‘Jacques, you know I’m a reporter.’
‘I need to speak to Delphine,’ he said, finally stepping away from the reindeer.
‘About what?’ Orla asked, following.
‘About the reindeer. It needs… care.’ He carried on walking towards the front of the café/store.
‘So thereissomething wrong with it?’
‘No. I just need to speak with Delphine.’
‘Great, I’ll come too and ask her more questions about its origins. Where has it come from? Why has it been sent to Saint-Chambéry?’
‘No,’ Jacques said, putting a hand on her arm to stop her from making any more progress.
‘Why not?’ Orla asked, looking directly at him.
‘Because… someone should stay with Erin and Tommy and stop them from killing each other.’
‘But, when we left them alone before, you said Tommy was a gentleman and that they would be fine.’
‘Orla, just let me speak to Delphine.’
‘I will. And I will be there to listen to every word. I might even make notes.’
He sighed. ‘This isn’t going to work.’
‘Why not?’
‘Because…’
‘What aren’t you telling me?’ So much for the man who didn’t mince his words and loved to express an opinion! Now he was clamming up tighter than an oyster protecting its pearl.
‘Nothing.’
‘Liar.’
‘OK, OK.’
He had his hands up now like it was some kind of surrender.
‘So?’ Orla said. ‘I’m waiting. Or are you not talking so you can quickly concoct a fake story in your head?’
‘The reindeercouldbe sick,’ he stated. ‘OK. I didn’t want to say anything in front of the kids but, there is this illness they get, foot rot. It can be very serious.’
She hadn’t been expecting that. ‘Oh… well, can we fix it? Because I need to write heart-warmingnot heartbreaking.’ She paused. ‘But, you know, obviously the health of the animal is paramount.’
‘So, will you go back to the kids? Let me speak to Delphine and organise the vet?’
‘Yes,’ Orla replied. ‘And I won’t tell Erin or Tommy you called them kids.’
‘OK,’ Jacques said with a nod. ‘And do not… touch the reindeer or… look at it too closely.’
‘O-K,’ Orla said, her suspicions raised. This was a little weird but she didn’t know anything much about reindeer diseases. Was foot rot contagious?
‘Good,’ he replied and then he strode off.
32
