‘Listen up! PJ, out of the office!’
PJ emergered from the office and sat down.
‘Now, we are starting on a new regime, instigated by the Inspector.’
He watched Jack, Jo and Lucy send each other worried looks.
‘We are to be more friendly with the community. Participate as people as well as
cops. Starting today. There is a party to celebrate Australia Day at the football field.
You will all attend.’
‘Are you letting us off early Boss?’ Jo asked.
‘Don’t let it go to your head Parrish,’ Tom answered. ‘Now get out of here, all of
you.’
Lucy and Jo looked at each other and shrugged and went to the locker rooms.

Jo's hand was encircled in Jack's as they walked into the footy field. He smiled down
at her.
Lucy gagged as she walked up beside them. Tess walked over.
'The boss wanted me to tell you that he has a new case for you all. There is a guy in
town who thinks he's a genie and can grant wishes.'
Lucy looked at Jo and smiled. She started humming the beginning of the "I Dream of
Jeannie"theme. Jo grinned and finished it off.
Tess rolled her eyes. 'Just keep an eye out okay?' She stalked off before they could
reply.
Lucy shrugged her shoulders. Just then, they heard screaming.
'You barbarian!' a woman yelled.
A man, dressed rather oddly sighed and tapped his foot. Lucy, Jo and Jack ran over.
'What's going on?' Jo asked.
'That man! He cut off my husbands...my husbands...'
'Netheredge,' the man replied calmly. 'And it wasn't me.'
'Let's go to the station,' Lucy sighed.

'Okay, so you're occupation is...?' Jo asked the man.
'A genie.'
Lucy held back her laughter.
'Right. Now, this woman claims you cut off her husbands genitals.'
'I most certainly did not!'
'Then how come she thinks you did?' Lucy asked him.
'One of her wishes was, that her husband would never again be able to sleep around. I
just granted it. But there was no cutting.'
'So how do you explain this?'
'You're veyr sceptical ladies. I am a genie you know.'
'So you live in a bottle?' Lucy asked.
'Correct. It's a very comfortable place.'
Jo sighed.

'So, you found this genie.'
'Correct.'
'And you wished that your husband would never sleep around again.'
'Correct.'
'And then you woke up beside him this morning and it had been chopped off.'
'Yes. Just hacked like a piece of meat!'
Lucy and Jo looked slightly disgusted.

'So what's the situation?' Tom asked.
'This man believes he is a genie and this woman believes that he hacked her
husbands....'
Tom put a hand up. 'Thanks. The name of this supposed genie?'
'He tried to give us his fourteenth century English name.'
Tom put his head in his hands. 'Just find out who hacked this guys... you know.'

Jo, Jack, Lucy, Jacob, Ben, Tess and PJ sat around the table at the Imperial. Tom had
gone home, pleading a headache and the rest sat around discussing the case.
'So this woman, believes in genies?' Jacob asked.
'Yep,' Tess replied, downing her wine.
Jacob raised an eyebrow.
'Don't ask,' Lucy told him.
'I don't think I want to,' Jacob answered.
At that moment, a woman walked into the pub. She was wearing jeans and a shirt and
her brown hair was in a short ponytail. She smiled at Chris. 'Ciao.'
Chris whirled around. 'Isabella! You're home.'
PJ's head popped up as he heard that name. The other's at the table shared some looks.
'Yes I am back,' the lady replied, with a strong Italian accent. 'I felt it was time for me
and Alexander to come home.'
'Good. We've missed you around here.'
PJ felt that was the time to make his presence known. 'Izzy?'
The lady smiled at him. 'PJ. You look wonderful.'
They embraced.
Lucy raised an eyebrow.
'I'm glad you're back,' PJ smiled at her.
'Me too,' she replied softly. 'I'm sorry about your girlfriend. Chris rang me. I tried to
come but then I thought it would be better if I didn't.'
'It's okay,' PJ replied. 'How's Alexander?'
'He's wonderful. He's six in two weeks. Would you like to see him? He's waiting in the
car.'
'Oh Isabella, bring him in,' Chris grinned.
PJ nodded.
Isabella left and came back in with a small boy. He looked a lot like his mother and
he smiled when he saw PJ.
'Mr Detective PJ?' he asked, sticking out his hand. 'Mama told me all about you.'
The others at the table tried to stop themselves from laughing.
PJ shook the boys hand. 'Pleased to meet you Alexander.'
Alexander smiled. 'Mama? Dinner?'
Isabella smiled. 'Sei darling. Chris, you still serving dinner?'
Chris nodded. 'Through the lounge. Pick a dinner.'
Isabella turned to PJ. 'Would you like to join us?'
'Sure,' PJ replied.

pt2

'Chris? Who's she?' Ben asked.
'Gee, you're all so polite. That's Isabella Di Francesca and her son Alexander. Her
family lived here since Isabella was seven and she met her husband here. After
Alexander was born, he became abusive so when Alexander was six months old, she
divorced her husband and took Alexander back to Melbourne.'
'She and PJ seem to be good friends.'
'I knew that was coming,' Chris smiled.
'Well?' Jo asked.
'There was no romantic interest when they were kids. Then she got married. I don't
know about now.'
Lucy grinned. 'Who knows?'
Jo yawned. 'I'm headed upstairs.' She turned to Jack. 'Coming Stretch?'
Jack smiled. 'On my way.'

'Parrish, Mitchell, I want you to go and find this genie guy, and bring him in for
questioning. That woman has been on the phone all morning wanting to know what
we're doing. Heaven knows what will happen if the press find out about it,' Tom
sighed.
Jo and Lucy exchanged glances and headed for the car.

'Well, this is the place,' Lucy said, stopping the car.
'Let's go pop the genie out of the bottle,' Jo smiled.
Jo knocked on the door and frowned.
'What?' Lucy asked.
'It's unlocked.'
'Dissatisfied customer?'
Jo shrugged and, drawing their weapons, they entered.
After searching for a few moments, they found no sign of life.
Lucy smiled as she picked up a lamp. 'Maybe I should rub the bottle, see if he pops
out?'
Jo shook her head. 'You're delusional. But go ahead if it makes you happy!'
Lucy rubbed the lamp and they heard a crash. They went towards the sound and found
nothing.
'That's odd,' Jo frowned.
Lucy shrugged and turned around, jumping out of her skin as the genie stood before
them.
'Don't do that!' Lucy cried.
The genie smiled. 'Sorry. Did I scare you?'
Jo and Lucy glared at him.
'We need you to come down to the station,' Jo stated.
The genie nodded and turned to Lucy. 'Your wish, my command?'
'Beg yours?' Lucy asked.
'You rubbed, I scrub. You are my master. I follow you around till your three wishes
are granted.'
Lucy rolled her eyes.
Jo smirked. 'Come on.'

'Didn't you question him already?' Ben asked, as the genie sat down next to Lucy.
'Yes, but, unfortunately, he apparantly doesn't go away till three wishes are granted.'
The genie smiled at Ben who groaned.
'I give up,' Jack said, banging his head on the desk. 'I've looked this guy's name up so
many times and he doesn't exist!'
'Because I was born in England before there was such thing as computers.'
Lucy's head dropped down onto the desk.

pt3

Tom peered at the genie who just stared back at Tom, with a silly grin on his face.
'Mitchell, why did you have to bring a genie into this?'
'I didn't mean to! He just kind of, popped out.'
Jo and Jack stifled giggles.
'Besides, Tess said we had to be on an eye out for him!'
Tess turned around. 'I didn't mean bring him in!'
'But he cut off a guys...' Lucy started.
'Alright!' Tom cried. 'Obviously he's not going to leave until we do something with
him.'
'Can we put him back in the bottle?' Jack asked.
'I wish,' Lucy said.
'Yes...?' the genie prompted.
'Can we wish you back in the bottle?' Tess asked.
'No, sorry. Against genie policy. Sorry.'
'Sarcastic little munchkin,' Lucy groaned.
'Hey! I didn't call you any names! Don't start that!' the genie cried.
Ben and PJ sat at the side, laughing their heads off.
'Is there any humane way to get rid of him?' Tess asked.
'Make a wish?' the genie offered.
'Ok. Wish that...we can solve the case,' Tess groaned, turning away.
Lucy shrugged and repeated it.
'Your wish,' said the genie, patting his chest, 'my command.'
Tom sighed and headed to his office and Ben answered the ringing telephone.
When he came off he looked bewildered.
'What?' Jo asked.
'That was the wife of that guy who..'
'Yeah?'
'The husband said it was a dream.'
'How can it have been a dream if he had to have...it..sewn back on?' Lucy asked.
'No no, the dream that someone else did it.'
'You mean he...cut..?' Tess asked.
'Apparantly so,' Ben answered.
'Ergh!' Lucy shuddered.
'I agree,' Jo replied.
The genie sat on the chair with a self satisfied look on his face.
The cops stared at each other.
'Coincedence,' Jack said.
'Absolutely,' Lucy answered.

pt4

PJ knocked on the door of Isabella's house. He felt strange, doing this again.
'Hi Mr Detective,' Alexander smiled, opening the door.
PJ smiled. 'Hi Alexander. You can call me PJ.'
'Okay PJ. Mum's in the kitchen. Come in.'
PJ followed the boy into the kitchen. Isabella turned around and smiled. 'Hey PJ.'
'Hi Isabella. What smells so good?'
Isabella grinned. 'I knew that would be the first thing you said. It's lasagne.'
'Hey PJ, do you like playstation?' Alexander asked.
Isabella groaned. 'Alexander!'
'What games have you got?' PJ asked.
'Come on,' Alexander grinned, leading PJ into the lounge.

'So where's PJ tonight?' Jo asked, as she and Jack fought over the dartboard.
'On a date,' Lucy answered, taking the darts and handing them to Ben.
'With Isabella?' Jack asked.
Ben nodded.
'Very interesting,' Jo smiled.
Tess rolled her eyes. 'Are we going to gossip about PJ's love life...'
'Or lack thereof,' Lucy interrupted.
Tess smiled. 'Or are we going to play darts?"
The cops turned around and looked at her, surprised at this outburst of emotion.
'Well?'
Lucy handed over the darts.

'I win!' Alexander cried, as they finished the racing game.
'Okay boys, dinner's ready,' Isabella smiled. She turned to PJ as Alexander went to get
a drink. 'You are good for him.'
PJ smiled. 'Thanks. He's a good kid.'
Alexander came back in and sat down. 'I'm hungry!'

Lucy glared at the genie, who sat in the corner of her room. 'You can't stay here.'
'Make me go,' the genie smiled.
Jo knocked on the door. 'Is he gone yet?'
'I wish,' Lucy grumbled.
Jo came in. 'I've got the lamp.'
'Uh uh ladies. I'm not getting back in there.'
'It's not very nice of you to harrass people,' Lucy told him.
'Bite me,' the genie replied.
Jo shuddered.

Alexander was esconced in front of the playstation and PJ and Isabella had moved to
the sitting room.
'It's good to have you back in town,' PJ smiled.
'I'm glad to be back. I always wanted Alexander to grow up here.'
'He's a great kid.'
'The best. I only hope he will grow up that way. And learn about where he comes
from.'

'We have got to get rid of him,' Jack said, staring at the genie, who was sitting cross
legged on the chair.
'Would a bullet go through him?' Jo asked.
'No. Sorry,' the genie answered.
Lucy groaned. 'Right. If I make two wishes will you go away?'
'Sure,' the genie answered.
'Right.' She turned and whispered to Jo, who smirked.
'I wish I could have a never-ending packet of Tim Tams and then I wish that you
would go back in your bottle.'
'Your wish, my command,' the genie replied. A crash came and the three cops turned.
The Tim Tam packet lay on the bed with a note beside it. Lucy wrinkled her nose as
she read it and handed it to Jo.
'Now, that was easy wasn't it?' she read.
'He's gone,' Jack said, turning back around.
Sure enough, the genie had disappeared.
'Come on Stretch. Let's go to bed. I heard that Jacob is expected tonight.'
Lucy raised an eyebrow as her friend left.

'Thanks for a great night Isabella,' PJ said, as they moved to the door.
'You're welcome PJ. I hope we can spend some more time together.'
PJ nodded. 'I'd like that.' He moved in and they kissed softly. 'See you later.'

Lucy lay in bed, nestled in Jacob's arms. 'No more genie.'
Jacob raised an eyebrow. 'So who did cut off the guys...well... you know?'
Lucy looked at him murderously.
Jacob put up his hands in surrender. 'Okay! Okay, I just wondered.'