Still Life (A Three Pines Mystery)

'Croft's confession is meaningless. I think it's his form of self-punishment. He's confused and hurt.'

'Poor baby.'

'Yes, well, I'm not saying it's noble or attractive. But it's human. And just because he's begging for punishment doesn't mean we should comply.'

'You're such a sanctimonious bastard. Lecturing me on the moral role of a police force. I know damn well what our job is. You're the one who wants to be police, judge and jury. If Croft didn't do it he'll be released. Trust the system, Armand.'

'He won't even come to trial if he continues in this ludicrous confession. And even if he's eventually released, you and I know what happens to people arrested for a crime. Especially a violent crime. They're stigmatised for the rest of their lives. Whether they did it or not. We'd be inflicting on Matthew Croft a wound that will stay with him for ever.'

'You're wrong. He's inflicting it on himself.'

'No, he's challenging us to do it. Goading us into it. But we don't have to react. That's what I'm saying. A police force, like a government, should be above that. Just because we're provoked doesn't mean we have to act.'

'So, what are you telling me, Chief Inspector? From now on you'll only arrest people if you're guaranteed a conviction ? You've arrested people before who turned out not to have committed the crime. Just last year, remember the Gagne case? You arrested the uncle, but it turned out the nephew had done it?'

'True, I was wrong. But I believed the uncle had done it.

That was a mistake. This is different. This would be deliberately arresting someone I believe did not commit the crime. I can't do it.'

Brebeuf sighed. He'd known from the first minute of this conversation that Gamache wouldn't change his mind. But he had to try. Really, a most annoying man.

'You know what I'm going to have to do?'

'I do. And I'm prepared for it.'

'So as punishment for insubordination you'll walk through Surete Headquarters wearing Sergeant LaCroix's uniform?' Mai LaCroix was the immense desk Sergeant who presided over the entry to HQ like Buddha gone bad. To add to the dimension of the horror, she wore a Surete-issue skirt some sizes too small.

Gamache laughed at the image. 'I'll make you a deal, Michel. If you can get that uniform off her. I'll wear it.'

'Never mind. I guess I'll just have to suspend you.' Michel Brebeuf had come close to doing this once before, after the Arnot case. His own superiors had ordered him to suspend Gamache, again for insubordination. That case had almost ended both their careers, and the stink still stuck to Gamache. He'd been wrong then, too, in Brebeuf's opinion. All he had to do was say nothing, it wasn't as though their superiors were proposing letting the criminals go. Just the opposite, really. But Gamache had defied the authorities. He wondered if Gamache really believed the Arnot case was over.

Brebeuf never thought he'd be doing this, 'You're suspended from this moment for the period of one week, without pay. A disciplinary hearing will be held at that time. Don't wear a skirt.'

'Thanks for the tip.'

'D'accord. Give me Beauvoir.'

It took a lot to stun Jean Guy Beauvoir, but his conversation with the Superintendent did just that. Gamache knew that he cared deeply for Beauvoir, like a son, but the younger man had never shown him any feelings, except that of junior to respected superior. That had been enough. But now Gamache saw the depth of Beauvoir's pain at having to do this thing, and he received a great gift. The gift of knowing he was cared for in return.

'Is it true?'

Gamache nodded.

'Is this my fault? Did I do this by arguing against you? What a fool. Why didn't I just keep my mouth shut?' Beauvoir was pacing the small office like a leopard trapped.

'This isn't about you. You did the right thing. The only thing you could do. As did I. As did Superintendent Brebeuf, for that matter.'

'I thought he was a friend of yours.'

'He is. Look, don't feel badly about this. I knew when I called the Super he'd have to do this. I called Reine-Marie before, to run it by her.'

Beauvoir felt pricked, a tiny little point of pain that the Chief Inspector had consulted his wife but not him. He knew it was unreasonable, but feelings so often were. It was why he tried to avoid them.

'When she said "do it" I called him with a clear conscience. I can't arrest Matthew Croft.'

'Well, if you can't, I can't. I won't do Brebeuf's dirty work for him.'

'It's Superintendent Brebeuf, and it's your job. What was that this afternoon I heard? Just some Devil's Advocate bullshit ? You know how I hate that. Say what you really think, don't play pretentious little mind games. Is that all that was? Taking the other position like some empty adolescent intellectual game?'

'No, it wasn't. I believe Matthew Croft did it.'

'So arrest him.'

'There's more.' Now Beauvoir looked really miserable. 'Superintendent Brebeuf ordered me to take your badge and gun.'