 In 1859, when Jack was 12 years old Alexander communicated with him that he had to find a way to get to Salzburg for the summer holidays so that they could meet up; to achieve this Jack practised his violin day and night until he became so good that he persuaded his parents to send him to Vienna to get some expert tutorship.Alexander did not appear in Salzburg, but a month into Jack's visit he was called to the principal's office where he was told that his parents had been killed in a tragic house fire.When Jack returned home the priest who took his father's last confession explained that the fire was an accident, but under duress admitted the truth, that as Jack's father had died, he told the priest that Jack's mother and all the servants had been murdered by Alexander.