Chief Inspector Maigret Visits London by Margaret de Rohan

it’s important.’
    â€˜Has he hit you before?’ Andy Gillespie asked.
    â€˜Of course he hasn’t! Do you think I’d stay with a man who hit me?’ Nicole almost spat the words at Andy.
    â€˜No, of course you wouldn’t, Nicole. No one thinks you would. And good for you,’ Megan said, smoothing her ruffled feathers. ‘So why would he hit you now?’
    â€˜I don’t know; he just suddenly went crazy. Then he said I ask too many questions. But all I did was ask why he was packing an overnight bag, and where he was going, and how long he’d be away. Just three questions,’ she said sadly, ‘and this is the result.’ Then she began to cry.
    â€˜Andy, why don’t you see about some tea for… ?’
    â€˜Andy? I thought Father Wainwright’s name was David?’ Nicole said. She dabbed at her eyes, and was suddenly on guard. Damn and blast, Andy thought. And just when things seemed to be going so well!
    â€˜Yes, his name
is
David, but I call him Andy,’ Megan said thinking on her feet.
    â€˜Why would you do that?’ She was still suspicious.
    â€˜Why would you call your dog Max?’
    â€˜What?’
    â€˜Why would you call your dog Max,’ Megan asked again.
    â€˜Because that’s his name!’
    â€˜Then why didn’t he come when you called him the day we were collecting books for the church?’
    â€˜Because he’s going deaf, and sometimes I have to shout to make him take notice! But I don’t like to shout in front of other people, because they might think I’m cruel.’
    â€˜So the dog’s name really is Max?’
    â€˜Yes, of course it is, haven’t I told you that already! Why do you keep talking about my dog when I’ve come here for help to find Serge?’
    â€˜I’m sorry. I apologise,’ Megan said quickly. ‘Has a doctor looked at your injuries?’
    â€˜No. I don’t want any medical treatment.’
    â€˜Are you sure?’ Andy asked. ‘Yes.’
    Behind the double doors leading to the dining room the two Chief Inspectors, Maigret and Scott, with Inspector Martin, were listening intently. They could hear everything that was being said in the sitting room, thanks to some technical wizardry installed by Scotland Yard earlier that morning: installed but not permanently. The real vicar, David Wainwright, had made sure of that.
    â€˜Why is the silly woman prattling on about blasted dogs and their blasted names, when what she’s supposed to be doing is getting information about blasted Serge Vachon, and his blasted whereabouts?’ Clive Scott fumed. At Scotland Yard it was generally accepted that Chief Inspector Scott, a good, solid, conscientious
policeman, sometimes operated on a very short fuse. This was one of those times, and now he so frustrated that he was well on the way to blowing his top.
    Philippe Maigret cleared his throat to discreetly remind Clive Scott that he was straying into dangerous territory again by referring to Megan in those terms. ‘Ssh,’ he said. ‘The name of the dog was important because… ’
    â€˜Oh, yes,’ Scott interrupted, ‘because that’s the name of Mrs Lisle’s grandson, and she thought Nicole Vachon was warning her off by pretending that was the dog’s name too.’
    â€˜Exactement ,
Chief Inspector. ’
    However, Andy Gillespie was having the same thoughts as his boss, so he decided to speed things up.
    â€˜How can we help you, Mrs Vachon?’
    â€˜I want you to tell me how to find Serge.’
    â€˜But that’s a job for the police, not us. We can’t undertake a… ’
    â€˜No, no, no! No police. I don’t want them involved. Not now, and not ever. Serge wouldn’t be happy if they came around poking their noses into his business.’
    â€˜And what exactly is his business, Nicole?’ Megan asked.
    â€˜He’s an importer