Today's Reading

"Georges? What's wrong?"

Now he had woken Claire. She turned around to him sleepily. Dupin got up. "Everything's okay, Claire, go back to sleep. I just have to check on something—I'll be back shortly."

"Okay."

She turned over, and Dupin was relieved that she seemed to instantly go back to sleep. He went into the bathroom and carefully shut the door behind him, then turned on the light and dialed the professor's number. No answer.

"Damn it."

Disgruntled, Dupin left the bathroom, quietly took a few things from the wardrobe, and went over to the stairs. Downstairs, he turned on the light and tried the professor once again.

This time, too, without any success.

"Right then," he sighed.

He pulled on his clothes, jeans and polo shirt, dialing Riwal's number at the same time.

The inspector picked up immediately.

"What's up, boss?"

"In all probability, nothing at all. This professor from the institute. He thinks the man who's following him is hanging around in front of his house. He just called me. But then the connection suddenly got cut off."

"And now you can't get hold of him?"

"No. I'll drive over to take a quick look, Riwal."

"It's the right thing to do, boss. As you know, the institute is on the trail of a few spectacular things..."

"Got it, Riwal."

"I'll come with you, boss. The professor doesn't live far from me."

"Fine." Dupin already had his car key in his hand. "Then we'll meet there."

"By the way, boss, have you heard?" Riwal continued. Dupin opened the front door.

"Heard what?"

Dupin hurried out into the garden and through the warm night.

"It's very sad, boss."

It had to be at least seventeen degrees still.

"Kadeg's aunt. She died. It all happened so quickly."

"What?" exclaimed Dupin, far too loudly.

"Her niece found her this evening at around half past seven. On the terrace, on the deck chair. It seems it was her favorite place, and she passed away peacefully there. Kadeg just called."

"This evening?"

"This evening, yes. The village doctor has confirmed the death. Sudden cardiac arrest. 'Aging heart.' An undertaker from Brest has already picked her up. Kadeg's on his way there now."

Dupin reached his car, got in, and started the engine.

"I'm really sorry to hear that. I'll call Kadeg tomorrow."

"I mean, she knew it was going to happen. The signs were clear. And now it has."

"I don't think..."

Dupin broke off. It was a very strange coincidence, admittedly. The fact that just today they had been talking over lunch about Kadeg's aunt and the omens of death—and now, less than twelve hours later, she was actually dead. But that happened, of course: people sensing that their death was imminent. It had nothing to do with the supernatural.

"See you soon, Riwal."

Dupin's Citroën lurched eagerly forward.


At around 3:15 am, Dupin got into bed for the second time that night.

He was wide awake.

It had been a thoroughly ridiculous mission; he should have known. There had been no one to be seen far and wide. No one suspicious, not even anyone unsuspicious. No trace of a stalker. And the abrupt end to the phone call==plus the professor having been unreachable afterward—had had the most banal of all explanations: a dead battery.


This excerpt ends on page 14 of the hardcover edition.

Monday we begin the book False Relation by Veronica Heley.

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