Maigret at the Crossroads by Georges Simenon

Author:Georges Simenon [Simenon, Georges]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Georges Simenon
ISBN: 9780140066524
Google: gDGSAAAAIAAJ
Amazon: 0140066527
Publisher: Penguin Books
Published: 1983-07-15T00:00:00+00:00

I’ m frightened, I don’ t know why… Since our conversation earlier on, it seems to me that you’ re the only one who can protect me… You know this sinister crossroads as well as I do now, these three houses which look as if they’ re challenging one another… Do you believe in premonitions?… I do, like all women… I feel that something is going to happen tonight…’

‘ And you’ re asking me again to keep an eye on you?’

‘ I’ m asking too much of you, aren’ t I?… But is it my fault if I’ m frightened?’

Maigret’ s gaze had settled on a picture of a snow-covered landscape, which was hung awry. But the next moment the Chief-Inspector had turned towards the girl who was waiting for his answer.

‘ You’ re not afraid for your reputation?’

‘ What does that matter when one’ s frightened?’

‘ In that case I’ ll come back in an hour… I’ ve a few orders to give…’

‘ Really and truly!… You’ ll come back?… You mean it?…

Besides, I’ ve got a lot of things to tell you, things that have only come back to me bit by bit…’

‘ What about?’

‘ About my brother… But they’ re probably not important…

For instance, I remember that after his flying accident, the doctor who attended him told my father that he could answer for his physical health but not for his mental health… I never thought about that remark before… Some other details too… This insistence on living out in the country, on hiding away… I’ ll tell you all that when you come back…’

And she smiled at him with a gratitude still mingled with a little fear.

As he passed the millstone villa, Maigret automatically glanced at the first-floor window, which shone out bright yellow in the darkness. On the illuminated blind there stood out the silhouette of Monsieur Michonnet sitting in his armchair.

At the inn the Chief-Inspector simply gave Lucas a few orders, without any explanation.

‘ Get half-a-dozen inspectors over here and post them round the crossroads. Every hour, make sure that Monsieur Oscar is still in Paris, by phoning the Escargot, the theatre, and the hotel. Have somebody following anybody who leaves one of the three houses…’

‘ Where will you be?’

‘ At the Andersens’ house.’

‘ You think that…?’

‘ I don’ t think anything at all, old chap. See you soon, or else tomorrow morning.’

Night had fallen. On his way back to the main road, the Chief-Inspector checked the cartridge-clip of his revolver and made sure there was some tobacco in his pouch.

Behind the Michonnets’ window the shadow of the armchair and the insurance agent’ s moustachioed profile could still be seen.

Else Andersen had exchanged her black velvet dress for the dressing-gown she had been wearing in the morning and Maigret found her stretched out on the divan, smoking a cigarette, calmer than she had been at their last meeting, but with her forehead furrowed in thought.

‘ If you only knew what a lot of good

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