CHAPTER 55 – MADMEN CALLING
Richard's phone rang. He answered it with, "Hugh here."
There was a short silence, then a semi-hysterical laugh. "Perfect. Just perfect. Such timing. Such convergence. Indeed the fates are smiling on me, for even I could not have planned this better. It is destiny," the caller said, in English but with a French accent.
"Castelneau?" Richard asked.
"Yes, in person," Castelneau said, not sounding normal.
"Don't ring off," Richard said.
"Not for a million euros. Not for a million euros. I was going to tell that tadpole Blondet that since he is rumored to be working with Leandre Durand, that perhaps he could get a message through Durand to you. You did say Hugh, didn't you? As in Richard Hugh?"
"Yes."
"Tell me something. Blondet said that Pamela is dead. Is that so, or is it another of his tricks?"
"Yes. She's dead. I'm sorry."
Castelneau laughed. "No problem. The universe will balance itself soon enough. I hardly think your Emma can hold out against four or five men at once, now can she?"
"What do you mean?" Richard said.
"If there are any survivors, they'll let you know," Castelneau said. "Of course…"
Richard decided Castelneau was playing for time. He rang off and dialed Emma's phone. Nothing. He dialed Stolemaker's phone. Nothing. Hippo's phone. Nothing. He dialed the Loomis cottage, hoping that undercover types might be there on stakeout. Nothing.
Thinking/hoping the mobile phone system might be down, he dove for the landline phone on the end table next to the couch and tried again. Emma. Nothing. Stolemaker. Nothing. Hippo. Nothing. Loomis's place. Nothing. He started to ring up Darlene Dourlein but caught himself. He called for Briggs. He got Tina, the second-string 999 operator. Tina wanted more specifics than he had.
Jean Blondet and the cop watched silently as Richard made his calls.
Finally, Blondet turned to the cop. "I would like it officially noted that I could have killed him easily just now, when he was down on his knees, one hand clawing into the couch arm and the other busy with the phone, and his mind elsewhere. I want it noted that I didn't."
"Like you would even try to do such a thing in front of me, you imbecile."
"Do you know any English?"
"Some," the cop said.
"So what the hell's going on?"
"Like I'd tell you."
"That's easy for you to say. You aren't chained to a metal anchor of a table, with a madman screaming in your ear."
"He's not mad, and he's not screaming, and he's not in your ear."
"Close enough. All three counts," Blondet said.
The policeman undid Blondet's handcuffs from the end table, redid the cuffs behind his back, moved him across the room, and told him to lay on the floor, face down.
"I suppose you think this is better," Blondet said, from the floor.
"Some people are impossible to please," the policeman said.
Not Exactly Allies Page 56