The Journal

by John R McKay

  ‘Either way,’ replied Danny. ‘Holbrook had a big part to play in Lucy’s murder.’

  ‘There’s no doubt about it. Anyway,’ she continued. ‘After we spoke yesterday I contacted Wilson and told him what happened to you yesterday afternoon. Seeing Lange and that. Well, he’s spoken to the Surete over here and they’re on the lookout for him. I believe they visited you last night?’ Danny nodded. ‘He’s public enemy number one at the moment. They’ve been watching your hotel and have someone in the Hotel de la Sorbonne too, in case he makes another appearance there. I‘m going to meet up with the guy in charge later on today so we can form a strategy. The thing is, Danny, we could all be wasting our time. If Lange has any sense then he would have buggered off out of Paris by now.’

  ‘Yeah, but he’s shown signs of having little or no sense hasn’t he?’ said Danny. ‘My thoughts are that he is still here somewhere…. and close by. I let him know I was here yesterday didn’t I? It was a bit stupid really, but I had to see if it was him.’

  ‘Yes, it was a bit daft,’ Julie agreed.

  ‘Well if it means that he’ll try again, which I think he will by the way, then so be it. At that point we may be able to get him, especially if the police here are all over it.’

  ‘We’ll see,’ replied Julie thoughtfully. ‘Make me a promise will you Danny?’

  ‘Go on.’

  ‘If he doesn’t show himself in the next two days, promise me you’ll return to England.’

  Danny thought for a few moments. ‘OK,’ he said, after a while. ‘That sounds fair enough.’

  ‘Good.’

  The waiter approached them. ‘Something for the lady?’

  Julie looked up and ordered a coffee with croissants and the waiter left them, returning to the counter.

  He looked over towards the couple near the window and smiled to himself. Maybe he had been wrong a couple of days ago, after all. Maybe there could be happiness in the Englishman’s life again.

  #

  They left the café twenty minutes later having decided to go for a stroll. They crossed onto the Ile de la Cite and stood in front of the Cathedral de Notre Dame. They did not say much, Danny feeling slightly awkward in her presence. Occasionally people looked at them probably thinking that they were a couple and it did not feel right to him.

  Sensing his unease Julie said, ‘Don’t worry about it Danny. This must feel weird to you. Being here with another woman, so to speak.’

  ‘It does a bit,’ he replied. ‘It just feels strange being here without her. We came here a few times. I still can’t get my head around what’s happened. You know, I would give it all up, all the money, the houses and the other stuff, I’d give every bit of it up just to spend another day with her. No, another minute.’

  Julie stopped walking. ‘Let’s sit down for a bit,’ she said, sitting on a bench.

  Danny sat beside her. ‘Here I am. Whinging again. Sorry.’

  ‘Don’t worry about it,’ Julie replied. ‘It’s totally understandable after all that’s happened to you.’

  ‘Even so,’ said Danny. ‘I’ve been wallowing in self-pity for too long now and it’s not fair on everyone else. I’ve not spoken to my mother for a couple of days and Lucy’s family have absolutely no idea what’s been going on. They’ve been texting but I haven’t had the will to reply yet. I’ve got to get a grip of myself.’

  ‘Like I said, it’s understandable.’

  ‘Understandable maybe, but it’s still thoughtless and selfish, like dragging you out here too.’

  ‘It was my choice, I’ve told you.’

  ‘I know, but what about your family. What do they think?’

  ‘They probably think I’m at home packing for my trip to Greece tomorrow. They don’t know I’m here.’

  ‘What about your boyfriend? What must he think?’

  ‘I don’t have a boyfriend, Danny. I’m single.’

  Danny could feel his face flush. ‘I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to pry.’

  ‘It’s no secret,’ she replied laughing at his embarrassment. ‘And before you ask, no I’m not a lesbian.’

  ‘I wasn’t……’

  Julie laughed loudly now. ‘Look at your face,’ she said, ‘I’m winding you up.’

  He laughed with her, the embarrassment leaving him. He was starting to feel comfortable in her company.

  ‘No,’ she said after a while. ‘I’ve not had a serious relationship for a while now. Been too busy with my career and all that, just had no time for it. A few at the station have asked me out but I seriously don’t want a relationship with a colleague, believe me!’

  ‘I can understand that.’

  There was a pause in the conversation as they both sat and enjoyed the view, feeling the heat from the morning sun upon their faces, as it broke through dark clouds that had been threatening rain all morning. After a while Julie said: ‘I used to be an actress you know.’

  Danny looked at her curiously. ‘Oh?’

  ‘Yes,’ she continued. ‘I was quite good at it too, apparently. Only amateur stuff, you know, nothing serious. But I did play Juliet once.’

  ‘I can believe that,’ Danny replied.

  She looked at him and smiled. ‘Yes. My dad wanted me to go to drama school and do it seriously. I just don’t think he wanted me in the police force to be honest.’

  ‘So you haven’t carried it on then.’

  ‘No. No real time for it really. Difficult to get to rehearsals with these daft hours that we work in the police. Plus I love my job. There’s nothing better than locking bad people up, nothing at all.’

  ‘I can understand that.’

  ‘And what about you, Danny. Do you enjoy your job?’

  ‘Very much. I get to meet lots of interesting people and I love writing. One day I’m hoping to write a novel. Or a play. It’s my dream really.’

  ‘Well you’ll have plenty of time now,’ she replied. ‘You could become a novelist or a playwright. I don’t suppose you’ll be going back to the newspaper.’

  ‘Yes,’ he said thoughtfully. ‘Maybe I could write a part for you.’

  ‘Maybe you could.’

  It suddenly occurred to him that this was the first time he had thought about his future since the death of Lucy. He realised that there may be hope for a happy, fulfilled life after all. He turned to Julie.

  ‘Thank you,’ he whispered.

  ‘What for?’

  ‘Making me wake up,’ he replied.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

  A drop of water hit the old man on the nose and he looked up to the sky. The dark clouds overhead had blocked out the short spell of sunshine and they now started to pour down their rain. He pulled up the collar of his coat and pushed his hat down firmly onto his head. He shivered slightly and using his walking stick he hurried as best he could to find shelter at one of the pavement cafes on the Place de la Sorbonne. He found a table under an awning, close to the window and gingerly sat down. The arthritis and pain in his back causing him to wince as he did so.

  A waiter approached to assist him but he waved him away impatiently. It was probably only a passing shower as he could see clear sky to the west. When he was comfortable he signalled the waiter over and ordered a coffee and a sandwich. Seeing he had no choice but to shelter here, he might as well have a bite to eat, he thought.He sat and watched as people ran around, finding shelter where they could as this sudden flash shower was particularly heavy, the raindrops giving the impression of bouncing as they hit the ground. Some, however, had merely succumbed to the inevitable drenching and carried on walking as though it was not happening. The old man laughed at them. Idiots, he thought.

  After a while the waiter returned with his drink and sandwich and he placed them on the table in front of him. Sighing, he picked up the cup and took a sip. A young couple approached the café and sat down two tables away under the awning, laughing together at the soaking they had just received. It
was a few moments before the old man realised that he recognised the man. He had never seen the woman before in his life, but the man he had seen in photographs and twice in person. One of those times had been near Manchester a couple of weeks ago and the other had been in the Royal Garden Hotel in London, when he had tried, unsuccessfully, to kill him a couple of days ago.

  The rain stopped as abruptly as it had started, the sun breaking through the clouds and shining down upon the square. Sean Lange could not believe his luck.

  #

  Danny and Julie ran along the Boulevard Saint Michel as the sudden downpour caught them unawares. They were returning to the Grand Hotel Saint Michel to collect Danny’s things and to check out prior to his move to the Hilton. Julie was going to use the opportunity to speak to the policeman at the Hotel de la Sorbonne to get an update on the French police’s search for Sean Lange, although she was beginning to believe that the killer would be far, far away by now.

  As the rain hammered down, Danny took off his jacket and held it above them both in an attempt to prevent them from being soaked. They approached the Place de la Sorbonne and Danny could see a table free, under an awning, at the same restaurant that he had left in such haste the previous day when he had left his steak on the table. The place was filling quickly with people taking shelter from the rain.

  ‘Quick,’ he said. ‘Here. Get that table.’

  Julie saw the table and moved toward it. Sitting down they looked at each other and laughed, their hair plastered to their heads. Danny put his jacket over the back of his chair. ‘A coffee eh? What do you think?’

  ‘Yes. Good idea,’ she replied and he called over to the waiter.

  ‘Bloody hell,’ said Julie, ‘where did that come from?’

  ‘God knows,’ he replied, looking out at the rain that continued to fall violently, ‘I thought it only rained like that in Wigan!’ As soon as he said this, the rain stopped suddenly and the sun broke through once more.

  They laughed again.

  Then he looked at her. ‘This is where I was yesterday, when I saw Lange. He was stood over there, at those doors.’

  Julie looked over to where he indicated. ‘So how did you avoid him then?’

  He turned and looked behind him. ‘I doubled back around the corner here and went up the Rue Cujas to the hotel. I had a perfect view from my hotel window.’

  ‘So is that where you shouted him from?’

  ‘Yes, that’s right.’

  Julie thought quietly for a few moments. ‘You know Danny. It might not be safe to go back to the hotel.’

  ‘Why?’

  ‘Because if Lange is the professional that we now think he is, he may have worked out where you shouted from. You know, when he had time to think about it.’

  ‘I’m not so sure about that.’

  ‘Me neither, but we can’t take any chances. It might be worth abandoning going back there. We can get the local police to get your things and bring them to the Hilton. I should have thought about this before.’

  ‘OK,’ he replied. ‘If you’re sure. But if he is going to come back then he’s taking a big risk isn’t he? And if he is coming back then I wouldn’t mind being there when the police nab him.’

  The waiter arrived with their drinks. ‘Thanks,’ said Danny. He leaned back in his chair and looked around. People were beginning to leave their various shelters to continue their journeys but some were now taking advantage of a drink or something to eat at the cafes and restaurants where they had been forced to take refuge. The proprietors of the establishments grateful that the quick turn in weather had meant a little extra business for them.

  Most of the tables at the restaurant where they were seated had been occupied and now most people were staying, having ordered drinks and food. He glanced around the tables looking at all the faces, again playing the ridiculous, childish game of guessing who the people were. He looked at Julie again. ‘Let’s play a game,’ he said.

  ‘Go on,’ she said intrigued.

  ‘You have to look at all the people here and guess whether they are tourists, locals or students.’

  She frowned at him. ‘And how will we know if we’re right or not?’

  ‘We won’t,’ he replied, ‘It’s just a game. Childish I know, but it passes the time.’

  ‘OK,’ she drew out the word, not convinced.

  ‘Come on,’ he said, ‘It’s just a bit of fun.’

  Julie looked around. ‘OK, I’ll go first. The couple over there in the corner. The girl with the brown jacket. The guy has a baseball cap on.’

  Danny looked over. ‘Tourists.’

  ‘What makes you say that?’

  ‘Camera on the table. They were probably on their way to the Luxembourg Palace when they got caught in the rain.’

  ‘Oh yes. Didn’t see the camera.’

  ‘I thought coppers were supposed to be observant,’ he said laughing. ‘OK my turn. The family over there, by the door. Middle aged couple with the two teenagers.’

  ‘Locals,’ replied Julie.

  ‘What makes you think that?’

  ‘They’re speaking French. We’re in France. Doesn’t take Columbo to work it out really, does it?’

  ‘OK, I’ll give you that one. What about the old fella near the window? Miserable looking bloke, slurping his brew.’

  ‘Got to be a local again,’ she replied. ‘The hat’s the giveaway.’

  ‘Yeah, I suppose.’

  #

  Sean Lange sat in silence. He did not look directly at Cooke and the young woman but observed them in his peripheral vision. The outside of the restaurant was quite busy but some people had finished their drinks quickly once the rain had stopped and were now leaving. He took a bite from his cheese sandwich and used the opportunity to look at them more closely, using the peak of his hat and the sandwich to cover his face.

  The girl was young and pretty and seemed to be enjoying his company. Lange was slightly amused at how Cooke had picked up this girl. Wasn’t he supposed to be in mourning? They seemed to be looking at various random people and commenting on them, like a pair of idiotic teenagers. He could not hear what they were saying but they looked as though they didn’t have a care in the world.

  Lange was at a loss as to why Cooke had returned to this area of the city. Surely after what had happened yesterday, he would have upped sticks and moved on or maybe he thought that’s what Lange himself would have done. But Lange was taking one last look around in the hope that something would happen and by some freak of fate and a sudden change in the weather, Cooke had walked straight to him. He couldn’t have made this up. Sure, there would be police about the place, after all he was a fugitive wanted for murder, but Lange wasn’t worried about that in the slightest. The police were looking for a young fit man in good health, not an old man with a limp and a walking stick.

  Maybe Cooke was still staying in the hotel. Maybe the package or whatever the hell the thing was that ‘Roger Moore’ had wanted so much was still in Cooke’s hotel room. But then Lange didn’t much care about that anymore. It didn’t matter to him one way or the other, he no longer had any interest in it. All that Lange knew now was that an opportunity had presented itself, an opportunity to finish this thing once and for all.

  Suddenly he felt eyes upon him. He knew instantly that they were looking at him and for a second he held his breath, expecting to hear a sharp intake of breath from them, or a shout or scream as he was recognised. But it never came. They looked away and gave their attention to someone else. His latest disguise had held out. What in God’s name were they doing?

  He felt in his coat pocket and his hand grasped the Stanley knife that he had purchased from a hardware shop an hour or so ago and he flicked the blade back and forth with his thumb. He knew what he was going to do, what he had to do and he had to do it soon. He could see that they had only ordered drinks and, like others who had sheltered from the rain, they may leave at any point
. He may not get a chance like this again.

  He drank the last of his coffee, placed the cup back on the table and stood up.

  #

  Danny was really starting to enjoy himself with Julie. OK it was a bit of a childish game to play, but it had been a bit of fun and it had taken his mind off everything that had been happening recently. For the first time in a long while he had been smiling naturally and laughing without feeling guilty.

  He became aware of movement behind him and glanced back to see the old man standing up and putting a few banknotes and loose change down onto the table. He turned back to Julie. ‘What do you want to do now?’

  ‘We’ll get a taxi to the Hilton and I’ll ring the police from there to bring your things over. I’ll also try to find out if there’s been any developments that we don't know about.’

  ‘OK,’ replied Danny. ‘Sounds like a plan.’

  Lange approached their table, their heads turned away towards the square not seeing him. This is going to be so easy, he thought. After all that had happened, the end for Cooke would be one of his easiest kills ever. He felt in his pocket and flicked the blade of the concealed Stanley knife. He pulled it out and was within an arm’s length of Cooke when he heard a shout from behind him.

  ‘Monsieur, monsieur. Your cane. You have forgotten your cane.’

  He turned to see the waiter standing in the doorway holding up his walking stick.

  Danny and Julie turned to see what the fuss was and it was Julie who reacted first. She saw the blade in Lange’s hand and it took only an instant to realise what was taking place. She propelled herself forward in an attempt to push Lange away from Danny but she was a fraction too slow as Lange swung round with his arm, the blade catching Danny across the neck. However he was able to pull back slightly and the blade only gave him a superficial cut.

  The shock of it was enough for Danny to fall from his chair and, as people began to scream around him, he was aware of Julie reacting to the side of him.