As they alighted from the train a constable approached them at a run.
"Doc," he gasped, "it's Dr Lawson."
"What?"
"Go, Lucien," Jean pushed him forward, "we'll get on home."
"Tell me, constable," he kissed his wife quickly and walked with the young officer and got into the police car. He drove fast, with the sirens.
"Miss Li went over, after school?" he looked at Lucien to confirm this was what should have happened. Lucien nodded.
"Dunno all the details, but she had to call the ambulance …"
Lucien cursed, the one day he was out of town and she had to …
"Do you know if she's had the baby?"
"Boss's over there, now, and Miss Li, apparently she won't leave the doc …"
They arrived at the hospital before Lucien drew his second breath and he almost fell out and tripped and ran up the steps.
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"Dr Lawson?" he glanced at the sister who wordlessly pointed to a room.
"Li!" he burst into the room, "Alice!"
"Shhh, papa," Li whispered and put her finger to her lips.
"Sorry," he was next to her now.
"Lucien," Alice smiled softly, "it's a girl."
"Alice …"
"She's ok, a little fighter," Li smiled, "I delivered her, papa."
"You …?"
"She got to me just as I started to push, not that it took much effort, Isobel was going to be born whether I liked it or not."
"Isobel, eh? How is she?"
"Tiny, but alright, they say. I've barely seen her … I think they forgot I'm her mother." Alice shifted up the bed a little. "Your daughter is incredible, she didn't panic, or run away, she just did everything I told her to do. I'd already called the ambulance, and Matthew …"
"Where is he?"
"Here," a grunt behind him startled him. "Tea, love," Matthew stepped round Lucien and passed Alice a cup of tea, "lemonade for the midwife," he passed Li a glass.
Lucien put his arm round Li and kissed her cheek.
"You should be bloody proud of her," Matthew grumbled.
"I am." He smiled, "I would like to see the little one, though, if that's alright with you two."
"Absolutely," Matthew nodded, "maybe you could persuade the nurses to bring her up here. They've put her in one of those incubator things."
"Did they say how heavy she is?"
"Four pounds, just," Alice sipped her tea.
"And how are you, Alice?" Lucien lifted her wrist and took her pulse.
"Fine, surprisingly well, after all the bother she's put me through."
"Have you tried to feed her, I know she's small but she may be able to suckle."
"I think she's got the idea," Alice nodded, "but I should like to try again, if she's hungry."
Lucien left after persuading the maternity sister to allow Alice to try to feed Isobel again, and after checking the tiny baby over. He pronounced her the sweetest little thing, with a good set of lungs and everything else appearing to be working.
"I'll drop by again tomorrow," he shook Matthew's hand and smiled at Alice, "congratulations to you both."
"Thanks, er, Blake," Matthew grunted, "would you mind if Li was her godmother, she said we should ask you first."
"I have no objection, if she doesn't." He looked at her.
"I'm honoured," she smiled, "I'd love to be her godmother, and I'll do my best for her."
"We know you will," Alice smiled. "Thank you, again, Li, you were wonderful."
Li just smiled and slipped her hand into the crook of her father's arm. "See you soon."
"Oh, Lucien," Alice called after him, "how did you get on today?"
"Seems I'm the father of five, Alice," he grinned, "all done, all official, now."
"Wonderful. Maybe we'll be able to attend the baptisms, now?"
"We'll hold off for a few weeks, until you're out of here," he nodded.
"Thanks," Alice pouted, if Lucien knew her like he thought he did, she would be abseiling out as soon as possible, if not sooner, with Isobel tucked insider her blouse.
They went home to let everyone know about the arrival of Isobel Lawson and congratulate Li on being so cool headed.
"I think I might like to be a midwife, papa," she smiled.
"If you think so, long training, as a nurse first then specialising."
"Alright." She agreed.
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With the adoption set, life went back to the curious kind of normal that only the Blake family understood; at least for a few days. There was the impending arrival of Pierre and Véro, the organising of the baptisms and for Lucien the why of Major Alderton skulking around the town.
He still hadn't approached Lucien directly, but Munro had started dropping mentions of China in to conversations. Lucien told him he preferred to focus on the future and brought him back to the murder they were trying to solve.
"Anyway, what's so important about China?" he frowned.
"Beats me," Munro shrugged, "Major Alderton is after …"
"Yeah, I know, he's asking around. A patient told me, she sent him off with a flea in his ear."
Munro's eyebrows shot up.
"Don't tangle with Miss Agnes Clasby, Inspector," Lucien hummed.
"Ah."
"Now, I've done the autopsy on our chap in the morgue," Blake came back to the case in hand, "just waiting for some blood tests … and a ballistics match."
Munro scowled.
"Some things you have to wait for," Lucien continued, "if you want to get to the truth. Of course if you just want to find the nearest ne-er do well and accuse him, be my guest …" he referred to the times Munro grabbed someone just because they were there, at the scene of the crime, not because there was any evidence they were involved. Matthew managed to sort most of them out, though one or two got a metaphorical clip round the ear because they were habitual petty criminals and got caught in the wrong place and were hampering the current investigation.
"I'll investigate the case, Blake," Munro huffed, "you do your thing, I'll do mine."
"I will tell you this, though, I knew him. He was a corporal in the same camp we were in. Inoffensive little fella, I set his broken legs."
"Oh," Munro looked thoughtful.
"There is no way I would shoot Corporal Ennis, he was a good man." Lucien looked sad.
"Right. I'll consider that an interview then, shall I?"
Lucien nodded.
"Right, well in that case I have to go and pick my uncle and aunt up from the station," he turned to go, "they've come a long way to meet the younger members of the family."
"Oh, how far?"
"France. My mother's brother and his wife." Lucien could see the disappointment on his face that it wasn't some Chinese relative – that only Li would have and as far as he knew none of Mei Lin's family had survived.
Munro watched him saunter off, hands in his pockets and whistling.
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Lucien couldn't have missed Pierre if he'd tried; standing well over the other passengers with his shock or red-gold hair and bushy beard now showing signs of grey he waved at his nephew. Lucien waved back and went over to meet them.
They uttered their greetings in French and Lucien helped take their cases to the car.
"You are looking well, my boy," Pierre grinned, "fatherhood suits you."
"It does, Uncle," Lucien agreed, "you should see Jean, she is thriving on it."
"And the little orphans?" Véro touched his arm.
"No longer orphans, Tante Véro," he grinned, "we have formally adopted them."
"Merveilleux!" she laughed, "Genevieve said you would do so, if you could. And they are settled?"
"Jacob knows no difference, Millie, well she has adapted well so far. She calls Jean 'maman' and me 'papa' as do Peter and Li; of course you have to meet Li, too."
"Ah oui," she nodded, "from your first marriage. She is well?"
"She is very well," he grinned, "you know, last week she helped a friend of ours give birth. It's a long story, but our friend had had some troubles and Li went round after school while we were in court. Alice, our friend, was in the process of giving birth, she couldn't stop it, and Li did everything Alice told her."
"This Alice," Véro mused, "she is the doctor friend Genevieve talks about, in her letters?"
"Yes. She is married to my oldest friend here, in Ballarat … ah, here we are," he pulled up outside the hotel. "This is where you will stay while you are here, sadly we do not have room in our home," he pouted, "but I'm sure you will find the hotel comfortable. When you want to come over to us, they will order a taxi for you."
"Bien, so kind," she smiled.
"And I have orders that you join us for dinner tonight, later."
"Oh, but Jean, she has so much work to do," Véro gasped.
"She insists, I don't argue," he shrugged. "I think it will be father that will come and collect you, tonight."
"You help Jean?"
"Of course," he smiled, "now, let's get you booked in."
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Lucien left his aunt and uncle to freshen up and settle in. The receptionist had shown them round the hotel, where the dining room was for breakfast and other meals, asked if there was anything in particular they would want to eat and showed them the breakfast menu.
Pierre took her hands and smiled; through Lucien he told her that the menu was fine, they had travelled through quite a few countries and tried all manner of dishes, as long as there was good strong coffee all would be well.
She smiled, in spite of his size he seemed a gentle soul.
"How strong do they need the coffee?" she whispered to Lucien.
"Twice the strength you normally do," he hissed back, "that should do it, warm the milk as well."
"Thanks, Dr Blake, we'll do our best."
"I know you will, father will pick them up for dinner, tonight, around five to meet the rest of the family."
"Right, oh, Dr Blake …"
"Yes?"
"Mum says to tell you that the tea you sent over works wonders at night."
"Good, let me know if she runs out, but I could show you how to make your own version – if you have mint growing in the garden?"
"We do, she usually makes it into mint sauce."
"Hang it up, somewhere cool and dry and let it dry out. Store it in an airtight tin and add it to her normal tea."
"We'll give it a go, thanks," she smiled.
"My pleasure, I'm glad it helped."
Little things like helping someone with persistent heartburn made his job worthwhile.
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Major Alderton watched as Lucien left the hotel. His sergeant had watched them return from Melbourne the day they adopted the children and reported back that he could identify the second Mrs Blake, and had taken note of other members of the family. He'd also reported that there was a copper he recognised from the local force, though he had been out of uniform; they had both wondered why there would be a copper on what appeared to be a family day out. He had assumed that the older couple were Dr and Mrs Blake, senior, but he couldn't name the attractive woman who was also with the party.
"Blake had a sister," Alderton had hummed, "think it might be her?"
"She had a look of the older woman about her, and similar colouring to that of the younger Blake," the sergeant agreed.
"She may be a way to get to Blake, to persuade him to rejoin our unit," Alderton frowned, "our new unit, that is."
"Sir," the sergeant nodded.
"Find out where she lives, or works."
He wrote his instructions in his little notebook and had left to find out what he could about Miss Blake.
He found out where she lived, who she saw and where her office was. Alderton told him to go to her after she had closed her office on the Monday.
"She will be tired," he hummed, "easy to wear down. Find out if her brother has any contacts in China."
The sergeant didn't think a mere woman would be any trouble to a trained soldier, but he always followed orders.
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It had been a lovely Sunday evening; the whole family together. Véro teased Vivi about this boyfriend she had, this suitor. Vivi was glad, for Bill's sake, that he was on nights for the next week and took the teasing in good part. She did look forward to introducing him, in the fullness of time but for now he would stay away. If he was on nights they stayed apart, he needed to sleep during the day and she needed to sleep at night – it made sense, for the time being.
Pierre and Véro admired the children and showered them with gifts they had brought over. Language was not a problem, the children communicated through hugs and kisses and there was much laughter as everyone negotiated the food on the table and sat around eating and drinking. They admired the way Jean kept everyone's plates filled and seemed to move around their guests with practiced ease.
Véro watched Jean put the babies to bed, settle them in their cots and kiss them goodnight.
"Remarquable," she hummed.
"Pardon?" Jean turned.
Véro waved her hands over the babies, "remarquable, you."
Jean smiled, "I just do what a mother does," she started to tiptoe out of the room, "at least I hope so."
"Dormez bien?" she watched Jean pull the door to, "les enfants?"
"Hm?" Jean thought for a moment, "oh, yes, oui."
Vivi had left shortly after Millie and Peter had been put to bed. She had thanked them for the meal, hugged her uncle and aunt and said how lovely it was to see them. She would see them during the week.
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The bungalow was quiet as she entered after a quiet day at her office. She kicked off her shoes and dropped her keys into the tray on the hall table. There had been a little post in the box, nothing of note and nothing suspect so she thought a small whisky and reading her post was all she would plan for the evening. Then a relaxing bath, a book and bed.
She poured her drink and took the post to the living room when there was a knock at the door.
"Who is it?" she asked before opening it.
"Open the door, Miss Blake," the voice was commanding but she didn't recognise it.
"Who are you?" she turned the key in the lock but as it clicked it was kicked in. A hand grabbed her round the throat and propelled her back into the hall. He was tall, and wore a sergeant's uniform – she thought she might have seen him round town with a Major.
"Who are your brother's contacts in China?" he glared.
"No one," she grunted, his grip was just tight enough to keep her from struggling but not tight enough to stop her talking.
"Who does he know in China?"
"No one." Even if he had contacts in China, which he didn't, he wouldn't have told her, to keep her safe.
"Call him," he released his hand from her throat and gripped her burnt shoulder. She winced but he took no notice. He pushed her towards the phone and picked up the receiver. "Call him, ask him to come here."
Vivi looked at him, hastily forming a way to alert her brother to the trouble she seemed to be in. She had no doubt that if she didn't do as asked he would likely as not throttle her where she stood. She dialled the number and waited.
"Jean, can I speak to Lucien, please?"
She waited.
"Lucien, it's Vivienne …" Vivienne was her 'Sunday name' the one only used when she was in trouble, she hoped he would catch on. "Bill's on night duty and there's a huge spider in my kitchen."
"Yes," she confirmed it was a huntsman spider, but she hated them whatever size they were.
She was about to answer a question when the soldier grabbed the receiver and slammed it down.
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"Li!" Lucien called through the house.
"Papa?"
"Aunt Vivi's in trouble, we may need your specific help, but let me get my revolver first."
"Lucien?" Jean's eyes widened.
"I'll deal with it, Jean, lock the door after we've gone."
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"Vivienne!" he called through the house, noting the broken lock on the door. He motioned to Li to stay behind him as they almost crept through to the living room. The soldier had Vivi by the throat again she looked terrified.
"What do you want, sergeant?" Lucien asked. "Whatever it is I would be grateful if you would let my sister go."
"Your contacts in China," he dropped Vivi to the ground and grabbed at Lucien, catching him round the throat.
Li ran round him to check on Vivi.
"I'm alright," she whispered rubbing her throat and pointing to the drink she had poured. Li handed it to her and let her swallow it. She could see it was uncomfortable. "See to your father," she continued.
"I haven't got any contacts in China," he grunted.
Li stood up and went over to the soldier. She took his hand as if to calm him and looked into his eyes.
"Let go of papa, please," she hummed, turning his hand over in hers.
"Uh," he grunted and tightened his hold on Lucien.
"Oh, well, in that case …" she did something to his fingers that cause him to call out in pain and let go of Lucien, twisted his arm and her body and he found himself staring up at the ceiling. "I did ask nicely," she smiled sweetly.
Lucien rolled him over onto his front and pulled his arms behind him. "Ring the police, Li, tell them Vivi has had an intruder."
"I suggest you stay there, Sergeant," he hummed, "I can't be sure what else Li learnt in that orphanage during the war. Name?"
"Sergeant Robert Hannam," he grunted and opened his mouth to continue.
"Don't bother, I don't want to know your service number, but I do want to know who sent you and why you think I have contacts in China."
"The police are on their way, papa," Li smiled.
"Lovely, why don't you go and sit with your aunt, eh?"
"Ok," she smiled. No one would ever know she had just floored a man a little larger than her father. Sergeant Hannam was taller by a couple of inches but size had no impact on her ability to toss her opponent.
Vivi was sitting on the couch, still shaking from her ordeal.
"Aunt Vivi?" Li touched her hand. "It's ok, he won't hurt you again."
Vivi turned and gave her a watery smile, she had wanted to see Li toss Lucien, this was not the way she wanted to see her niece's talent – or one of them.
"Are you hurt anywhere else?" Li murmured, the red marks on her throat quite livid.
"My shoulder," she whispered, "I think he bruised it."
"Papa will have a look, when the police have taken him away." Li soothed.
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Nobody in the station was surprised when Bill ran out of the office as soon as the call came in that Miss Blake had been attacked. He was followed by a constable and they drove at speed to her bungalow.
"Miss Blake!" he called into the house, making a side note that the door needed fixing.
"Here, Bill!" Lucien called from where he was still kneeling on Hannam's back. "Vivi's alright, bruising to her throat, but I'll have a look at her once you've dealt with him. Sergeant Robert Hannam."
Bill and the constable hauled Hannam up and secured his arms with handcuffs.
"You did well, here, doc," Bill hummed.
"Me? No, this was Li, you've heard she can throw me?"
Bill whistled, "wish I'd seen it."
"Gotta admit it was impressive."
"Right, we'll get him down to the station then I'll come back and see if I can do anything with the door, unless …" he looked at Lucien.
"Not a chance, Bill, useless, you ask Jean," he laughed.
"Right, I'll be back."
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Lucien took a look at Vivi's throat and checked her neck for any signs of injury.
"Shoulder," she whispered.
"Li, would you go and find the salve. It should be in the bathroom cabinet." He looked at Vivi to confirm this. She nodded.
"Let's have a look, shall we?" he let her unbutton her blouse and examined the clear thumb and finger bruises over the scars. "Ah, yes …"
"Papa?" Li passed the pot of salve he made up for his sister, "is this it?"
"Lovely," he noticed Li was looking over Vivi's head, knowing she kept the burns covered.
"Shall I make some tea?"
"That would be lovely," Lucien agreed. "We'll stay until Bill comes to fix the door."
"Why don't you come and stay with us, Aunt Vivi, your room is free."
"Your mother has enough to do," Vivi shook her head, "I'll be alright once the door is fixed."
"I don't believe Hannam acted of his own accord," Lucien smoothed the salve on her bruises, "he would be acting under orders from a superior officer."
"The major who's been asking about you?" she shrugged her blouse back on.
"Likely," he agreed. "I think it is about time I spoke to Alderton myself, his assumption that I have communist connections, for that is what he believes, is wrong but I think there is more to it than that. I won't have my family targeted like this. Alderton should have come to me in the first place, if he's trying to keep everything quiet, use subterfuge he's making quite a mess of it."
They were drinking tea when Bill arrived back with the things he would need to repair the door.
"This is very good of you, Bill," Lucien watched him fiddle and loosen and tighten screws then test the door.
"Not gonna get anyone out at this time if night," he muttered, "and Vivi can't spend the night with the door open, even if it is a secluded neighbourhood."
"Hmm, what did Hannam say?"
"Nothing, quoted his name, unit and serial number, but wouldn't say anything else. Munro's going to get Alderton in in the morning, Hannam's spending the night in the cells."
"I'd like to be in on the interview with Alderton," Lucien hummed. "Soldier to soldier."
"I'll let him know. This'll hold, now," Bill closed the door. "Vivi staying here?"
"Yeah, I think so," Lucien nodded. "I don't think she'll get any more visitors, tonight."
"No. I'd stay, but …"
"… Munro won't let you guard her."
"No, but I can patrol round here frequently," Bill frowned.
"I'll be alright," Vivi smiled at Bill, "I'll lock the door."
He leant close, "shall I let myself in?"
"Checking up on me?" she smiled.
"Jus' seeing the citizens are safe, ma'am, doin' my job," he winked.
"Silly," she touched his chest, "yes please."
He kissed her forehead and left her with her brother and niece.
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Lucien and Li left after making sure Vivi was comfortable and felt safe. She didn't feel hungry, not now, so made do with a slice of toast. She doubted she would sleep if she went to bed, every noise had her jumping so she put on the radio and took a book from the shelves. She would read, or try to, then go to bed to rest if not to sleep.
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Down at the station, Hannam was put in a cell and told his superior officer would be down in the morning to decide his fate. Hannam didn't seem worried even though he had failed to get the information out of Blake that Alderton wanted.
Munro had called the barracks and got Alderton out of bed. He hadn't seemed too concerned about Hannam's behaviour but agreed that attacking young women was not the act of a respectable soldier.
"Keep him locked up there," he grumbled, "I'll come down in the morning."
"Inspector Lawson will be on duty," Munro frowned, he still wondered what Alderton was up to, his only problem with Dr Blake was his constant interference in investigations.
"Right, good man, is he?"
"Yes," he couldn't say any else.
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Alderton lay in his bed and wondered what other ways he could use to get to Blake. Getting him on spying charges was going to be difficult, but he needed to humiliate him, drag his name through the mud but everyone he had spoken to in Ballarat seemed to regard the man as near to God; even Munro afforded him grudging respect. It had taken him too long to clear his own name of spying charges after they left the camp. The only person with the brains in that place to work out why he stopped attempting to escape and seemed to avoid most of the punishments meted out by the guards was Lucien Blake and he had to see he paid for telling those higher ranked than himself. He'd narrowly avoided a dishonourable discharge and a demotion but was relegated to a less interesting desk job and it was all Blake's fault. Asking about his contacts in China was just a way to rattle him, rattle him enough to agree to join a unit he was getting together – spying on communists. Nobody had authorised him to do this, he was the last person they would call on for espionage, he had decided it himself and pulled Hannam along with him. He'd met Hannam in the barracks, in the offices doing much the same as him – pushing papers. Hannam was bored, what the Major offered was more exciting.
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Contrary to what Alderton believed about Lucien, he hadn't been the one to inform on him, he had only just worked out why Alderton stopped his escape attempts and it wasn't the last disastrous effort. Blake hadn't given it much thought until Alderton showed up and started asking questions, he preferred to put that part of his life out of his mind as best as he could.
He told Jean what had happened to Vivi and assured her she would be alright, that Bill planned to patrol round that area for the rest of his shift.
"I expect he will stop by at the end of his shift," he mused, "maybe sit with her for a while."
"Hm," she frowned. "Should I pop up, do you think, in the morning?"
"I don't think so," he shook his head, "I did hear him mutter about letting himself in – he may have his own key …"
"Ah, yes, right."
"We all know, Jean, about her and Bill, and if he makes her happy then I am happy. I know it's not something you would do, but Vivi has always forged her own way. You once wondered if she had ever been serious about someone," he slipped his arm round her shoulders, "I believe she was, once upon a time, but she got hurt. There are things she put in letters to me, some time ago, that made me think something happened – since then she's not got close to anyone – well, not until now. If Bill is that person, the one who sees past the scars, then he is welcome, and I know he'll keep her safe."
"You're right, Lucien," she sighed, "and I've known for a long time that Vivi is the complete opposite to me, perhaps that's why we get along so well, and yes, Bill is a good man."
"Now all I've got to work out why the heck Alderton is going on about contacts in China." He leant against the wall and folded his arms.
"What did you do to him?"
"Nothing, as far as I know. I put him back together after the last escape attempt, he didn't want me to, as you know."
"Jealousy?"
"Of what?"
"You are the better man, Lucien," she smiled. "Maybe he is jealous of what you had, and what you have now. You had a wife and child, he is unmarried, yes?"
"Never married, never seen him with a woman at all, married to the regiment?"
"Or …" she frowned, "maybe he wanted Mei Lin and you beat him to it. Li did say he smiled at her a lot."
"And Li did remind me that she was six," he shrugged, "no, I don't think it was that, no I think it was something that happened in the camp."
"Really?"
He nodded, "I've given it a lot of thought, recently, especially after doing Corporal Ennis' autopsy. You see, I think Alderton spied on me in the camp, I think he was the one who informed on me when I was caught with the tin of fruit – he watched me, he watched me a lot. I was too busy to give him much time, the sick and wounded needed me more than he did, and I was the only one that gave Ennis the time of day, because most thought he would give in to the guards at the first opportunity, so they largely ignored him. There was a red cross parcel, bandages and medical supplies, that turned up outside my hut. Alderton watched me as I opened it, I wondered if it was him that got it to me."
"But how?"
"If I go over the time from his last escape attempt all I see are more men being flogged or beaten, but not him, never him …"
"You think he was spying for the Japanese?"
"It all makes sense, they would offer him immunity if he informed on soldiers."
"Doing what?!" she gasped.
"Anything, nothing … brewing alcohol from rice, making their own tobacco, trading one thing for another, not that we had much to trade, whispering … faking illness to get out of working …" he paced the hallway. "Jean," he turned, "I just don't know, it doesn't make any sense."
"And Corporal Ennis?"
"Shot, for no apparent reason, I can't find anyone that has a bad word to say about him, not now, they all know he was just a cog in the wheel, a quiet, inoffensive little man who never did anyone any harm."
"Did he have any family?"
"Yeah, a wife, no children. She is just as quiet and inoffensive as he was."
"Have you seen her, since …" she waved her hand in the air.
He nodded, "she thanked me for being kind to him, in the camp. I shall attend his funeral, for her."
"Shall I come to? I didn't know him, but …"
"I think she'd like that, love." He smiled softly.
"Tell me when?"
"His body has released, she said she'd let me know the date."
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Alderton and Blake met up at the station.
"I need to know who your contacts are," Alderton hissed without preamble.
"Mei Lin and her family died in the war, Derek," Lucien sighed, "I have no contacts, Li has no family over there. I don't know what you want, but while you are searching leave my family alone. I won't have my sister threatened by your hired thug …"
"Sergeant Hannam may have overstepped, but he was just doing his job," Alderton dragged him into a side room. "You have information I want, and I will get it, come hell or high water."
"I have no information of interest to you," Lucien snarled, "I am a country doctor, living with my family, and trying to keep my patients in good health. Go away, Derek, nobody wants you here."
Alderton reached out and grabbed him by his jacket front, pushed him up against the wall and growled at him. "Tell me, Blake, tell me who you know or it will not go well for you, or your family."
Lucien may not be as good as his daughter when it came to disarming his opponent but he was good enough to strike Alderton's hand away, turn him around and kick him behind his knee, forcing him to the floor. "Do not threaten my family, Major," he grunted in his ear, "you will not come out of it well."
"Women and children," Alderton sneered.
"You'd be surprised what my daughter can do, ask Hannam," Lucien gave one last shove and stepped over him. He adjusted his shirt and tie, smoothed down his jacket and left.
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Lucien went home and told Jean and his mother that if they wanted to go out into town they were to go en masse.
"Alderton is not going to curtail your freedom," he huffed, "but I would rather you were out as a group, maybe take Pierre with you, he should scare him off." He gave a little smirk, "of course, if Li happens to be around …"
"Right," Jean straightened her back, "there are enough people around who know us, Lucien, I could always enlist Agnes …" she gave a cheeky grin.
"Now, if anyone knows communists it'll be her. She spent time in Russia you know."
"Really? Well, I'm sure she's quite safe to know."
"Yeah," he grinned. "Now, I've seen Mrs Ennis and the funeral is in two days' time, she is touched that you would attend, Jean."
"Only seems right," Jean shrugged.
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Alderton kept a very low profile for the next few days; he had had Hannam released into his care and taken him back to the barracks. Hannam, like the good soldier he was, told Alderton exactly what had happened to him at Miss Blake's home with embarrassment, being bested by a teenager.
"She's one to watch," Alderton paced the floor of his office, "maybe she's the contact."
"She's a kid, sir," Hannam gasped.
"Children have been used for years, Sergeant," he stopped and turned, "perhaps we should speak to her."
"Sir, really?"
"Really, but I'll do it, as you seem to be afraid – of a child." He strolled around the room wondering how to get to speak to Li. Perhaps he should speak to her in front of her father, maybe threaten Blake, or … no … threaten her step-mother. Yes, that was it, he would threaten Jean Blake.
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Jean had decided that Li should be driven to and from school until Alderton was out of the way.
At Ennis' funeral his widow had passed Lucien an envelope.
"He said I was to give this to you if he died in strange circumstances."
Lucien said nothing, just slipped it in his inside jacket pocket and said he would read it later.
He had, and what he read made his heart jump.
Ennis had written that he had informed top brass that Alderton was spying on his fellow captives for the Japanese. He detailed all the times captives had been beaten, flogged, cut and executed for minor infractions of camp rules. He had also explained as best he could, that he seemed to target Major Blake and he had borne the brunt of the Japanese anger. He couldn't say why he had his eye on Blake, but he did. Brass had taken Alderton in and grilled him endlessly about his time, his campmates, and his captors. Truthfully they had got little out of him but had taken him off active duty and put him on desk duty for the foreseeable future. Which would have been fine if he had stayed in Adelaide, but when he was transferred to Ballarat Ennis knew his life was likely in danger, so he had written it all down and told his wife that if anything happened to him she was to hand it to Dr Blake.
Lucien still didn't know what he had done to upset Derek, he'd tended to his wounds as efficiently as he tended to Ennis' or anyone else's – surely it didn't boil down to jealousy of Mei Lin as Jean had suggested? That would be idiotic. He began to think Alderton wanted him to give a name of a contact and then accuse him of being in league with communist insurgents – that was completely insane, in his eyes. Still, he insisted the family went out in groups and agreed with Jean that Li should be chauffeured to and from school until Alderton left – whichever way that was going to be.
He had phone calls to make.
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Jean stood waiting for Li, exchanging a few pleasantries with other parents; not as many as when she had started, but as they grew the children tended to make their own ways home unless they were going to the dentist, or the doctor's or … well anywhere they needed a parent's eye … or purse.
As usual Li dawdled out of school, talking to her friends, maybe making arrangements to meet them at the weekend, but she was one of the last ones out and most of the other parents had left. She waved and felt a body press up against her back. She knew it wasn't Lucien, Lucien wouldn't do that when their lives may be in danger.
"Keep waving, Jean," he murmured in her ear.
"That's Mrs Blake, to you, Major Alderton," she kept her cool.
"I need to talk to your step-daughter."
"Why?"
"She may have contacts."
Jean didn't move, she wanted to turn round and slap him across the face but she remained facing forward.
"She's a child, Major, the only contacts she has are to her friends and family."
"That's what she has told you."
"Oh really, Major," she huffed, "I've known Li since she was eleven …"
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As she walked over to Jean, Li could see someone standing behind her. As she got closer she could see it was a man, in uniform, and he was very close. She sighed, hadn't Sergeant Hannam told the other soldiers she was not to be trifled with when it came to family. She carried on, seeing as Jean was still waving and apparently happy. Except once Jean had waved to alert her to where she was she would drop her arm and wait.
"Mum," she smiled.
"This is Major Alderton, Li," Jean didn't return her normal greeting of a hug.
"And to what do I owe this pleasure, Major?" Li smiled sweetly and put her bag on the ground.
"Your contacts, Li," he stepped to one side of Jean, easier to grab her, he thought.
"That would be Miss Blake, to you, Major, as we haven't been formally introduced."
Jean wanted to laugh at her cool demeanour.
Li held out her hand, "I would say it's a pleasure, but I'm not sure it is," she smiled.
Alderton took her hand automatically … and found himself winded and gazing up at a clear blue sky with a cloud that looked like a fluffy elephant.
"Didn't Sergeant Hannam tell you about me, Major?" she looked down on him and Jean placed her heel in the middle of his chest. "How remiss of him."
One of the teachers, checking that all the students had left, had seen Li toss Alderton and came running.
"Oh, Mr Howarth," Jean smiled, "would you be so good as to call the police and tell them Major Alderton has attacked myself and Li?"
"Er?" he scratched his head. "yes … yes," he turned, "be right back."
Alderton tried to shift.
"I wouldn't, Major," Jean hummed, "if I lose my balance I should imagine my heel would go right through your chest."
Li put her foot on his upper arm, by the shoulder joint.
Jean and Li passed the time discussing the days happenings; Li's lessons, Pierre's trip with Lucien to the club, Véro's trip with Jean and the children to the market.
"And how did that go?" Li leant a little harder on Alderton's shoulder, "didn't grandmama go with you?"
Alderton looked from one to the other, thinking he could roll out from under their feet. As he lifted one shoulder, the one Li didn't have her foot on, Jean pressed harder with her heel.
"Now, now, Major," she chided, "that's not a good idea, is it?"
He reached with his free hand for her ankle, she dropped to her knee on his chest and grabbed his wrist. "Don't," she growled.
He tried again, tried to use his legs to gain enough momentum to throw them both off.
"Oh, really, Major," Jean shook her head and tapped her toes down onto his genitals, he winced.
She leant right down to whisper in his ear, "do that again and I'll kick you so hard you'll be singing soprano for the rest of your unnatural life."
"This is all getting a bit boring, mum," Li sighed, "I do wish he'd stop bothering us and sending men to hurt our family."
"I'm sure the army will deal with him, dear, your father has some interesting documents to hand over that tell us a lot about the Major's misplaced loyalties in the camp."
Alderton looked from one to the other; it was just as if they were having a conversation over tea.
"Do you think it will be the Inspector, mum?" Li asked, "or maybe Sergeant Hobart?"
"And your father," she added.
"Oh yes, I do think papa ought to be here," she nodded.
"I do hope they won't be too much longer, I have dinner to get on, your aunt is coming over tonight."
"Oh, lovely, I'm so glad Sergeant Hannam didn't do her any permanent harm, but it wasn't very gentlemanly. I thought there was a code of conduct around ladies, mum, do you think the sergeant and the Major here have forgotten it?"
"Undoubtably, dear." Jean agreed, "ah, I do believe I hear the sirens."
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Matthew, Bill and a couple of other constables came running over closely followed by Lucien who had been driven down from the house by another constable. Jean didn't know who was most relieved, her and Li, or Alderton who was lying there thinking they were quite mad. He was hauled up and handcuffed.
"Court-martial for you, Alderton," Lucien put his arms round his wife and daughter, "I have documents in my possession that tell the authorities it's not me they should be worried about. And, for your information, it wasn't me that informed on you to top brass, it was Corporal Ennis. Remember him, inoffensive, quiet; quite the little spy in the camp – for me. Not that I knew it, he kept it all to himself until he was released with the rest of us. You see, Derek, most thought he was a weak little man who would fold under the slightest pressure, but for the right person he had a spine of steel. Never judge a book by its cover, Derek, as Li has shown you. Now, I should like your service revolver to finish my tests and conclude our investigation into his murder."
Bill reached into Alderton's holster and handed the weapon to Blake, wondering why he hadn't threatened Jean with it.
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Lucien thanked the constable for the lift down and watched them leave.
"Well, ladies," he smiled at them, "shall we go home?"
"Please," Jean handed him the car keys, feeling a little weak at the knees.
"Alderton seemed confused," he hummed.
Li giggled, "I think he thinks we're quite bonkers, papa," she slipped into the back seat, "we talked about the things we talk about at home, getting dinner ready, Aunt Vivi, school … you know … oh, and mum threatened to kick him so hard he'd be singing soprano for the rest of his, um, unnatural life."
He laughed, "quite off putting," he agreed, "maybe you should both go into espionage."
"Is that what he does?"
"No, he's a paper pusher. I spoke to his senior officer, he'd been put in the offices because, apart from Ennis' information, they couldn't pin him down. They don't trust him but had no idea what he was doing here."
"So, what's all this about communist contacts?" Jean frowned.
"Blowed if I know, you might have been right, love, when you suggested he was jealous because I got Mei Lin and he didn't. Who knows, only him." He pulled up on the drive. "What's for dinner?"
"Baked ham, but it might be a little later than usual," she sighed.
"I'll help you, mum," Li smiled.
"Thanks, love."
