All the Devils Are Here (Chief Inspector Armand Gamache #16) - Louise Penny Page 0,49
member of the GIGN,” conceded Dussault. “Or the Sayeret Matkal, or the SAS. The SEALs. Even”—he smiled at Gamache—“Joint Task Force Two. There’re any number of highly trained former special forces floating around this city, hiring themselves out as security and intelligence contractors.”
“Mercenaries.”
“Why not use their skills?”
“Depends on which skills, doesn’t it?” said Gamache. “Have you had a chance to look at the security cameras around Stephen’s apartment?”
“We’re going through the footage. Unfortunately, most of the cameras are facing the Lutetia and Le Bon Marché.”
“So the cameras don’t show people entering or leaving Stephen’s apartment building?”
“No.”
“A shame.”
“Oui.”
Dussault knew Gamache well enough to know the man was almost always calm and courteous. Gracious, in an almost old-world manner. It was what made him an effective leader. Armand Gamache never flew off the handle. Never lost control. Unless he wanted to.
But Dussault also knew that the angrier Gamache became, the more contained, the more polite he became. Putting iron straps around any violent emotion.
As he regarded his colleague and friend, Claude Dussault realized with surprise that Armand’s politesse was being directed at him.
He was, at the moment, the target of Gamache’s brutal courtesy.
Claude Dussault leaned back in his chair.
“You were telling me about the van,” said Gamache. “Where was it found?”
“It was abandoned just outside the bois de Boulogne.”
Armand brought up, in his mind, the map of Paris. And the location of the huge park, the Woods of Boulogne.
“The bois is close to the headquarters of GHS,” he said.
“Yes, and Mr. Horowitz had the GHS annual report in his possession,” said Dussault. “Probably just a coincidence.”
“More than that. He was planning on going to the GHS board meeting on Monday morning.”
Dussault stared at him. “How do you know that?”
“It’s in his agenda.”
“What agenda?” The stare had become a glare.
It was the moment of truth. The moment for truth.
“The one Mrs. McGillicuddy has,” Armand lied. “She told me his plans.”
“Was he a member of the board?” the Prefect asked.
“No.”
“Then why would he go? And would they even let him in? Why’re you shaking your head?”
“If GHS Engineering is somehow involved, why would the attacker abandon the van pretty much on the corporation’s doorstep?”
“He might not have known who his employer was. The bois de Boulogne, as you know, has become a dumping ground for all sorts of things.”
“True. Which is why you have cameras all over it. Do they show anything?”
But Armand already knew the answer. If they did, Dussault would have said something.
“We have cameras, but as soon as we put them up, they’re smashed.”
“So, once again, no footage?”
“No.” Dussault was quiet for a moment before asking his next question. “Your former number two, Beauvoir, works for GHS, isn’t that right?”
“It is.” Gamache’s tone was relaxed. Reasonable. But his guard was up.
“In fact, Horowitz helped get him the job,” said Dussault. “That was the drama this morning in the Lutetia.”
“Right.”
Gamache made up his mind.
His suspicions of the head of the entire Préfecture were so paper-thin as to be almost irrational.
He had to share some information.
“Does Luxembourg mean anything to you?”
“Luxembourg? The country or the garden?”
“Country.” Armand was watching him closely.
Dussault considered, then shook his head. “Why?”
“Beauvoir had an odd experience at work with his own number two.”
Gamache described what had happened.
“So you do suspect GHS,” said Dussault. “And that’s why you asked about the box. You want their annual report. Monsieur Horowitz is a financier, not an engineer. If he was studying their annual report, he must’ve been looking for financial wrongdoing, and obviously found something if he was planning to go to their board meeting. Corruption, fraud. Maybe money laundering. Luxembourg has traditionally been a harbor for that. Is that what you think?”
“I honestly don’t know what’s going on, but yes, I do think Stephen found something out about GHS, and was planning to confront them at the board meeting.”
“Which is what the killer was looking for in his apartment. The evidence. If it’s that important, we have to find it first. Do you have any idea what it might be?”
“I wish,” said Gamache. “We don’t even know if it was GHS he was after or some other company.”
“I’ve found out a little about GHS Engineering since this morning. But it’s surprisingly very difficult, even for us. It’s a multinational. Mostly engineering, but with interests in oil and gas, some manufacturing. It’s a private company, with emphasis on ‘private,’ and has friends powerful enough to keep their interests secret. If it was GHS Horowitz was tilting at, they’d make a formidable