The Minister's Secret by Rodolfo Peña

Author:Rodolfo Peña [Peña, Rodolfo]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Historical
Publisher: Untreed Reads Publishing
Published: 2012-03-15T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 24: Lombardo’s Turn to Ask Questions

The Commissariat de Morlaix, or police headquarters for that city, is located on Place Charles de Gaulle, just a couple hundred meters from the train station. It was rather quiet, with few people about, when Lombardo and Jean went inside. The sergeant on duty looked up from his paperwork when they approached the counter. “Oui?”

Jean explained that they wanted to see Inspector Cuviere. The sergeant wanted to know what their business was with the inspector, and Jean replied that it was concerning an investigation he was conducting.

The sergeant picked up the phone, dialed a number, and, after speaking briefly into the phone, he asked their names, which he repeated into the phone.

“This way, please,” said the sergeant as he led them to Inspector Cuviere’s office.

The word Spartan aptly describes the office in which Inspector Cuviere was working. It was furnished with a small desk, a filing cabinet, and two folding chairs. There were two stacks of folders on the desk. As Jean and Lombardo went in, the inspector closed the folder he had been reading and stood to shake hands. He motioned to the two folding chairs. He folded his hands over the folder, as if he were protecting something inside, and said, “Yes, gentlemen?”

“Inspector,” Jean began, “today we talked to the missing girl’s mother. We wanted…”

“Why did you do that?” interrupted the inspector, furrowing his brow in obvious displeasure.

“My friend, is worried, not only because some suspicion has been cast on him, but also because he has a personal interest in the girl.”

“What sort of ‘personal’ interest?’” asked the inspector, turning to look directly at Lombardo.

“As you know, Mimi and I had an intimate relationship, Inspector. But, it only reached that point the night before she disappeared.”

“Yes, you mentioned this before.”

“Her mother says that she called her the day before I arrived,” said Lombardo.

“And why should that be an important fact?” sniffed the inspector.

“Because I didn’t have a ticket until I got to the station. The reason I was taking the train I did was because Mimi had suggested it. She had told her mother the day before that she was bringing someone.”

“Why didn’t you mention this business about the ticket before when I questioned you?”

“I didn’t think it relevant, Inspector.”

“You should know better, Monsieur. You, who are a veteran policeman, should know that it is for the investigating officer to decide what is relevant and what is not.”

“You are correct, Inspector,” said Lombardo.

“Is there anything else you did not deem relevant to tell me, Monsieur?”

“Well, the fact that she wanted to tell me something important the day I was to travel to Brittany and that she planned to be with me in the train seems relevant, but I don’t know what it means, Inspector.”

“Right! Now, why did you go and see the girl’s mother?”

“We felt—I feel—that Mimi might be in trouble. And, I would like to go back to Paris—with your permission, of course—to help to try to find her.”

“Why? Do you think that the Paris police is not competent enough?”

“No, not at all, Inspector.

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