Maigret's Madwoman by Georges Simenon

Author:Georges Simenon
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780241304334
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
Published: 2019-10-02T16:00:00+00:00

5.

The hotel was a tall, narrow building, full of strong smells. Maigret climbed to the fourth floor and knocked at the door which had been indicated to him, with bad grace, at reception.

A sleepy voice called out: ‘Come in!’

The shutters were closed, and the room was dark.

‘I thought it might be you.’

The red-haired youth jumped out of bed, quite naked, and grabbed a towel, which he draped round his hips. Still under the covers was a girl, turned towards the wall, her dark hair lying across the pillow all one could see.

‘What’s the time?’

‘The funeral was over quite a while ago.’

‘And you’re wondering why I didn’t turn up? Give me a minute to rinse out my mouth. Terrible hangover.’

He filled a tooth mug at the washbasin and swilled out his mouth.

‘You should have stayed longer last night. These three English guys turned up with guitars and we were jamming for a couple of hours. They had a great chick with them. Who’s right here.

‘I just couldn’t force myself up this morning to go to the old lady’s funeral. Not very respectful of me, I know, but I didn’t all that much want to meet my mother. Has she found the loot?’

‘What loot?’

‘My great-aunt’s savings. She must have plenty stashed away, because she spent hardly anything. Her second husband had some put by as well. So my mother will get her little house in the end.’

He opened the shutters, through which a ray of sunshine entered the room. The girl moaned and turned over, exposing one naked breast.

‘Your mother wants to buy a house?’

‘Yeah, a little house in the country for weekends, and then to retire to one day. She’s been dreaming of it for years. She tried to get her aunt to lend her enough money, but that didn’t come off. Sorry, I can’t offer you anything here.’

‘I was just passing.’

‘And you still haven’t found the revolver?’

‘No. Big Marcel has left town.’

‘Oh, no kidding! Well, my mother’ll be in a state.’

‘She threw him out herself. He’s gone to Toulon, where he has friends.’

‘She’ll have to find someone else, then. She can’t go three days without a man. As she gets older, it’s getting harder and costing more.’

His cynicism wasn’t aggressive. His tone seemed almost affectionate as if nostalgic for the kind of family life he had never really known. So he was laying it on a bit thick.

‘Don’t leave Paris without informing me. The investigation is far from over, and I might need you again.’

The young man jerked his chin towards the bed.

‘As you can see, I’ve good reason to stay.’

Maigret returned to Rue Saint-André-des-Arts, where the men from Criminal Records were waiting for him.

‘Finished now, chief. Practically nothing to report. Just clothes, mostly dark-coloured, underwear, stockings, shoes. She must have a weakness for shoes, we found eight pairs.’

Angèle Louette was still sitting in her chair, apparently indifferent.

‘The fridge is well stocked. Although she lives alone, she cooks proper meals. There are photos too, of herself and a child, dating back to when she was young.

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