A Fatal Grace

Kaye thought about it for a moment, her small, wrinkled face looking like a Mrs Potato Head that had been left too long in the sun.



‘That woman who died, CC? She was sitting in Em’s chair. We always brought our own lawn chairs and put them under the heat lamp. People were very kind and allowed us the warmest seats. Except that horrible woman—’



‘Kaye,’ said Émilie, a reproach in her voice.



‘She was and we all know it. Always bossing people about, moving things, straightening things. I’d put the salt and pepper on the tables for the Legion breakfast and she went around moving them. And complained about the tea.’



‘That was my tea,’ said Mother. ‘She’d never had natural, organic, herbal tisane even though she pretended to have been in India.’



‘Please,’ said Émilie. ‘The poor woman’s dead.’



‘CC and I were sitting side by side, about five feet apart. As I said, it was quite cold and I was wearing a lot of clothing. I think I might have dozed off. The next thing I know CC’s standing at Mother’s chair gripping the back of it as though she’s going to pick it up and throw it. But she’s kind of trembling. Everyone around is cheering and clapping but then I realized CC wasn’t cheering at all, but screaming. Then she lets go of the chair and falls down.’



‘What did you do?’



‘I got up to see what had happened, of course. She was lying on her back and there was a strange smell. I think I must have called out because the next thing I knew there were all these people around. Then Ruth Zardo took over. Bossy woman. Writes horrible poetry. Nothing rhymes. Give me a good bit of Wordsworth any time.’



‘Why did she get out of her chair?’ Beauvoir asked hastily before Kaye or Gamache or both started quoting.



‘How should I know?’



‘Did you see anyone else around the chairs? Anyone bending over them, say? Or maybe spilling a drink?’



‘Nobody,’ said Kaye, firmly.



‘Did Madame de Poitiers speak to you at all?’ Gamache asked.



Kaye hesitated. ‘She seemed disturbed by Mother’s chair. There was something about it that was upsetting her, I think.’



‘What?’ Mother said. ‘You never told me that. What could possibly upset her about my chair, except the fact it was mine? She was out to get me, that woman. And now she died holding my chair.’



Mother’s face matched her caftan and her bitter voice filled the calm and tranquil room. She seemed to realize how she sounded and regained herself.



‘What do you mean, madame?’ asked Gamache.



‘About what?’



‘You said Madame de Poitiers was out to get you. What did you mean by that?’



Mother looked at Émilie and Kaye, as though suddenly lost and frightened.



‘She means,’ said Kaye, jumping in to save her friend, ‘that CC de Poitiers was a stupid, vapid, vindictive woman. And she got what she deserved.’



Agent Robert Lemieux was deep in the bowels of Sûreté headquarters in Montreal, a building he’d seen in recruitment posters, but never actually visited. In recruitment posters he’d also seen a whole lot of happy Québecois gathered respectfully round a Sûreté officer in uniform. That was something else he’d never seen in real life.



He’d found the door, closed, and the name Chief Inspector Gamache had given him stenciled onto the frosted glass.



He knocked and adjusted the leather of his satchel over his shoulder.



‘Venez,’ the voice barked. A thin, balding man looked up from his slanting desk. A pool of light from a small lamp shining on it was the only light in the room. Lemieux had no idea whether the room was tiny or cavernous, though he could guess. He felt claustrophobic.



‘You Lemieux?’



‘Yes sir. Chief Inspector Gamache sent me.’ He took a step further into the room with its formaldehyde smell and intense occupant.



‘I know. Otherwise I wouldn’t be seeing you. I’m busy. Give me what you’ve got.’



Lemieux dug into his satchel and pulled out the photograph of Elle’s dirty hand.



‘So?’



‘Well, here, you see?’ Lemieux waved an index finger over the middle of the hand.



‘You mean these bloodstains?’



Lemieux nodded, trying to look authoritative and praying to God this curt man didn’t ask him why.



‘I see what he means. Extraordinary. Right, tell the Chief Inspector he’ll get it when he gets it. Now go away.’



Agent Lemieux did.