A Trick of the Light

It seemed clear she’d been experimenting with this style, growing into it. The earliest works, from seven months ago, showed some promise but were tentative. And then, sometime around Christmas, there seemed to have been a breakthrough and the flowing, audacious style took hold.

“Chief, look at this.”

Inspector Beauvoir was standing next to the nightstand. There was a large blue book on it. The Chief Inspector brought a pen from his pocket and opened the book to the bookmark.

There was a sentence highlighted in yellow and underlined. Almost violently.

“The alcoholic is like a tornado,” read Chief Inspector Gamache, “roaring his way through the lives of others. Hearts are broken. Sweet relationships are dead.”

He let the book fall closed. On its royal blue cover in bold white print was Alcoholics Anonymous.

“I guess we know who belonged to AA,” said Beauvoir.

“I guess so,” said Gamache. “I think we need to ask these people some questions.”

After everything had been gone over by the forensics team the Chief Inspector handed Beauvoir one of the booklets from the drawer. It was dog-eared, dirty, well used. Inspector Beauvoir flipped through it then read the front.

Alcoholics Anonymous Meeting List.

Inside a meeting for Sunday night was circled. Beauvoir could guess what they’d be doing at eight that night.

*   *   *

The four women paired up, figuring they’d be safer in twos.

“You obviously haven’t watched many horror films,” said Dominique. “Women are always in pairs. One to die horribly and the other to shriek.”

“Dibs on the shrieking,” said Ruth.

“I’m afraid, dear one, that you’re the horror,” said Clara.

“Well, that’s a relief. Are you coming?” Ruth asked Dominique, who stared back with mock-loathing at Myrna and Clara.

Myrna watched them go then turned to Clara.

“How’s Peter?”

“Peter? Why’d you ask?”

“I was just wondering.”

Clara studied her friend. “You never just wonder. What is it?”

“You didn’t exactly look happy when you arrived. You said the two of you toasted your vernissage. Is that all that happened?”

Clara remembered Peter standing in their kitchen, drinking sour champagne. Toasting her solo show with rancid wine, and a smile.

But she wasn’t yet ready to talk about it. Besides, Clara thought as she looked at her friend, she was afraid of what Myrna might say.

“It’s just a difficult time for Peter,” she said instead. “I think we all know that.”

And she watched Myrna’s gaze intensify, then relent.

“He’s doing his best,” said Myrna.

It was, thought Clara, a diplomatic answer.

Across the village green they could see Gabri and Olivier sitting on the porch of their B and B, sipping beer. Relaxing before the late afternoon rush at the bistro.

“Mutt and Jeff.” Gabri waved the two women over.

“Bert and Ernie,” said Myrna as she and Clara climbed the steps onto the verandah.

“Your artist friends are still here,” said Olivier, rising and kissing the women on both cheeks.

“Staying on for a few more days, apparently.” Gabri was none too pleased. His idea of a perfect B and B was an empty B and B. “Gamache’s people said the others could leave, so they did. I think they found it boring. Apparently only one murder isn’t enough to hold their attention.”

Myrna and Clara left them to monitor the village, and walked into the B and B.

*   *   *

“So what have you been working on?” Clara asked Paulette. They’d been chatting for a few minutes. About the weather, of course. And Clara’s show. Given equal weight by Paulette and Normand. “Still doing that wonderful series on flight?”

“Yes, in fact a gallery in Drummondville is interested and there’s a juried show in Boston we might enter.”

“That’s terrific.” Clara turned to Myrna. “Their series on wings is stunning.”

Myrna almost gagged. If she heard the word “stunning” once more she really would vomit. She wondered what it was code for. Crappy? Hideous? So far Normand had described Clara’s works, which he clearly didn’t like, as stunning. Paulette had said Normand was planning some powerful pieces which, she assured them, they’d find stunning.

And, of course, they were both simply stunned by Clara’s success.

But then, they’d admitted to being stunned by Lillian’s murder.

“So,” said Clara, nonchalantly picking at a bowl of licorice allsorts on the table in the sitting room, “I was just sort of wondering how Lillian came to be here yesterday. Do you know who invited her?”

“Didn’t you?” asked Paulette.

Clara shook her head.

Myrna leaned back and listened closely as they speculated about who might have been in contact with Lillian.

“She’d been back in Montréal for a few months, you know,” said Paulette.

Clara hadn’t known.

“Yeah,” said Normand. “Even came up to us at a vernissage and apologized for being such a bitch years ago.”

“Really?” asked Clara. “Lillian did that?”