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But there was a reason she was on this case now A reason he had to keep to himself

He watched as Yvette Nichol leaned so close to her soup her hair dipped into it It hung down and created an almost impenetrable curtain But between the clumps he could just see her spoon sputter and spill its contents as it shook its way to her mouth

‘You’ve probably all seen this’ He held up a copy of La Journée

They nodded

‘They’re referring toIt’s just a slos day after a long weekend and they decided to resurrect the Arnot case That’s all I don’t want this interfering with your work D’accord?’

He looked around Agent Le soup from the ends of her hair with a paper napkin and appeared not to have heard Inspector Beauvoir was looking at hie roast beef and horseradish sandwich on a croissant

‘Agent Lacoste?’

Isabelle Lacoste was staring at hi Just staring

‘Tellhis hands in his lap, away fro her his full attention

‘I think it’s so happens for a reason I think there’s a reason that was put into the paper’

‘And ould that be?’

‘You know, sir, what that reason is It’s what it’s always been They want to get rid of you’

‘Who are "they"?’

‘The people in the Sûreté still loyal to Arnot’ She didn’t even hesitate, didn’t have to think about that It helped, of course, that she’d spent allto that conclusion