Raisins and almonds - Poisoned Pen Press (UK)

Raisins and Almonds 1
‘Enough,’ scolded Mrs. Abrahams. ‘We invite an accomplished
lady to dinner and what do we give her? Arguments
about Zionism. She does not wish to hear them. Neither do
I. We talk of other things,’ she declared, and the conversation,
dragged by the neck, was diverted into a discussion of art which
lasted through three courses.
The food was delicious if, as the driver said, foreign. The
entrée was extremely good chicken bouillon, clear and salty. The
roast was a conventional baron of beef, surrounded with crisp
vegetables including roasted pumpkin and rich, garlicky wine
sauce. Dessert was a collation of sliced exotic fruit: pineapple,
mango, banana, pawpaw. Phryne was looking about for cream
when she remembered a laborious chapter in Mr. Goldman’s
book on the concept of kosher and the separation of milk dishes
and flesh dishes, and accepted black coffee without a flicker.
The butler set an ashtray in front of Miss Fisher and she lit
a gasper, complimenting her hostess on an excellent dinner. She
drew in the smoke with pleasure. A really good dinner always
made Phryne feel virtuous and benevolent, prone to love the
whole human race.
The effect, regrettably, wore off fairly quickly.
Mr. Abrahams lit a cigar, leaned back, and asked, ‘And what
has happened with the unfortunate Miss Lee?’
‘I’ve spoken to her, and I’m convinced she didn’t do it.
However, I don’t know who did or why, and until I do Jack
Robinson isn’t going to let his prime suspect go free.’ Phryne ran
through her investigations so far, which had yielded remarkably
little, and said, ‘I need to know what is in those papers, and I
need to know quickly. No one can read the Hebrew letters. Can
you recommend a learned man for me?’
Husband and wife exchanged glances.
‘Yes, well, yes, we know who might be able to read them,
but…he’s a difficult man,’ said Mr. Abrahams carefully, consulting
his wife with a waggle of one eyebrow.