Page 222

“He couldn’t have,” snapped Girard. “He must still be here. Find him.” But just as Loiselle gestured to the other guard to follow him, Girard said, “No, wait. I have a better idea.”

He stepped back and aimed the gun at Gamache.

Armand stared Girard straight in the eyes and lifted his chin, in defiance.

But instead of firing, Girard called, “Daniel Gamache. Come out now, or we’ll kill your father.”

“Daniel, don’t.”

“Daniel, do,” ordered Girard. “Or he dies now.”

Daniel stared, frozen.

He knew if he did, Girard would kill them both. If he didn’t, his father would be gunned down. In front of him. And then they’d find him. And kill him anyway.

He closed his eyes and stepped off the ledge.

“Okay, okay,” he said, and crawled out from his hiding place.

“Oh, Daniel,” his father whispered.

“Now that was a mistake, young man,” said Girard.

He nodded to the guard, who raised his rifle at Daniel.

“No,” screamed Armand, and leaped forward, just as the guard pressed the trigger.

Armand knocked the weapon down so that the shots went into the floor.

At that moment, Girard fired. Point blank. Three shots. Bang. Bang. Bang.

“Dad,” Daniel shouted.

His heart pounding, his brain exploding, he fell to his knees as his father collapsed.

Girard put two more bullets into him. To be sure.

“Oh, no,” whispered Daniel, crawling across the carpet. “Dad?”

“Fuck me,” said Alain Pinot, coming out from behind the chair and staring at the bodies.

Girard was bending over Gamache, going through his pockets. When he stood up, he was holding something.

“Huh. So, these are nickels. He was right. They’re magnetized. Somewhere along the line they came into contact with the neodymium.”

“Then there is hard evidence somewhere,” said Pinot. “And you just killed the only person who knows where it is.”

“Exactly. No one else will find it.” He looked at his watch. “The board meeting’s about to start. We have to get you and the documents over there.”

“What about him?” Pinot nodded toward Daniel, who was holding his father and crying.

Girard picked the file up off the floor. “Loiselle, you know what to do.”

Daniel heard the door close and the now-familiar rattle of a rifle being lifted.

He hugged his father, rocking him gently, and whispered, “I’ve got you. It’s all right. I’ve got you.”

As the scent of sandalwood and rosewater settled around Daniel, he was transported back home.