All the Devils Are Here(98)

“As in the tool?” Jean-Guy asked.

“Yes.”

“Why that company?” asked Armand.

“Monsieur Plessner saw potential. It was his idea, not mine.”

Daniel’s answers to his father remained curt, though they were getting slightly longer.

“And nothing since?”

“No.”

“Plessner didn’t suggest anything else?” his father prodded.

“Well, we were looking at two other small companies. One that makes washers, those metal rings you put around a screw. And one that makes screws.”

“Huh,” said Jean-Guy. “That’s interesting.”

“Is it?” asked Annie. “Really?”

“Actually, yes. There were screws in Stephen’s box. We thought they were from the desk upstairs, but maybe they were part of this venture capital research.”

Armand turned to Séverine Arbour. “Does any of this sound familiar?”

She thought, then shook her head. “I’ve never heard of the company, and never seen particular mention of screwdrivers in any of the documents. They do mention screws, but we use a lot of those. And nails. And those washers you mentioned. But not screwdrivers.”

Gamache nodded, but his thoughtful gaze lingered on her.

He’s wondering how much I know, she thought. Even as she wondered how much he really knew.

Armand turned to Daniel. “We think Stephen was behind the venture capital you and Monsieur Plessner used to invest in that company.”

“No, you’re wrong. It came from a fund, from different sources.”

“Those different sources were all Stephen. Mrs. McGillicuddy confirmed it.”

“Really?” Daniel’s surprise was complete and genuine. “But why wouldn’t he tell me?”

“To keep you safe,” said Reine-Marie.

They explained about Stephen selling his art collection and about the buy orders Mrs. McGillicuddy had found, going back years.

The investments Stephen was quietly making in diverse companies.

And the huge funds transferred into his account with the Banque Privée des Affaires.

“But why?” asked Annie. “What’s he doing?”

“We don’t know. We hoped you could help,” Armand said to Daniel.

“Me?” said Daniel. “You don’t think—”

Armand held up his hand. “I believe you. But you know the markets. Know how these things work. What does this sound like to you?”

Just then the concierge arrived and directed a worker to put up the easel and paper, while Armand handed him an envelope.

“Do you know which companies Stephen was buying into?” Daniel asked.

“Here’s what Mrs. McGillicuddy found.”

Armand picked up a green magic marker and, consulting the email from Mrs. McGillicuddy, he wrote the names of the companies in large letters on one of the sheets of paper.

“Anything look familiar?”

Daniel was scratching his beard and leaning forward. Eyes intense.

“I’ve heard of some, but there doesn’t seem to be any cohesion, any plan. And some are numbered companies. I can’t tell from this what they might be doing and why. Or if there’s any connection.”

“It looks almost like a shotgun approach,” said Annie. “Like Stephen didn’t really know what he was looking for and was covering as wide a field as possible.”

“Or hiding the one important buy among all the others,” said Daniel.

“That’s what we wondered,” said Reine-Marie.

Armand turned to Arbour, who was studying the list.

“No, nothing,” she said.

“We need more information on these companies,” he said, drawing a streak down the paper next to the names. “Can you do that?”

“Yes, absolutely,” said Daniel. “I can go into the bank. Use my access to get information on the companies. The numbered companies will be more difficult, but I can try.”

His father gave him a nod of approval, and Daniel felt something stir.

What he saw now wasn’t the man who’d made his mother cry. It wasn’t even the fellow in the kitchen helping prepare meals, or playing with the grandkids in the garden, or sitting by the fire reading.

What Daniel saw was a senior investigator, with a clear mind and a quiet, but complete, authority.

This was, Daniel thought, someone he could get behind. He had no beef with Chief Inspector Gamache.

It was Dad he had the problem with.

“Could Stephen have been going for a hostile takeover of GHS itself?” asked Annie.

“No,” said Daniel. His answer unequivocal. “Even selling everything he owned, he’d never be able to raise enough. And a company that guarded would notice. He’d never get away with it. But if it looks like Stephen was involved in the venture capital, should I tell Commander Fontaine that? It might be important.”

“I suspect she already knows,” said Armand.

“But how? I didn’t tell her.”

“Commander Fontaine would know,” said Jean-Guy, “because she might be involved.”

“What?” demanded Daniel and Annie.

Séverine Arbour raised her hands. “Wait. Are you saying you think the Préfecture de Paris was responsible for the murder of Alexander Plessner?”