Page 194

Picking up a black felt pen, he turned to the others.

“Let’s try to clarify. We have several scenarios. One. The intended victim on New Year’s Eve was Abigail Robinson.”

As he spoke, he wrote her name, under the heading, Victim.

Then, next to that, under Motive he wrote, Mass Euthanasia Campaign/Blackmail.

Under Suspects he wrote: Vincent Gilbert, Colette Roberge.

“With a possibility being Simon Tardif,” said Isabelle. “Though he’s pretty far down the list.”

“Agreed. The other scenario,” Gamache continued, “is that Madame Schneider was the intended victim all along.”

“And the motive?” asked Jean-Guy. “We’d thought maybe she’d killed Maria, but with the letter from Paul Robinson . . .”

“We don’t know for sure it is a confession,” said Isabelle. She leaned forward, putting her elbows on the conference table.

“Abigail believed all this time that her father killed Maria,” said Gamache. “But we’re back to the other theory. Maybe, in clearing out his things, she finds something that tells her he hadn’t. That tells her the truth.”

“That Debbie did it,” said Beauvoir.

Armand pointed the pen at him, then turned and circled Debbie’s name.

“And the motive?” he said. “In Abigail’s mind, Debbie not only killed a sister she loved, but also, by association, her father.”

“He sent the letter to Madame Roberge,” said Beauvoir, “and told her to show it to Abigail, believing she’d killed Maria. He wanted Abby to know she was safe.”

“Except she didn’t do it,” said Isabelle. “Can you imagine how she’d feel if she realized her father had lived with that belief for so many years? That he believed she’d killed her sister? Then he’d taken his own life for no reason. How she’d feel about Debbie?”

“She’d hate her,” said Beauvoir.

Isabelle, though, was shaking her head.

“I think we’re making this much more complicated than it needs to be. I think the motive has to be something that’s recent.”

“But it is recent,” said Beauvoir, “for Abigail.”

“Go on,” Gamache said to Isabelle. “What do you think happened.”

“I think your first scenario is right. Abigail was the intended victim. I think someone saw her at the party. They hated the agenda she’s pushing. They saw their chance to stop her, and they took it.”

“Anyone in mind?” asked Beauvoir.

“Vincent Gilbert, maybe with Colette Roberge’s help,” said Isabelle. “They had motive and opportunity.”

Gamache turned around and studied the board, the pictures, the schematic. Something didn’t fit. Some small piece.

Then he walked to the table and reread the letter. He was beginning to see what.

“There’s someone else, patron,” said Jean-Guy, taking Gamache’s place at the board.

Picking up a red felt pen, he wrote, Haniya Daoud.

Gamache’s brows rose. How could he have forgotten her? Was it because while the others were standing in plain sight, practically jumping up and down for their attention, Haniya Daoud was sneaking up. Machete in hand. Unseen in the dark.

He wondered if the young woman had had one last killing left in her. And then, ça va bien aller. All would be well. She could put down the machete. Put down the cup.

He put down the letter. “I think it’s time for dinner.”