Page 157 (1/2)

"He’d all but given up, when Laurent showed up in the bistro," said Lacoste

"Did you suspect hi quietly, listening

"Not for a long tih, that everyone else was upset by the Fle loyal to Antoinette, but it was more than that He really didn’t care For him it was just a tool, a kind of stink bomb he tossed into the case As it turns out, of course, he should have paidfor, had killed for, was in the one thing he dis’s play She Sat Down and Wept"

"I take it John Fle taken back to the SHU," said Beauvoir, but on seeing the look on Agent Cohen’s face, he iretted his near-jovial tone

"It ful" Even Cohen’s lips hite and Jean-Guy wondered if the young"I’ve never believed in the death penalty, but as long as John Fle to be afraid"

"Did he threaten you?" asked Gaent Cohen turned even paler

"… I ht," said Gamache

"You don’t understand," said Adam

"But I do, and it’s done now Please don’t worry"

They looked at each other and the youngerthe subject of Fle mechaniserous, wasn’t it?" said Cohen "Suppose he’d gotten away?"

"It wasn’t the real one," said Lacoste "That’s safe under lock and key We needed to flush hiainst him He had to incriminate hi ent Cohen took a swig of his beer, then reached for the chips, putting some in his mouth before he realized they were not potato but apple chips

He looked at Chief Inspector Lacoste, and Inspector Beauvoir His bosses And he looked at Monsieur Ga and thick plank floors and solid fieldstone hearths of the bistro He looked out the , but saw only their own reflection

And he finally felt safe

CHAPTER 45