Raisins and almonds - Poisoned Pen Press (UK)

Kerry Greenwood
go to the convenience, and when I got back there was poor Mr.
Michaels and this all happened. Will this help?’ she asked, and
Dot patted her hand.
‘Yes,’ she said with perfect faith. ‘Miss Phryne will find them.’
999
Phryne Fisher had dressed carefully for her encounter with Rabbi
Elijah. She wore a black suit, the straight skirt reaching almost
to her ankles, and a close-fitting black hat. Simon was impressed
at how decorous she looked until she gave him a sensual smile
which disturbed his equanimity.
‘What do I call this rabbi?’
‘He probably won’t speak to you; don’t be too offended,
Phryne. He isn’t supposed to talk to…er….’
‘Shiksas?’
‘Er…yes. Call him Rabbi, if he speaks to you. Also, you
must not touch him, in case you might be ritually unclean.
Menstruating, you know,’ blushed Simon. ‘But you might catch
his interest if you can show him the papers.’
‘I can but try,’ Phryne shrugged and got out of the car.
‘He lives over there—and—what luck, Phryne!’ exclaimed
the young man. ‘There he is, walking along there with all those
children. Oh, no…’ he groaned, as Phryne saw what was happening
and moved without thinking.
A ring of grubby children were dancing around an elderly man
who was standing still, as though they had trapped him in a magic
circle. They looked positively Pixie O’Harris, if you could not hear
what they were saying, thought Phryne, as she crossed the road at
her fastest run and grabbed the biggest assailant by the ear.
‘Yid, yid, yid.’ The chant stopped abruptly.
‘And just what are you doing?’ she snarled at the largest child,
suspending him painfully by the lobe.
‘He’s a yid,’ he protested.
‘Very clever. So he is. Is that a reason for tormenting him?’
‘It’s only what Dad says,’ offered one child, biting her
plait.