The Orphan's Tale (45 page)

The attempted assassination of the acting Prefect of Police was a grave enough matter to command the interest of anyone in the government, and the broad territory over which the assassination attempt had taken place had mandated the involvement of more than one arrondissement, although L
'Eveque, as the commander of the precinct in which the original attack occurred, served as the investigating officer.

The precise number of arrondissements involved had been arbitrarily set at six, though the correct number was probably closer to four.
A scrutiny of the layout of the sewer systems underlying Paris indicated that Chief Inspector Malet's path had certainly taken him underground through the 18th, 9th and 8th arrondissements, and above ground through the 7th, but from the disposition of the various corpses found in the sewers, there was no way of ruling out the possibility that Malet had cut through the sewers under the 2nd and 1st arrondissements, as well. In addition, the thieves who had attacked Chief Inspector Malet and taken his coat appeared to have come from the 2nd arrondissement.

Whatever the logistics, L
'Eveque knew that no one in the Police worth his salt would willingly choose to miss the chance to sit in on a questioning session that promised to be as entertaining as this one. Nor had they been disappointed.

The various Chief Inspectors - Mercier of the 1st, Picot of the 2nd, Monthermer of the 7th, Brunon of the 8th, Clementel of the 9th, and Guerin of the 18th - had sheets of paper placed before them, along with ink and pens, but L
'Eveque had yet to see any of them make any notes. Chief Inspector Guerin, very pale and silent, had not raised his eyes from the table before him during the entire course of the questioning.

Malet was sitting in a wing chair before them; Count d
'Anglars was standing beside Malet's chair with his arm lying along the back. Nothing in the demeanor of either man gave any indication that Count d'Anglars had just privately given notice to the Provisional Prefect of Police that he was about to receive the most comprehensive and blistering tongue-lashing of his career.

"
And now, gentlemen," said L'Eveque, "You have heard the witnesses. Have you any questions to add to those already posed?"

Chief Inspector Picot smoothed his forehead in a gesture left over from the years when he had had hair.
"How many times were you attacked in the sewers, M. Malet?" he asked.

"F
our separate times," Malet answered. He was sitting back in his chair with his eyes closed. It was very late afternoon, but he had only just been released from his guest room at TiTi's house. To L'Eveque's relieved eyes he appeared more preoccupied than weary.

"
And you believe that the attacks were all at the instigation of the assassins?" Picot persisted.

Malet opened his eyes.
"There are many rat packs in Paris," he said. "Most of them haunt the sewers. I don't pretend to know how they're connected. I didn't attempt to establish their affiliation before I fought them. Should I have?"

Brunon chuckled and folded his papers away.
"Sensibly said, my dear Malet," he said. "For my part, I am very glad that you escaped as you did."

Malet nodded and closed his eyes again.
They snapped open at the next question.

"
I have a query from Chief Inspector Scarron," said Clementel, opening a slip of paper. "He inquires thus: M. Malet made his way into the sewers at Montmartre and emerged at the Pont de la Legion d'Honneur - is it possible that the Chief Inspector's path took him into the 10th arrondissement?"

Malet
's expression shifted to a frown as he replied calmly enough, but with increasing vehemence. "Tell Scarron that if the situation ever arises again, I will try to flee to his arrondissement at least for a little ways before resuming my path. Perhaps if I pole a raft down the Canal Saint-Martin, I can satisfy both him and Gravelot. More than that I can't do."

The frown deepened to a scowl.
"As for last night," said Malet, "I regret that my haste didn't permit me to visit all the Parisian arrondissements in descending numerical order so that everyone could participate in this circus raree show!"

Marshal Soult hid a smile behind his hand.

"But there's a point to the question," said Mercier. "I am still not certain where the attacks took place - was my bailiwick even involved? I can't reconcile it in my mind. Certainly, you were waylaid near M. Picot's territory, if not on it - "

"
It's more likely he went through yours than mine," said Picot with a frown. "Do the sewers go underneath the juncture of the Boulevard de la Madeleine and the Rue des Capucines? I think that was out of M. Malet's way - "

"
His attackers probably came from there, though!" snapped Mercier. "One of the corpses certainly was one of your prize criminals!"

"
My prize - !" Picot began hotly.

"
Why don't I take both of you on a tour of the sewers tomorrow?" asked Malet with a thin smile. "We can retrace my route. I'd be happy to serve as your guide, and we can even - " He fell silent as d'Anglars' hand descended discreetly to his shoulder and gripped it. He flashed a sidelong glance at the Count's hand but said nothing further.

"I
believe the question of venue has been settled," said L'Eveque. "If there are any lingering questions, I am certain that they can be addressed by M. le Prefet upon his return." He scanned his notes and then smiled at the Chief Inspectors. "Are there any further questions, gentlemen?" He paused, waiting for an answer, and then said briskly, "No? Then we shall conclude this session of questioning. With any luck, there shall be no need for another."

He turned to Soult and D
'Aillard. "Accept my thanks, messeigneurs, for the evidence you have given us, and for your time and trouble in so doing,"

M. D
'Aillard inclined his head and said, "We are happy to have been of use. If I, personally, can offer any more assistance, I beg that you contact me."

Soult added,
"I wouldn't have missed it for the world!"

Malet closed his eyes again.

L'Eveque hid a smile and said, "Thank you. I shall take care to ensure that you receive fair copies of your testimony. And now, messeigneurs, permit me to wish you a pleasant evening." He rose and bowed as the Minister of Finance and the Minister of War rose and left the room.

"
I shall not keep you any longer," d'Anglars said smoothly to the Chief Inspectors. "It is late, M. Malet is weary and still, I fear, in some pain. No doubt you have pressing matters back at your respective headquarters. I shall make certain that you all receive copies of M. L'Eveque's report when it is completed."

The Chief Inspectors took the hint.
They all left except for Guerin, who remained where he was. His face was, if possible, paler than before.

D
'Anglars smiled down at Malet. "Are you feeling better now?" he asked. His voice was very gentle.

Malet looked up at him.
"I am fine, M. le Comte," he said through his teeth.

"
That's good," said d'Anglars. He released Malet's shoulder and went over to a chair that had just been vacated.

Guerin pushed himself slowly to his feet.
Deep lines bracketed his mouth, and his voice shook slightly when he spoke. "I had no idea that this would happen," he said to Malet.

D
'Anglars seemed surprised for a moment, but he said evenly, "Of course you did not. Had you known, you would have taken steps to prevent it."

Guerin turned halfway toward the Count, but he did not take his eyes off Malet.
"Just so," he said. He paused and cleared his throat. "I am deeply embarrassed by - by all of this. More so than you can ever know. It should never have happened, and the fact that it did - "

He broke off, took a deep breath, and said,
"Malet, I hope you will accept my apologies. We have never liked each other - indeed, we just had a regrettable quarrel - but I beg you to believe me: I have never actively wished you ill. I am very sorry." He turned and left the room.

D
'Anglars watched him leave. After a moment he looked at L'Eveque and nodded to the door.

L
'Eveque rose and went to shut the door. When he returned, d'Anglars asked, "How much do you have substantiating his part in those protection payments?"

"
I have very little," answered L'Eveque.

Malet had been gazing thoughtfully at the door through which Guerin had left.
"Those weren't his men," he said. "They weren't inept enough - "

"
I beg your pardon?" said L'Eveque. His smile had returned.

Malet ignored the smile.
"He had some men tailing me for a while," he said. "His hired trackers were very poor. I gave one of them the fright of his life. He didn't send the killers."

D
'Anglars nodded. "I shall accept that, then," he said. "We shall dispense with M. Guerin for the moment. Now it's your turn: I have judged it time to bell the cat. I am assigning you a bodyguard."

Malet transferred his frown from the door to d
'Anglars' face.

"
We have discussed this before in some depth," d'Anglars said. "You acted against my clear orders, in flagrant disregard of your own safety, in the hope of accomplishing something so insignificant when compared to the matter in hand that I find myself wondering if I have somehow managed to miss some key item in your chain of reasoning. I can't understand why you're alive at this moment. I can only thank God that you escaped the consequences of your own headstrong folly. Look at you: last night took its toll. you're worn out."

"
It'll pass," Malet said through his teeth. "I will be fine tomorrow."

"
You shall be finer still with a bodyguard," said d'Anglars with the steely glint of a smile.

"
I question the necessity," said Malet. "I escaped, after all."

D
'Anglars' face hardened. "Don't try my patience, Chief Inspector," he said, all smiles gone from his expression. "I have too great a respect for your formidable talents to allow myself to interfere with your way of performing the duties of your position, but when I do give a command, I expect it to be obeyed. So would you, too!

"
You deliberately disregarded my orders concerning the care you were to take for your own safety and set up that trap last night - which, let me remind you, you proceeded to forget in a way that would embarrass even the most callow junior constable! Can you possibly be unaware that you threw this entire prefecture into an unprecedented uproar?"

Malet lowered his head, but his mouth was grim.

D'Anglars looked narrowly at him and then continued. "I am astonished that I must phrase it this way to a man of your rank and distinction, Inspector, but as long as I hold the reins of the Police you will run as I command, and, by God, if you try to take the bit between your teeth it will be very much the worse for you! You would not hesitate to dismiss at once an intractable subordinate who has caused you only half the annoyance and worry that you have just caused me! I am being very kind to you, in fact. Do you understand me?"

Malet raised his eyes to d
'Anglars', read the Count's expression, and lowered his eyes again. "If you command it," he sighed, "then I will obey."

"
I do command it," d'Anglars said. "This shall not happen again.

Malet inclined his head.
"As you wish," he said.

"
Will you be returning to the Rose d'Or?" L'Eveque asked. "If you are, you can cast an eye over the horse I bought for Inspector de Saint-Légère at the auction."

Malet frowned at L
'Eveque. "Auction?" he repeated.

"Y
ou remember," said L'Eveque. "I attended the auction at the city stables yesterday. We tracked the buyer of that white thoroughbred: I gave you the report. I also bid on a horse for Charles de Saint-Légère, and he was delivered this afternoon. If you go to the Rose d'Or, you'll be able to see him."

"
I should," Malet said. He looked down at his hands. He added, "I forgot to tell Mme. de Clichy not to expect me for supper last night..."

"
She understands," said L'Eveque. "She was worried about you, of course - she sent to inquire after you - but she wasn't angry."

Malet nodded.
"I'd best go back there," he said. He pushed himself to his feet - catching his breath with a hiss of pain - and checked his watch. Seven-thirty. He had been attacked almost twenty-four hours ago, and he was still tired. He was showing his age.

"
You will accept the loan of my carriage to your inn," said d'Anglars. "M. L'Eveque, would you be good enough to ask my staff to have it harnessed and brought round?"

L
'Eveque looked from Count d'Anglars to Malet, then bowed and went to the door.

"
And close the door behind you," d'Anglars directed.