A Reverend Annabelle Dixon Mystery 07 Fireworks in France by Alison Golden

Author:Alison Golden [Golden, Alison]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2021-03-13T06:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

ANNABELLE TURNED FROM Babineaux. She looked past the body to Doctor Giroux who had finished putting away his medical instruments and was now standing in the corner looking very much like he’d prefer to be far from this morbid room and its occupants, both the dead one and the ones very much alive.

“What do you think, Doctor Giroux? Do you think it’s possible that this wasn’t a suicide?” Annabelle asked, trying to keep the pleading tone out of her voice and failing only slightly.

Doctor Giroux snapped to attention at the sound of his name. When he saw the expectant look on Annabelle’s face, he took his glasses off his nose, fumbling with them as he did so.

“Ah…it is difficult…” he mumbled. “I am not experienced with such things. I have called for a pathologist from Reims. They should arrive this afternoon.”

“But in your opinion,” Annabelle said, “as a doctor, did Mother Renate hang herself?”

Doctor Giroux began breathing heavily, rubbing his glasses on a handkerchief as he considered Annabelle’s question. He glanced a few more times at the body on the floor. Eventually he shrugged and said, “Yes.”

Annabelle sighed. Her shoulders slumped.

“All the signs,” Giroux continued, “are that she hung herself. There is no sign of a struggle. Not on the hands, not on the face. The discoloration of her cheeks—it is distinctly suffocation.”

Babineaux and Mike looked at Annabelle, expecting her to be satisfied with this expert explanation, and ready to offer sympathy once she accepted the unanimous verdict of the others in the room. But Annabelle wasn’t yet done. She wandered over to Mother Renate’s desk. Papers were strewn over a blotter. There was a wooden desk tidy, a pen with its cap off, a pencil sharpened to a fine point, and a cup and saucer. The cup was overturned, pale yellow dregs of tea tipped into the saucer, long cold. Annabelle idly picked up the cup. She sniffed before putting it down again.

“And as man, a human being?” she asked Giroux coolly, her composure intact now. “I mean, that’s your professional opinion as a doctor, but personally, what do you think?”

Doctor Giroux breathed so heavily the sound filled the room. His lips quivered. He seemed almost frightened by the question. He looked down at the glasses he held in his hand and lifted them to his face, winding the wire arms around his ears.

“I am very God-fearing,” he said, looking at Annabelle directly now. “I never miss church. I confess twice a week. I have spoken with Mother Renate many times and… and… I cannot believe she killed herself.” He paused but then quickly continued on, “But please! Please. Wait for the pathologist. I don’t know! Really. I don’t know. I am not an expert.”

Sergeant Lestrange walked over to the doctor and said something in French that seemed to calm him. Babineaux turned to form a tight circle with Mike and Annabelle.

“Révérend,” Babineaux said, keeping his voice just low enough so that his words could be heard by only the three of them, “Inspecteur.

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.