Author's note: Thank you for the warm welcome, guys. I had not expected that anyone remembers me still.

Miss Fisher was currently enjoying a very good meal at Strano's, along with the thrill of carefully tasting her wine for any traces of arsenic. She hadn't exactly left the family behind on a friendly note after the last case which had led her here. But then she was yet to spot anybody she'd recognised. It should not have surprised her. Concetta surely had had to cut ties with the restaurant along with her father in order to satisfy Jack. The Inspector would never allow his loyalty to the law to be drawn into question. Not even by his wife.

The word still was lying so very odd on her tongue that it caused Miss Fisher to cough up a gulp of Chianti. Only a lightning-fast grasp for the napkin saved the white table cloths from a sprinkling of red. When she resurfaced, a worried looking young women was hovering beside her.

"Are you alright, Miss?"

She forced herself to smile.

"Perfectly. The wine. It went down the wrong throat, I'm afraid."

There was still concern lingering on the young woman's olive features.

"Can I bring you some water?"

Phryne gently shook her head and fished for her glass, demonstratively emptying it in one big gulp.

"If I could have more of your fabulous Chianti. And a second glass."

The girl bustled away. Phryne looked after her, thinking. The girl was quite a bit younger than Concetta, but she thought she traced a faint resemblance. She might be helpful. Only moments later the waitress returned, a half-empty bottle in hand. Phryne took it from her hands and gestured for her to sit down.

"Please, keep me company."

The woman glanced briefly around herself, but only a few guests had braved the rain outside to head out for luncheon and all seemed satisfied at this point in time. Hesitantly she sat, allowed Phryne to fill both glasses with ruby liquid. She still looked uneasy, but took a small sip of the offering.

"What's your name?" Miss Fisher asked, after swallowing another gulp of the admittedly delicious wine.

"Sofia, Miss."

Phryne smiled as broadly as she could manage while she introduced herself. No recognition was dawning on Sofia's face, so it appeared safe to proceed.

"And you are... related to the Strano family?" she asked when the conversation had dried up.

The girl nodded nervously.

"Antonio Strano is my nonno, my... grandfather" she explained after a while. Phryne tilted her head at her. She wasn't aware that either Concetta or Vincenzo had children. So, another sibling?

"I have been here many times," she embellished the truth somewhat. "But I have never seen you before."

Sofia smiled.

"I'm afraid there have been some family developments, leaving the restaurant short of hands." She again glanced around herself. "I really do not wish to work here, Miss Fisher, but I have no choice." Miss Fisher tilted her head at this, but stayed quiet.

"It is the famiglia," Sofia explained without any further prodding. "How can I say no when they need my help?"

"How indeed?" Phryne said lightly, taking another sip. The liquid slipped warm and heavy over her tongue. "But forgive me, I always thought Concetta and Vincenzo provided more than enough hands for their father."

Now Sofia really looked scared and Miss Fisher almost felt sorry for her.

"They have both turned the back on Pappa Antonio," she whispered. Then she dropped her voice further. "Mama says Concetta will marry a poliziotto. He is furious with her."

Phryne held onto her smile with some difficulty.

"Surely there is nothing wrong with a policeman?" she asked brightly, draining her Chianti.

Sofia rose, taking the empty glass with herself..

"They have caused many problems for my family, Miss Fisher," she said. "Many problems. Gianni seems nice enough, but he remains a poliziotto. We cannot trust him."

Phryne nodded slowly at this. When the woman tried to walk past her, she caught her arm.

"And yet... Concetta wants to marry him?" she asked. Sofia squinted at her.

"Why are you so interested in this?"

Phryne smiled, shrugging her shoulders.

"No reason. I'm just curious."

Sofia straightened her shoulders.

"Concetta is mad with love. But the famiglia will take care of her."

She shook Phryne's hand off and was gone before the detective had time to sort away the strange feeling the words left in the depth of her stomach.

X

Detective-Inspector Robinson peeled meanwhile the wet overcoat from his shoulders and sank behind his desk. Despite having thought of little else than the murder on the way back to City South, he could not make any sense of it. Had two people tried to kill Jonathan Geoffrey at the same time and the second had simply come too late? Or was it some strange game the murderer was playing?

Miss Fisher's perfume was still hanging in the air, giving him a headache and he rose to open the window. The rain had ceased for the moment, but the air smelled fresh and wet. He stood for a while, staring thoughtfully out into the quiet street. Miss Fisher's lack of interest in his investigations was hard to fathom, though he couldn't help the suspicion that she was actively avoiding him. Jack couldn't blame her. He hadn't been to her house since the night he had made a full confession and he wasn't certain if he would be welcome. Had their roles been reversed, he knew beyond certainty that he'd have sought distance as fast as humanly possible to save at least a scrape of his heart and dignity. But then, Miss Fisher had appeared untouched, her appearance immaculate as usual, her smile perfectly serene. So, maybe he was imagining things.

He sat back behind his desk, mindlessly flicking through reports. After about thirty minutes of passing time like this, he stood, grasped for his still damp coat and left again.