Read Online Madrigal by J. Robert Janes - Free Book Online Page A

Royalist’s tie showed from between the arms of a grey cashmere scarf. Arrogant and of the bourgeoisie , he was not quite of the bourgeoisie aisée , the really well off, but would have aspirations, especially these days when anything was possible for the chosen few.
    A civil servant, an administrator, he would consider himself far above such a lowly station as a cop.
    â€˜Start by telling me why that girl was here and then, Préfet, what the hell she might have known that someone didn’t want her saying.’
    This was Kohler of the Kripo, a conscientious doubter of Germanic invincibility who was disloyal to his peers, reviled and often hated by many at Gestapo Paris-Central, yet kept on by Sturmbannführer Boemelburg because he and that infernal partner of his gave some semblance of law and order to the ordinary citizen. They were Boemelburg’s flying squad, dealing with the difficult, thus opiating public outcry. They still couldn’t seem to learn that policemen were never dismissed for doing too little.
    â€˜She had a lover. A boy who fled to the hills to join the Banditen. ’ The ‘terrorists’, the Résistance , the maquis . ‘This matter was known to the bishop who, Herr Kohler, prevailed upon me to let him try to convince the girl to give up such a foolishness and agree to help us take the boy into custody before he did anything untoward.’
    Anything that might damage the status quo, namely that of those in power. But good of him to have agreed to let the bishop have a try, though there must have been a little something offered in exchange for such a consideration.
    â€˜And you think she was here to meet that boy?’
    â€˜It’s possible. She would dress as if to cover herself for the lie of an audition, should the authorities stop her in the streets.’
    â€˜But she wore her overcoat and beret, Préfet, a scarf and boots, too, and carried a handbag?’
    Further discoveries had been made in the Latrines Pit, thought de Passe, and Kohler had seen fit to tease his ears with the information so that he would now fret over what else had been found. ‘I’m only suggesting a possibility. You and Jean-Louis are in charge of the investigation.’
    â€˜Why’d they choose to meet here?’
    â€˜Her place of residence was being watched. Quite obviously she must have realized this and found a way to arrange a meeting no one would suspect or question.’
    But someone had. ‘Patriotic, was she?’
    â€˜Misguided, Inspector, as so many of our young seem to be.’
    â€˜Then there was some urgency to what she had to impart?’
    â€˜Inspector, could we not go inside? There’s a window in this tower from which the view is almost as good.’
    â€˜But then I couldn’t see the hills behind us. Those ones. That big one to the northeast. Right out there, Préfet. Yes, there.’
    Mont Ventoux and the plateau de Vauduse, home to some of the maquis .
    â€˜What else did you find in the Latrines Pit?’
    â€˜Anxious, are you?’
    â€˜Why should I be?’
    â€˜Because maybe I found something you didn’t expect. Maybe whoever tidied up and dumped those things of hers should first have taken a damned good look through her handbag.’
    â€˜What, damn you? Tell me. I have a right to know.’
    â€˜Nothing, then. Absolutely nothing.’
    â€˜ Maudit salaud! Cochon , how dare you defy me?’
    Livid, de Passe turned abruptly away and headed for the exit rather than embarrass himself further. Left to the rooks which would haunt the battlements after a siege, Kohler thought again of his two sons. He thought of Giselle and Oona in Paris, the two loves of his life. And he thought of Louis who had lost his wife and little son to a Resistance bomb not so long ago, a mistake if ever there was one – that bomb had been meant for Louis who was not and could never be a collaborator – and he