All the Devils Are Here (Chief Inspector Armand Gamache #16) - Louise Penny Page 0,124
a corner.
Watching them, Gamache could see that Dussault was definitely in charge, and had complete control over the brute Girard. What should have been a relief was actually even more alarming.
“You have your Beauvoir,” said Dussault, returning to them.
Gamache put out his hand for his phone, and as Girard gave it to him, he said, “Put it on speaker.”
Armand noticed that several calls and texts had come in from Reine-Marie. He was sorely tempted to read them, but knew he had to place the call first.
It rang only once before he heard Jean-Guy’s excited voice.
“Annie’s gone into labor. We’re heading to the hospital.”
The emotions were so strong, so conflicting, that for a moment Armand felt light-headed. As though he’d been spun in a centrifuge.
“Allô?” said Jean-Guy. “You still there?”
“Oui. Is Annie all right?”
“Hi, Dad,” came her voice. “I’m here in the car with Jean-Guy and Maman. You coming?”
“As soon as I can. I’m with Daniel and we’re just discussing our next step. Reine-Marie?”
“I’m here,” came her voice. “Everything okay with you? Daniel’s with you?”
Daniel called out, “Salut, Maman. Everything’s fine.”
Armand heard the cheerful tone coming from his bloodstained son. How could he possibly think he wasn’t brave?
“Allida and Judith are still there along with Séverine,” said Reine-Marie. “We haven’t been able to make any connection between the dates in Stephen’s notes and GHS. It’s frustrating.”
“Not to worry, we’ll figure it out. And there are more important things right now. Annie?”
“Yes, Dad.”
“We’ll be there as soon as we can. I love you.”
“I love you, too, Papa,” she said, though he could hear her disappointment and slight confusion that her father wasn’t also rushing to the hospital, to be there with her.
“Wait a minute,” said Jean-Guy. “You called me. Did you want something?”
“Just to check in. Please, please, let me know about the baby and Annie.”
“You’ll be here long before anything happens.” There was a pause. “Are you all right? What did Dussault want?”
“It was a fishing expedition. Trying to figure out what we know.”
“So he is involved in all this?”
“I’m not so sure. Look, this will wait. You have far more important things happening. If we’re not there before she arrives, tell your daughter that her uncle and grandfather love her.”
“You’ll tell her yourselves. Armand—”
But Gamache had hung up before Jean-Guy could say more.
“Congratulations,” said Girard as he took the phone back. “Happy day.”
He read the emails and texts, then handed the phone to Dussault, who also read them.
Reine-Marie had been trying to reach Armand to tell him about Annie.
“Shame Beauvoir can’t join you. I suspect your chances of success, never great, have just collapsed.” Dussault handed the phone back to Gamache.
“I’ll need the JSPS card.” Armand walked over to Daniel. “I gave mine to him.”
Sliding his hand into Daniel’s pocket, he found the card and felt for the coins.
“Let me see,” said Girard when Armand withdrew his hand.
It held only the card.
“Should we send one of them with him?” asked Girard, indicating the guards.
“Non, no need. What’s he going to do? Run away? Go to the police?” Dussault smiled. “All we need are the documents. I don’t care how he does it, but he’ll be faster, more efficient without one of them tagging along.”
Armand turned to Daniel. “I have to leave, but I’ll be back in time. I promise.”
He pulled Daniel to him, in a bear hug. And whispered, “I’m so proud of you. I love you.”
Daniel nodded.
CHAPTER 38
Armand unlocked the door to their apartment in the Marais and quickly went over to the bookcase.
The gun was still there.
Slipping it into his coat pocket, he locked up and left.
But where to? He had no idea where Stephen and Plessner had hidden the evidence, if there even was any.
Had Stephen and Plessner uncovered a scam, claiming to use neodymium in next-generation telecommunications where actually it didn’t work? Taking investor’s money on false pretenses?
Or maybe it was real, and GHS needed to protect a breakthrough that would net them billions.
Was it corporate espionage? Fraud? Money laundering?
What had that young journalist found in the mountains of Patagonia? And how could the derailment of a train in Colombia four years ago have anything to do with it?
There was something. Something terrible enough to murder. And now he had just hours to find it.
Armand stood on the sidewalk outside their door and looked this way, then that.
He honestly had no idea where to go next.
He turned toward the Seine and started walking, his mind racing. Though he tried to slow it down, to marshal his