A Rule Against Murder

Lacoste was haunted by the sight of the body. She’d been in homicide for several years and had seen bodies in far more gruesome shape. What disturbed her, though, hadn’t been the stare on the victim’s face, or even the statue imbedded in her chest. It was Julia Martin’s arms. Flung out, open.



She knew that pose. She saw it each time she visited her mother. There on the steps of her modest east end Montreal home, her mother would be standing. Carefully turned out, always clean and proper. When they pulled up she’d open the door having stood just inside, waiting. She’d step onto the stoop and watch them park, then as Isabelle got out her mother’s face would break into a smile. And her arms would open wide, in welcome. It seemed involuntary, as though her mother were exposing her heart to her daughter. And Isabelle Lacoste would head down the walk, picking up speed until finally she was enfolded in those old arms. Safe. Home.



And Lacoste did the same thing when her own children raced down the walk, and into her open arms.



It was just such a gesture Julia Martin had made in the moments before she died. Had she welcomed what was coming? Why had she opened her arms as the massive statue tilted on top of her?



Agent Lacoste closed her eyes and tried to feel the woman. Not the terror of her last moment, but the spirit, the soul of the woman. During each investigation Lacoste quietly went to the site of the murder, and stood there alone. She wanted to say something to the dead. And now, silently, she assured Julia Martin that they would find out who had taken her life. Armand Gamache and his team wouldn’t rest until she rested.



So far they had a near perfect record, and she’d only had to apologize to a few spirits. Would this be one? She hated to bring negative thoughts to this moment, but this case disturbed Agent Lacoste. The Morrows disturbed her. But more even than that, the walking statue disturbed her.



Opening her eyes she saw the chief walking across the lawn and above the buzzing insects and chirps of birds she heard him humming and singing in his baritone.



“Letter B, Letter B.”



Jean Guy Beauvoir had slept fitfully. After putting in a few calls to British Columbia and getting some interesting answers he’d done what he knew he shouldn’t. Instead of going to bed, or into the library to make more notes, on notepads, for God’s sake, he’d gone into the kitchen.



Some of the young staff were just sitting down to eat, the rest were cleaning up. Beauvoir arrived as Pierre Patenaude bustled in. Chef Véronique’s attention, momentarily on Beauvoir, shifted. As did Beauvoir’s mood. He’d been buoyant, feeling again the strange desire to laugh or at least smile in her company. It was a gladness of heart he rarely felt. But that shifted as her attention shifted, away from him to the maître d’. And the Inspector surprised within himself an anger. A hurt. She seemed happy to see him, but happier to see the maître d’.



And why shouldn’t she be? he told himself. It’s only natural.



But the rational thought glanced off the hard feelings forming as he watched Chef Véronique smile at Patenaude.



What sort of man waits on others all his life? he wondered. A weak man. Beauvoir hated weakness. Distrusted it. Murderers were weak, he knew. And he looked at the maître d’ with new eyes.



“Bonjour, Inspector,” the maître d’ had said, wiping his hands on a dish towel. “What can I do for you?”



“I was hoping for a cup of coffee and perhaps a small dessert?” He turned and looked at Chef Véronique as he spoke. He could feel his cheeks burn slightly.



“Bon, parfait,” she said. “I was just cutting some poire Hélène for Monsieur Patenaude. Would you like some?”



Beauvoir’s heart raced and contracted at the same time, giving him a pain so sharp he wanted to press his fist into his chest. “May I help?”



“You never help a chef in her own kitchen,” said Pierre with a laugh. “Here’s your coffee.”



Beauvoir took it reluctantly. This wasn’t how he’d seen the encounter going. Chef Véronique would be alone in here. Washing up. He’d pick up a dish towel and dry as she washed, just as he’d seen the Chief Inspector do a thousand times after dinner at home. Unlike his own home. He and his wife ate in front of the TV then she took the dishes down and shoved them in the dishwasher.



He’d dry the dishes and then Chef Véronique would invite him to sit down. She’d pour coffee for both of them, and they’d eat chocolate mousse and talk about their days.



He certainly hadn’t imagined sitting with the maître d’ and five pimply Anglo kids.