by Nell Goddin
“If you couldn’t stand the Fleurays, why in the world would you choose to live in Castillac?”
Nico nodded. “Good question. And a complicated question. Maybe I can answer simply by saying that…just because I couldn’t stand them, I still loved my uncle? Marcel was the only family I had left. Antoinette had been horrible to me and my cousins not much better, but I did not want to give up on Marcel. Even though he had failed to come through for me when I was a child. We used to meet secretly from time to time, rather often lately. He was a capable, loving man, and utterly terrified of Antoinette.”
Frances burst through the door bringing a draft of cold air with her. “Molls!” she cried, seeing her friend. “Oh my God, I just heard—you’re okay?” She flung herself at Molly and dragged her off her stool in a full-body hug.
“I’m fine as long as you don’t break any bones,” said Molly from under Frances’s scarf.
Frances let Molly go and raced around the side of the bar and wrapped herself around Nico. “Is it true?” she murmured to him.
Nico nodded. “Look, people, just go on about your business and let me talk to Frances for a minute, all right?”
Lawrence smiled and turned his stool towards the door. Molly and Lapin nodded and looked away but both of them were listening in as hard as they could.
“I’m so sorry,” Nico said, kissing Frances on the neck. “I had to leave, I was afraid I was going to be arrested.”
“But you could have told me that!”
“No. The last thing I wanted to do was get you involved. You know you’d have insisted on coming with me.”
A long pause. Molly glanced over to see Frances kissing Nico so hard that he fell to one side, knocking a glass to the floor.
“Everything’s back to normal,” said Lapin gleefully.
“No it’s not,” said Nico, getting his balance back and holding Frances’s hand in both of his. “There’s still a score left to settle.” He let go of Frances and rummaged around behind the bar, coming up with a scrap of paper and a pen. He wrote I.O.U. at the top with flowery letters.
I hereby pledge to give my friend Molly Sutton ten per cent of the sale price of La Sfortuna, as she had been promised, in gratitude for everything.
Nico Bartolucci Conti
“What?” whispered Molly.
“You deserve every centime,” said Nico, grinning broadly and holding out a hand to shake on it. “I should have inherited my father’s money, which as everyone seems to know was quite considerable. But Antoinette managed to lose most of it—quite a job, actually, since if it had simply been invested and left alone, it would be worth…well, it doesn’t bear thinking about.”
Lawrence agreed and Lapin stood with a stricken look on his face.
“You are being ridiculously generous,” said Molly. “Maybe I’ll take something, seeing how I’m almost broke. But ten per cent is way too much.”
“Not at all. Anyway,” continued Nico, “since you found the emerald, I’ll have more money than I know what to do with. Certainly enough to buy a house for me and Frances.”
Frances beamed and uttered not a single smart remark but slipped her arm around him and pulled him close.
Molly, on the other hand, was thinking about nothing more complicated than toile curtains and a fluffy new comforter. She sipped her kir, so lost in fantasy she did not see the deeply tanned Ben Dufort, former Chief of the gendarmes, get out of a taxi and start towards the door of the bistro.
THE END
Also by Nell Goddin
The Third Girl (Molly Sutton Mysteries 1)
The Luckiest Woman Ever (Molly Sutton Mysteries 2)
The Prisoner of Castillac (Molly Sutton Mysteries 3)
Murder for Love (Molly Sutton Mysteries 4)
Would you like a free short story set in Castillac? To get A Simple Deduction, click HERE!
For my beloved mother, Cornelia S. Goddin. For a million reasons, I wish you were still here.
Acknowledgments
Once again, Tommy Glass and Nancy Kelley have saved the day. I’m so grateful to know such tremendously talented editors.
Glossary
1:
gendarmerie……police station
traiteur…………caterer, takeout purveyor
2:
La Baraque…….house, shack
gîte…………….holiday rental, usually by the week
allée……………avenue, drive
parterre………..formal section of a garden, often symmetrical
messieurs………plural of Mr.
3:
arrondissement…section of Paris
4:
département……section of France, sort of like a large county
réligiueses………custard-filled pastry shaped like a nun
palmiers…………flaky, buttery pastry, also known as elephant’s ears
la bombe………..attractive, sexy woman
la sfortuna………misfortune
ma chérie………..my dear
petite chou……..little cabbage (term of affection)
5:
pigeonnier……..pigeon house
6:
haute cuisine…….fancy food, fine dining
Salut, tout le monde!…..hi everyone!
salade Périgourdine……salad with duck gizzards, a local specialty (and delicious!)
Filet de Bœuf Grillé Sauce Périgueux….beef tenderloin in a Cognac and truffle sauce
pompe aux pommes…….apple turnover
7:
notaire…….government official. Notary public, but performing more functions than an American NP.
bonsoir……good evening
8:
al Diavolo…..hell no
9:
Le Monde….leftish newspaper
épicerie…….small grocery store
11:
potager…….vegetable garden
12:
apéro…….cocktail, apéritif
chérie………dear
13:
débrouiller…..make do, figure it out
14:
la métairie….farm
15:
petit ours…..little bear
18:
si………yes
21:
Maman…..mother
22:
carte blanche….free rein, blank check
24:
lapin au cidre…..rabbit in cider
pichet……….small pitcher
26:
Bourse……..stock market
28:
Mon Dieu…….my God
29:
stronzo…..jerk (impolite)
30:
citron pressée…..lemonade
32:
sablé…….shortbread
Chef du Monde…..cook of the world
33:
lycée…….high school
bonne chance…..good luck
34:
merde……poop (impolite)
About the Author
Nell Goddin has worked as a radio reporter, SAT tutor, short-order omelet chef, and baker. She tried waitressing but was fired twice.
Nell grew up in Richmond, Virginia and has lived in New England, New York City, and France. Currently she's back in Virginia with teenagers and far too many pets. She has degrees from Dartmouth College and Columbia University.
drop by for a visit
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www.nellgoddin.com
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