Page 18 (1/2)

The snowman arrived at the bistro and opened the door The outside world blew in and people looked over, then went back to their meals, their conversations, their lives Slowly the man unveiled himself His scarf, his boots, then he shook his coat, the snow falling to the wooden floor andHe put on a pair of slippers, kept in a basket by the door for people to grab

Gabri’s heart thudded Behind hi to discuss whether, for a few thousandall the way, to the Queen Suites

He knew it couldn’t be Olivier Not really But, well, maybe Gamache had been convinced by all the letters, maybe he’d let him out Maybe it had been last-minute, like the travel deals, a last-ht Olivier home

Gabri stepped forward, unable to help hiot halfway across the bistro

The man had taken off his hat and turned into the roonition dawned, the conversation died out

It wasn’t Olivier It was one of the men who’d taken him away, arrested Olivier, put him in prison for murder

Inspector Jean-Guy Beauvoir surveyed the room and smiled, uncertainly

When the phone call had co from the Chief Inspector, Beauvoir had been in his base a bookcase He didn’t read but his wife Enid did, and so he wasNot loudly and not well He could hear her cleaning up the breakfast dishes

"You okay down there?" she’d called

He wanted to tell her he wasn’t He was bored stupid He hated ork, hated the damned crossword puzzles she shoved on him Hated the books she’d piled up next to the sofa, hated the pillows and blankets that followed hih he was an invalid Hated how much he owed her Hated how much she loved hi, just call"

"I will"