Death on the Pont Noir - By Adrian Magson Page 0,10

scale than normal.

‘I’ll say.’ Rocco had seen the results of far worse bar fights than this, especially in Marseilles when visiting naval ships were in and men had been too long at sea on service rations. But for Amiens, it was extreme.

‘I’ll have someone come round to take statements and assess the damage,’ he said finally, when Mote had finished his story. ‘You’ll have to apply for compensation, but the court will probably make it a condition of their sentence.’

‘You mean in return for their release?’ Mote didn’t sound very surprised. Maybe, thought Rocco, the idea of money to refurbish the bar would be enough to salve his feelings and let the matter drop.

‘We’ll see what the magistrate says.’

Outside, he found a uniformed officer waiting for him.

‘Inspector Rocco? Captain Canet would be pleased if you could return to the station. The five men charged with the assault are all English.’

‘I know. So?’

The man shrugged. ‘You are the only person with that language, sir. We have to take their statements … but …’ He hesitated.

‘But what?’

‘They are being difficult, sir. Even with Sous-Brigadier Godard’s men to help. They seem happy to just sit there laughing at us.’

‘The fresh air must have woken them up.’ Men in Godard’s unit – often mistaken for the national Compagnies Républicaines de Sécurité (CRS) – were used when strength in numbers was needed. If even they were having trouble, then the leader of the Englishmen must have stirred his men into making a fuss.

‘Two of them are pretty big, sir – possibly ex-boxers. The others are just drunk.’

‘I noticed.’

Fifteen minutes later, Rocco was talking to Captain Eric Canet, in charge of the uniformed officers. The captain looked mildly unsettled, as if facing a problem he didn’t much relish dealing with.

‘We don’t need this, Lucas,’ he breathed. ‘We need to get rid of these louts as soon as possible. The magistrate has agreed to deal with them at a special sitting in the morning. He’ll impose a fine and compensation big enough to please the bar owner, after which we can wave them goodbye. But I think you should talk to them; warn them off coming back.’ He handed Rocco a filing tray piled with wallets, passports and envelopes containing money and other personal effects.

‘If they’ll listen.’ Rocco looked around. ‘Where’s Massin?’ The commissaire had a nose for bad news and was usually quick to stamp on trouble taking place in his precinct. Rocco was surprised he wasn’t already out here handing out advice.

‘He’s been called to a conference in headquarters. Something about a security review … or should I say, another security review. Perronnet went with him.’ Commissaire Perronnet was Massin’s deputy, and clung to him like a tick. It was the job of a commissaire like Massin to attend numerous meetings which seemed on the surface to have little to do with day-to-day policing, but a lot to do with a visible national readiness after years of doubt. It also gave him the opportunity he craved, which was to consort with the upper levels of the police force and the Interior Ministry in the hopes of gaining a more favourable posting. ‘I’d like to get this done before he comes back,’ Canet added dryly, ‘then we can all go back to the usual levels of violence and mayhem.’

Rocco nodded. It was a wise move. The less Massin had to complain about, the better all round. ‘Right. I’ll see them in a minute. But don’t let on that I speak English.’

He turned as Desmoulins wandered up, sporting a livid bruise on one cheek.

‘What happened to you?’

The detective sniffed in disgust. ‘I must be getting slow. The big bastard caught me with a backward head butt as we were getting him in the van.’ He waited until Canet was out of earshot, then added, ‘But he tripped on the way back out, so we’re even. Clumsy fella.’

‘Clearly. Also not aware of when he’s caused enough trouble.’ He had a random thought about the ramming incident involving the truck and the Citroën. ‘Three things I need you to check on: put someone on ringing the hospitals here and in a thirty-kilometre radius. Ask if they’ve taken in any road accident victims, dead or injured.’

‘Sure. Anything specific?’

‘We’re looking for anyone with facial damage, loss of teeth – that kind of thing.’

‘Is this from the call earlier this morning?’

‘Yes. Something odd is going on, but it could be nothing. Second, get someone to check the garages in the area for