Murder in Paris (Lottie Sprigg 1920s Cozy Mystery Series) by Martha Bond

Author:Martha Bond [Bond, Martha]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Darkfield Books
Published: 2023-03-15T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eighteen

‘Why do you want to see the courtyard?’ Pierre asked as he wheeled his bicycle alongside Lottie and Rosie.

‘I saw a man there on the night of Jacques Marchand’s murder, remember? I asked Tom Springer if it was him.’

‘You asked him? Where did you see him?’

‘At a preview of an art exhibition at the Grand Palais.’

Pierre gave an impressed whistle. ‘You go to some fancy places. And Tom Springer was there too? What did he say when you asked him about it?’

‘He denied it was him. And there’s no way of proving it either. But I’d like to see where he was standing. And maybe if I stand in that same location myself, I might get an idea of what he was looking at.’

‘You’re becoming quite a sleuth!’ He grinned.

They passed a boutique with expensive shoes in the window, then Pierre stopped by a narrow, cobbled passageway which ran between two buildings.

‘Down here?’ asked Lottie.

‘Yes, but I won’t come with you because I need to deliver this bread. Just watch out for Monsieur Soulier.’

‘Who’s he?’

‘He owns the courtyard.’

‘So I shouldn’t go there?’

He laughed. ‘Don’t look so worried, Lottie! He probably won’t see you.’

‘But he might.’

‘You’ll be able to run faster than him. See you soon.’ He gave her a wink, which made her face flush, and climbed onto his bicycle.

‘Come on, Rosie,’ said Lottie once Pierre had cycled away. ‘Let’s brave it.’ The passageway was long and dingy, but she could see the sunny courtyard at the far end. She tried to calm her thudding heart as they walked. ‘If we do see him, then we can just pretend we don’t understand French and we’re lost. Although you don’t understand French anyway, so it only needs to be me who pretends.’

Eventually, Lottie and Rosie reached the courtyard, and she recognised the large tree, lamppost and bench which she’d seen from the study balcony. ‘Tom Springer, or the man who looked like him, was standing right here,’ she whispered to Rosie. Buildings bordered the courtyard on all four sides, and Lottie feared she was easy to spot from the countless windows. Many of them were shuttered, but there was a possibility the shutters had gaps which people might peek out of. She could only hope Monsieur Soulier wasn’t one of them.

The building in front of her was the rear of the apartment block where the Lenoir family lived. She counted the floors and looked up at the balconies, wondering which one of them belonged to the study. There were two or three possibilities.

‘Tom Springer had a good view of the building from here,’ Lottie whispered to Rosie. ‘But what was he doing here? Was he watching the windows? Or had he arranged to meet Madeleine here? Perhaps he was waiting for her to let him in at that door.’

The small blue door she could see was presumably the door which Mr Boucher had mentioned. He’d told her it had been locked. Lottie stepped over to it now and tried the handle.

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