Raisins and almonds - Poisoned Pen Press (UK)
Raisins and almonds - Poisoned Pen Press (UK) Raisins and almonds - Poisoned Pen Press (UK)
Raisins and Almonds 1 ‘So what happened then?’ asked Bert. He was revolted. He had no difficulty with or moral objection to most crime—some of his best friends were criminals, and property was theft after all—but he hated liars, and Black Jack Alderton wasn’t even a very good liar. Didn’t see any harm in it, indeed. Bert wondered if his dive into the bottle had anything to do with the murderous implications of this simple little joke. ‘Why didn’t he just take your dispatch book, then?’ ‘Dunno.’ Mr. Alderton’s face creased. Cec wondered how many brain cells he had left. He was reaching a working estimate—about six—when Bert asked, ‘What did this bloke who liked expensive jokes look like?’ ‘Didn’t see him clear,’ replied Alderton. ‘He had to be about the same size as me, I reckon, or me coat wouldn’t have fitted him. I thought he talked sort of funny. I’d had a few,’ he admitted. ‘That’s why the boss threw me out. They’re always out to do down the honest man.’ ‘Yair,’ said Bert. Cec was impressed with how much scorn Bert could pack into one syllable. ‘Here’s your quid,’ he added, dropping it into Mr. Alderton’s spattered lap. ‘Don’t drink it all at once.’ 999 Phryne dropped Miss Lee at her own house. Dot, possessed of fellow feeling, insisted on the bath being the best available, and the best bath in Melbourne was certainly Miss Fisher’s. The ex-prisoner’s reserve was showing signs of cracking under Dot’s practical sympathy—had she not herself been on the edge of murder when Phryne Fisher had swanned into her life? Dot knew how hard it was to be rescued. Phryne told Dot not to spare the bath salts and to give Miss Lee some clothes if she needed them, and turned the car to Hawthorn, where Jack Robinson’s chemist lived. She had expressed her need for absolute confidentiality to that admirable officer, and he had instantly come up with the name. Dr. Alexander Treasure, analytical chemist, was her man he said. Robinson had said that Treasure had no curiosity at all and
1 Kerry Greenwood had given him the highest recommendations for honour and integrity. Phryne was anxious that Yossi’s formula would not be stolen and patented by someone else. Such things had happened. She did not approve of what he and the others intended to do with the money, and she was still undecided as to whether they had other allies who might have robbed Mrs. Katz and Phryne herself. But it was Yossi’s discovery, made while he could have been doing something which he considered fun rather than slaving over a hot test tube and enduring Mrs. Grossman’s wrath at her burned table. Phryne made a mental note that if anyone connected with this Treasure of a chemist patented anything vaguely resembling Yossi’s compound, she would be very cross and probably litigious. Dr. Treasure lived in a nice house. It was a standard red-brick building which matched its neighbours, even down to the uniform height of the fences and the tree dahlias peering over them. This was a good sign. He did not practice chemistry for money. She rang the bell and presently a young woman with a baby on her hip opened it. She was trying to tuck back her straggling fair hair and button her dress at the front. ‘I have an appointment with Dr. Treasure,’ said Phryne. ‘Oh, yes, Miss Fisher, is it? Come in. We’re a bit at sixes and sevens, my girl hasn’t come in and the baby’s fretting. My husband’s in the lab. This way,’ said Mrs. Treasure, hefting her offspring. It was whining in a way that set Phryne’s teeth on edge. ‘Ssh,’ she said to it. The baby was so surprised it shut up instantly and plugged its mouth with its none-too-clean thumb. The young woman said, ‘I wish you’d teach me how to do that. I can’t do a thing with him. Takes after his father.’ She opened a door. ‘I can’t do a thing with him, either.’ She knocked, then opened the door. Then she grinned ruefully at Phryne as the baby began to cry. ‘Your spell’s worn off,’ she commented and bore the scion of the house away to continue his interrupted feed.
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- Page 217 and 218: To receive a free catalog of Poison
1 Kerry Greenwood<br />
had given him the highest recommendations for honour <strong>and</strong><br />
integrity.<br />
Phryne was anxious that Yossi’s formula would not be stolen<br />
<strong>and</strong> patented by someone else. Such things had happened. She<br />
did not approve of what he <strong>and</strong> the others intended to do with<br />
the money, <strong>and</strong> she was still undecided as to whether they had<br />
other allies who might have robbed Mrs. Katz <strong>and</strong> Phryne herself.<br />
But it was Yossi’s discovery, made while he could have been<br />
doing something which he considered fun rather than slaving<br />
over a hot test tube <strong>and</strong> enduring Mrs. Grossman’s wrath at<br />
her burned table. Phryne made a mental note that if anyone<br />
connected with this Treasure of a chemist patented anything<br />
vaguely resembling Yossi’s compound, she would be very cross<br />
<strong>and</strong> probably litigious.<br />
Dr. Treasure lived in a nice house. It was a st<strong>and</strong>ard red-brick<br />
building which matched its neighbours, even down to the uniform<br />
height of the fences <strong>and</strong> the tree dahlias peering over them.<br />
This was a good sign. He did not practice chemistry for money.<br />
She rang the bell <strong>and</strong> presently a young woman with a baby on<br />
her hip opened it. She was trying to tuck back her straggling<br />
fair hair <strong>and</strong> button her dress at the front.<br />
‘I have an appointment with Dr. Treasure,’ said Phryne.<br />
‘Oh, yes, Miss Fisher, is it? Come in. We’re a bit at sixes <strong>and</strong><br />
sevens, my girl hasn’t come in <strong>and</strong> the baby’s fretting. My husb<strong>and</strong>’s<br />
in the lab. This way,’ said Mrs. Treasure, hefting her offspring. It<br />
was whining in a way that set Phryne’s teeth on edge.<br />
‘Ssh,’ she said to it. The baby was so surprised it shut up<br />
instantly <strong>and</strong> plugged its mouth with its none-too-clean thumb.<br />
The young woman said, ‘I wish you’d teach me how to do that.<br />
I can’t do a thing with him. Takes after his father.’ She opened<br />
a door. ‘I can’t do a thing with him, either.’ She knocked, then<br />
opened the door. Then she grinned ruefully at Phryne as the<br />
baby began to cry.<br />
‘Your spell’s worn off,’ she commented <strong>and</strong> bore the scion of<br />
the house away to continue his interrupted feed.