DEATH BEFORE WICKET - Poisoned Pen Press (UK)

Chapter Eleven
…the eyes, legs and hands of the middle wicket are
never unoccupied. This situation will furnish lively
employment for an active young gentleman.
—John Nyren, The Young Cricketer’s Tutor
Dot had been staring out of the window at the harbour and
Phryne suspected that she had been crying, but she rose briskly
as Phryne and her visitor came in.
‘No word from the cops, Miss,’ she told Phryne. ‘No news
is good news.’
‘Your mind is about to be relieved. Dot, this is Mrs. Hart,
who needs to deliver a message to you,’ said Phryne, kicking
off her shoes.
‘You look like your sister,’ said Dolly Hart. ‘Joanie gave me
this for you.’
Dot took the folded piece of paper. The outside was grubby
but it opened cleanly. She stared at it, then handed it to Phryne.
In clear copybook script Phryne read, ‘Dot, dear, it’s not what
you think. Look after the little ones for me. I’ll explain later,
your loving sister Joan.’
‘What does it mean?’ asked Dot, immensely relieved at knowing
that her sister was alive. It didn’t matter what Joan had done,