The Provence Puzzle: An Inspector Damiot Mystery(74)

“I have proof.”

The smile faded. “I don’t believe you!”

“And tonight you planned to kill again.” He glanced toward Jenny, her long blond hair spread across the white pillows, and saw that she hadn’t moved. “Why this girl?”

“She’s much too clever. This girl… She too suspects the truth. I was afraid she might tell her father—or you—what it is she has guessed about the other two. I’m afraid I talked too much, the last time we were together.”

“The last time?”

“I drove up here after dinner, one night last week. Jenny had told me on the phone that her father would be out. He returned after midnight and, as usual, I departed through these windows. Apparently, during the evening, I said something—I’ve no idea what it was—that convinced Jenny I had killed Lisette Jarlaud. She’d been suspicious for some time, because I’d mentioned last year that I knew Lisette. She has questioned me repeatedly, but this time—without realizing it—I must have revealed more than I intended.”

“Murderers are notorious for their egos. Many have been caught because they couldn’t resist talking. Boasting…”

Giroud’s eyes flashed. “I will not be caught, Monsieur Inspecteur. Even by you! I’ve known, of course, that you suspected me. When I was playing billiards at the cafe last night, I was told that you’d been asking questions.”

“Detectives always ask questions. Even on holiday.”

“You’ll never be able to prove I killed anyone. You’ve no evidence! In fact, one of those girls hasn’t even been identified!”

“I learned her name yesterday.”

“What?”

“It’s Deffous—Annie Deffous.” He saw Giroud’s eyes widen with surprise. “She came here from Toulon. The local police confirmed this today, but have not yet released that fact to the public…”

“How did you find out?”

“Does it matter? I’ve also learned that you worked as a chef in Toulon before you moved to Marseille. That you have a child by Deffous—a son.” He must talk fast now, avoid looking at the knife in Giroud’s hand, convince him that he had lost. “You gave Deffous money and continued to pay her for a time, even after you left Toulon.”

“She bled me! Always wanting more. That’s why I had to leave Marseille. But she traced me, finally, through a waiter in Marseille who had been forwarding her letters. She came here to tell me that she would take me to court if I didn’t give her money for all the months I hadn’t paid her—that or marry her!”

“Why didn’t you marry her?”

“Annie? I never intended to marry her. I detested her! When she phoned the Auberge, I told her to meet me that night after I finished work. A cafe in another village, where I wasn’t known. From there I drove up to that field across from the Chateau, with Annie following in her car…”

“I suppose you knew that field from earlier visits with other young women. Only you killed this one! Drove her car into some nearby ravine. The police will be searching for it tomorrow.” He saw that Jenny was turning in her sleep, moaning softly. “And what about Lisette Jarlaud?”

“That bitch! She, too, was after money. Always begging! Constantly spying on me!”

“Was that why she asked Madame Bouchard for a job?”

“You found out about that, did you? Lisette wanted to work at the Auberge so that she could watch me every day! The final straw was when she told me she was pregnant. I would have to give her money. Exactly like Annie Deffous!”

“But Lisette Jarlaud wasn’t pregnant. The autopsy proved that.”

“Then she lied! As usual…” He glanced down at the sleeping girl in the bed. “Jenny’s the only one who never lied to me…

“Were you in love with all these young women?”

“What is love, Monsieur?” He shrugged. “This one’s the first I might have married. After all, she’s the only child of a rich Englishman. The others had nothing! Family or money. I have always needed money, but now, with my job as head chef of that new hotel, I won’t need the Englishman’s money. I’ll have a large salary. Thanks to Aurore!”

“And what about Aurore?”

“A fine person. But unfortunately, I prefer women much younger.”

“Fortunately for her!”

“Although I’ll not discourage her quite so much, in the future. Aurore’s getting a tremendous price for the Auberge.”

“All this talk of money!”

Giroud shrugged again. “The pleasures of life are expensive, Monsieur.” He raised his knife suddenly. “Your body must not be found here. We will take your car. There’s a bridge up the road where it would be possible for you to crash through the railing into a deep gorge…”

“What about Jenny Tendrell?”

“She will sleep until I return. I added something to her food at dinner so that she would be asleep before I arrived here.”

“You can’t kill another girl with that same knife!”

“Why not?” Giroud looked down at the knife in his hand. “The stupid villagers will say the monster did it.”

“Too late for that. The police know there is no monster.”