up and that was enough.
Now, I hear you have made a breakthrough in the case, Tavernier said. New
evidence from Bordeaux, they tell me. Explain.
Bruno laid out the photocopies of the pay books from Vichy and from the French
Army. Then he added the fax photo of Hussein Boudiaf with Massili Barakine and
Giulio Villanova, and the Force Mobile action report that cited Boudiafs role
in the raids around St Denis.
Our murder victim was a hired killer for the Vichy Milice, who changed his name
and his identity to hide out in the French Army, he said, and sat down. That
is why his executioner carved the swastika onto his chest.
Tavernier looked first at
J-J
, then at Isabelle and finally at Bruno, a
half-smile on his face as if he were expecting someone to tell him it was all a
joke and it was soon going to be time to laugh.
I think we may have to alert our masters that they might wish to consider some
of the wider national implications of this, Isabelle said coolly. As far as I
know, the role of North Africans being specially deployed by the Vichy regime to
inflict brutal retaliations on the French population during the Occupation has
not become common knowledge. It is now likely to become very well known indeed.
Tavernier looked carefully at the papers Bruno had put out before him.
Notice the thumb prints on the pay books, said Isabelle. They match. And when
the forensics team searched the cottage, they naturally took all the victims
fingerprints. Here they are. She shoved another sheaf of papers across to
Tavernier. Its the same man.
We await your guidance, said
J-J
.
Do you have any recommendation for me, any proposal on how you plan to
proceed? Tavernier asked.
We have a list of the known Resistance families in the region, including those
who were targets of the Force Mobile, said Isabelle. Any of them would have a
motive to murder their old tormentor. The obvious next step would be to question
them all, about forty families altogether. That is just in the Commune of St
Denis. We may have to spread our net wider.
Why on earth did the old fool ever come back to St Denis and run the risk of
being recognised? Tavernier asked, almost to himself.
It was the only family he had, Bruno said. Hed changed his name, abandoned
his old family back in Algeria, lost his brother in the war, lost his country
after the Algerian war and his wife had just died. His son found work here in St
Denis, and so did his grandson, and he was about to become a great-grandfather.
He was old and tired and lonely, and he took a chance.
And you think he was murdered by someone who recognised him from the old days?
Yes, said Bruno. I think he was executed by someone who felt he had a right
to vengeance. At least, thats how I would make the case for the defence if I
were his lawyer.
I see, said Tavernier. Id better review these overnight. As you say, my dear
Isabelle, there are a lot of implications to be considered, some consultations
to be made. He looked up at them, a determined smile on his face. You three
have obviously had a very long day. This is brilliant research, and I must
congratulate you on first-class detective work. And now perhaps you all deserve
to take some time off while we decide how best to proceed. So, no questioning of
the old Resistance heroes for the moment, and I suggest you go off and have the
best dinner Périgueux can provide. The investigation budget will pay. Youve
earned it.
With a final beaming smile, a murmured promise to call
J-J
when a decision had
been made, and a half-bow to Isabelle, he stood up, gathered the papers and was
about to leave the room.
Just one thing, said Bruno. You have to sign the release order for Richard
Gelletreau, the teenage boy. Hes obviously no longer a suspect.
Bruno is right, said
J-J
. We have nothing on him for the drugs charges, and
we still have a lot of work to do with the Dutch police to nail those suppliers.
Young Jacqueline has given us all the testimony we need. Its a good result.
Right, said Tavernier. A good result. Bruno looked across to see Isabelle
smiling at him. Tavernier took some notepaper and his seal of office from his
elegant black leather attaché case. He scrawled the release order with a
flourish, and then stamped it with the seal. Take him home, Bruno.
Bruno awoke in his own bed with Isabelle still sleeping beside him, her hair
tousled from the night and one arm flung out above the covers and resting on his
chest. Gently, he crept out and tip-toed to the kitchen to make coffee, feed
Gigi and his chickens, water the garden and start this day of June the
eighteenth. He knew that if he turned on the radio, some announcer on
France-Inter would play de Gaulles full speech. Somewhere he had read that
there was no copy of the original broadcast of 1940, and de Gaulle had recorded
it all over again after the Liberation La France a perdu une bataille! Mais
la France na pas perdu la guerre!
While the water boiled, he walked, still naked, out to his garden, to his
compost heap at the far side of the vegetable garden and enjoyed the deep
masculine pleasure of urinating in the open air. At his feet, he saw that Gigi
had cocked a leg to follow his masters example. Still peeing, he heard the
sound of applause and turned to see Isabelle in the doorway, clapping her hands
slowly together and looking particularly fetching in the blue uniform shirt he
had worn the previous day.
Magnifique, Bruno, she called, and blew him a kiss. The same to you, he
called back, laughing. Police Municipale it suits you.
Night after night away from the hotel, she said over coffee. My reputation is
in tatters.
Youd be amazed how fast the word goes around that you were on special duty in
Bordeaux and Périgueux, he assured her. And besides, what does it matter?
Youre leaving for Paris. It was the first time he had raised this.
She stretched out her arm and put her hand on his. Not until September, she
said quietly. I have to be here for the drugs case, and with all the
bureaucracy of the Dutch liaison, thats at least another month. Thats the rest
of June and half of July. Then I have my vacation and thats July and half of
August. Then I have my re-assignment leave. Thats the rest of August. Youll
probably be tired of me by then.
He shook his head, suspecting that whatever he said would be wrong, and leaned
across and kissed her instead.
I saw that youd put the photograph away, that one of you and the blonde girl,
she said. You didnt have to do that for me, not if she was important to you.
Particularly not if she was important.
Her name was Katarina and she was important. He forced himself to look at her
as he spoke. But that was a long time ago, a different Bruno, and it was in the
middle of a war. The rules all seemed to be different then.
What happened to her? she asked, and then shook her head. Sorry. You dont