Maigret 54: Maigret Has Doubts (1987) by Georges Simenon

Author:Georges Simenon
Format: epub
Published: 1987-07-30T16:00:00+00:00

FIVE

The Obstinate Silence of Doctor Liorant

Certain details of the case were etched more sharply than others on Maigret’s memory, and several years later he could remember the taste and smell of the sudden shower on Rue Caulaincourt as clearly as any childhood recollection.

It was 6:30 in the evening and when it began to rain the sun, already turning red above the rooftops, was not obscured: the sky continued to glow and some windows still reflected the light, while a solitary pearly-gray cloud with silver edges, slightly darker at the center, floated like a balloon over the area.

It didn’t rain everywhere in Paris, and in the evening Madame Maigret assured her husband that none had fallen on Boulevard Richard-Lenoir.

The raindrops seemed wetter, more transparent than usual, and at first they left big black rings on the dusty road as they landed one by one.

As he raised his head, the Inspector saw four pots of geraniums on the sill of an open window, and then he was hit in the eye by a raindrop so large that it almost hurt.

The open window made him think that Annette was already home, and he went into the building, passing the concierge’s room, and looked in vain for an elevator. He was about to start climbing the stairs when a door opened behind him. An unpleasant voice called:

“Where do you think you’re going?”

He found himself face to face with the concierge, who wasn’t at all like the idea he had formed from Josset’s tale. He had imagined her as middle-aged and careless about her appearance. But she was an attractive woman of about thirty, with a good figure. Only her voice grated, vulgar and aggressive.

“To see Mademoiselle Duché,” he answered politely.

“She isn’t back yet.”

Later he was to remember that it was at this precise moment that he wondered why some people seem disagreeable at once, for no particular reason.

“It must be about time for her to come in, isn’t it?”

“She comes and goes as she likes.”

“Was it you who phoned the newspaper?”

She stood in her doorway and did not invite him in.

“What of it?” she asked defiandy.

“I’m a policeman.”

“I know. I recognized you. You don’t impress me.”

“When Monsieur Duché came to see his daughter yesterday, did he tell you his name?”

“He even stayed a quarter of an hour in my room, chatting.”

“So he came before, when his daughter wasn’t in. In the afternoon, I suppose?”

“About five o’clock.”

“Was it you who wrote to Fontenay?”

“If I had I would only have been doing my duty, and it wouldn’t be any concern of anybody’s. But it wasn’t me. It was the young lady’s aunt.”

“Do you know her aunt?”

“We shop in the same stores.”

“Did you tell her what was going on?”

“She guessed all by herself.”

“Did she tell you she was going to write?”

“We talked about it.”

“When Monsieur Duché came, did you tell him about Monsieur Josset?”

“I answered his questions and advised him to come back a little later, after seven.”

“When the girl came in, didn’t you warn her?”

“I’m not paid to do that.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.