Dominique Manotti: Dead Horsemeat

Stefan takes Lavorel to the nearest café.

‘This is beginning to get interesting. The Europa Eroscenter is notorious here. Its clientele is mainly businessmen, and it’s run by an Italian, a guy called Renta, suspected by the police of being involved in a pizzeria racket, but they’ve never been able to nail him. A smart guy. Muller was perhaps in business with Renta. Wait here for me. I’m going to make a few calls.’

An hour later, Lavorel has eaten several sausages, drunk four beers, and is bored out of his mind. Stefan comes back, looking rather surprised.

‘When he disappeared, Muller was about to be arrested for espionage for the Stasi. An anonymous informer, with evidence to back up his accusation. You’ve really stumbled on a big fish. By accident?’

Late that night, close to midnight, after having dinner together, Romero and Le Dem drop in on Daquin who’s waiting for them, listening to jazz and reading. Le Dem stares wide-eyed as they enter the Villa. Glass roofs, ivy-clad walls, peace and quiet – it’s a far cry from La Courneuve. No time to go on about it, get down to work straight away, sitting around the coffee table. Daquin does the talking.

‘I’ve found out how Deluc made his fortune. He earned a decent living until 1981 but didn’t seem to have a vast capital at his disposal. He rented an apartment in the 9th arrondissement. In 1982, he bought a one-hundred-square-metre apartment on the Île Saint-Louis. For the sum of around three million, using a loan from an offshore bank. At this stage, we don’t know what the loan repayment terms were or who the people are behind the bank. The vendor was Perrot’s property development company. In 1988, a year ago, after Mitterrand’s re-election, Deluc bought a villa on Lake Annecy for just over four million. This time, the vendor was a non-trading property company behind which it wasn’t difficult to find Perrot, and Deluc borrowed the money from the same offshore bank. To be investigated further. My conclusion so far is that Deluc had done his friend Perrot some huge favours, and not only the tip-off about the Bastille district in 1981. And it is very much in his interest to protect him, because if we manage to destroy Perrot, it’s very likely Deluc will go down too. Another totally unexpected factor, and a bit of a surprise, Annick Renouard is convinced that Deluc murdered Michel Nolant.’

And Daquin gives them the gist of his conversation with Annick.

‘What do you think?’

The response is rather sceptical.

‘That’s not all. Lavorel called me from Munich. The boss of A.A. Bayern is alleged to have been a Stasi agent about to be arrested, which would explain why he sold up and shipped out.’

Le Dem, who is not very clear about the Stasi, takes this information in calmly, but Romero grasps the full impact.

‘Are you suggesting that someone at Pama has some sort of ties with the Stasi? Madame Renouard a Stasi agent… that’ll give me something to fantasise about on my next holiday.’

‘Don’t despair. The source can’t be checked. And even if the information is reliable, we can’t do anything about it, we don’t have the resources or the time. I told Lavorel to drop it and come back. He’ll be here tomorrow morning. Now, tell me how far you’ve got.’

Romero sits up.

‘The grocer told the concierge this evening that he’d be receiving a delivery some time this week.’ A pause. ‘I realise that this isn’t earth-shattering, after what you’ve just told us…’

‘No hesitation. We swoop on this delivery. It’s now or never. What do you say?’

‘We go for it.’

‘Le Dem, you can still back out.’

‘I’m beginning to like it.’

‘Fine, let’s do it. Now we have to get Dubanchet’s team to keep them under twenty-four-hour surveillance and pounce when the concierge comes to pick up her supplies, not before. Leave the grocer and the concierge to Dubanchet’s team, and you rush over and arrest the chauffeur with his pants down in the car park, if timing permits. Nab the girl who comes and gives him a blow job too. Lavorel’s coming back tonight, so there’ll be three of you to carry out the arrest. Then, interrogation in your office, at number 36. Plan thoroughly, Romero. I can’t show my face, but I doubt the chauffeur will be too hard to crack, he’s got too much to lose. And add some questions on Deluc. Which of Perrot’s girls did he visit… on the day Michel was murdered, did anything unusual happen at Perrot’s? Make it up as you go along, but you get the picture. Get Lavorel to write the reports, and tell him to drop anything you find out about Deluc. Above all, nothing must be mentioned that might connect him to Michel’s murder. He must write it in such a way that it gives the impression that the chauffeur is giving us Perrot without being asked for anything in return. That will make later negotiations easier. Once the report has been written, hand it to Dubanchet. A quick call to keep me posted, and go to bed with the phone off the hook. I’ll deal with the flack from Dubanchet and the chief.’

Le Dem, in a swanky car, parked opposite Le Chambellan. Lavorel and Romero are walking slowly up Rue Balzac towards the Champs-Élysées. Perrot’s car arrives, moving slowly, the chauffeur gets out and opens the door. Perrot alights and vanishes inside the restaurant. The car pulls away slowly then turns into the driveway to the car park. Just as the chauffeur picks up the remote control to open the automatic doors, Romero opens the passenger door, whips out his gun and presses it into the chauffeur’s side. He stares open-mouthed at Romero and has the feeling that he’s about to go under. I’ve seen this guy somewhere before…

‘Police. Your dealer grassed. Open this door and drive slowly into the car park.’

As he lets out the clutch, Lavorel clambers into the back. They enter the car park and the chauffeur heads towards a space right at the back.

‘Not there,’ says Romero, ‘this is your space here.’

The chauffeur obeys.

Romero searches under the seat while Lavorel keeps an eye on the chauffeur. His groping fingers come into contact with a corner of carpeting that has come away. He lifts it: the cold feel of plastic. He pulls out a bag containing four small doses. Holds it under the driver’s nose and places it in his lap.

‘You do exactly as we tell you and you’ll come out of this better than you think. It’s not your hide we’re after.’

Romero and Lavorel get out and hide behind a car parked nearby.

‘When the girl arrives, push the stuff as usual. But no blow job today, we haven’t got the time.’

Another shock.

The girl arrives, the same one Romero saw from his hiding place last time. The moment she opens the door, the chauffeur holds out the sachet. Surprised, she steps back and bumps into Lavorel and Romero.

‘Freeze. Police.’

Romero inserts two fingers in her trouser belt and pulls out five neatly folded five-hundred franc notes. Lavorel hauls the chauffeur roughly out of the car.

‘Get moving, let’s not hang around. We’re going to Quai des Orfèvres.’

Pushed and shoved to the car park exit. Le Dem’s waiting, parked at the entrance. Everybody piles into the car.

The chauffeur is sitting in Daquin’s office, guarded by Lavorel, who is absorbed in making up a crossword puzzle. In the inspectors’ office, the girl is sitting cross-legged on a chair, looking bored and blasé. Romero is standing, half leaning on a corner of the desk, while Le Dem, seated, looks unconcerned as he asks her name and civil status. She smiles at him.

‘I’m not sure all this is entirely legal. Intrusion into a private residence, and the owner knows people…’