The Paris Affair by Maureen Marshall

Author:Maureen Marshall [MARSHALL, MAUREEN]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Published: 2024-05-29T00:00:00+00:00

18

Nothing else in the apartment appeared out of place—though Victoire would have been a better judge than I was if she hadn’t been incapacitated back in my own flat. In shock. Trauma that would scream guilt to anyone who didn’t know her.

It was my duty to protect her by allowing Gilbert to handle this on his own. It wasn’t because of the blasted tower or anything to do with my father. For Victoire. To keep her safe.

A loud sob wrenched from my throat, and Gilbert clamped his hand over my mouth.

“Shh. We don’t need the neighbors to look out and see us. Be able to describe us if anyone comes looking for Jody. We could face la guillotine, too, non?”

My skin went clammy, cold at the idea. School lessons about the French Revolution and the mass slaughter by guillotine felt so long ago, but it was still considered the most humane way of execution in France. I touched my throat and took a deep breath because I still could.

“I say we go back to your apartment and discuss our options with Victoire.” He flicked his eyes to Jody’s prone body, now covered. “There’s nothing we can do for him now, anyway. And we both know the police won’t give a damn about the truth—only about finding someone to pin this on and be done with it.”

Every fiber of my being revolted at the idea of walking away, but he was right.

“We leave here, quiet as mouses and do not breathe a word, all right, mon vilain?”

How he could continue to call me the cheeky endearment in the midst of this touched me and made me queasy, all at once.

I took a deep breath—a mistake, since I inhaled the already souring smell of the body of my friend. I gagged and then shook, hyperventilating.

Gilbert clutched my arms. “Stop it.”

That calm voice roused me. I nodded and covered my mouth with my hands, breathing through them to calm myself down.

Placing his finger over his lips to warn me again, he cracked open the door, and we hurried out as unsuspiciously as possible.

Neither of us spoke. Not until we were back in my flat with Victoire, who had regained a touch of color in her cheeks.

“I’ll have the body removed,” said Gilbert, like it had already been decided. Though I guess he had.

“And what?” I had the wherewithal to ask.

“I’ll bury him. Or pay to have it done. And if it’s important, I can find a priest.”

“Jody wouldn’t give a fuck about a priest. Not unless he was getting his cock sucked by one.” Victoire tilted her chin up to look at me. “I feel like an absolute wretch, but I suppose it’s better for us not to be tied to anything unsavory, d’accord?”

I slumped onto the sofa and took her hands in mine. “Jody wouldn’t blame us, you know he wouldn’t.”

Gilbert pulled the cork out of the gin and handed it to Victoire. Then he took me by the hand back to the kitchen.

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