Chapter Two

"Gone?" asked Jack. "Dorothy, he hasn't gone anywhere. He was at the station when I left at lunchtime."

Phryne glared at him. "Jack, why don't you take Elizabeth up to the nursery?" she suggested firmly. He took the hint and scooped up the child, carrying her indoors while Phryne turned back to her still-hysterical partner. "Dot, deep breaths. Take your time. Why do you think he's gone?"

The younger woman drew a shuddering breath.

"He was supposed to be home at three. He telephoned to say he was just going to run an errand but that he would be home soon after that." Talking was helping; focussing her thoughts was forcing her back to the ground, though it was still a visible effort.

"At four o'clock I telephoned back to the station, because he hadn't turned up." She raised a woebegone face to Phryne. "They said he'd left early, to su-su-surprise me …" the tears were starting again. "Miss, he's been gone since two o'clock this afternoon!"

Phryne glanced at her wrist watch. After six. It was still early for Dot to be so worried. Not wishing to trivialise the very real concern the young woman clearly felt, she spoke gently.

"Could he not perhaps have just been held up?"

"No, Miss," she said. "It's a special day for us. He was going to be home by three, because today's the anniversary of the first time we went out, properly, and we were going to … go to … the pictures …" the last words were swallowed in a hiccupped whisper as tears overcame her again.

Phryne's heart sank. At the very least, it was surprising, though Dot's hysteria still seemed an extraordinary reaction. As she sat with her arm around Dot's shoulders, helplessly rubbing the arm in its sensible cardigan, she cast in her mind the possible reasons why Reliable Hugh might have suddenly become Unreliable Hugh. As she did so, she heard the faint sound of the ringing of the telephone inside the house.

"Dot, really, you mustn't let this worry you so much," she tried. "I'm sure there's a rational explanation."

"No, Miss, I just know there's something wrong," insisted Dot, taking out a drenched handkerchief and dabbing it ineffectually at eyes and nose.

A step was heard, and Jack reappeared in the doorway. Gone was the happy, contented father. His face was grim.

"Jack, what's wrong?"

He debated inwardly for all of five seconds, but there was no point hiding the truth. "Dot, I'm sorry. That was City South."

Dot caught her breath, and the hand that was still in Phryne's gripped tightly. Jack continued in matter-of-fact tones, reporting the matters of fact.

"Someone just handed in a police helmet at the station that they found in an alleyway off Dorcas Street. Number twelve-eighty-four."

Hugh Collins' number.

"My men took the person who found it back to the spot, but there's no other sign. I'm sorry," he repeated. "We've already started searching the area and questioning the locals."

He tried to remain cold, clinical, effective; but once he allowed his glance to rest on Dorothy's face, he crumbled. Taking the few steps towards her, he crouched by her chair and caught her in a hug that allowed neither of them to breathe; it didn't matter. Oxygen was almost an unwanted intruder.

Phryne watched them for a moment, then took charge.

"Dot, I'm going to send Mr Butler over to your house in the car. You're going with him, and you're going to pack bags for you, Gid and Meggie and you're all moving in here."

She held up a hand as Dot started half-heartedly to protest. "I insist," she said firmly. Then, more gently, "Dot, darling, it makes sense. Miss Stubbs can still come here to help, but with all the children to look after, we need to pool resources." Then she offered a half-smile. "You know that Elizabeth loves them both already. Why shouldn't they have a little treat for a day or two?"

Then crossed her fingers. Please, God, let it be only be a day or two until he was found, safe and well. Or less. Not more.

Jack's eyes were on her, warmth returning at the gesture of humanity in the face of such a shock to their close-knit family. She met his gaze.

What else would you have me do, Jack?

You could try to make me love you less, because right now it's hard for me to love you more.

She pressed her lips together tightly and helped Dot to her feet. Supporting her into the house, she handed her over to Mr Butler, explaining the mission and receiving his instant approval. As Dot turned to go, Phryne caught her hand again for a moment.

"I'm off upstairs to get the nurses to make up beds. Get Meggie and Gid to bring toys and books, Dot. Tell them it's a holiday. We'll make it a holiday."

The words were warm, as was the voice delivering them.

If it shook at all, it was only for an instant.