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“Bon,” said Gamache, and turned to continue walking, but when he realized Beauvoir had not joined him, he stopped and returned.
“There’s something I’d like to ask you,” said Jean-Guy.
“Oui?”
Reine-Marie had walked around the village green and joined Olivier and Gabri outside the bistro.
“Jesus, he did hit you, didn’t he?” said Gabri, looking at the bruise on her face. “You okay?”
“Nothing Honoré hasn’t done, also by accident.” She touched her bruised cheekbone lightly. “I put frozen peas on it.”
They brought her up to speed on what had happened, and as they talked, she took another few steps away from Carl Tracey, who was sitting at a table on the terrasse. Drinking a beer. At eight in the morning.
“Does that remind you of anything?” Olivier asked.
“A clown in a sewer?” Gabri suggested.
“No, not him. Them.” Olivier gestured toward the three Sûreté officers on the village green.
Reine-Marie cocked her head, staring. And then she gave a short puff of amusement and recognition.
Isabelle. Jean-Guy. Armand.
Three colleagues.
Three friends. A trinity. Sturdy. Eternal. Together.
“Three Pines,” she said.
“Three Stooges,” said Ruth as she walked by and entered the bistro.
“I know I assigned this to you, that you’re the lead investigator, but do you mind if I take over?” Before Gamache could answer, Beauvoir held up his hand. “I know it’s a lot to ask.”
“You have a perfect right to assume command of any investigation. May I ask why?”
“This will probably be my last case with the Sûreté. With any police force. This’s the one I want to go out on.”
When Gamache didn’t answer, Beauvoir asked, “What is it?”
“Have you thought that maybe this isn’t the one you want as your final case?”
“What do you mean?”
“We’re pretty sure we know who did it.”
“More than ‘pretty sure,’ I’d say. Tracey all but admits it.”
“He admits he beat Vivienne, not that he threw her off the bridge. He keeps insisting it was suicide, and we’re going to have a helluva problem proving it wasn’t at least an accident. And, as you said, even if we can prove it’s murder, it might be extremely difficult to convict the man.”
“We’ve had more difficult cases,” said Lacoste.
“True.”
“Are you reluctant to give it up? Because of Annie? I’ve seen how much you sympathize with Godin. More than usual.”
Armand smiled and nodded. “It’s true. This one’s gotten under my skin. And yes, because of Annie. I’m trying not to, but the truth is, I find myself asking how I’d feel, if … And even more since you told us Annie’s pregnant.”
“Pregnant?” asked Lacoste. When Jean-Guy nodded, she gave him a quick embrace. “Félicitations.”
