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Chapter 53 Carlo di Palma was not amused when the telephone rang. His son had been visited by a detective from Montignac who was seeking information about the installation of a repaired window at Chateau Hautefort. While
the detective chatted with his co-workers, Stefan removed the work order for that
window installation from his files. His concern was that the policeman might be
able to pinpoint the actual day Yet, Carlos was becoming more and more nervous. He had tried for years to stay out of police files. Now with an investigation starting, someone might find out that Carlos Di Palma was not who everyone thought he was. The elder Di Palma told his son to plead ignorance and say as little as possible if asked. Then, even with his headache, he would rush out and talk to Picard. At least Biot was out of the way, he reasoned. He had seen to that the day before. Little did he know how wrong he really was. Old Arch Detective Drollet asked Stefan if he had installed the broken window. He had installed it from the outside by attaching the hinges. He said so. To the question of having entered the building was a flat, "No. He would not enter uninvited, even to make repairs. "Was the window locked after the installation?" he asked. It May have Been Locked from Inside "If it was, it was locked from the inside. I was on a ladder when I installed it. There was no lock on the outside. Why would there be?" Drollet made a note tipped his hat and left. Stefan poured himself a stiff drink. Drollet looked at his notes in the car. Di Palma? That name struck a chord. He couldn't be sure. He'd check his files. He checked his notes. Something was bothering him. He stepped into a doorway, across from the workshop and was deep in thought. Later he would drive to Brantome on his way home. He had received a report of a robbery at an atelier. The man, a certain Dr. Raymond Biot was in the hospital. Drollet wanted to talk to him himself. But there was no hurry. Marie Claude put the flowers in a vase. Biot felt more nervous than ever. He wanted to talk while there was time but he knew the consequences. He'd wait a while longer. After formalities and the usual hospital banter, Kelner asked, "Did you recognize your assailants?" Biot shook his head. "No," he whispeed. "How many were there?" "Two or three," he lied. "Were they old or young?" "He couldn't remember." "Did they wear masks?" He couldn't remember. "Did they say anything?" Biot hesitated. "They wanted money," he lied. "Did you give them any money?" "I said I had none. I do very little cash business." "What did they do?" "One of them hit me. I don't remember anything else." "But you called the police," Bruce was confused. "I don't remember. I'm tired." He closed his eyes. Marie Claude Suggests Leaving Marie Claude touched Bruce's arm. " I think we should leave," she suggested. Bruce made some notes and they left. As their car pulled away from the hospital in Brantome, Det. Drollet was entering his car somewhere in Perigueux. They would meet up later that day. At that very moment, Karl Hellstrom was parking near Picard's office in Perigueux a few hundred yards away. He would have seen Carlo Di Palma puffing his way to his son's place of business had he looked to his left, but he didn't. Carlo was not a happy man. He came storming into the workshop, passed the other employees and went into the shop where Stefan was working. "What was all that about?" he screamed. Stefan was surprised. "Nothing. He knows nothing. He's investigating. That's normal." "What did you tell him?" Not a Thing "Not a thing. He asked if I was inside or outside when I replaced the window. I told him 'outside', which is true." "What else did he ask?" "Absolutely nothing. Really. Absolutely nothing." "You talk to nobody! You hear". Stefan shrugged. "I said nothing." He turned back to his work. Carlo stormed from the building and headed for the nearest bar. He was preoccupied. Had he gone home he might have seen Hellstrom on his way to Picard's office. (Click here for Chapter 54).
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