A Shooting at Chateau Rock by Martin Walker

Author:Martin Walker
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Quercus Editions Ltd
Published: 2020-04-12T13:48:46+00:00

18

When Bruno called at Guillaumat’s farm, he confirmed that the images of Lara Saatchi on Bruno’s phone were indeed the young woman from the insurance firm whom he’d met at Driant’s place. As Bruno left, he told himself there was little he could now do until J-J confirmed that Sarrail or Constant were back in Périgueux. In the meantime, as well as finishing the chicken coop, he had to prepare for taking Balzac to the breeding kennels on Saturday.

It would be a big day for his young dog and Bruno knew he was feeling a little nervous on Balzac’s behalf. He’d have to pack an overnight case, and perhaps he should make a new batch of Balzac’s dog biscuits as a gift to Claire Mornier. Or should he take flowers to the female owner of the dam his Balzac was about to mount? There was a dilemma of etiquette, he thought, and laughed at himself, happy to be back in his usual good mood after the row with J-J. Bruno knew that J-J was a loyal friend and good colleague and felt equally uncomfortable with the way Goirau from the fisc was trying to use them both.

Which reminded him, J-J had introduced him to someone Bruno knew he should have told about Balzac’s coming weekend. He pulled off the road and called her cell phone.

‘Bruno, lovely to hear from you,’ came the familiar, beloved voice that reminded him again how much he missed this woman. ‘I was thinking of you just this very morning. It’s our first real summer’s day here in Paris and I was walking to work through the Tuileries gardens on the way to the Ministry, looking across the river at the Musée d’Orsay and remembering that time we went there. Happy days. And how are you?’

‘I’m well, thanks, Isabelle, and you sound good but I’m calling about Balzac.’

‘Is he all right?’ She sounded concerned.

‘He’s fine, never better. But he has a big weekend coming up. You remember when you first brought him to me as a pup and told me about the military kennels at Suippes, how they wanted to breed him when he was fully grown? Well, his big day will be this weekend.’

‘Mon Dieu. How time flies – a puppy and now he’s going to be a father. Where will this take place? At Suippes?’

‘No, at a kennel north of here close to the Limousin border, run by a breeder called Claire Mornier who was a corporal at Suippes when we first got Balzac. She was the one who arranged for us to have him. Now she’s done her twenty years with her pension and breeds dogs for the military. I’ll be going there Saturday and staying overnight. They like the dogs to have more than one, er, mating.’

‘Like master, like dog, as I well recall,’ she said with that light, warm laugh that he knew so well. ‘Do you think Balzac would like me to be there?’

‘We always said he’s as much your dog as mine and you know how he loves to see you.

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