A Trick of the Light

“It might matter, monsieur. And if it doesn’t I promise to keep it between us.”

“Well, I’d hoped to approach Peter Morrow. He’s a fine artist.”

“But not as good as his wife.”

François Marois spoke quietly. Not much more than a whisper. But everyone turned to look at him.

“Is her work that good?” Chief Inspector Gamache asked.

Marois looked at Gamache for a moment. “I’ll be happy to answer that, but I’m curious to hear what you think. You were at the vernissage. You were the one who pointed out that remarkable portrait of the Virgin Mary.”

“The what?” asked Castonguay. “There was no Virgin Mary painting.”

“There was if you looked,” Marois assured him before turning back to the Chief Inspector. “You were one of the few people actually paying attention to her art.”

“As I may have mentioned last night, Clara and Peter Morrow are personal friends,” said Gamache.

This brought a look of surprise and suspicion from Castonguay.

“Is that allowed? That means you’re investigating friends for murder, n’est-ce pas?”

Beauvoir stepped forward. “In case you didn’t know it, Chief Inspector Gamache—”

But the Chief put his hand up and Beauvoir managed to stop himself.

“It’s a fair question.” Gamache turned back to André Castonguay. “They are friends and yes, they’re also suspects. In fact, I have a lot of friends in this village, and all of them are suspects as well. And I realize this could be interpreted as a disadvantage, but the fact is, I know these people. Well. Who better to find the murderer among them than someone who knows their weaknesses, their blind spots, their fears? Now,” Gamache leaned slowly forward, toward Castonguay, “if you’re thinking I might find the murderer and let him go…”

The words were friendly, there was even a mild smile on the Chief Inspector’s face. But even André Castonguay couldn’t miss the gravity in the voice and eyes.

“No. I don’t believe you’d do that.”

“I’m glad to hear it.” Gamache leaned back in his seat once again.

Beauvoir stared at Castonguay a moment longer, making certain he wasn’t about to challenge the Chief again. Gamache might think it was natural and even healthy to challenge him, but Beauvoir didn’t.

“You’re wrong about the Morrow woman’s art, you know,” said Castonguay, sullen. “It’s just a bunch of portraits of old women. There was nothing new there.”

“There’s everything new, if you look below the surface,” said Marois, taking the easy chair beside Castonguay. “Look again, mon ami.”

But it was clear they were not friends. Not, perhaps, enemies, but would they seek each other out for a friendly lunch at Leméac café bistro or a drink at the bar at L’Express in Montréal?

No. Castonguay might, but not Marois.

“And why are you here, monsieur?” Gamache asked Marois. There seemed no power struggle between the two men. There was no need. Each was confident in himself.

“I’m an art dealer, but not a gallery owner. As I told you last night, the curator gave me a catalog and I was taken with Madame Morrow’s works. I wanted to see them myself. And,” he smiled ruefully, “I’m afraid even at my age I’m a romantic.”

“Are you going to admit to a crush on Clara Morrow?” asked Gamache.

François Marois laughed. “Not exactly, though after seeing her work it’s hard not to like her. But it’s more of a philosophical state, my romanticism.”

“How so?”

“I love that an artist could be plucked out of obscurity and discovered at the age of almost fifty. What artist doesn’t dream of it? What artist doesn’t believe, every morning, it will happen before bedtime? Remember Magritte? Belgian painter?”

“Ceci n’est pas une pipe?” asked Gamache, losing Beauvoir completely. He hoped the Chief hadn’t just had a seizure and started spouting nonsense.

“That’s the one. He worked away for years, decades. Living in squalor. Supported himself by painting fake Picassos and forging banknotes. When he did his own work Magritte was not only ignored by the galleries and collectors, he was mocked by other artists, who thought he was nuts. I have to say, it gets pretty bad when even other artists think you’re nuts.”

Gamache laughed. “And was he?”

“Well, perhaps. You’ve seen his works?”