This chapter is linked to 'Pulled', if you have read that you will know that Alice finished her honeymoon weekend with Frank by performing an autopsy on a body found at the police college. Now she is needed back at Ballarat with Dr Blake. I'm very sorry about the length got carried away again!
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Blake vaguely noticed the door to the morgue open, he was engrossed in examining the body of a youngish man on the table.
Alice slid her suitcase under the coat rack and hung her coat up. She put on a white coat and went to his side.
'What have we here?' She asked.
'Alice! How was Melbourne?' He was delighted to see her, three bodies from the Flying Club had been brought in that morning and he'd missed her, as a colleague, that is!
'Tell you later,' she put him off, it had been her, rather short, honeymoon and it was none of his damn business! But she smiled at the memory. 'Now, what's the story?'
He showed her the bodies, battered and bruised, broken bones, cuts and stab wounds, it was a scene of battle. Photographs of the scene had been taken, Lucien had started to have pictures taken for evidential purposes, and it helped in court.
'They were found in the hanger this morning,' he explained, 'Hugh and Lyle, the remaining pilots from the club, went to look at the plane. They're thinking of getting the club up and running again and have to see what state the planes are in.'
'Well,' she observed, 'they don't look homeless, quite well nourished and clean.'
'Quite,' he agreed, 'but what were they doing in the hanger?'
'Well, fighting for a guess,' she said.
'Yes, but over what?' he lifted the liver out of the body he was working on, 'There was no evidence of contraband, or gaming.'
Alice noted the weight of the organ, normal weight and looked in good condition. Between them they continued to examine the body and note their findings. Death was the result of a severe beating, it appeared. Internal bleeding was the ultimate cause of death.
The phone rang and they both jumped.
'Dr Harvey,'. Alice answered, 'Oh, hello Charlie.'
She paused, listening to the young Senior Sergeant, 'Right I'll tell him.' She was about to put the phone down when Charlie spoke again.
'Thank Jean for me, I'd love to.' She replaced the receiver.
'That was Charlie, finish for the day, it's late. Jean says dinner won't be long and you're to take me too.'
Charlie and Bill Hobart were in charge until Melbourne decided who was to be in charge, Alice thought they should have decided that before moving Frank to the college, blasted politics!
Together they tidied up the morgue and filed their, so far, incomplete report, but, as Alice remarked, at least they didn't have Munro demanding a report before all the evidence was catalogued!
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They were greeted by an excited Bobby, who had been allowed to wait until papa got home with Auntie Alice. He flung himself at Lucien's legs and when he was lifted up leaned over to Alice to give her one of his now famous sloppy kisses!
Alice laughed and kissed him on the forehead, 'Hello Bobby, it's nice to see you too.'
'Lucien? Alice?' Jean called.
They both headed for the kitchen, Bobby was now in Alice's arms, and as he was already in his pyjamas, she said she'd read him a short story, if mama said she had time.
Jean said she didn't have to, but yes she had about 10 minutes. While Alice was reading to Bobby Jean took her a cup of tea to keep her going, Alice smiled gratefully, it had been a long day and she hadn't had time to think about food. She suddenly realised she was starving so she was glad she was eating at the Blake's. Bobby settled down quickly and fell asleep before Alice had finished reading to him, so, as she said to Jean, she got off lightly!
She wandered back into the kitchen to find the table set and Jean putting dishes of vegetables out and Charlie filling glasses with water.
'Ah, good,' Lucien smiled, 'Bobby asleep?'
'Yes, flat out,' she smiled back, 'This looks lovely Jean, it's very kind of you to invite me.'
'The chance of you getting round to eat properly tonight was slim,' Jean told her, seriously, 'Lucien said you had to do an autopsy for Frank this morning, and then to come back to help Lucien, you'd probably have given up and gone straight to bed.'
'You're probably right,' Alice agreed, 'and I had to step over several unconscious cadets at the same time.' She raised an eyebrow and grinned.
'What did you do to them?' Charlie was intrigued.
'Oh Frank and I decided it was a good time to introduce them to the other side of police work!' She laughed at the memory of cadets keeling over, one by one, 'Some of them found it unnerving. Mind you I made him assist me.'
Lucien howled with laughter at the thought of Superintendant Carlyle following the orders of his wife, 'I hope he did as he was told!'
'Of course. It was an old man, apparently homeless. Natural causes, cold, hunger and an enlarged heart, poor chap.' She looked sad at the thought.
'So,' Jean changed the subject, 'How was Melbourne?'
'Lovely, thanks,' Alice took another mouthful of her dinner, really, it was her honeymoon, what did they think they did!
Lucien smirked, earning him a sharp kick under the table from Jean, he remembered what they did on their honeymoon!
'Ouch! What was that for?'
'You know very well, Lucien Blake,' she scolded, 'Behave yourself.'
Lucien tried to look innocent, Alice nearly choked as she tried not to laugh with her mouth full. Swallowing, she told them they had managed to catch a concert given by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and take in some of the sights of the city, but it was only a weekend so they didn't have time to do much.
Jean gave Lucien a look that could freeze whisky so he kept his head down.
'Are they bringing in a new Superintendant?' Alice asked, swiftly changing the subject to a more suitable one, 'or are Bill and Charlie in charge?'
'That's what we'd like to know,' Charlie answered, 'Neither of us have taken our Inspector's exams yet, so really they should send someone, but you know they've always had it in for Ballarat.'
'Yes, but policing a town this size from Melbourne wouldn't be possible, would it?' Alice noted, 'After a while you get to know people and it's easier to discount someone from a particular investigation, isn't it?'
'Or downgrading it to a smaller station run by less senior officers.' Charlie observed.
'It's all down to politics, isn't it?' Alice admitted she was bitter about this, 'That's why Frank was redeployed, nothing to do with his ability to run the station.'
Lucien noticed her eyes fill with tears and he squeezed her arm sympathetically. She gave a small smile and took a deep breath to compose herself.
Jean started to clear the plates and suggested Lucien take Alice into the living room for a whisky. She knew Alice liked a small tot in the evening, her only vice, she claimed, after all she had given up cigarettes.
'Alice!' Jean called through, 'Where's your suitcase? I've made up the guest room for you.'
'Oh Jean you didn't have to, Lucien said he'd drop me home.' Alice got up and went to see her friend in the kitchen. 'And I would like to ring Frank.' It was true, she was very tired and the thought of not having to do anything but slide into a freshly made bed and have someone make her breakfast in the morning was too good an offer to turn down!
'Nonsense, I won't take no for an answer, you can ring Frank from the study.' Jean grinned. 'Now go and get that case.'
'I'll get it, it's still in the car!' Lucien strode down the hall and went out returning quickly with the bag putting it in the room for her.
'Thank you, you are very kind,' was all that Alice could think of to say, going to make her call.
She turned in shortly after that, realising she was absolutely shattered. The bed looked so inviting, she took her robe out of the case and hung it on the back of the door, undressed, and slid, naked; she'd not needed any nightwear in Melbourne; under the cool sheet. She was asleep in seconds.
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Jean was up early the following day, Evelyn was due to give her a hand with the laundry and she didn't want her disturbing Alice too early. Charlie and Lucien were down next just as Evelyn arrived.
'Evelyn, good morning,' Jean greeted the older woman, 'can you leave the guest room, Dr Harvey is having a bit of a lie in.'
'No she isn't,' Alice's voice came from the kitchen door, 'not when she can smell bacon.'
Alice had slept really well and was ready to start the day. 'Would it be alright if I had a shower, Jean?' She asked.
'Of course, I'm sure Charlie has left enough hot water.' She smiled.
Charlie had learned long ago, when Mattie was still there, that using all the hot water in the morning was not advisable, and even though she had left, he still left enough water for her. He nodded his assent.
Alice headed off to shower and dress, she had a spring in her step, Lucien noticed. He started to set the table for Jean while she went to see to Bobby. Jenny had already been fed and was tucked up in her bassinet for now so she had time to see to breakfast and set Evelyn on the laundry.
Alice joined them for bacon and eggs, toast and tea. She really must ask Jean what her secret was; usually she managed toast and a quick cuppa, and there was only one of her! Well, during the week, anyway.
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Lucien and Alice went to the morgue to continue the autopsies from the previous day. The cause of the deaths was easy, each had died from internal bleeding due to the beatings they had received, but why? That was the question. And it was very frustrating.
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They went back to the Flying Club. What was it that happened that three men should be beaten to death?
First they looked over the area where the men had been found, nothing. Luminol showed the presence of blood residue but there was nothing else. They turned their attention to the plane. Lyle had told Lucien and Charlie that it was a recent acquisition, an American Beechcraft trainer. Not in particularly good condition, so Hugh and Lyle would have to do quite a lot of renovation. Was there something about this aircraft that caused this incident?
Alice climbed into the aircraft. It was small, there wasn't much room to fight in. The seats needed repairing and the interior needed relining in places. Something had happened in here she thought. Turning round she asked Lucien for the Luminol and the light. As she waited she didn't notice a movement behind her, so she was astonished when a hand was slapped across her mouth and she was pulled backwards into the rear of the plane. She struggled, digging her elbows back into someone's abdomen. Whoever it was, gasped and let go, but managed to spin her round and push her to the floor.
'Lu...!' she started to shout, but the man leapt forward and pushed his hand across her mouth again. With his other hand he pushed the point of something into her side.
'If you make another sound...' his didn't need to finish his threat. She nodded as best she could to show she understood and so he'd take his, rather dirty, hand from her face.
'Alice!' Lucien called, he was sure he'd heard her start to call. 'Are you all right?'
Alice's captor whispered, 'Who's that?'
'Dr Blake.'
'Call him in.' His voice was urgent.
She hesitated, until she felt the point push a little harder into her side, she was sure it was a knife of some sort. 'Dr Blake, I need you.' She called. She hoped he'd realise there was something wrong, when would she ever tell Lucien she 'needed' him. Required his assistance, yes, but needed? Never.
Lucien peered warily round the edge of the door, Alice never needed him, there was a problem he was sure, and she had tried to warn him. It was dark in the plane, he could just make out a shadow deep in the body of the plane, but it looked like there was more than one person. He shone the light into the plane, temporarily blinding Alice and whoever else was there.
'Dr Harvey?' He spoke, a low, careful voice.
'Are you a doctor,' the man demanded.
'We both are,' Lucien confirmed, 'do you need one?'
'Got your gear?' The voice was curt, rough and scared, yes, he was scared.
'My bag is in the hanger,' Lucien told him, 'shall I get it?' He had to buy time, whatever was happening he was worried for Alice's safety.
'Go!'
Lucien came back quickly with his bag and climbed into the plane, advancing slowly towards Alice He made eye contact with her, she looked, well, she looked frightened, and that was definitely not good. Alice did not frighten easily!
'What's the problem?' Lucien became the 'country doctor'. The caring member of the community in an effort to calm the situation. But, how had this been missed in the initial search of the area. He'd have to speak to Charlie and Bill; it was unusual for them to miss important signs.
'A bit crook, doc,' the patient said. 'Got done in the fight.'
'Where are you hurt?'
'Leg,' the man said, his tone indicated he was in tremendous pain.
Lucien indicated he would like to examine the wound, but, he would need Dr Harvey to help.
'No! you do it!' he jabbed Alice harder and she gasped,' or she gets it!'
'If you harm Dr Harvey...' Lucien sounded angry, 'We work together.'
The man, lifted the knife that he held against Alice's side and waved Dr Blake forward.
As Lucien moved, the knife went back into Alice's side, causing her to wince, audibly. He hesitated, but kept his focus on the man who held Alice hostage.
'Right,' he squatted down beside the man and proceeded to examine the wound. It was a deep stab wound, covered with a dirty rag. There was obvious infection and severe blood loss, how he'd survived was a mystery.
'Dr Harvey, can you pass me the scalpel, please?' He looked at her, his eyes told her he was confident everything was going to be alright.
She leant forward, and slightly away from the knife, but it followed her. She inhaled deeply and audibly, but she carried on as Lucien had instructed her. As she handed him the scalpel he looked directly at her to reassure her,
'I need to trim this dead tissue, Dr Harvey,' he said and turning to his patient, 'This will hurt.'
'Just get on with it.' The man ordered.
He screamed as Lucien started to work, the pain made him push the knife further into Alice, and as it had already cut through her coat and blouse, it was now cutting into her skin. She winced, any further and he was likely to puncture her lung! Lucien looked up,
'Are you alright?', he handed her the used scalpel, 'I need to clean this wound, is there any water?'
Alice nodded, biting her lip. She looked round and the man nodded in the direction of the pile of papers and boxes behind him. There was a bottle of water lying on the floor. She reached round for it and handed it to the doctor. He tipped some out and added some antiseptic from his bag into it, then he poured it over the wound.
'Bloody hell!' the man shouted, 'what the hell was that?'
'Antiseptic, and I'm going to give you a shot of penicillin too.' Lucien told him evilly.
'What's that for?'
'To stop any infection, or I can just save time and take it off now!' He took a bone saw out of his bag, glad now that he'd forgotten to put it back in the morgue.
'No bloody way!'
'Mind you language, there's a lady present!'
Alice raised an eyebrow, she'd heard worse but knew that Lucien was trying to lighten the situation for her. She could feel blood starting to run down her side from the cut in her skin, and wondered how deep her own wound was.
Lucien turned and rummaged in is bag. Unseen by the patient he loaded a syringe with penicillin and a strong sedative. He hoped to knock him out and then he could tend to Alice before taking this ne'er do well to the police. He turned, and swiftly stabbed him with the needle, injecting the concoction into his upper thigh. Tidying up his things he looked at Alice, who was now in obvious pain and gave her a wide eyed look to try to let her know she'd be alright in a few moments.
The patient started to relax as the sedative took hold, 'What've you done to me?' his voice barely a whisper and slurred.
'Oh just given you a little mixture of drugs, do you good.' Lucien smiled and innocent smile.
Alice felt the knife slip down and heard it clatter to the floor. She breathed a sigh of relief. He was out for the count.
She put her hand over the tear in her coat, wincing as she did so. Lucien helped her towards the front of the plane,
'Let me see.' He whispered, not daring to take the chance of the man hearing even though he was sure he'd given him a high enough dose to knock out a horse!
Carefully, Alice pulled aside her coat and undid her blouse, this was no time to be embarrassed about her colleague seeing her semi naked, and anyway, he was a doctor. Lucien got her to hold the light so he could see properly. the cut was about 2 inches long, but it was the depth he was worried about. He put on fresh gloves and gently probed the wound, apologising when she gasped with pain. Fortunately, the knife had not got as far as the lung.
'It needs stitching,' he said, 'but, if you think you can bear it, I'll just put a dressing on it and do it when I get you to the hospital.'
She nodded, relieved it was no more serious than that. Frank was not going to be pleased when he found out. That's what comes of leaving a team leaderless, she thought. Poor Charlie and Bill were for it, now, if indeed they had missed something. Of course there was a chance the man had been hiding somewhere else in the hanger when they found the other bodies. She felt sympathy for them and really hoped they hadn't made a terrible mistake.
Lucien checked on his patient and decided he had time to get Alice to hospital and arrange for ambulance transport for him. He helped her to the car and settled her in the passenger seat. He drove quickly but carefully back to the town and took Alice into the accident department.
'Sister,' he called to a passing nurse, 'can you arrange for police and ambulance to go to the hanger at the Flying Club and pick up a crim in the back of the plane there. Then I'd like some antiseptic, sutures and a needle, and some penicillin please. Dr Harvey has a small wound that needs stitching.'
'Dr Blake! What's happened?' she asked.
'I'll tell you while you assist me with the suturing,' he waved her away and he took Alice to a couch in a cubicle where he could examine her in private.
The Sister came back quickly with the things he needed and as he gently saw to the cut in Alice's side he explained what had happened. As Alice lay there she noted Lucien had a really gentle touch, although the cut was sore she was not in as much pain as she expected to be. She was embarrassed she had been caught unawares.
'Nice stitching, doctor,' the nurse remarked, 'There'll hardly be a scar when it's fully healed. Has Mrs Beazley been giving you lessons?'
Lucien just smiled and covered the wound with a neat dressing.
'It needs to be kept dry, Alice, for five days.' He smiled, 'Now I'll ask Sister to give you your penicillin while I write up the notes.'
Lucien left the cubicle while the nurse gave Alice her injection, he'd not wanted to embarrass her, penicillin was always given in the thickest muscle, the backside!
When Lucien returned Alice was sitting in a chair with a cup of tea kindly supplied by the Sister. He asked how she was and she admitted she was a little tired, probably from the shock. Lucien offered to drive her home where she could pick up some clothes and nightwear and then he'd take her to his house where she could stay until Frank got back from Melbourne. She didn't want to be a bother, she'd said, but Lucien insisted, or she could argue it out with Jean, it was up to her!
Alice smiled, 'I give in, but you're in trouble when I tell Jean you threatened me with her wrath!'
'No change there, I'm afraid, Alice,' he smiled and offered her his arm.
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Lucien and Alice arrived at his house about an hour later. Jean was surprised to see Alice there but when Lucien told her what had happened and admitted he'd used her as a lever to get Alice to stay, she was horrified and agreed that of course she must stay.
'I'm going down to the station to find out why they missed this.' Lucien announced. 'Don't ring Frank yet, I'll ring him myself when I have more information.' He strode off rather purposely. He didn't want to get Charlie and Bill into trouble, there had to be a good reason why they had missed him.
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Charlie was appalled to hear what had happened and immediately pulled out the file. Nothing in there to indicate that any area had been left out of the search. He suggested that he, Bill and another constable went back, with the doc, to visit the scene again. He had searched the plane and he was adamant there was no one there when he did.
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All four headed into the hanger. Lucien showed Charlie where in the plane Alice had been grabbed by the man.
'I swear, doc, there was absolutely no one here when I searched.' Charlie sounded distressed at the thought he might have missed something that could have led to Dr Harvey being killed.
'Charlie, don't worry. Dr Harvey is fine, sore, but fine.' Lucien said, placing a comforting hand on the sergeant's shoulder. 'He had to be hiding somewhere else. But where?'
'Charlie, doc!' Bill's dulcet tones came through the hanger, 'over here!'
They leapt down from the plane and went over to a dark corner where Bill stood, scratching his head.
'What've you found?'
Bill pointed to a locker, hidden under a curtain. Charlie looked inside and using his torch he could see dried blood around the edges. This had to be the place. So well hidden even an efficient search could easily have overlooked it.
The constable they had taken with them had continued to search the plane to try to work out why the men had been fighting. He noticed a piece of the lining had been glued back. He pulled it and a shower of banknotes fell to the floor.
'Sarge!' he called. 'Think I've found what they fought over.'
Charlie ran over to the plane and examined the cash. There was a bank robbery over in Adelaide two weeks ago, could this be the proceeds?
They put their heads together and decided to take the money back to the station and call Adelaide and inform them of the developments.
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Adelaide confirmed that the amount found matched the money stolen. Hugh and Lyle said they had bought the plane in Adelaide from a private seller. They had no reason to believe there was anything suspect about the plane, but it appeared that the owners, currently lying in the morgue, had decided this was the easiest way to get the money out of the area. Lucien said it was an ingenious way to move the proceeds of a robbery, but greed had taken over and they had fought over the distribution of the money.
Lucien took Charlie home after the evidence had been filed and Melbourne had been informed.
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Alice accepted Charlie's apology,
'There's really no need to apologise, Charlie,' she smiled, 'it wasn't your fault, he was crafty enough to hide when you searched originally.'
'All the same, Dr Harvey,' Charlie said, 'it shouldn't have happened.'
'Dinner!' called Jean. She had heard the conversation and decided that everyone needed feeding and the incident was to be forgotten for now.
'Just going to give Frank a quick heads up,' Lucien called, if he didn't Alice would make her customary evening call and heads would roll!
'Frank,' he said down the receiver, 'just wanted to let you know there's been an incident.' A pause. 'Alice is fine, a crim decided to use her as leverage to get me to attend to his wounds. Alice has a cut on over her ribcage, but it's ok, she's staying here 'til you get back.'
Lucien listened and then, 'Ok, I'll tell her. She may ring you later, but I'm suggesting she rests.'
He went to the kitchen where the others were waiting to eat.
'Frank isn't happy,' he admitted, 'Charlie, don't worry, he understands what happened and is not blaming you or the lads. Alice, you're to stay here 'til he gets back and he send his love. If you want to ring him later, use the study phone. Now Jean, let's eat, I'm starving and I bet everyone else is too!'
The meal was eaten with conversation covering all the day's news. Jean noticed Alice looked pale and tired so as soon as they had finished she suggested that Alice ring Frank while Lucien and Charlie wash up.
Alice was a while talking to Frank, telling him she was alright. Lucien had stitched the wound and taken very good care of her. She agreed to stay there until her husband came back to Ballarat at the weekend.
'Jean,' she wandered back into the living room, 'I'm sorry it was such a long call.'
Jean stood up and went to her, 'That's fine, Alice,' she said, 'Is Frank ok?'
'He's not pleased, he says that's why Ballarat should have a proper station commander.' Alice smiled, Lord she was tired, 'Would you mind if I went to bed, I'm so dreadfully tired?'
'You go on,' Jean went to give her friend a hug, 'And don't feel you have to get up early, have a lie in.'
'Thank you.' Alice went to the guest room, and having put on night clothes fell into bed. Sleep came easily, she was safe after, what was for her, quite a day
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The story continues in 'Pulled'. Well, it involves Frank and Alice and will conclude the stream.
Thank you to all those who have followed this drama. xxx
