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“Yes, probably. Why?”

“Where would they stay? Most don’t live here.”

Armand looked at his wife in wonderment. How had he missed that?

“A hotel,” he said.

“A luxury hotel,” she said.

Jean-Guy’s eyes opened wide. “Is that why Stephen decided to stay in the George V instead of the Lutetia or another place? He knew that this’s where the board members are being put up.”

“I bet Stephen arranged to meet that board member here,” said Daniel. “To finalize his deal to buy the shares.”

“When we leave, I need to speak to the General Manager,” said Armand.

“I can go up right now and ask,” Jean-Guy volunteered.

“That’s not a bad idea,” said Armand, then narrowed his eyes. “You will come back?”

“Maybe.” But he nodded as he took the key and map from Armand.

Jean-Guy stared at the door. His way out. His way up. Then offered the key and map to Reine-Marie.

“You go. The GM knows you and is more likely to tell you what we want to know.”

“You sure?”

He looked anything but. “Oui.”

“Move quickly to the elevator,” said Armand. “If anyone stops you, shout and we’ll come.”

“D’accord.”

Just as she was about to leave, he quietly handed her his phone.

“Take this,” he whispered. “Messages will download on the surface.”

Reine-Marie slipped out. He closed the door only when it was obvious that she’d made it safely to the elevator.

“Okay now,” he said, sitting back down on his crate and leaning toward Beauvoir. “Loiselle? What haven’t you told us?”

“He was following me because he wanted to talk.”

“Talk?” said Gamache. “You mean threaten?”

“No, I mean talk.”

“What did he want to say?” asked Daniel.

Jean-Guy told them everything, with Séverine Arbour jumping in now and then.

“And you believed him,” said Gamache when they’d finished. “That he wants to work with us now? Seems pretty abrupt.”

At that moment there was a knock on the door. “Armand?”

When he opened it, Reine-Marie quickly slipped through. As she hugged him, she slid his phone back into his pocket.

“That was fast.”