection of the prints."

They thanked her for talking to them, took the photographs back and left. Phryne wasn't convinced.

"Neither am I," Jack hummed, "let's go and have a word with Miss Charlesworth."

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Georgina Charlesworth was delighted to see them, called for tea and pulled them into the office.

The stories she told about Gloria Turnbull were almost gruesome, she agreed she knew Phryne protected the younger children but Gloria's parents always insisted she bullied their daughter.

"I know exactly what she did, Phryne, dear, especially to poor Janey …"

"Oh, of course," Phryne's face lit up, "we've found Janey, safe and well and a mother of four!"

"Really, oh darling girl, that is wonderful, you must tell me all," she clapped her hands in delight.

"Later, first, do you know what happened to Gloria after she was expelled?"

"Oh goodness, of course, yes, I believe her parents hired a governess but that didn't work out and they begged me to take her back. Of course I didn't, why would I? Dreadful child."

"After that?" Jack asked hopefully.

"Sorry, Inspector, she is one child I didn't keep up with." Miss Charlesworth shook her head.

As they left, Phryne issued an invitation to her old school teacher to take tea with her and Janey one afternoon, and meet the children if she would like to.

"That would be utterly delightful, Phryne," she smiled.

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"I think she should be followed," Phryne flicked through the case file in Jack's office.

"You really believe she has something to do with this, don't you? Even though the two men we've identified were in debt to some gambling den owner and moneylender."

"And how did these hitherto blameless husbands find the gambling dens? From what Janey says, Noah wasn't the type to go out playing poker or spinning roulette wheels and drinking. They had to be enticed and a pretty girl would do the trick – probably working for said money-lenders. She did look rather well dressed for an out of work photographer's assistant."

"Hm," Jack sat back in his chair and as they had so far come up with precisely nothing in this case it was probably the only thing they could do. "I'll have someone follow her home tonight. We can take it from there."

"Right, well, one more day until the parents arrive," she stood up, "I'll go and see Janey and see how she got on with the schools."

"Ah, yes, I hope it went well."

"Me too, but I think Robert is the one she will always worry about, he's so quiet."

"Are you worried he'll be a target for bullies?"

"A little."

"I'm sure you can teach him to defend himself," he smiled, "I'll be home for dinner, unless we get a break in this case."

"Alright," she stepped round the desk and kissed him lightly. "See you later."

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"I know she recognised me," Marcia pulled an expensively dressed man into a booth at the club.

"You go back there, missy," he ground through gritted teeth, "until I find Fredericks you will keep bringing men here to gamble. I know he was going to set up his own dynasty and I want in on it."

"But what dynasty?" she frowned.

"He was rolling in it, had four daughters he was going to marry off and I have four sons. Get my drift?"

She nodded.

"You thought those four were his girls?"

"They were just the type he would have, sweet and innocent, with dopey husbands."

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The constable Jack had sent to follow Marcia duly reported she went to a club and didn't leave until the following morning, whereupon she headed to work at the photographer's studio.

"She didn't look happy, sir," he twisted his cap in his hands, "I almost felt sorry for her."

"Hm, well until we find out what she was doing there, all night, I'd hold out on the sympathy lad. Now, go home and get some sleep."

"Sir," he yawned, "sorry."

Jack waved him away with a smile and thought he'd set a 24 hour watch on the club, see if she went in with some other chap or came out with one.

Phryne's parents were arriving that afternoon, Janey was tying herself in knots with worry over what her father was likely to do, she also had some concerns over how her mother would react to her working in a bookshop.

"Don't worry, Janey," Phryne smiled, "she calls my detecting a 'little hobby', thinks Jack is beneath me yet Aunt P had a 'charming dental technician' lined up for me when I came back originally.

"I think a professional man, like Jack, is way above a dental technician," Janey laughed.

"Quite. And a lot more exciting," Phryne winked.

"Did you meet him, the technician?"

"No, somehow the case of Lydia Andrews being a drug baroness and her husband a serial rapist who was murdered …"

"Ah, the first case you told me about?"

"Aha, well, that and a dancer and … he kind of fell by the wayside."

Janey giggled, she had heard the whole story as well as others of her sister's and Jack's cases …

"Given your lifestyle, Phryne, he probably had a lucky escape."

"Cheek!"

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They left the children with Mrs Hammond, baking in the kitchen would keep them occupied. They knew they were to meet their grandparents and that said grandparents had come a long way over the sea to meet them, but even with the aid of an atlas it didn't mean that much to them.

"Well, you know children," Mrs Hammond retrieved a piece of biscuit dough from Psyche's curls, "they have been on that big ship all the time your mama has been looking for this house and getting it ready for you to live in."

"That's a long time," William agreed, "to be on a ship. Is it a big ship?"

"Oh yes, my dears," she smiled, "with ballrooms and restaurants, music and dancing – I'm sure they had a lovely time."