Le Colibri

FOUR (Gabbi POV)

"Good morning, Monsieur Simon. Please, sit down. Would you like some coffee?"

"That's really kind of you, Mademoiselle Millerand." The guy is about 35 years old, has brown hair and dark eyes and he's not handsome or ugly, he's of average height and his facial features don't stand out, there's nothing special about him. His dull clothes help him to look like a bank clerk or maybe and assistant in a law office and, to be honest, if I'd met him on the street, I wouldn't stop to look at him, not for a second. If someone had introduced him to me during a soiree, I'd forget him immediately... I guess that's a good thing when you're a private detective and it's pretty clear his haircut and brownish jacket have been picked out to avoid attention precisely.

My maid walks into the living room where I usually receive visits and starts pouring a cup of coffee while Monsieur Simon sits comfortably on a Chester couch upholstered in grey velvet and I prefer an armchair, crossing my legs but making sure that the skirt covers my knees. I want him to understand that I'm in charge here but keeping my lady manners because I don't want my guest to feel uncomfortable. My lawyer, Monsieur Vérone, assured me that the detective they usually hire is a practical person who does his job superbly in exchange for a reasonable payment and he doesn't look like the kind of man who cares about working for a woman, but I'm used to deal with the male ego and I know it's delicate. I'd rather be cautious.

"Délicieux..." Monsieur Simon leaves his cup on the side table and hands me a folder. "You asked me to investigate Mademoiselle Georgine Laurent, the state of her finances and social relationships, above all her current protectors, her friends and favourite places."

"That's right," I answer while taking a look at the report, satisfied when I realize it's a very exhaustive work. The detective stares at me with curiosity but he understands that discretion is the most important thing in his job, obviously, and a direct question about my intentions would be inappropriate. Anyway, I decide to provide an explanation in case someone, I mean my lawyers, ask him about this conversation. "Someone has talked me about an investment, they said it'd be very profitable and one of the business partners has an intimate relationship with this woman. I just wanted to check there was nothing underhanded about it before giving them my money."

"I understand and must say it's very intelligent from you to be cautious, Mademoiselle Millerand." I nod to thank him for his kind words. "Everything looks normal to me, as you can read. The girl is 22 years old and doesn't have properties other than dresses and jewels she wears usually. The rent of the apartment is paid by Jean Ferry, a middle-aged man, a widower without children and member of the Parliament, who spent the whole Great War doing paperwork in an office very far from the first line: there's nothing odd in his past and his income is what I'd expect from a man with his position, a good amount of money but not over the top so he doesn't seem to be involved in corruption. Arnaud Guérin is a frequent visitor of the apartment, his father owns several butcher shops in Paris... the typical case of a humble merchant that makes his way up with hard work and effort till earning a good fortune. His son didn't live through those hard days, or maybe he doesn't remember them, and prefers to spend his father's money and work what is strictly necessary. It's a very common attitude in such cases..."

"Yes, I know several like this one..." I mumble grimacing.

"There's also a foreign pianist of some standing called Alexander who sends her flowers and invites her to a good restaurant for dinner every time he's in Paris during his European tour... there's a list of the favourite restaurants of the lady attached. And also Ivan Sorokin, who seems to be a pretty insistent admirer, although I don't think he'll have a chance to gain the favour of Laurent since he's one of those Russian refugees that doesn't have a single penny to their name. It's true that some of them where princes and aristocrats till some years ago, but 1917 Revolution changed the way they lived, I'm afraid."