Alice was very distracted at dinner, it was obvious to all that she was worried about Matthew which in turn made in plain they were close.

'Alice,' Jean touched her hand, 'you need to eat. If you don't you'll make yourself ill and then you will be no good to Matthew or anyone.'

'Sorry, Jean.' She returned to the roast pork and vegetables on her plate, 'I just don't see why it happened.'

'Well, we know what they were after,' Lucien reminded her, 'me and Charlie will go and retrieve said paperwork and leave a substitute, which says something similar but is not incriminating to the Commissioner, well not too incriminating, it has to be believable.'

'Can't I come?' Alice asked.

'No you can't.' Lucien said firmly.

'I could pick up some things he might need.' She suggested.

It would leave you wide open, as a target,' Lucien looked sternly at her, 'these people will stop at nothing to find a way to get to Matthew, and that could be through those that mean something to him. Which also brings me to you, Jean and Mattie.'

'Why us?' Mattie asked, eyebrows raised.

'Because you are his friends,' Lucien stated simply. 'Friends are good bargaining tools.'

'Oh,' she sighed, 'I hadn't thought of that.'

'Why would you?' Lucien smiled, 'it's not in your nature to be so scheming.'

'Doesn't it also include you, darling,' Jean asked, concern all over her lovely face, 'even the men at the station?'

'It includes all of us, sweetheart,' Lucien agreed, 'but I am particularly concerned that they will pick on the women, not...' he hastily added, 'because I don't think you can take care of yourselves, but these kinds of people are nasty, very dangerous.'

'I'll see if we can find a copper to stay while we're out, doc.' Charlie suggested.

'Won't that look suspicious?' Mattie asked.

'Yes, it would, unfortunately.' He turned to Charlie, 'what we need is a family friend to come and stay, after all that is not unusual.'

'What about one of my brothers,' Charlie suggested. 'Sam is the middle of them, and he's in the army, I'm sure he can be persuaded to spend some of his leave seeing his big brother.'

'Capital idea,' Lucien grinned. 'Can you contact him, tell him why but also that he is welcome here anyway.' He turned to Jean, it was added work for her and she was tired, although battling it well. 'Can you manage, Jean, another mouth to feed, the extra...'

'I'll be fine, Lucien.' She reached over for his hand, 'honestly. Alice, you will come and stay, won't you?' She turned to the pathologist.

Mattie flashed a look between the two, there was something they weren't telling.

'No, Jean.' Alice smiled, 'I will be at the hospital for most of the time, until he is allowed out.'

'But you need to sleep and...everything.' Jean persisted.

'Jean's right, Alice,' Lucien said gently.

'NO!' she stood up, 'I will not be hounded out of my home by a thug!'

'Alice,' Lucien stood up to face her, 'please. Matthew would never forgive us if anything happened to you.'

'I will be at the hospital, with Matthew.' She snapped, 'he has a guard on his room.'

'You still need to sleep, Alice,' Lucien grabbed her arm as she headed out of the kitchen, 'and eat.'

'I can handle it!'

'You're as stubborn as he is!' Lucien shouted at her, 'you are putting yourself in harm's way. When you are not with him you will stay here, if I have to take Charlie's handcuffs and handcuff you to the bed.'

Everyone round the table looked at him in shock, Lucien never shouted at a woman, not like that. He was usually much more reasonable.

Alice pulled away and turned her back on him, wrapping her arms round herself, trying to stop the tears that threatened to embarrass her. Lucien put his arms gently on her hands,

'I'm sorry Alice,' he said softly, 'that was uncalled for, I apologise, but it is dangerous. Please, let me take you to and from the hospital and eat and sleep here, just until he's out of hospital then you and Matthew can decide what you want to do.'

His anger had upset her, but she was used to that, it was his gentleness that broke her and her shoulders began to shake as the tears coursed down her cheeks. He took his handkerchief out of his pocket and as he turned her round offered it to her. She took it and the shoulder he offered,

'I'm sorry, too, Lucien,' she sobbed, 'it's just that, outside all night, with those injuries, he could have died, god knows why he didn't. He was hypothermic, had lost a lot of blood and had a head injury. I will do as you ask, but can I go and get some things from my house first?'

'Of course.'

'I'll get the guest room ready for you Alice,' Jean stood up, 'Mattie would you be a dear and clear the dinner things for me?'

'Of course Jean.' Mattie stood up, 'come on Sergeant, we have a job to do.'

Lucien watched as things started to happen, he and Charlie would take Alice to her house and then to the hospital, but he needed to sort out Mattie too. He didn't want her wandering around Ballarat on her own, but that was what she did, he needed her to help Jean, who would soon become exhausted. He wondered how Jean would feel if they told Mattie about the baby. The sooner they got this mess sorted the better.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

'Right, Jean,' Lucien caught her coming out of the guest room, 'we need to talk.'

'About..?' She had a feeling she knew what was coming.

'The baby.' He pulled her close, 'I think we need to let Mattie, at least, know. I know you wanted to keep it a secret but if anything should happen...'

'I knew you'd say that,' Jean leant against him, warm and strong, 'only Mattie though. I don't want it getting around yet, it's too soon.'

'Our close friends will notice that indomitable Jean Blake is tired and I'll get the blame for giving you too much to do, but I understand.' He kissed her forehead and held her just that little bit tighter.

'Mattie!' Lucien called, 'have you got a minute?'

'Be right there,' Mattie called back from the kitchen.

'Study, please.' Lucien smiled at Jean and held her round her shoulders as they went to wait for the young nurse.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Mattie knocked and entered to study. Jean was sitting on Lucien's knee, something Mattie rarely saw unless she caught them in an unguarded moment, but there was something about their faces that bothered her. Jean didn't hastily get off her perch, in fact she made no attempt to.

'Mattie,' Lucien smiled, 'please, sit down.'

'What's going on, you two?' She asked, 'are you alright, Jean?'

'I am very well, Mattie, if a little tired.'

'You've been tired a lot lately.' Mattie stated the obvious, 'is Amelia too much for you?'

'No, it's not Amelia.' Jean said softly, 'Mattie, we weren't going to say anything, for a while, but in light of the situation,' She sighed, they had agreed she would be the one to tell, 'I may need your help, more than usual, around the house.'

'You know I'll help anyway I can, Jean.'

'Yes, well, my tiredness is because I'm going to have a baby.' Jean smiled, 'we've only just found out ourselves and wanted to keep it quiet for a while, but with a houseful and potential dangers lurking...'

Whatever she was going to say was muffled by Mattie's shoulder as the nurse wrapped her arms around them.

'Jean!' she squealed, 'that's wonderful! Congratulations!'

'Thank you, but you can see why I would like it kept quiet, can't you?' Jean grinned, 'not even Charlie must know.'

'Oh, ok.' Mattie looked at them 'so if anyone asks why you're tired..?'

'Just tell them I have had some family problems with Christopher, which isn't that far from the truth,' Jean sighed, 'say I am finding it draining, which it is.'

'Right, well, ok.' Mattie smiled, 'I'll try to wipe the smile off my face, then.'

'Should be easier than wiping it off Lucien's.' Jean quipped.

There was a knock at the door,

'Doc?' Charlie called through the door.

Jean stood up and changed places with Mattie, who took up a file off Lucien's desk,

'Come in, Charlie,' Lucien called.

'Doc, ladies,' he knew they were up to something but hadn't a clue what, 'I've phoned Sam. He was about to go on leave and see mum, but he's going to come here instead. He'll tell mum he has some special ops work to do.'

'Thank you, Charlie.' Lucien said.

'...and Dr Harvey is rather anxious to be getting off to the hospital.'

'Right.' Lucien stood up, 'I want you two to lock the doors and make sure the windows are closed while we are out. Charlie and I will be back as soon as we can be, I'll nip out to pick up Alice later. Charlie when is your brother likely to arrive?'

'Tomorrow, he's catching the next train, which means he's travelling over night. ' Charlie opened the door, 'he's got the address and will get a taxi here.'

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

'Where are you going to put Sam?' Mattie asked as she and Jean sat in the living room. Mattie was having her evening sherry, Jean insisted even though she didn't have one herself.

'It will have to be my old room,' Jean put down her knitting, she was never going to get this cardigan done at this rate, 'Alice is in the guest room.'

'Does anything need doing?' Mattie put her sherry down, 'I can make the bed up, if you want.'

'I was going to wait until Lucien came back,' Jean was nervous about being alone downstairs and she didn't want to leave Amelia either.

'Ok,' Mattie stood up, 'how about some music then?'

'Alright, but not too loud,' Jean smiled, it would take her mind off the situation.

Mattie put on a radio station with relaxing music and returned to her seat on the couch.

'When did you find out you are pregnant, Jean?'

'At the cabin,' Jean smiled as she remembered Lucien's casual announcement, 'Lucien noticed I have the dark line on my stomach.' She didn't think she needed to go into any detail as to why Lucien was looking at her belly.

'Oh, I see,' Mattie smiled, she saw perfectly.

'I'm probably about two months,' Jean continued, 'but I'm not sure.'

'Not like you, Jean.'

'I thought it was the change,' Jean sighed, 'but apparently not. Lucien said it explained why I was tired and burst into tears at the slightest provocation.'

'Christopher being that provocation?' Mattie supposed, correctly.

'Sadly, yes.' Jean sighed. 'I don't know what he's going to do now. His whole life is ahead of him but he's tied to Ruby, and she's never going to be his wife. I feel sorry for him, but I don't know what to do to help him.' Tears started, 'Oh, bugger!' She snapped, 'now look. I cry for no reason...'

'...and every reason.' Mattie went over to her and squatted in front of her. 'He's your son, Jean, it must hurt not being able to help him, but he is a grown man and he needs to sort it out himself. You and Lucien have arranged Ruby's care, and see her regularly, he can look after himself.'

'I suppose you're right.' Jean sighed. 'I wish Lucien would hurry up and come home.'

'Why don't you go to bed.' Mattie suggested, 'I can wait up, or sit with you, if you like.'

'I don't know, Mattie, I should wait.'

'Go to bed, you're shattered.' Mattie stood up and help out her hand, 'go on.'

Jean sighed and stood up, Mattie was right, she was tired and it was no use waiting for him. He would be busy trying to sort out the mess Munro had left. She headed to their bathroom and washed and changed for bed. Her last thought was for Amelia, so she went to check that the baby was settled and asleep. She was; on her back, arms thrown above her head and mouth slightly open. Jean adjusted the blanket over her and stroked her head. She checked the window was closed and locked and went into her own room where Mattie had turned down the bed and closed the curtains. A cup of hot chocolate sat on the beside cabinet and her lamp was on. She burst into tears.

Mattie wandered in to see if she was in bed and was justifiably distressed to see her surrogate mother sobbing on the bed. She rushed over and pulled her into a hug, stroking the curls that Amelia took great delight in tugging and Lucien tangled his fingers in.

'Jean,' she whispered, 'oh Jean, what on earth is wrong?'

'Nothing,' Jean hiccupped, 'thank you. Turning the bed down, the hot chocolate, curtains.'

'I wouldn't have done it if I knew it was going to make you cry.' Mattie had a smile in her voice, 'come on, in you get.'

Mattie helped her get comfortable, as if she was one of her patients, propped her up on the pillows and sat on the edge of the bed while she drank the hot, milky and soothing drink.

'Sorry Mattie,' she sniffed, 'I get horribly emotional when I'm pregnant. Christopher used to go and work extra hard in the fields, he had no idea how to deal with a weeping wife. He couldn't do anything right, if he was sweet to me, I cried, if we argued, I cried, poor man, he had nowhere to turn.'

'Had I better warn Lucien?' Mattie smiled.

'Probably.' Jean managed to smile.

'I'll sit with you until he comes back.' Mattie took the now empty cup off her and tucked her up like a small child, just managing to resist kissing her forehead.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Lucien and Charlie dropped Alice off at the hospital after she had collected her things from her home, and headed back to Matthew's.

Charlie stood outside while Lucien collected the hidden document, then he joined him in the living room. They read through what Matthew had written and then copied it out changing a few points, a couple of names and places but essentially leaving it much the same. Matthew's observations on the commissioner and his obvious connection to Froggy Morgan and evidence of money changing hands for botched court appearances or tainted evidence and the corrupt officers involved. Lucien knew that all the actual evidence was held somewhere very, very safe, this was just, in effect Matthew's concluding statement.

'I suppose that they were looking for this and the evidence the boss has locked up?' Charlie folded the original statement and tucked it in his inside pocket.

'Yes,' Lucien agreed, looking around Matthew's usually tidy sitting room. He got up and went to the sideboard. Everything had been swept off in anger. The investigating team and been in and photographed the scene, gone over everything for fingerprints and left it as they found it. It was up to the house owner to tidy up. Lucien bent down and picked up a photograph frame. The glass had been smashed and the photograph torn. He sighed, it was his friend's parents. Matthew's mother had been kind to him when he came home from school for the holidays. He dropped the things into an envelope, he'd get that repaired, it was the least he could do.

'Right, Charlie,' he returned to the young officer, 'wait outside while I put this back and then we'll head off home.'

'Ok, what time are you picking Dr Harvey up?'

'About ten.' Lucien headed into the small study as Charlie went to wait outside.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The house was quiet when they got back. Lucien unlocked the door, and ushered Charlie in before he stepped over the threshold and locked the door behind him.

'Perhaps they've gone to bed, doc.' Charlie whispered, noticing a look of concern on Lucien's face when all he found in the living room was Jean's knitting on the couch where she usually sat.

Lucien headed to his bedroom and carefully pushed open the door. Charlie saw his shoulders relax and he went to look over his shoulder. Jean was asleep in bed and Mattie had dozed off in the bedroom chair. Lucien pulled the door shut.

'Seems a shame to wake Mattie, but she's not going to be too comfortable if we leave her there.' Lucien grinned.

'Tell you what, doc,' Charlie whispered, 'I'll carry her up to her bed, you just open her room door for me.'

'Ok.' He opened the door again and watched Charlie gently lift the nurse into his arms. She murmured and turned her head into his chest, which made him smile.

Lucien opened the door to Mattie's room and watched Charlie gently lay her on the bed, remove her sensible nurse's shoes and cover her with a blanket.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

They sat in the kitchen drinking tea.

'Doc,' Charlie had been wondering how to ask about his connections. 'Why would they put you on a watch list? I mean, with your history, with the army and stuff, surely ...'

'I don't know, Charlie.' Lucien had wondered about this. 'I know there's always worry about communism, red China and Russia, but you're right, I worked in Intelligence, so of course I would have connections overseas.'

'I've been thinking.' The younger man sat back in his chair, 'the one thing you do, apart from everything else, is try to get to the bottom of every case. Just because someone has a position of authority you don't discount them from your enquiries, so perhaps this is a way of getting you out of the loop.'

'You make it sound like I am trying to topple government for my own ends, Charlie,' Lucien almost laughed, 'but maybe you're right. With me out of the way on trumped up spying charges the commissioner and Munro would be free to do whatever they wanted.'

'There is corruption all over,' Charlie continued, 'in the force, government, all sorts, you are the least corrupt person I know, so, doc, whatever it takes I'm with you.'

'Well thank you, Charlie.' Lucien grinned, 'we'll get them, one way or another. But I wonder what is so huge that it warrants assaulting the superintendant, wrecking his house all for a statement that means nothing without the evidence that backs it up.'

'The boss kept this one close,' Charlie observed, 'I guess, to prevent any leaking of information and to protect those closest to him.'

'It's also a matter of trust, Charlie.' Lucien sighed, 'he can't trust anyone, including you and me, he daren't. He's kept this to himself ever since he was in Melbourne.'

'A heavy burden to carry, doc.'

'Indeed,' Lucien looked up at the clock on the kitchen wall, 'well, I'd better go and prize Dr Harvey from the hospital.'

'I'll wait up, doc,' Charlie took the cups to the sink, 'until you get back.'

'Thanks, Charlie.'

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Lucien knocked on Matthew's door and went in. Matthew was asleep and Alice sat next to the bed with her head resting on the cover. Lucien smiled, she had obviously dozed off, exhausted from her emotional outburst earlier and the worry.

'Alice,' he whispered, touching her shoulder gently, 'come on, time to go home.'

She stirred and raised her head, blinking away the fog of unsatisfactory sleep.

'Mmm...' she looked up and pushed her hair out of the way, 'oh, I must have fallen asleep.' She turned and looked at Matthew, smiling.

Pushing herself up she bent and kissed his forehead, then turned to accept Lucien's outstretched hand. He put his arm round her shoulder,

'He'll be fine, Alice.' He whispered.

'I know,' she sighed, 'and again, thank you, for everything.'

'It's our pleasure.'

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Everyone slept surprisingly well that night. Jean, because she was curled up next to Lucien, Alice, because she was exhausted, Mattie because someone had been kind enough to put her to bed with no expectations, and Charlie because he knew that Lucien would do his level best to ensure everyone was safe and the world would be rid of another rotten egg.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Jean woke first, well technically Amelia woke first and disturbed Jean with her cries for her milk, then Lucien.

'Here,' he held out his arms for the baby, 'you go and do whatever, and I'll have her.'

'Thank you,' Jean smiled and passed the baby over to her husband before disappearing into the bathroom, rather quickly. She came out looking considerably more comfortable and went to the kitchen to heat the baby's bottle and make tea.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

They sat round the breakfast table discussing what they would do that day. Alice, of course would be spending most of the day with Matthew in the hospital, Charlie and Lucien would be at the station looking at the evidence in Matthew's office. They were not going to involve any of the officers in their work. The rest of the officers would be looking into the attack on their boss. Mattie would stay with Jean until Sam arrived, then she would go to work, accompanied by Ned Simmons. The excuse he was going to be given was that Mattie had encountered some young men on her rounds who were being generally unpleasant and it was thought a police presence would deter any more inappropriate behaviour.

Sam arrived as Jean was finishing the washing up. He was a blonde version of Charlie, you could not mistake that they were brothers. He was introduced to Mattie, who Charlie had told him about, and Amelia sitting in her high chair playing with one of her mother's wooden spoons.

Mattie took him on a tour of the house and showed him to his room, she explained that Lucien wanted to keep things as normal as possible, so he would still be running surgery in the afternoon. Jean would see the patients into the waiting room and then spend some time with Amelia. She watched him take mental notes of any ways in and out of the house, and then she took him into the garden through the sun room which he also surveyed for breaks in the perimeter.

'Well, Nurse O'Brien, I think everything is secure, or as secure as a private house and business can be.' He smiled, 'I've got a good view of the front from my bedroom window, and the garden is easily viewed from various parts of the house.'

'We hope it won't be too long before the doctor and Charlie have identified those who attacked the superintendant, and then they will be rounded up.' She looked up at him, 'and it's Mattie, please.'

'As you wish, Mattie.' He smiled, just like Charlie did.

'Right, I'd better head off to work,' Mattie inhaled sharply, and they headed back into the house.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ned smiled as he climbed into Nurse O'Brien's car. He was under no illusions, this was not about inappropriate remarks, this was because of the boss, but he wasn't going to ask any questions, just do his job.

'Thanks for this, constable,' Mattie pulled away from the station, 'I'm sure there are more important things you could be doing.'

'Looking out for the citizens of Ballarat is my job, Nurse,' he replied, 'every bit of it is important, including escorting the district nurse on her rounds.'

'All the same, with the superintendant...'

'We'll all take a hand in dealing with that, miss.'

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Charlie and Lucien sifted through the files on Matthew's desk. The file on Lucien was in the bottom drawer, Matthew hadn't really known what to do with it, but in the back of his mind he knew he would need it one day, if only to exonerate his friend. In fact there was very little in it, his service record, or what could be held in a readily available file, and Li's address in China. There were notes of the date he had gone to see her, when he had been told she had survived, and dates he had written to her and when her letters had arrived. It was that that worried Lucien more than anything else. He needed to contact her, but the phones from the station and his house could be monitored from the exchange so he would have to find another way, without worrying her.

'Public call box?' Charlie suggested.

'Could do, but I'm not sure it's much more private.' Lucien mused, also thinking he'd need a lot of change.

'There's one at the back of the hospital, why not there, before you pick Dr Harvey up tonight?'

'Mmm...' Lucien grinned, 'you'd do well in intelligence, Charlie. First, look, now how do you suppose someone would know when I sent letters to Li, or when her replies came?' He pointed to the notes in the file.

'Only the post office would know,' Charlie pursed his lips and watched Lucien's face. 'Well,' he stood up, best get over there.'

Lucien stood and clapped the young man on the shoulder as they headed out of the office carrying the file. They locked the office door and headed out to the post office.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The post office was busy when they got there. Neither wanted to cause a stir, so they waited patiently in the queue.

'Doctor, officer, what can I do for you?' The man behind the counter smiled.

'We're looking for whoever sorts the incoming and outgoing mail.' Charlie replied, 'specifically international mail.'

'You want to go into the back,' he lifted the counter flap, 'they do all that. I just do stamps and information.'

'Right.' Charlie grinned, 'coming, doc?'

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The back of the post office could not be said to be a hive of activity, the men who were there were sitting round smoking and drinking tea.

'Tea break, fellas?' Lucien called heartily.

The men hurriedly stubbed out their cigarettes and tried to look busy. Some to the pigeon holes where mail was sorted to be delivered and some to the piles that were to be sent overseas. Charlie and Lucien wandered around, looking at letters, packages, idly turning over envelopes all the while watched by the staff, warily.

'So, tell me,' Charlie perched on the corner of a desk, 'who deals with the overseas post?' He seemed relaxed, amiable, completely unthreatening., but nobody was talking.

'Come on,' Lucien joined Charlie, 'somebody must sort it out. After all, there are hundreds of places people send mail to, Europe, the States, China...' The last word hung in the air. Nobody spoke, there was an almost eerie silence for what seemed like an hour, but was just five minutes, broken by a banging on the counter.

'Hey!' Someone shouted from the outer office, 'anybody there? Can we get some service out here?'

Lucien looked at Charlie, Charlie looked at the doctor and they both ran for the customer area. The man who had greeted them was nowhere to be seen.

'Bloody hell!' Lucien spat, running to the front door and looking up and down the street.

'I'll get the lads,' Charlie set off for the station. Lucien followed him, he needed the car and to get to Matthew first, then Jean. Or was it Jean first the Matthew. Damn!

He leapt into the car and drove to the hospital, ignoring all speed restrictions. Leaving the car at the front of the hospital he dashed in and ran straight to Matthew's room. A constable stood on guard duty.

'Anybody other than the boss and Dr Harvey in there?'

'N - n - no sir.' The constable.

'Keep it that way!' Lucien snapped, 'nobody until I come back or call. Got it?'

'Sir.' The officer straightened his back, 'not even the nurse?'

'No!' Lucien called over his shoulder.

He got back into the car and drove up to the house.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

'She's a real sweetie,' Sam said as he watched Jean change Amelia. 'Charlie said she's your granddaughter and you adopted her.'

'That's right,' Jean picked up the now clean and more fragrant baby, 'here.' She passed Amelia over to him and was surprised to see he accepted the honour. He followed her back into the living room and sat on the couch to jiggle the baby on his knee. Amelia giggled and reached for his tie.

'What do you plan on doing with that, little lady,' he laughed.

'If it's your tie, she'll chew it.' Jean threw over her shoulder, 'tea?'

'That'd be love...' His reply was stopped by the sound of a gunshot and the door being kicked open. Jean let out an involuntary scream and turned up the hall to see a man brandishing a revolver.

'Where's Blake?!'

'Not here,' Jean replied, trying to keep the wobble out of her voice.

Sam could just see the barrel of the revolver, his own was tucked down the back of his trousers but he didn't want a gun battle with a baby around. He must keep his weapon out of sight.

Another shot and a cup on the draining board was smashed. Amelia started to cry,

'Hush, little lady,' Sam whispered holding her close.

'Shut her up!' The intruder shouted, waving the gun in Sam's direction.

'She needs her bottle.' Jean had to play for time.

'Get it!'

'It needs heating up, I need to boil the kettle.' Jean moved to the fridge. 'If it's cold she'll just refuse it and cry more.' Which wasn't true but Jean was trying to think of a way to keep the man there until Lucien or someone got there, because she knew they were on their way, deep down. That, and if she took Amelia off Sam he'd be able to use his gun, but she needed her daughter out of the way of any flying bullets, first. The gun was waved in the direction of the stove where the still slightly warm kettle sat. She filled it and set it down to boil. She got the jug she used to stand the bottle in and set it on the table, with the bottle in it.

'What do you want?' Jean asked quietly.

'Your man,..'

'My husband?'

'Whatever, he has files we need.'

'There are no files here, apart from patient files,' Jean folded her arms, Sam couldn't believe the coolness of this slightly built woman, 'but I'm afraid those are confidential.'

The kettle started to boil. Jean's actions were measured, she picked up the kettle and looked at Sam, flicking her eyes to the side, away from the gunman. He pretended to comfort the now screaming Amelia and wandered around the living room, singing to her. She poured water into the jug then turned away to put it back on the stove. Suddenly she stopped turning and whirled round sending the boiling kettle at the gunman. It knocked his hand and the gun went off. She felt a stinging, burning sensation in her right arm, between the shoulder and the elbow, and then an inconceivable pain. Sam switched Amelia to his left hip and, running over to the gunman on the floor he pulled his gun and kicked the man's weapon out of reach.

'You bit..!'

Sam kicked him in the mouth before he could finish his insult.

Pointing his gun at the intruder he asked, over his shoulder,

'Mrs Blake, are you alright?'

'Mmm...' Jean mumbled through tight lips, 'arm.' She struggled to pull herself up but managed it enough to sit on a chair. She felt faint from the pain.

Sam moved back closer to her, he could see she was bleeding quite heavily, 'I need something to tie him up with,' he muttered.

Jean removed the belt from her dress, though the movement made her feel worse.

'Can you hold Amelia?' He looked at her, she was ashen, 'just for a minute. Once he's tied up I can see to that wound.'

She nodded. He settled the baby on her knee and pulled her uninjured arm round Amelia. 'You'll be fine, trust me.'

Jean didn't even have the energy for a weak smile.

Sam skilfully and quickly tied the belt round the gunman's wrists and tied the remaining lengths to the sturdy leg of the table then went to Jean.

He looked at the wound, the bullet had gone straight through, which was a blessing but he didn't know if the bone was intact. Even though he was in a doctor's house and medical supplies were readily available he didn't know where he would actually find them, bar in the surgery. He grabbed the tea towel and bound it tight round Jean's arm, causing her to wince in pain. He was just about to suggest she let him take her to the living room when Lucien burst in,

'Jean!' He stormed down the hall, 'Oh god! Jean!'

'She took a bullet to the upper arm, doc, straight through.' Sam stood up to let the doctor examine her. Seeing she was losing her grip on consciousness he went to take the baby.

Lucien picked her up and took her to the surgery, followed by Sam.

'What happened, Sam?' Lucien gasped, as he lay the unconscious form of his wife on the examination couch.

'He shot the lock and came charging down the hall...' Sam told him everything, still jiggling Amelia. '...she was amazing, quick thinking, so brave.'

'Typical.' Lucien breathed, working quickly to clean the wound. 'No bone damage, a flesh wound, but a nasty one.

'Doc, I'll go and give this one her bottle, shall I?' Amelia's screams had subsided to sobs.

'What? Yes, please, sorry, Sam.'

'It's ok,' Sam smiled, 'we're good friends, me and Amelia.'

As Jean was unconscious Lucien was able to repair and stitch the wound. He didn't think she needed to go to hospital, he could look after her at home, with Mattie's help. He cleaned away his instruments then went to try to wake her up. It took a few minutes but as soon as she was almost conscious she managed a small smile.

'Now, sweetheart,' He held her hand, 'I'm going to put you to bed then get you a cup of tea and some pain relief, which will send you to sleep.'

'Ok,' she whispered, not wanting to argue and her arm hurt dreadfully, anyway. 'Amelia?'

'Is fine.' He bent forward and kissed her forehead, 'Sam is giving her her bottle. We'll talk when all this is over.'

Lucien was as good as his words with the tea and pain relief and soon she was in her pyjamas and sleeping soundly, her colour beginning to return.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Mattie returned to find a carpenter repairing the front door, Sam cleaning the kitchen floor and Amelia playing on the living room rug. There was no sign of Lucien or Jean, surely not? She thought, not now!

'Hello, Sam.' She smiled tentatively.

'Oh, Mattie, hello.' He leant on the handle of the mop. 'Nearly done.'

'What happened?' She asked guardedly.

Sam smiled and sat down. 'Well, Mattie...' and again he told the tale.

'But Jean is alright?' She asked.

'The doc says she'll be fine, but sore and tired for the next couple of days.' Sam smiled. 'It's up to us to do the cooking and cleaning and look after Amelia.'

'Is Lucien making her stay in bed?'

'Yep.' Sam stood up to finish the cleaning.

'Good luck with that,' Mattie muttered then went to pick up Amelia and to see if she could do anything for Jean.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Jean was asleep and Lucien was nowhere to be found. Much as he would have preferred to stay with his wife he and Charlie had to take the gunman to the hospital to be attended to, he was badly scalded, and question him with regard to who else was involved. Sam would have to take care of the house, for now.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

'Charlie,' Lucien drove faster than he should have back into the town, 'given that the post office workers were less than helpful, do you think they are involved?'

'I thought the very same thing,' Charlie watched Lucien, his jaw was set in anger that Jean had been hurt. 'Or they're being threatened.'

Could be.' Lucien agreed. He pulled up outside the hospital and he and Charlie almost frogmarched the gunman, who refused to give his name, into the emergency department. He spent the entire journey telling Lucien he needed to give his wife a good smack, throwing kettles about.

'You should be glad it was only a kettle,' Lucien replied pleasantly, 'she's pretty handing with a boning knife, her filleting skills are to be seen to be believed.'

The man blanched.

In the ED the gunman's scalds were attended to and he was deemed fit to be taken to the station for questioning.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Lucien and Charlie left their passenger seething in the cells and went to the post office to see if anyone was left. The door was still open but there was no customers. In the back they found the workers, obviously too scared to go anywhere.

'Right you lot,' Charlie stood in the doorway, 'let's have it. Who's paying you, and why?'

There was scuffling of feet and shifty looks.

'Look, lads,' Lucien put his hands in his pockets, 'your mate is in the cells, my wife threw a kettle of boiling water over him when he threatened both her and our baby daughter. He managed to put a bullet in her arm and right now, anyone who isn't going to answer questions is going to make me even angrier.'

'Um...' one man muttered, 'we were asked to sort out any letters or packets going to China.'

'Why?' Charlie was writing in his notebook.

'We were told reds were infiltrating the country.'

'That was years ago,' Lucien grunted, 'and just because I have family and connections in China that doesn't make me a communist.'

'Who paid you?' Charlie asked, 'was it your mate on the front desk?'

'Yeah, but he's paid by someone else.'

'Thought so.' They left them to think on what they had been doing.

'You know, Charlie,' Lucien mused as they headed to the station. 'I don't think it's anything to do with reds, I think it's because we started to round up some of Froggy Morgan's pals.'

'But we were never able to pin anything on them, not here anyway.'

'Exactly, evidence,' Lucien pulled into the car park, 'No evidence, except there was, wasn't there?'

'Doc?' Charlie looked at him, only stopping when Bill Hobart approached them.

'The fella in the cells,' he asked, 'what happened to him?'

'Jean threw a kettle of boiling water over him,' Lucien said, trying not to smile at his wife's ingenuity.

'Bloody hell,' Hobart whistled. 'Are we questioning him?'

'We want to know who's paying him to snoop on letters to China, specifically mine and why.'

'Ok.' Bill motioned to another copper, 'come on lad, let's go and introduce ourselves.'

'Right, Charlie, let's get this evidence.' They headed to the office.

The spread the files out, Matthew had kept everything so precise. Every time a suspected felon was released he had dug deeper, finding, in some cases, very tenuous connections to Morgan and he had detailed these. Each one led to the commissioner, and each time the commissioner had got closer to closing Ballarat station, until he could say that although it needed a station the current team would be reassigned or, in the case of Bill and Matthew, retired. Any new officers had been found to be undermining the regular team, and had been found to have links to either Morgan or the commissioner and given traffic duty, or petty crimes.

Lucien rubbed his eyes,

'Bloody hell, Charlie,' he sighed, 'Matthew uncovered quite a can of worms, didn't he?'

'Seems like it.'

They stacked the files in order, with Matthew's full and correct statement on top, and put them in a plain brown envelope.

'What are you going to do with them?' Charlie asked, 'I mean, if we leave them here...'

'I have somewhere in mind.' Lucien stood up, 'come on, let's get Dr Harvey and go home.'

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Sam had left a stew in a pan on the stove, easy to heat up, Mattie had dealt with Amelia and persuaded Jean to eat a little of the dinner, when Charlie Lucien and Alice arrived back.

Mattie put the food out for them and commanded them to eat.

'I'll be right there,' Lucien headed to the study, then came back and sat down to eat.

'Lucien?' Mattie asked.

'Mattie, everything ok?' He loaded his fork with stew and potatoes, 'I see Jean's asleep, thank you for looking after her, and Amelia, you too Sam.'

'What's going on?'

'Mattie, it's actually better you don't know, yet.' He smiled at her, 'I didn't want you to be a part of this, I didn't want anybody to be a part of this, neither did Matthew, but you are, so the least you know the better.'

'But...'

'No buts, Mattie, please.' His face showed so much sadness that she couldn't but agree to his request. 'I'll tell you everything, one day.'

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

So will everything work out?

This chapter is longer than I usually write, I got carried away!