Evan and Elle - By Rhys Bowen Page 0,32
with resignation as the publican’s wife ushered them in.
“Good morning, Madame,” Evan said. “I’ve brought Detective Inspector Hughes to have a word with you.”
She looked up with hope in her eyes. “You have caught zee man who did zis terrible crime?’
“Not yet, Madame. What makes you sure it’s a man?”
“What woman would do such a terrible thing? I sink it must be zee same man who write zee notes? You ’ave not caught him either?”
“We’re still working on it,” Inspector Hughes said. Evan noted his voice was even tighter and more clipped than usual. He obviously hadn’t expected to be attacked. “And we’re not at all sure that the notes were written by the same person. Our handwriting expert isn’t convinced. And Forensics says it wasn’t the same pen that was used.”
“Zat ees interesting.” Madame Yvette nodded, then took a sip of coffee and made a face. “Zay ’ave no idea how to make coffee.” She put the cup down. “And you must excuse my appearance. Zay are very kind and lend me clothes, but . . .” She motioned helplessly at her Fair Isle arm. “I ’ave nozzing,” she said simply. “All is gone, n’est-ce pas?”
“Have you been to take a look for yourself?” Hughes asked.
“I ’ave not yet been outside. Zay give me a pill to make me sleep. It ees very powerful, I sink. But I watch the fire from zee window ’ere last night. I sink not much is left after zat blaze.”
“No, there’s not much left, I’m afraid,” Evan said.
“Now if we can just ask you a few questions,” Hughes began. “You say the restaurant was closed and you locked up for the night.”
“Zat is correct.”
“Did you check the whole place? The men’s toilet, for example?”
Dismay showed on her face. “I sink so. Now I am not sure. You are saying zat maybe someone—zee person who burn down my restaurant—was hiding in there?”
“It’s a possibility,” Hughes said. “He had to have got in somehow and if you’d already locked the doors . . .”
“Maybe he didn’t come in,” she said. “When zee cottage ees burned down, zay tell me zat zee fire ees started through zee letter box, no?”
“But your letter box was at the front door. That part of the building was least badly burned.” Hughes paused. “You say you woke to smell smoke?”
She nodded. “I have my usual nightcap in front of zee TV. I must ’ave fallen asleep. Suddenly I am coughing. I hear zee crackling from downstairs. I look—mon dieu, zee kitchen ees on fire. Flames going up to zee ceiling. Zere ees no way I can put it out. I grab my coat, I put it over my ’ead and I rush down zee stairs. Luckily zee back door ees beside zee stairs, ozzerwise I would not have escaped.”
“Excuse me, Madame,” Evan interrupted. “Why didn’t the smoke alarm wake you? I know this is a new business so you must have had a fire inspection?”
She looked flustered and embarrassed. “Ah, you see . . . I turn off zee smoke alarm.” She looked from Evan to Hughes. “I know, it ees very foolish of me. But zay put it in zee wrong place. Every time I try and cook, zee smoke alarm go off. It drive me crazy so I turn it off. I call zee man to come and put it where it will not drive me crazy.” She gave a very French shrug of resignation.
“So you smelled smoke and got out just in time,” Hughes repeated. “And, as far as you know, you were the only person in the building at the time?”
“Mais oui.”
“You’re sure about that?”
Her eyes darted suspiciously. “Of course. I tell you. Why do you ask zis?”
“No real reason.” D.I. Hughes paused, drumming his fingers on the oak table for a moment. Then he looked up suddenly. “There was a man who came to your restaurant last night, Madame. He sat alone, according to Constable Evans. Was he someone you knew?”
She shrugged. “Zee customer? I never see ’im before in my life.”
“But he said something to upset you?”
Her eyes darted to Evan for a second. Then she smiled and shrugged again. “It was nozzing really. ’E asked for lobster and I ’ad none. ’E said ’e was disappointed. ’E had heard how well I prepared lobster. So naturally I was upset. I am still trying to build up my reputation, Inspector. I have to give zee customers what zay want.”
D.I. Hughes nodded and stared down