They waited for her to accept the apology, and she did with a sad smile. “You know, there was always this air of tragedy about him,” she said. “I think it was part of the attraction for me, he had such a dramatic story, a sad one. In some ways, and this might sound strange, I’m not surprised that something like this would happen.”
“Well,” Tom said, “I for one am very sorry we didn’t listen to Hugo. Not just listen to him, but do the right thing and leave Mohammed alone. For that, I apologize.”
“Same here,” Ambassador Taylor said. His tone suddenly lightened. “And that reminds me, I want to encourage everyone to eat as much as possible, and then choose the most expensive dessert on the menu.”
“You’re picking up the tab?” Hugo asked.
“You know me better than that,” Taylor smiled. “No, our friend Senator Norris Holmes asked me to convey his regrets at not being here. He also requested that I pass along his thanks at finding the man who killed his son and that we allow him to treat us all to this meal.”
“Request accepted,” Hugo said. “As long as we don’t forget why we’re here.”
“Bullshit,” Tom said. “We have to, for tonight at least.” He grinned mischievously. “Otherwise, we’ll have no fun at all.”
“Alors.” Amelia Rousseau laughed. “I think that if I can forget the pain and bloodshed for a few hours, it’s OK for you all to do the same.”
Under the table, Claudia reached for Hugo’s hand and leaned into him. “Don’t worry,” she whispered, “next time I’ll let you do the defusing.”
“I have a better idea.” Hugo squeezed her hand. “Next time, we’ll let your explosives instructor do it himself.”
Hugo looked over at Tom for a reaction but realized his friend wasn’t listening, all his attention was on the bottle of wine being slowly uncorked by a waiter at the next table. Hugo kept watching and after a few seconds Tom took a deep breath and seemed to drag his eyes away, back to the table and then up at Hugo. A smile tugged at one corner of Tom’s mouth and he raised his glass of water in salute.
He held Hugo’s eye as he spoke and his words were quiet, as if for himself and Hugo alone. “To avoiding self-destruction. In all its forms.”
Acknowledgments
As ever, a host of kind and generous people made this book possible. First and foremost, my wife, Sarah, who encourages and supports me every step of the way. As have the professionals in my life, Ann Collette and Dan Mayer: deep and ongoing thanks to you for bringing Hugo Marston to the world.
Sincere and specific thanks to Craig Whitfield, a friend I made while researching this book. I am grateful for the photos and information about Jane Avril and Paris (and its cemeteries), which I know you admire as much as I do.
Thanks, also, to Special Agent Susan Garst for her help with all things bony and decaying. I knew nothing about forensic anthropology and now I know more than most — maybe more than is good for me.
And as ever, my thanks to fellow writers Jennifer Schubert and Elizabeth Silver for always being available and always cheering me on. You are coaches, cheerleaders, and fans all rolled into one … two.
About the Author
Mark Pryor is the author of The Bookseller, the first Hugo Marston novel, and the true-crime book As She Lay Sleeping. A former newspaper reporter from England, and now an assistant district attorney with the Travis County District Attorney’s Office in Austin, Texas, he is the creator of the true-crime blog D.A. Confidential. He has appeared on CBS News’ 48 Hours and Discovery Channel’s Discovery ID: Cold Blood. For more on Mark Pryor, visit his website at www.markpryorbooks.com.