All the Devils Are Here(51)

“You’re going from renting to buying?” said Commander Fontaine. “A larger apartment in a better neighborhood.”

“Yes,” said Daniel.

“And sending both of your daughters to the Lycée?”

If Daniel didn’t hear the subtle implication, his father did. He remained quiet, though watchful.

Daniel took Roslyn’s hand and smiled, his face open and without guile. “Oui. Sorry, Mom, I know you hoped we’d eventually move back to Montréal, but Paris is our home now.”

Armand put his own hand lightly over Reine-Marie’s.

It was true. They’d always hoped, expected even, that Daniel, Roslyn, and the children would one day return to Québec. But now it seemed that wouldn’t happen. Paris had taken their son and their grandchildren. And now Annie and her growing family had been beguiled.

It wasn’t the city’s fault. It couldn’t help being luminous.

But just at this moment, Reine-Marie hated the city. And Armand wasn’t so enamored either.

“Well, that sucks,” said Annie as Jean-Guy took her hand and squeezed.

Commander Fontaine watched. But try as she might, she couldn’t see this as a family riddled with hatred and resentments. If anything, their reaction to Daniel’s announcement was driven by affection.

They wanted to be closer, not farther apart.

After listening to their recollections of the events of the night before, Commander Fontaine once again turned to Daniel.

In the few minutes she’d been there, she’d come to realize that while he looked like his father, he was not actually like him.

They both, père et fils, seemed kind. Not at all threatening. But where in Gamache the elder it took the form of confidence and authority, in the younger it came across as charm. Which, while pleasant, could be superficial. Often was. A sort of genial wrapping paper hiding, what? Neediness? Insecurity?

“Monsieur Horowitz had been in Paris for ten days before being hit. Did you get together with him in that time?”

“No,” said Daniel, surprised. “Not until last night. I thought he’d just arrived.”

“Had any of you heard from him?” asked Fontaine.

They shook their heads.

Jean-Guy Beauvoir had gotten up and wandered over to a window.

“Am I boring you, Monsieur Beauvoir?” Fontaine asked.

“Non, désolé. I just wanted to make sure I could see the children and their sitter in the park.”

He returned to his seat beside Annie, and reaching into his pocket, he began playing with the nickels that were stuck together. He’d meant to show them to Honoré but had forgotten he had them.

“Monsieur Horowitz had planned to go to a board meeting this coming week,” said Fontaine. “We’re wondering if there could be a connection between that and the attacks.”

“Which board meeting?” asked Daniel.

“GHS Engineering.” She turned to Beauvoir. “Monsieur Horowitz got you your job at GHS, I believe.”

“That’s true,” said Beauvoir.

“He did?” said Daniel. He seemed surprised, and surprisingly pleased.

“Did you ask him to?” Fontaine asked Beauvoir.

“It was a favor for me,” said Gamache. “I asked him to find a position in private industry for Jean-Guy.”

“In private industry, or in GHS?” asked Fontaine.

“No, not specifically that company.”

“So as far as you know, Monsieur Horowitz didn’t plant you there”— she turned back to Beauvoir—“to get information for him? Insider information even.”

“To spy?” asked Jean-Guy. “No. He never asked. And I’d never pass along insider information. And if I thought something was wrong, I’d have gone to my immediate superior.”

“And who’s that?”

“Carole Gossette.”

“But you saw nothing suspicious?”

“No.”

“Not even the Luxembourg project?”

“How do you know about that?” Beauvoir asked.

“Monsieur Gamache here told the Prefect about your questions.”

Beauvoir shot Gamache a quick look before turning back to Fontaine. “That was odd,” he admitted. “But from what I could see, there’s nothing wrong there.”

“Would you necessarily know?” Fontaine asked.

It was a good question. “No.”

“And you have no idea why Monsieur Horowitz was planning to go to the board meeting on Monday?”

“Can I interrupt?” said Daniel. “Do we know if Stephen is on the board?”

“He is not,” said Fontaine.

“Then he might’ve had it in his agenda, but he’d never get in. It’s a private company. Only board members are allowed in board meetings. Confidential things are discussed. No outsider would be allowed anywhere near it.”

“Monsieur Horowitz would know that?”

“Yes, absolutely.”

“Was he an investor in the company?” Annie asked.

“No,” said Armand. “I asked Mrs. McGillicuddy. Stephen didn’t hold any shares in GHS. In fact, as Daniel says, they’re a private company, and not listed on the stock exchanges.”