Page 47 (1/2)

"Why not?"

"Because I still think you did it"

That shut him up, Beauvoir was happy to see Still, there swirled around Olivier a residue of hope Was this just cruel? Beauvoir hoped so The Inspector leaned on the metal table "Listen, there’re just a few questions The Chief asked ht think I did it, but he doesn’t, does he?" said Olivier, triumphant

"He isn’t so sure, and he wants to be sure Wants to make certain he--we--didn’t make a mistake Look, if you tell anyone about this, anyone at all, it’s off You understand?" Beauvoir’s eyes were hard

"I understand"

"I mean it, Olivier Especially Gabri You can’t tell hi"

Olivier hesitated

"If you tell him he’ll tell others He couldn’t help but Or at the very least histo ask questions, dig some more, it has to be subtle If souard"

This made sense to Olivier, who nodded "I proain what happened that night And I need the truth"

The air crackled between the two men

"I told you the truth"

"When?" Beauvoir demanded "Was it the second or third version of the story? If you’re in here you did it to yourself You lied at every turn"

It was true, Olivier knew He’d lied all his life about everything, until the habit became who he was It didn’t even occur to him to tell the truth So when all this happened of course he’d lie

Too late he’d realized what that did It ood, very glib, at lying, all his truths sounded like falsehoods He blushed, stu the truth

"All right," he said to Beauvoir "I’ll tell you what happened"

"The truth"