The Tortured Detective

by Pirate Irwin

  “As I say I don’t care for you, but risking the guillotine is going too far.”

  Lafarge was genuinely shocked by her story, because while he hadn’t trusted von Dirlinger totally he hadn’t thought he was capable of ordering his murder.

  Naively perhaps he couldn’t see an aristocratic German, working for by Nazi standards a relatively principled outfit such as the Abwehr, conniving with such lowlifes as Lafont and Bonny.

  On the first point perhaps he was at fault because he had so wanted to pin the murder on Bousquet, but on the second one he could barely believe the association with the French Gestapo.

  “I’m sorry but I don't believe this story Mathilde. I find it hard to connect von Dirlinger and Lafont and Bonny. Furthermore I can’t see why he would wish to involve more people in the jewellery affair. Especially those two who would swindle their own mothers if they had ones that recognised them as their sons,” said Lafarge.

  Mathilde smirked and returned to the bed armed with a piping hot cup of coffee, Lafarge remarking that her generosity still did not extend to offering him one.

  He waited patiently while she settled herself, briefly glancing at his watch to see that it was already half eleven. While he wanted to try and find both Bousquet and von Dirlinger he was intrigued to discover the connection between von Dirlinger and the French Gestapo.

  “You are obviously not very close to your sister, for then you would know why,” she said.

  “Skip the personal observations Mathilde! You have no right to make remarks about my family,” said Lafarge.

  She smiled at having hit a raw nerve.

  “Well they have been partners for a long time.

  “Von Dirlinger relies a lot on their persuasive interrogation powers to get him information, as he doesn’t like to get his hands bloodied and it is not really the Abwehr style.

  “Initially it was for intelligence gathering. The Abwehr paid them on a scale for the value of the information, higher still for it leading to the arrests of resistants, communists etcetra.

  “However, once von Dirlinger saw first–hand the luxurious lifestyle and riches that Lafont and Bonny gained either through extortion or as a result of information gleaned from their interrogations he wanted to become a partner of theirs. A silent one of course.

  “Von Dirlinger believes it is a win win situation for him. Good intelligence for his employers and financial security for him in the event that the war is lost. That is why he would have brought them in with regard to the jewels. He can trust them as they are partners, and that is why he was so nervous about you probing deeper.

  “You would be justified to ask if he was getting so rich why get involved in the burglary? I would venture greed and his love of risk–taking. I say again, though, I don’t think he murdered Marguerite, it just doesn’t ring true. He was capable of ordering your murder but you are a man and you were also a threat to him.

  “Yes, the charming cultivated colonel is quite an operator,” she said.

  Lafarge was scandalized by this, he could still barely believe it but then the story was so fantastical that he couldn’t see why Mathilde would make it up.

  He was beginning to see now that von Dirlinger was not worried by him pursuing his investigation into Marguerite’s murder. It was the possibility he might uncover his financial links with Bonny and Lafont that was exercising his mind.

  Sure rumours were rife that several German officers got a percentage of the French Gestapo’s takings, ensuring they turned a blind eye to their criminal activities. But von Dirlinger’s involvement appeared to go deeper. Perhaps he even singled out people for Bonny and Lafont to pick up and torture to get them to reveal where they had hidden their paintings or cash.

  Poor people did not feature on the list of the endless stream of people they were believed to have picked up and murdered or delivered to the authorities for transportation after being tortured for hours. No they were rich Parisians, Jews or rivals of Lafont and Bonny’s.

  What he couldn’t figure out, though, was why von Dirlinger had demanded Mathilde kill him, not one of Bonny’s men. Perhaps he had set her up as she feared, and that after she had shot him Bonny would have taken care of her.

  Their two deaths would have cleared up two problems for von Dirlinger. He could continue his lucrative relationship with Bonny and Lafont while another member of the group that knew of the burglary would also be dispensed with and the shares for those left would increase. That was obviously more important to von Dirlinger than catching Marguerite’s murderer.

  So much for the Abwehr being a gentleman’s club, thought Lafarge bitterly when they resort to getting women to do their dirty work.

  He mulled over whether it was worth going after Bonny and Lafont.

  However, aside from lacking the manpower Lafarge thought if I am to tackle von Dirlinger, he is likely to send them after him in any case.

  Would he have a word with his sister about the danger she might be in, as he felt sure she would sooner or later become expendable?

  Despite her public disapproval of him they might try to use her as bait to lure him into a trap but if this failed he felt sure that Bonny would take out his frustration on her

  No was the simple answer. She had had enough opportunities to leave but she had always refused to and so let her suffer the consequences.

  As for Mathilde well he had no idea how deeply she was involved, for her knowledge alone suggested she was more heavily implicated than she had let on.

  The fact she was still alive despite failing to go through with his murder suggested that she was of some importance in the whole ghastly operation.

  He sensed her willingness to talk now was down to a basic survival instinct, her insurance policy to play both sides and make herself of use.

  However, if he were to keep her on his side he would have to flex his muscles and go after von Dirlinger. Preferably arrange a confrontation between the three of them as soon as possible, that is once he was able to track the colonel down.

  However, he had to be assured that Bousquet was not privy to this arrangement between von Dirlinger and the French Gestapo. Otherwise were he to ultimately arrest him he would be released within seconds and be free to take care of Mathilde.

  “Do you know if Bousquet was aware of this arrangement?” asked Lafarge.

  “Good grief no. Why would von Dirlinger complicate matters by involving Bousquet?

  “The cock up over the jewels, a rare freelance effort by him in not using Lafont and Bonny, illustrated that there was no point doing business with people who you weren’t used to dealing with.

  “That is why also he pulled in Bonny for trying to find the jewels in the apartment. Lafont and Bonny were none too pleased that he had not included them in the first place.

  “However, he calmed them down and said the partnership, as in the amount of people who were originally in on the burglary had been reduced to just two so there was plenty of profit to be made from them helping him find the jewels.

  “He assured Bousquet that he would track down the jewels without telling him who would be conducting the search, as there is no way he wanted your ‘friend’ to know the types he was in business with.

  “Even Bousquet might have raised an objection to that.

  “The truth of the matter is that Bousquet is of no importance to him. Karl thinks he is a capable poodle, whose eagerness to please the Nazis is of more importance than posing questions over his links to dubious French characters, so long of course that the jewels are recovered.

  “So there Inspector you have the whole story, well in as much as I know, regarding the outwardly charming and carefree colonel.

  “It’s certainly a case of not taking anyone on face value. You backed the wrong horse in terms of suspect number one and you certainly underestimated the ability and the character of suspect number two.

  “However, while you may think the lady doth protest too much I repeat that he is not the murderer of
Marguerite. I am certain, simply because he does not have the courage to commit the crime personally. This was no hit,” she said.

  Lafarge winced at her reference to a ‘hit’ as there might well be a contract out on him.

  He wondered whether this clever and calculating woman had deliberately dropped that term into the mix so as to either warn him off or to tell him to be careful. Maybe she didn’t dislike him as much as she said, thought Lafarge.

  However, hit or not he had returned to Paris knowing he was a marked man and he had come back to resolve the case and settle scores with those he had in the crosshairs.

  Lafarge had so much evidence against von Dirlinger that he now felt emboldened rather than weakened in tackling him.

  He left Mathilde, warning her firstly not to tell von Dirlinger he had been around and secondly to stay in until he came back, and deciding to leave the colonel alone for the moment he set off for his showdown with Bousquet.

  CHAPTER TWENTY–NINE

  Of course to have his confrontation with the secretary–general of police Lafarge needed him to be at work. With Bousquet’s position weakened he was apparently spending less time in his office, so Massu had told Lafarge in their most recent conversation on the phone when he had informed him he was returning to Paris.

  Finding Bousquet, if he was not in his office, would be nigh on impossible as his movements were known by only his closest circle, which included the odious sycophant Leguay.

  Fortunately for Lafarge – although the term was not one he often used in respect of Leguay – he was in his office at the Quai when he returned there.

  His pig like and humourless eyes narrowed when Lafarge entered his office without even the slightest hint of a knock.

  “Ah you Lafarge, back from your cure?” asked Leguay.

  “Yes, and I suggest you try one soon Leguay. Although in your case it might be too late to clean yourself up,” replied Lafarge.

  Leguay smiled smugly, his thick lips thankfully hiding his tobacco–stained teeth.

  “So what do you want with me Lafarge? You usually just jump the queue and go directly to the secretary–general. This is an unwanted displeasure for me, so be quick about it,” said Leguay, who to emphasise the point indicated the files on his desk.

  “Yes, I see you are loaded down with work to deal with the undesirables Leguay. So anything I can do to distract you from such an unpleasant task and delay their arrests will give me great pleasure,” said Lafarge.

  Leguay didn’t rise to Lafarge’s deliberate provocation and waited patiently for the chief inspector to come to the point.

  “I went to see the secretary–general but his secretary said she didn’t know where he was, and referred me to you” said Lafarge.

  Leguay frowned and reflected for a moment.

  “I am afraid the secretary–general has suffered a grievous personal loss and may not be here all day,” said Leguay.

  Really, thought Lafarge, what could that be? Was he already too late and Bousquet had been removed so as to avoid any scandal which could only further besmirch the reputation of the increasingly ridiculous Vichy Government?

  Whatever it was it wasn’t good news for him and he felt deflated, all the optimism and determination he had felt on leaving Mathilde’s was evaporating.

  “Ah and what may I ask is the loss?”

  “His political godfather, before Laval that is, Maurice Sarraut has been murdered and as you can imagine the secretary–general is beside himself with grief,” said Leguay.

  “Please Leguay spare me your faux sympathy for your boss’ loss. Do we know who was responsible?”

  Leguay shot Lafarge a look of such hatred that he told himself to be more restrained in his choice of words as he remained vulnerable until he could see Bousquet.

  “Well yes someone was arrested but he has since been released by order of the Germans. We think that they and the Milice, whom Sarraut was bitterly opposed to as indeed we are, we have raised any number of protests against them but to no avail, were behind the assassination,” said Leguay.

  This was indeed a seminal moment for not only Lafarge but also René Bousquet, for his hold on his present positon now looked untenable as evidently the Germans had withdrawn their support.

  If they had allowed the man, who had murdered his oldest mentor, be released then Bousquet must have realised that he was finished. Unless of course his stubbornness and arrogance convinced him he could stay on and he had run to Abetz and tried to persuade him to speak on his behalf.

  Regardless of that, Lafarge now knew he hadn’t missed his opportunity and he relished the fact he could apply the coup de grace.

  The irony was not lost on him that he would be hammering the final nail into Bousquet’s coffin – though he thought it was unlikely that he would end up tied to a pole and executed by the Germans – when he agreed with him that Sarraut’s murderer should be brought to justice.

  Oh well it was far too late to start commiserating with the parvenu who had bowed, scraped and connived with the Nazis to round up thousands of people and send them off to what appeared likely to be certain death.

  Lafarge hoped Bousquet would answer for those crimes once proper order of law was restored.

  However, the problem was where to find him and so far Leguay had not proved very co–operative with him on that topic.

  He knew he didn’t have many cards to play in his favour, given their mutual loathing. He thought, though, he could perhaps drive a wedge between the two men, based solely on hoping Leguay did not know about his rupture with his father.

  Lafarge opted for a horse racing analogy as he knew that Leguay’s weakness on the social front, he had too many on the professional side to list, was a penchant for gambling.

  “Look Leguay it appears that you may be backing the wrong horse here. One that has brought you much good fortune in the past but who has run too many races now and whose trainer wishes to put him out to pasture.

  “It is probably against his will but nevertheless it will happen. Thus perhaps it is time for you to switch to another one and ensure you still have something that could win to bet on,” said Lafarge.

  Leguay seemed to warm to Lafarge’s effort to convince him as he smiled and allowed Lafarge to continue.

  “I mean this horse has been leading all the way in his last race at Auteuil, seemingly destined to end its career unbeaten, when bam, he unships his rider at the final fence.

  “So instead of returning to the winner’s enclosure and the acclaim of the crowd he trots back of his own accord, for he has his pride and refuses to allow his lad to take hold of him, to the stables. However, his final return to the stables is accompanied by the jeers and the whistles of the fickle public.

  “The trainer too and the owner turn their backs on him and don’t wish to know René Bousquet anymore and you as his principal punter are the big loser,” said Lafarge, sensing he had Leguay in thrall to him now.

  “Now I have the good fortune to have an in with the owner, as you know I am related to his closest advisor, who could of course have a word in his ear that a wealthy punter is keen to back him.

  “However, that depends on the level of support that person is willing to give. No half measures especially when you are backing the favourite.”

  Leguay looking pensive fiddled with his pen and tapped it on the desk as Lafarge waited for his response.

  Leguay was, for all his many faults, like Bousquet an intelligent man, which made his criminal acts all the worse to Lafarge. But above all he was a man keen on survival, it had been a feature thus far of his short career as a technocrat, so it really depended on whether he thought his boss was still the way forward.

  Lafarge would have liked to have added that he would lose whichever jockey and horse he backed for the regime was doomed. However, he refrained from doing so as he didn’t think that would help his cause, no matter the pleasure it would have given him to see Leguay’s reaction.

  “Very w
ell Lafarge as you have put it so cleverly, perhaps it is time to shift my betting habit to another jockey and horse, you have made a persuasive case and I do so hate losing.

  “I think that René Bousquet is a great man, and switching away from him is very painful for me. Indeed I think Vichy would have been a better government had it been him as Prime Minister and Laval as President, but fate did not decree that,” he said.

  “It appears that with the murder of Sarraut a clear message has been sent. Bousquet is no longer untouchable and certainly not the golden boy in the Nazis eyes either.

  “Whatever you may think of us in the holier than thou world that you live in we actually saved lives, at the expense of others of course.

  “The ones that we had to sacrifice were largely foreign Jews, people who would have stolen food from our tables and gladly pushed French Jews to the front of the queue instead of themselves.

  “So you will not get an apology from me about the work we have done here. The Milice are far worse and less discriminatory than we are. French lives mean nothing to them, Jew or non–Jew,” he said.

  The look of pride on Leguay’s face made Lafarge feel physically ill.

  “Listen Leguay I am not a Roman Catholic priest come to hear your confession, you can save that for the real thing,” said Lafarge.

  “Besides no matter how you couch it, including your sickening claim you were protecting the French people, you have committed crimes that simply are not justifiable.

  “So tell me where Bousquet is and I will leave you to prepare for your new life. That is of course after you have signed off on those dossiers which look oh so impersonal but contain the lives of human beings, innocent for the most part,” said Lafarge bitterly.

  “Alright Lafarge, I am just as keen for you to be gone so I don’t have to stare at your sanctimonious features anymore.

  “Bousquet is due here for a meeting with his Special Brigades chiefs in an hour and as far as I am aware he will honour that, for he has never let down those people who have been loyal to him.