The Tortured Detective

by Pirate Irwin

  “Also you can compare yourself with the actresses. That is if you are still intent on breaking cover and persuading Guitry to get you a role. I think it is a pretty stupid idea, but I will leave that up to you.”

  She flinched at his remarks about her announcement the night before that she was willing to trust in Guitry’s ability to have her rehabilitated and get her roles.

  “Well that is as you say up to me. But yes let us go to the cinema I heard on Radio–Paris of one called ‘Goupi Mains Rouges’ which sounds a decent tale of a family conflict, essentially between two brothers. One stays on the family farm and the other is told to return home from the city to marry a girl who is coveted by the boy who stayed in the country,” she said.

  Lafarge thought it sounded perfectly awful but its good point was that it didn’t seem to be an ideological vehicle. To be fair to Greven he had not turned French cinema totally into a propaganda tool and some fine films had been made as he had discovered when he had been in Nice.

  “Ok that is a deal then. Go and get ready while I finish my coffee and look in the paper, which I imagine Madame Grondon sweetly brought up this morning, for where it is on.

  “We can go and grab some lunch and go to the mid–afternoon showing. How does that suit?”

  Aimee nodded enthusiastically and rushed to the bathroom.

  Lafarge added a drop of cognac to his coffee and listened to the radio.That was not a rewarding experience as the rabid far right journalist Jean–Herold Paquis spewed forth his daily dose of venomous outpourings against anyone and anything the Nazis despised.

  By the time it came to Paquis’ trademark phrase ‘England like Carthage shall be destroyed’ Lafarge had had enough and turned it off.

  England indeed, sneered Lafarge, it was France that shall be destroyed…if it hadn’t already been.

  *

  The film was pretty woeful as Lafarge had feared it would be but it passed the time. At least Aimee had enjoyed it, or it seemed she was the moments he was not snoring gently as the effects of their lunch took hold.

  Now, however he was alert as he drove to his meeting with von Dirlinger. He hadn’t told Aimee where he was going as he didn’t want her worrying or causing a scene when he dropped her back at his apartment.

  As a matter of courtesy he had phoned Massu and informed him where he was going but to not post a police presence. He would deal with the matter on his own as he had done pretty much from the beginning.

  He was running about 20 minutes ahead of schedule. However, he wanted to arrive at von Dirlinger’s apartment in enough time to scout around and ensure there were no Abwehr agents, or that Lafont and Bonny and their goons weren’t in the vicinity.

  Lafarge parked a cigarette smoke’s away from the building. He glanced at his watch under the weak light in the car and saw he had 10 minutes till the meeting, but it was going to take longer to skirt round the ares in the pitch dark.

  Even the wealthier areas of Paris lacked street lamps that worked and there was seemingly no great urgency to replace the bulbs.

  Well, Lafarge thought, if the people cannot even get bread or other basic goods who is going to care about ensuring the well–off have enough light to walk their precious dogs or take heed of their pleas that it made them susceptible to being mugged?

  He walked around for longer than he would have liked but he preferred to be at ease once he entered the building assured that there were no nasty surprises awaiting him should he leave unharmed.

  He’d passed a couple on the opposite side of the avenue, but they had turned down a pathway soon afterwards and Lafarge had observed them unlocking the door into the block.

  Thus satisfied and not a little relieved to get into the relative warmth of von Dirlinger’s building he rode the lift up to where it had all begun almost two years ago and where now in a neat piece of symmetry it was all going to end.

  He rang the doorbell and was surprised to see that it was Mathilde who answered and stood aside to let him in.

  She wasn’t dressed formally, a low cut dark blue woolen dress with a sparkling silver necklace round her giraffe like neck, so he surmised that she was there to be a witness to the conversation between himself and von Dirlinger.

  That made him a little nervous, more so that her welcome had been even less cordial than the glacial one she had given him earlier in the day.

  She did at least offer to take his coat. He declined and said he preferred to keep it on and if he got too hot he would just throw it over one of the chairs in the drawing room.

  She then wandered off towards the kitchen and he did the same on the pretext that he thought she was taking him to von Dirlinger, but the real purpose was he wanted to discern whether there were others in the apartment.

  He noticed that the spare room door was shut as was the one to Marguerite’s bedroom, no doubt it was now the German’s which he thought was a bit much.

  Mathilde on realizing he was behind her flashed him an angry look, by now a standard issue one for her with regard to Lafarge, and coldly told him that the colonel was in the drawing room. Fortunately she said this as she opened the door to the kitchen and Lafarge could make out that there was nobody in there.

  He smiled and apologized beating a hasty retreat to the drawing room whose doors were also shut. He felt like cocking his revolver but reproached himself for being too neurotic. He opened the door to find von Dirlinger standing by the mantlepiece, a roaring fire going, with nothing more offensive than what looked like a dry martini in one hand and a cigarette in the other.

  “Come in my favourite French detective. Take off your coat as you can see I do not want to share the privations of others and sit wrapped in several coats trying to keep warm. Not when I can avail myself of free wood for a real fire!” said von Dirlinger.

  Lafarge smiled warmly and did take his coat off because the heat in the room would have done justice to how Joan of Arc must have felt at the stake.

  Mathilde emerged from the door leading into the kitchen and offered him what was indeed a vodka martini, olive included. Just so he didn’t get the idea she was fulfilling servile roles all night she picked up one of her own from a side table.

  “Nice that we are drinking in rather smarter surroundings than the last time we had drinks in this apartment Mathilde,” said Lafarge.

  Mathilde smiled politely, which at least was an improvement on the scowls that he had got so used to.

  “So Gaston tell me, I hear you have been very busy since you returned,” said von Dirlinger.

  “Claiming the scalp of Bousquet was quite some coup. I am impressed, no really. Knochen and Oberg were starting to think that they would have to send their men in and arrest him, which would really have been a most unfortunate sequence of events.

  “There could have been a very tense stand–off between the former secretary–general’s loyalists and our SS and Gestapo officers. It is the last thing that we would have needed at this delicate stage in our relationship,” he added, all but adding a tut tut at the end of his sentence.

  Lafarge would have liked to have replied ‘don’t you mean at this delicate stage of the war’ but refrained from doing so so as not to upset the amicable atmosphere. That was going to change but for the moment he would go along for the ride.

  “Yes well that would have been the worst option. The reaction of his loyalists to his resignation was one of disbelief and fury, but at least he told them himself. An enforced change would have resulted in a pitched battle, of that I am sure,” said Lafarge.

  “As for my role in it, well I wouldn’t be too congratulatory. I don’t think what I had to say to him would ordinarily have had a huge impact on him. He would have simply had me arrested on some trumped up charge or he would have sent me back to Nice. But he decided to acquiesce once I dangled the carrot in front of him of no charges being brought.

  “Still it did give me a lot of pleasure,” he added with a laugh.

  Von Dirlinger laughed as well, b
efore he turned towards the mirror and tried to adjust his black bow tie, for for once he was out of uniform and he looked as impressive in evening dress as he did in the Abwehr uniform.

  Mathilde having disappeared to fetch him and Lafarge another drink, the detective thought it the moment to start turning the screw.

  “You look very at home here colonel,” said Lafarge.

  Von Dirlinger cast him a glance in the mirror and smiled.

  “Yes, you probably think it’s macabre for me to come and live in the apartment where my love was murdered, but to me it was the logical thing to do.

  “Better for someone who loved her to live where she died than a person who would not appreciate her and the history of the place,” he said.

  “Don’t worry colonel I have seen some macabre things in my life and this would be low down the list. I would call it more a calculated move by a highly intelligent man,” commented Lafarge.

  Von Dirlinger had finished adjusting his bow tie and turned to face Lafarge, who had remained standing, profiting from the heat from the fire. He looked at Lafarge a little perplexed but his expression altered as Mathilde re–entered the room armed with three newly filled glasses.

  “Ah my beautiful maid, Gaston was just remarking that moving in here was a calculated one by what was it? Ah yes a highly intelligent man.

  “Well not so intelligent an example of the species that he hires a lesbian as the maid wouldn’t you agree?” he said winking at Lafarge, who found it a pretty tasteless remark.

  Mathilde just smiled and handed them their glasses. Lafarge, though, moved in between her and von Dirlinger and took the glass she was offering the colonel so he was forced to take the one he should have had.

  Can’t be too careful Lafarge thought. All too easy for them to have planned to dope or poison me prior to my arrival, so let’s see how von Dirlinger reacts.

  Von Dirlinger, to his disappointment, didn’t bat an eyelid, taking a sip from the glass and complimenting Mathilde on her cocktail mixing ability.

  “Suzy has taught you well Mathilde, I must thank her later,” simpered von Dirlinger.

  Lafarge had to agree that she was indeed a fine maker of cocktails.

  “Your talents are wasted here Mathilde. You should see if Suzy couldn’t keep you closer at hand and make you one of the first female cocktail makers,” said Lafarge, a little unkindly but it hit its mark for Mathilde’s cheeks turned red.

  Von Dirlinger thought it highly amusing, but Lafarge was keen to take that irritating look off his face.

  “Yes, I congratulate you on the efficient and calculating way in which you have played your role throughout the investigation colonel. This latest one is mere confirmation of your abilities,” said Lafarge.

  That wasn’t enough to erase the smile from Von Dirlinger’s face. To Lafarge it now appeared that Mathilde and the colonel were like a bad cop good cop partnership, she sulked, grimaced and scowled and he was all smiles and laughter.

  This sort of behaviour was easily read by criminals and only served to get them to play a game with the respective detectives. Oh well if it amuses them let them carry on playing, thought Lafarge.

  “Right colonel I think it is time we moved on to the official reason why I am here, for you look as if you are due somewhere else. Mathilde, well we know where she has to be, and I too have an engagement,” said Lafarge.

  Von Dirlinger agreed saying he had a dinner with Cocteau and Marais which was being hosted by the American socialite Florence Jay Gould. It was only around the corner and he had said that he would be fashionably late, that is around 10.30.

  Lafarge said that he might be later than that but he would try to be as quick as possible.

  He preferred to stand leaving Mathilde to sit in one of the armchairs. Von Dirlinger flopped down on the sofa where Marguerite had died, the covers of which Lafarge noted the colonel had at least had the good taste to have replaced.

  “So colonel I have heard through Bousquet and Mathilde, for there is no reason to protect her anymore, that you have throughout this investigation tried either to control me or if she is to be believed have me killed,” said Lafarge.

  Von Dirlinger remained impassive, although he shot a glance at Mathilde, who sat with a face like thunder on her.

  “But that’s ridiculous Gaston! Pure fantasy on both their parts, and Mathilde I really don’t understand where you got the idea I wanted him dead from,” said von Dirlinger.

  Mathilde stayed silent, allowing Lafarge to fill in the gaps.

  “Mathilde has no reason to lie von Dirlinger. She has told me all about your arrangement with Bonny and Lafont, your sleazy sideline in criminal ventures, and how if you needed them for dirty outside jobs they fulfilled the contract at a price.

  “Thus it was with finding the jewels, although with your endless sense of the dramatic you wanted Mathilde to deliver the fatal blow to me. Something which she was incapable of doing because as she told me she didn’t trust you enough to go through with it,” said Lafarge keeping his tone calm and controlled.

  Lafarge remarked that Mathilde would gladly honour the deal now the manner in which she was looking at him. But it was too late for that.

  “Mathilde, tell him you were spinning a yarn,” said von Dirlinger sternly,

  However, Mathilde refused to change her story and remained silent.

  “Futhermore colonel I obtained first–hand evidence of your connection with Lafont and Bonny last night. I notice that was not part of my day you referred to earlier, although, I am sure they informed you about how things turned out,” said Lafarge.

  Von Dirlinger looked slightly uncomfortable and moved to speak, only for Lafarge to put his finger to his lips.

  “Now I know that you were not aware of what they had planned last night but nevertheless I already have you on one charge of attempted murder thanks to Mathilde’s statement. More could ensue as the evening goes on,” said Lafarge.

  Von Dirlinger sighed deeply and crossed his legs, stroking the neat creases in his trousers.

  “That is complete rubbish. I admit I told Bousquet to keep a firm grip on you, which he patently failed to do. However, it was only so your attention did not drift away from pursuing de Chastelain, who quite clearly had murdered Marguerite, and who you let get away,” said von Dirlinger.

  “However, having you killed wasn’t in my plan at all, why on earth would I want you to die when I had nothing to fear from you?” he added raising his eyebrows.

  “Simple, because you were getting worried that I was doing exactly what you feared and which Bousquet had not taken care of. I was paying too much attention to you and you feared I would uncover how deep your links were with Lafont and Bonny.

  “Now I know lots of Germans are tied to them, but you have a rather different relationship with them. You are a silent partner and the last thing you would want is for your compatriots to learn you were taking a lot of their money.

  “It’s probably why you went off that night at the club leaving me with Mathilde, because you were afraid if you drank too much you would slip up. Hence your quickly hatched plan to be rid of me. I have to admire its inventiveness but it fails on its practicality,” said Lafarge.

  “Well thank you for the compliment. But again you are missing the point, why would I wish you dead? As far as I was aware you were due to go to Limoges and see if you could track down de Chastelain.

  “I didn’t take your interest in me very seriously. I accepted that you had to look into my story, but there was nothing in your behaviour or questions that duly alarmed me.

  “As for the Bonny and Lafont connection there was absolutely nothing I saw that would lead back to me as they for once weren’t suspects. Even when Bonny showed up here, you thought it was suspicious but couldn’t see me, an aristocrat, mixing with them,” said von Dirlinger.

  Lafarge looked at Mathilde and wondered whether she had indeed spun him a line because von Dirlinger was convincing him that there was nothi
ng credible in her claim. But then why would she lie?

  Was it another of their games? He could leave it aside for the moment and come back to it later, see if anything came up in other matters that von Dirlinger talked about which gave him away.

  “Well on the matter of the jewellery burglary I am afraid you are firmly in the mix,” said Lafarge.

  Von Dirlinger looked relieved that the matter of him ordering the murder of Lafarge had been dropped, and he held up his hands.

  “Well it was too good an opportunity to pass on. Marguerite told me about it, her incessant search for protection and self–assurance.

  “I told her that of course it would not lead back to her and that we could resolve the problem of de Chastelain. We would also make enough money to be financially secure for the rest of our lives,” he said.

  Lafarge was astonished at the insouciance of von Dirlinger, who had just admitted to a crime which not only would bring disgrace and ruin on him but also a prison sentence.

  “I would reflect on what you just said colonel as if you stick to that story I will have to charge you,” said Lafarge.

  Von Dirlinger didn’t flinch.

  “No you won’t. You are not going to charge a high ranking officer of the Abwehr with complicity after the fact in a burglary. That may have worked with Bousquet, but it will not play with my superiors,” he said.

  “Besides my work is invaluable to the German war effort, in particular to preventing a successful invasion of France by the Allies. Sadly that moment, of an invasion at least, is getting nearer by the day.”

  Lafarge had expected this ploy from von Dirlinger and he agreed with him that arresting him on a charge of accomplice after the fact would be given short shrift by his superiors. He would have to drop it but he was still pleased he had got him to confess to his role in the conspiracy.

  “Yes that may not be enough for your superiors. However, the fact you conspired to have the other members of the ring got rid of may be regarded as worthy of punishing you,” said Lafarge.

  “How so?” asked von Dirlinger.