Chapter Text
The carnival atmosphere of the fairgrounds looked melancholy as it was being stripped down. Even though Arthur Biggs’s wife was in jail waiting to stand trial for murder, the Biggs Boxing Troupe had contracts to fulfill and was breaking down in order to travel.
Jack had wrapped up some loose ends and was walking to his car when he heard a voice call behind him. “Inspector! Inspector, wait!” He turned and saw Giorgio the Greek jogging towards him. “Inspector, I was wondering if you could do me a favor?” Jack cocked his head to one side, confused at what he could possibly do for the man but said, “How may I help?”
Giorgio smiled brightly reminding Jack of nothing more than a happy puppy and said, “I promised Miss Fisher’s butler that I would give him my grandmother’s recipe for stafidopsomo but I have to make the 8:30 train out of Flanders Street Station for Geelong. Could you pass it on to Miss Fisher next time you see her?”
“Of course, Mr. Andrianakis.” Jack thought for a moment and then mentioned, “I wasn’t aware you knew Mr. Butler.” Jack was sure that Mr. Butler hadn’t come with the red raggers to the boxing match. “Oh, I met him when I went over to give Miss Fisher wrestling lessons.” Jack closed his eyes briefly, assuming that once again Miss Fisher had felt the need for a dalliance. He knew that she had every right to “scratch an itch” but had hoped that they were moving towards a new understanding in their partnership.
“I wasn’t able to show her more than a couple of basic wrestling holds and escapes when you came by and she quickly left. I got dressed in my street clothes and then Mr. Butler and I had tea and discussed Greek cooking. Very nice man.” His expression was completely guileless.
Jack broke into a slight smile and said, “I believe I will be seeing her later today. I’d be happy to pass the recipe along.”
Giorgio thanked him and quickly left to prepare for his trip.
Jack sat in his car and considered all he’d learned. Had Miss Fisher legitimately been getting wrestling tips and, if so, why get them in her bedroom? But, on the other hand, Giorgio had not come across as someone who was admitting to being jilted in the midst of a romantic encounter by the man he had been jilted for. Either way, Phryne Fisher had literally rushed to leave the potential of a dalliance with a young attractive, semi-dressed man in her boudoir to spend time with him.
That knowledge lit him from the inside as he pulled away from the fairgrounds and made his way to Wardlow.