The Girl With No Shadow by Joanne Harris

Author:Joanne Harris [Harris, Joanne]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi

Tuesday, 4 December

Meanwhile, i still had to deal with roux. my plans for him do not involve contact with Vianne, but I do need him to stay close, and so, as planned, at half past five, I went down to Rue de la Croix and waited for him to come out.

It was closer to six when he left the house. Thierry’s taxi had already arrived—he’s staying in a nice hotel while work on the flat is under way—but Thierry had not yet left the flat, and I was able to watch from a discreet little vantage point on the corner as Roux waited with his hands in his pockets and his collar turned up against the rain.

Now Thierry has always rather prided himself on being a man of no pretensions, a real man who isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty, and who would never make another man feel inferior for lack of money or social status. This is quite untrue, of course. Thierry’s a snob of the worst kind—he just doesn’t know it, that’s all. But it’s in his manner all the same: in the way he always calls Laurent mon pote; and I could see it now in the careless way he took his time locking up the flat, checking, setting the security alarm, then turning to Roux with a look of surprise—as if to say, ah yes, I forgot—

“How much did we call it? A hundred? ” he asked.

A hundred euros a day, I thought. Not an especially generous sum. But Roux just gave that shrug of his—the shrug that so infuriates Thierry and makes him want to force a reaction. Roux, in contrast, is very cool, a gas jet turned to its lowest flame. But I noticed that he kept his eyes slightly lowered throughout, as if afraid of what he might reveal.

“Check all right? ” Thierry said.

Nice touch, I thought. Of course he must know that Roux has no bank account, that Roux pays no taxes, that Roux may not even be his name.

“Or would you rather have cash? ” he said.

Roux shrugged again. “Whatever,” he said. Willing to forfeit a whole day’s wages rather than concede a point.

Thierry gave his broadest smile. “All right, I’ll give you a check,” he said. “I’m a bit tight on cash today. Sure you don’t mind? ”

Roux’s colors flared, but he kept stubbornly silent.

“Who shall I make it to? ”

“Leave it blank.”

Still smiling, Thierry took his time writing the check, then gave it to Roux with a cheery wink. “See you same time tomorrow, then. Unless you’ve had enough, that is.”

Roux shook his head.

“All right, then. Eight-thirty. Don’t be late.”

And then he was off in his taxicab, leaving Roux with his useless check, apparently too lost in his thoughts to notice me as I approached.

“Roux,” I said.

“Vianne? ” He turned and shot me that Christmas-tree smile. “Oh, it’s you.” His face fell.

“The name’s Zozie.” I gave him a look. “And you could work on your charm a bit.”

“Sorry? ”

“I mean you could at least pretend to be pleased to see me.

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