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What is surprise? How long does it last? Longer no doubt than the couple of seconds it took for Sophie to say to herself that in fact it wasn’t a surprise. Destiny. Soulmates. Twaddle of course, she didn’t believe a word of it, but all the same... First a corpse, now Cyril. What other explanation could there be? Perhaps it was just that she didn’t want to believe it. But she had no doubt that Cyril would make it his mission to overcome her reticence. Sophie, don’t you see? It’s Auguste!
For the moment though, apart from a flickering glance, he barely acknowledged her presence. That might have been due to the cry from Tatty Fur: ‘Lieutenant Eveno! What a surprise!’, as she moved forward, arms outstretched, prompting a startled Cyril to recoil, palm held up to halt her. ‘Captain,’ he said tersely, visibly vexed that she’d spoilt his entrance, while Luc looked on in slack-jawed amazement before turning to Sophie and mouthing, ‘What the fuck?’
His composure recovered, Cyril spent some time repeating more verbosely what Lieutenant Bondy had said: until further notice, crime scene procedure applied to the garden at Venturi View, in other words no one was to venture further than the terrace without authorisation, to be obtained only from him. As he left the room he made a discreet sign for Sophie to follow, and after assuring Luc that Cyril’s presence had nothing to do with her, she slipped out of the room.
Cyril and Bondy were conferring in the hall. When he spotted her, Cyril whispered something to Bondy, who withdrew, and led her into the Zenhouse.
‘What’s going on?’ she asked. ‘How come you’re here?’
He shut the door softly, putting his ear to it as if to check that no one was outside listening to their conspiracy. ‘A mission for General Pico. I’ll tell you later. But first things first – you and I are going to solve this murder.’
‘What? Cyril, I’m not here to –’
‘Problem is, there’s been a mix up. Ronan Praud thinks he’s in charge. But he’s not.’
‘Who’s Ronan Praud? And what’s it got –’
‘Pico’s on his way now. He’ll sort it out.’
‘Sort what out, Cyril?’ But then the more worrying question pushed to the fore. ‘Did you actually know I was here? Is that why you came?’
As it turned out, the explanation wasn’t as creepy as she’d feared. He’d arrived in Moudiret, where he had an appointment with Bondy for a different reason altogether, only to find that Bondy had gone to investigate a murder at Venturi Gardens. Naturally, Cyril had followed, and as was only right given their respective ranks, had taken charge. Forty minutes later, when Cyril had already made a substantial start, Captain Praud arrived, saying he’d been dispatched by the Prosecutor in Aix, and Cyril had no business to be there at all. ‘He’s next door now giving orders to everyone. I’ve informed Pico. As the first man on the scene, the case is mine. I have no doubt he’ll adjudicate in my favour.’
‘Good. All settled then. But when you say we’re going to solve it, that’s –’
‘Yes, I did know you were here. Bondy sent me a list of the guests and I saw your name.’ He left a beat. ‘I’ve told Pico. It’s another reason he’ll give the case to me. He thinks very highly of you, Sophie. He told me. You put people at ease, get them to talk, while I take care of the technical side, the evidence.’
‘I know that’s how you think of it, Cyril, but I honestly –’
‘It’s the way we operate. Our partnership. You know as well as I do.’
Sophie sighed. ‘Perhaps we’d better just leave it till Pico arrives, OK? If he wants me on the case, I’ll think about it. Maybe there’s not much to solve in any case. From what I hear, Seibel had an ongoing feud with his son. Could be as simple as that. And besides, I’m here with my family. And to attend Adeline’s workshop. Those are my priorities right now.’
‘Of course. It’s your choice. Pico might be surprised if you say no, but it’s up to you.’
‘Speaking of family,’ she said, ‘how’s married life? I’m sorry I wasn’t able to come to the wedding.’
‘No problem. I understand. And thank you for the gift. It was lovely.’
‘Not very wedding-like, I’m afraid. But I thought it would make a change from the usual. Pots and pans and coffee sets and so on.’
‘Original, I must say. When you asked for a scan of my photo of Auguste, I had no idea what you were up to.’
Sophie hadn’t been too pleased with the result herself. Auguste was fine – proud and imposing, Croix de Guerre bright on his uniform – but Cyril had a bit of a goofy expression. ‘What did Gabrielle think? She might have preferred something more practical.’
‘She thought it was charming. And don’t worry, we’re doing all right for crockery.’ He left a pause. ‘Speaking of statues, I hope Tikar’s been good to you.’
It took her a moment to remember. ‘Ah. The good luck charm.’
‘You’ve still got her of course?’ he said a little nervously.
‘Oh, yes. At home in a drawer.’ She didn’t say what drawer. He’d be horrified to learn that his precious gift was in a plastic drawer in the cellar, one of many unwanted items Luc, with her approval, had set aside for the next car boot sale. She’d had a moment’s hesitation – not that she was superstitious, but it felt disrespectful to treat an African mask with supernatural powers like any other tacky souvenir. ‘Supernatural?’ Luc had scoffed. ‘It’s a weird object from a weird gendarme who has a weird fixation on you.’
‘He said it came from a forest in Cameroun. Can’t remember the name but it sounded very authentic. The spirit of the forest protects me.’
Luc had rolled his eyes. ‘They probably sell those things by the dozen in the local market. Like Eiffel Tower key rings.’ In Luc’s view of the world, there were useful objects, decorative objects and clutter, and he had no doubt which category Tikar belonged to.
‘A shame you don’t have her with you,’ said Cyril. ‘She offers better protection that way. I’ve got mine in my pocket.’
‘Yours? I didn’t know you had one.’
He dug it out of his pocket, displaying it in the palm of his hand. ‘A bit different from yours but they go together. Male and female.’
The implications of that, she thought, were disturbing, but she didn’t enquire further into the nature of the relationship. ‘You always carry it with you?’
‘Not always. But when I saw your name on the list I brought him along in case I bumped into you. I had no idea there’d been a murder but it all fits together now.’
‘How do you mean?’
‘Tikar is...’ He gazed at her earnestly, searching for a way to put it. ‘We’re a team, Sophie – you, me and Auguste. I know you can’t speak to Auguste directly, but it’s through Tikar that his spirit – I mean his influence – works. Tikar’s his instrument if you like, and when the two are together, it works better. Of course,’ he added hastily, ‘you mustn’t tell Pico that. It’s strictly between you and me. All that counts for him is that we solve it. He doesn’t need to know how.’
‘Right. OK, um... Cyril, can I stop you there? If it’s all the same to you, I’d rather not pursue this topic.’
Cyril’s relationship with Auguste made her uneasy. A fundamental part of her brain refused to accept it as normal. Communing with the dead, hearing voices... She saw it in fact as a sign of madness, but he (encouraged, apparently, by Gabrielle) believed it wasn’t just sane but a gift. Fair enough. Animism, voodoo, whatever. Whether harmless foible, gift from the gods or swarm of bats in the belfry, she had no idea, but what he got up to with his dead ancestor was his own business – just as long as it didn’t intrude on hers.
Briefly, Cyril’s disappointment showed, but he made no comment. He’d understood by now that he wasn’t likely to convert her, and to his credit he didn’t try. ‘Well, I’ll let you get on,’ he said. ‘I’d better see if forensics have come up with anything.’
But when they stepped into the lobby, they came across Lieutenant Bondy accompanied by another gendarme who, marching up to Cyril with a confrontational air, rasped, ‘The Lieutenant is under my command. I’d appreciate it if you didn’t interfere.’
Cyril took a step forward till the two were chest to chest, eyes locked in a fierce glare which neither looked about to relinquish. ‘General Pico will be here shortly.’ Physically, Cyril had the advantage. Taller, younger, slimmer, he exuded an authority that seemed to have come from nowhere, as if the sight of the other man – Captain Praud, presumably – had triggered an instant change in his personality. ‘I suggest until then that you don’t interfere. Lieutenant Bondy takes his orders from me.’
Short, bald apart from a ring of wispy hair linking his ears, left eye slanting into a droop, Praud might not measure up physically but he was in no way impressed. ‘May I remind you that the commune of Saint Abel, where we are now, is part of the jurisdiction of Aix, not of Aubagne? On being told of the murder, Lieutenant Bondy quite rightly informed the Prosecutor in Aix, who then sent me to investigate.’
‘Which you have no business to do since I informed Aix that as the first officer on the scene, I would handle it myself.’
‘Information I never received, and even if I –’
‘Gentlemen,’ said General Pico as he strode into the lobby, ‘surely you’re not going to fight a duel over this?’
