“A book project,” Arthur points out. “I also uncovered that Lefevre sold the original of the book to a Chinese collector, and then framed Madame Gotteland to cover his tracks.”
The courtroom buzzes with murmurs. I glance over at Charlie, who is holding her breath, and then at Lefevre, whose face has gone pale.
“These findings, including the material evidence to support them, will clear Madame Gotteland’s name,” Arthur concludes. “I am also pleased to inform you that Monsieur Lefevre’s forger has been cooperating with the police.”
Simonnet nods with satisfaction as Arthur leaves the stand. Amid the excited whispers, I sit tall with pride for the small part I played in getting an innocent person out of big trouble caused by a pernicious crook.
The judge calls for order, and the room falls silent once again.
The opposing counsel is quick to stand up and address the judge, “We received this new evidence too late, Madame le Juge. We haven’t had time to review it.”
There’s a sparkle of impishness in the judge’s eyes as she turns to him. “You set the example, Maître. In fact, the opposing party did better than you. We’ve all had forty-eight hours, which I deem sufficient.”
I really like the direction where this is going.
The judge turns to the plaintiff. “Monsieur Lefevre, I would’ve said you wasted this court’s time, but given what was uncovered thanks to your litigation against Madame Gotteland, it seems our time was not wasted, after all.”
Lefevre shifts in his seat and his face is gray now. He knows he lost big-time. The judge all but announced there will be a criminal investigation into his dealings.
She now addresses the room, “In light of this new evidence, we must reevaluate the merits of the case against Madame Gotteland. The court will adjourn for a brief recess, after which we will reconvene for the verdict.”
As the judge exits the courtroom, Simonnet turns to Charlie with a reassuring look on his face and begins to say something excitedly. She glances over at Arthur, who’s heading my way, and smiles at both of us. That’s an excellent sign.
Arthur and I have barely exchanged a few words when the gavel’s sharp rap signals the end of the recess.Wow, that was quick!
The judge returns to her seat, her expression grave as she begins to speak. Lefevre’s case against Charlie is dismissed. He will pay her damages that go beyond my most optimistic estimate.Not only is she fully vindicated, but our efforts helped Simonnet outplay the con man’s hand. His past deceptions caught up with him, and it’s time to face the consequences.Fuck around, find out.
As the courtroom empties, Arthur and I head over to Charlie and her lawyer. Her eyes are bright with gratitude. Let’s hope her gratitude triggers reciprocity and jogs her memory regarding an antique key.
DARREL
Charlie and I stroll through the Jardins de l’Europe. The park is beautiful, painted in the yellow-green colors of early April. Yesterday, when we talked briefly after the judge rendered her verdict, Charlie said she wanted to discuss my request. Her lawyer and Arthur were still there. Thanking her, I suggested that she and I meet here today at a time that suited her best.
She picked lunchtime.
And now here we are, promenading along the lake and munching on our sandwiches. Thankfully, the weather is perfect. It’s sunny and warm. The scent of buds and blossoming flowers fills the air. The gentle rustling of leaves brings a sense of tranquility despite the importance of this moment. The stakes are sky-high.
The worst-case scenario would be that Charlie came here to say she’s grateful for my help, and would love to return the favor, but no matter how hard she’s tried, she can’t recall anything about an old key. My move in that case would be to ask her if I could come over and scan through the books in her collection in the hopes of finding something that way. To which she might say, “There is no point, because there is nothing in there.” At which time, my only remaining options would be of an illegal nature, such as breaking in and searching her home while she’s out.
Gah!I do hope it won’t come to that.
My fleeting equanimity gone, I glance at Charlie who’s biting into her sandwich with great appetite. Her short blond locks flutter in the breeze. As she walks, her tall, athletic body moves with the grace of someone who enjoys staying fit. Her blue eyes sparkle with energy, and there’s a general air of wholesomeness about her that makes us a good match, regardless of the oracle’s revelation. Finally, Charlie is in my age group, as opposed to someone who’s only twenty-two.
Indulging in Stella’s wish was wrong, no matter how you slice it. No matter how much I crave her. No matter how much she begged for it. I shouldn’t have called her, shouldn’t have agreed to a meeting with her, shouldn’t have taken her to my room.
What was I thinking?That’s the thing, I wasn’t thinking. Like that con man Lefevre, I fucked around, and now I’m finding out.
If I want to repay Stella for saving my life, I must focus on assisting her in puzzling out her recent past, so that she can turn the page and move forward. Once I’ve used all the resources available to me, and done all I can to help Stella, I must disappear from her life completely.
The blonde walking next to me now is my destiny. There is no future timeline where Stella and I end up together.
Charlie swallows the last piece of her sandwich, washes it down with a gulp from her bottle, and starts to talk. She tells me how deeply touched she is by my support and by my willingness to go above and beyond to help her. Just as her acquaintances were beginning to doubt her innocence, and her lawyer had all but given up the fight, I brought in the providential man, Arthur Rosace. The world’s most brilliant detective, in Charlie’s opinion, Arthur was able to show the world who Alain Lefevre really was.
“By hiring Arthur, you saved my business, my reputation, my savings,” she says, repeating herself. “You are my knight in shining armor!”
While her qualifier both amuses me and strokes my ego, the suspense is becoming unbearable. I’m tempted to interrupt her and ask, “Do you have the key or not?” To avoid such a display of bad manners, I focus on my surroundings. I feast my eyes on the dappled shadows on the ground, cast by the sunlight as it filters through the lacy canopy. I listen to the sound of the lake’s water lapping against the shore.
“Two years ago, I lost both my parents,” Charlie says suddenly.
