Matthew sent Ned to sit outside Alice's room until he was relieved. The only persons allowed in were himself, Blake and Sister Winters, who'd agreed to personally nurse the pathologist. Lucien was fairly sure that he could discharge Alice the following morning to the care of his wife.

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'Is she alright?' Jean worried, 'Oh, poor Alice. Of course she must come here, there's no question of her being at home on her own until this is sorted out.'

Lucien had long ago learnt that arguing with Jean on such matters was pointless, and anyway he agreed.

'She's shaken,' Lucien consoled her, 'but she'll be fine. Matthew has put a guard on her door and Frosty Winters is looking after her.'

'Good.' Jean carried on with her cooking, all the while thinking of things Alice would need. 'When I've done this can I go up to her house and collect the things she will need?'

'I suppose so.' Lucien agreed, 'would you like to visit her again, this evening. I want to check on her, anyway.'

'If I can get Mattie to babysit, yes please.' Jean wiped her hands on her apron and put the pan on the stove ready for boiling later.

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Matthew had taken Bill up to the building site to look more closely at the graves. The only history about the brothel was local gossip and a few incidents in the police archives. Generally, Matthew had observed, it was a quiet place. He knew of it, of course, much like Jean did, but he hadn't used its services either, nor used the area when he was hoping for a bit of hanky-panky with a girlfriend.

They had taken some small trowels, rakes and a spade and were going to dig a little deeper, literally.

They started on the older graves, but apart from worms and the skeleton of a dog, there was nothing. No other bodies, or odd bones.

'To be honest, boss,' Bill leant on the spade, 'I didn't expect anything, not in these two. All activity seems centred round the other one, the more recent one.'

Matthew raised his eyebrows, Bill Hobart was not the most intuitive copper, kind of a 'thump first, ask questions later', man.

'I didn't either, but best to get these two checked first.' He agreed and strode over to the other grave. He shuddered at the thought of Alice Harvey lying under the soil, the dried blood on the back of her head. He hoped there would be no lasting damage. He'd never seen her vulnerable, she wasn't the type to need smelling salts or a shoulder to cry on.

He and Bill scraped back the loose soil that had covered the pathologist to get to the layer that had housed the body of the girl in the red dress. Matthew took out his torch and played the beam across the hard packed dirt.

'Right, Bill,' He lay the light on the ground, 'the light is starting to go a bit, but we can't rush, so scrape carefully.'

'Boss.' Bill set to with his trowel at the head end, Matthew at the feet. Sleeves rolled up and streaks of dirt across their brows they were about to give up when Bill's trowel caught on something.

'Boss, here.'

Matthew trained his torch beam as Bill resorted to using his fingers and eventually prised a ragged hessian bag out of the hole.

Something small but shiny fell out of a hole.

'Bill,' Matthew pointed, 'what's that?'

Bill rested the bag in his hand, in the hope of preventing any more of the contents falling, and picked up the object.

'Bloody hell,' he blew the soil off it, 'it's a diamond, I think.' He held it out to his superior officer who took it and shone his torch at it.

'Phew!' He turned it over, 'Bill, what else is in that bag?'

Bill lay his handkerchief on the ground and tipped the bag out. A variety of jewels appeared, diamonds, sapphires and an emerald or two.

'Wonder if there's any more.' Matthew peered at the ground.

'Dunno, but it's getting dark now.' Bill grunted.

'Scared, Bill?' Matthew teased, doubting that the dark would frighten Sergeant Hobart.

'Just difficult to see.' Bill was right, but Matthew had no way to secure the site, unless he left Bill there for the night.

'Another quick squizz before we go.' Matthew piled up some soil and angled his torch, Bill copied him and they set to work, quicker this time.

A bright moon gave them more light but they found no more jewels.

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Back at the station Matthew and Bill locked the gems in the safe. Looking at the time he realised he'd left Ned sitting outside Dr Harvey's room at the hospital for the entire evening. The poor lad'd be starving. He grabbed his paperwork and headed off to the hospital. He could sit and do his written work for a while there. Sister would likely make him a cuppa, if nothing else.

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Ned looked perfectly happy sitting outside the room.

'Alright, Simmons,' Matthew greeted him, 'hope your mum's kept your dinner hot.'

'Oh, it's ok, sir.' Ned grinned. 'Sister gave me something to eat and tea.'

'Oh, good,' Matthew breathed out, 'sorry, we found some interesting things out at the site. Off you go, I'll take over.'

'Dr and Mrs Blake have been to see Dr Harvey.' Ned informed him, 'Sister has been in a few times, with food and drink for her. That's all, though.'

'Well done, lad.' Matthew smiled, he'd make a fine copper as he went through the ranks.

'Superintendant?' Sister Winters came up behind him.

'Sister.' Matthew smiled, 'I'm sending the constable home, thanks for feeding him.'

'And you?' Sister looked at him, the knees of his trousers bore evidence of him scrabbling about in the dirt. 'Take it you haven't eaten?'

'Er...'

'Right, if you're on guard duty you need a cuppa and a sandwich.' She bustled off to see to his needs.

Matthew felt he was surrounded by rather capable women, Jean, Dr Harvey and Sister Winters; but she was right, he was gasping for a cuppa and his stomach was making growling noises.

He looked into the room, Alice was lying on her side facing him, she was awake.

'Superintendant.' She started to push herself up.

'Sorry, didn't mean to disturb you.' He whispered, 'can I come in?'

'Yes, of course.' She sat up and pulled the covers over her waist, just under her breasts. Matthew thought she looked frail. Her forthright personality made her seem bigger, physically, but, he could see now that she was actually small, slender. 'Did you find anything interesting? Lucien said you were going back out to the site, to see what was so important.'

'Yes...' he was about to start to tell her what they had found and his theories when Frosty entered the room.

'Hmm...' she frowned, 'I hope you didn't wake my patient, Superintendant?'

'I was awake, Sister.' Alice smiled weakly.

'Would you like a drink, some tea?'

'No, thank you,' Alice shook her head, then regretted it and gasped.

'Still got a headache?' Matthew asked.

'Just a bit, it doesn't help if I make sudden moves.' Alice agreed.

'Right,' Frosty put a sandwich and cup of tea down on the bed-table for Matthew, 'don't excite her, she needs to rest.'

'Ok, sister.' Matthew smiled and watched her leave.

'So...' Alice began to look more her old self, animated and interested.

'We found an old hessian bag, full of jewels.' Matthew took a mouthful of tea, hot and sweet and sighed, 'looks like the proceeds from a robbery.'

'Really?' Alice leant forward, eager now for the story, and he noticed her eyes shine in the half light.

'Relax, or you'll have sister in here and we'll both be in trouble,' he hissed, touching her hand, absent-mindedly.

'I reckon,' He took a bit of the sandwich and chewed, 'that whoever hit you thought you were looking for them and had to put you out of the way.'

'So why didn't they look for them once I was out?' Alice frowned, 'I mean, why not take what they wanted and left? Surely they weren't going to come back later?'

'So many questions.' Matthew finished his food while he thought, 'maybe, because they disturbed so much soil when they half buried you they thought they would have to come back in the daylight. For a proper look.'

'They're going to find that someone's beaten them to it.' Alice reminded him, 'then what are they going to do?'

'Hmm...good point.' He sat and watched her think.

'Do you think they'll come back, try to find out what I know?' She whispered, not relishing another bang to the head or potential suffocating.

'I don't like that idea.' Matthew muttered.

'...and you think I do?' She raised her eyebrows and her voice.

'Bloody hell, Alice!' He hissed, 'it's not happening, I won't let it.'

'So what are you going to do?' She patted his hand to show she didn't believe he would let her come to any harm. She tried not to smile, it was rare he used her first name. 'I assume they didn't go back today?'

'No, I think Sheldon wanted to get you out of the way first.'

'Sheldon?' Alice had not been told the nurse's name.

'We're pretty sure she's the one who had a go at you, here.' Matthew told her what Sister Winters had said.

'Oh.' Alice lay back on the pillows, then sat back up again as her head made slight contact with the unprotected bed head.

'Here, let me.' Matthew stood up and, as she leant forward, adjusted her pillows for her comfort. 'Try that.'

She lay back and smiled, turning her head to take pressure off the emerging bruise and cut on her head. 'Thank you.' They seemed to stare at each other before she coughed and lowered her eyes, which Matthew noticed were blue; quite a deep blue; politely reminding him he was supposed to be thinking of a way to catch Sheldon and her accomplice.

'Would it be too obvious to suggest that someone waits, in hiding, early tomorrow?' Alice eventually suggested.

'Could get Davies, I suppose.' Matthew found he was sitting on the edge of the bed, instead of the chair.

'If there's two of them...' Alice hinted that it would be unfair to send Charlie on his own.

'Will you be alright if I make a phone call?' He didn't want to leave her when there was a possible killer on the loose.

'I'll scream, if anyone I don't know comes in.' She smiled.

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Outside the room he bumped into a tired looking Sister Winters. Aware she was on the way to a twenty four hour shift he stopped her.

'Sister, I need to make a quick phone call, then I'll stay with Dr Harvey. You go home.'

'Superintendant, suppose she needs something in the night?' Sister Winters did not desert her post if at all possible. Besides, she did not approve of a man sitting all night in the room or a female patient, whatever their relationship.

'Can you settle her, I'm sure she'll be alright for the rest of the night.' He smiled, 'but you won't be fit to work tomorrow if you don't get some rest.'

Frosty knew he was right but he was a police officer not a doctor.

'Well...'

'Good, shan't be a sec.' Matthew headed off to find a phone and ring Blake, the only one he could think of, that he could trust.

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Lucien dragged himself out of his lover's arms and headed to the phone in the study. Who the hell wanted him at this time of night, interrupting his post coital bliss? How dare they!

'What?' He grumbled down the phone. 'Huh? Oh Matthew,' he listened to Matthew's request for him and Charlie to mount a early morning watch over the building site. 'Ok,' he agreed, 'where'll you be?' He smirked when Mathew said he was night watch for Dr Harvey as he had sent Ned home.

Lucien put the phone down and headed back into the bedroom. Jean lay barely covered, her back to him. He lovely, smooth creamy skin almost shone in the moonlight sneaking between the curtains. He wondered if he had disturbed her, getting out of bed. He slipped in behind her and wrapped his arms tenderly round her and down to where he wanted them to touch her special spot!

'Mmm...' she murmured, half awake but receptive. She felt him want her and wriggled her bum against his hardness. He nibbled her ears and snuffled into her hair.

She turned over and used her hands to 'see' him. Inviting him to take her, languidly stroking him and allowing him to enter her and gently take he to a sleepy release that made her sigh with pleasure.

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Lucien got up just as the sun threatened to rise. He left his wife sleeping, covering her modesty with the sheet and smiled. He slipped into the bathroom and washed quickly, then knocked on Charlie's door.

'Up 'n' at 'em, Charlie,' he hissed loudly, 'we're on stakeout at the building site.'

'Er, um, right.' Charlie grunted, in his room rubbing his eyes as he sat up.

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Lucien had managed to make a flask of tea while he waited for Charlie. So they sat hidden behind a workman's hut drinking the hot liquid.

'Sorry for the early start,' Blake whispered and proceeded to tell Charlie what he had learned from Superintendant Lawson's phone call.

'Blimey, so it looks as if an old robbery needs sorting.' Charlie gulped down his last mouthful, wondering if he'd get chance to have breakfast when this was over. Lucien hadn't put milk in the tea or brought any with him. Still at least he'd thought to bring something other than whisky.

'Probably.' Lucien threw the dregs of his up away, 'but why wait until now?'

'Perhaps it was because of the girl in the red dress.' Charlie whispered, 'maybe they know who she was, why she died, who did the robbery, where the jewels came from.'

'Charlie,' Lucien grinned, 'you make it sound like a detective novel.'

'Got nothing else to think about, doc.' Charlie grinned back then his face fell and he held his hand up. 'Someone's coming.' He whispered.

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The doctor and sergeant listened to the urgent whispering from the two who got out of the car.

'She had nothing on her, when they brought her in.' A female voice.

'So you reckon she didn't find 'em?' A male voice, younger, if Lucien was any judge.

'Hope not.' The woman muttered back, 'if it hadn't been for Tyneman buying the place we could have got out and gone without anyone knowing.

'Why did they bury her here?' The man asked, 'I mean she wasn't a tart.'

'Bloody hope not.' The girl answered, 'just a thief that dad hooked up with. Mum said she was slight, could get through small spaces. They used her a lot.'

'What went wrong?'

'Dunno.'

They were at the grave now. Matthew and Bill had covered up the hole where they had found the jewels so they didn't notice that anyone else had been digging there. They started to dig, indiscriminately turning over the soil and cursing as each spadeful yielded nothing but worms and pebbles.

'I thought you said she didn't find anything!' The man hissed, angrily.

'She didn't!'

They started to argue and didn't notice they had company.

'Need a hand?' Lucien asked brightly.

The girl turned round, 'What!' She gasped at the police officer and well dressed gentleman, 'who the bloody hell are you?'

'Dr Lucien Blake,' the so named extended his hand, politely, 'this is my friend, Sergeant Davies.'

'But...'

'Now, if you'd like to come with us,' Charlie took the man's arm, firmly, 'we'd like to talk to you about an attack on our friend and colleague, Dr Alice Harvey.'

Lucien took the woman, by the arm, and they went to the car. Charlie handcuffed the man to the door handle in the back and the woman to the same in the front of the car, then sat in the back while Lucien drove to the station, keeping up an irritating banter about Alice, what a job it was to keep good staff these days, general chatter one might get on a journey in the car or down the hospital corridor. By the time they got to the station teeth were being ground and Charlie was trying his best not to laugh at the doctor's efforts to so annoy the two suspects into confessing all.

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As soon as Matthew heard that the two had been found and taken to the station he took his leave of Alice.

'I'll pop by the Blake's, let you know what the outcome is.' He smiled, and adjusted his uniform, which he needed to go and change, having spent the night alternately dozing and writing reports by her bed.

'Thank you,' Alice smiled, 'for staying.'

Matthew coughed, suddenly embarrassed and picked up his papers.

'Yes, well...' he allowed a small smile to play at the corner of his mouth, '...anyway, best get going.'

'Good day, Superintendant.' Alice whispered as he left the room. She sighed and relaxed onto the pillows. She had slept deeply and well for the first time for years and she knew it wasn't because she'd had any medication. It was nice to have someone keep one safe, at night.

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'I've put you in the guest room, Alice.' Jean said as she let her into the house. 'I hope you don't mind, I've put some of your clothes in there. You can put your toiletries in the bathroom if you want, or keep them here.'

'Thank you, Jean,' Alice smiled, 'are you sure it's no trouble? I'm sure I'd be fine at home.'

'Just because you're a doctor, Alice,' Jean smiled gently, 'doesn't mean you can look after yourself when you're not well.'

'We make lousy patients,' Alice agreed.

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Nurse Sheldon and her brother bickered in the interview room. Charlie and Lucien were only waiting for Matthew to arrive before they questioned the pair. He arrived, having washed and changed his shirt, and collected the bag of jewels from the safe. He slapped down his files on the table and gently placed the gems next to them.

'Now then, what's going on?' He asked, amiably.

'Don't know what you mean?' Nurse Sheldon grumbled.

'I'm sure you do.' He continued, 'ten years ago your parents were set to prison for robbery. Of course the jewellery was never found, nor was their accomplice.' He scanned down the old file, 'blood was found on the window ledge, but nobody turned up at the hospital injured and no body was found.'

'So how were they convicted?' Charlie asked, 'with no evidence.'

'They were career criminals, Davies,' Matthew turned round and explained, 'their next job was over at the Clements' house. But they didn't have their expert housebreaker with them. They were caught trying to escape through the scullery window, but they made so much noise that they were caught by Jock Clements.'

'Blimey,' Lucien whistled, he had no love for Jock Clement who had murdered his friend and his mother.

'They asked for several other robberies to be taken into consideration, but wouldn't say where the other member of the team was.' Charlie had taken the file and carried on reading.

'That's because she was already dead.' Lucien said. 'But her body showed evidence of a botched abortion.' He thought, 'that was the blood wasn't it.' He paled, 'The poor girl, bleeding from the procedure and made to go on with a robbery.'

'She died at our house,' Nurse Sheldon whispered, 'we had to get rid of her and the best place was the old brothel. Mum and dad said when everything was cleared up, and they were out of prison we could dig up the jewellery and leave Ballarat.'

'Where are your parents now?' Lucien asked.

'Dead, both of them,' Mr Sheldon replied. 'Josie came back to Ballarat to see if she could find the gems, then we were going to get away. Live somewhere where we weren't known. But that woman was there, digging where we knew our stuff was.'

'So you hit her.' Matthew kept his voice calm, 'you hit an innocent woman who was only collecting soil samples and left her to die of the injuries.'

Matthew noticed them join hands, 'you two are brother and sister, aren't you?' He asked, suspiciously.

'What of it?' Nurse Sheldon snapped.

'Well, the last thing I would ever do with my sister would be to hold her hand, like that.' He tried not to shudder.

'We love each other,' Sheldon insisted. 'That's not a crime.'

'Love isn't, incest is.' Matthew informed them.

'Why did you try to kill Dr Harvey, Miss Sheldon?' Lucien asked. 'You knew she hadn't got the jewellery, nor knew who had attacked her, so why?'

'Because Dr Harvey is a clever woman.' Josie tipped her head defiantly, 'she recognised my scent, I could tell, she'd put two and two together and tell you, then the game would be up.'

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The Sheldon's were locked up in, separate, cells and the jewels were put back in the safe.

'Who does the jewellery belong to, Boss?' Charlie asked as they sipped tea in the office.

'Friends of the Tyneman's who were staying for the weekend.' Matthew tried not to smirk. 'of course old man Tyneman was hugely embarrassed and replaced the jewellery, but we have an address, old, admittedly, we'll contact them and see if they would like it back.'

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Matthew had accepted an invitation to dine with the Blake's and their house guest that evening and duly arrived ten minutes before Jean dished up. Alice was in the sitting room still pale and tired but Matthew thought she looked... he couldn't put his finger on it, calm, maybe. She looked up when he entered and smiled at him, holding out her hand, indicating that he should join her.

'So, superintendant,' she murmured, 'Dr Blake said you would tell me what it was all about.'

'Perhaps after dinner, Dr Harvey,' he smiled, 'we don't want to keep Mrs Blake waiting.'

'No indeed,' she smiled and took his proffered hand.

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Dinner over, the case not discussed, Matthew suggested he and Alice sit in the garden, and he would tell her all about it. So, armed with his whisky and her with a sherry, they sat on the bench outside. The night was warm enough, and the sky overhead was clear.

'So,' she mused as he finished telling her the story, 'I was in the wrong place at the wrong time.'

'You were.' He took her hand, 'please, Alice, if you must go searching at night, take someone with you.'

'I'll give you a call, then, shall I?'

Matthew cleared his throat, at least she had understood his meaning. 'If you like.' He leant over and kissed her cheek. 'You'd better get some rest, or Dr Blake'll have my hide, for tiring out his patient.' He stood up and extended his hand to her. They walked slowly to the door of the sun room. Just as she put her hand out he put his arm round her waist and kissed her softly, but certainly and smiled as she returned the kiss.

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So, another case over, but what of Alice and Matthew?