Chief Inspector Maigret Visits London by Margaret de Rohan Page A

because he’s the criminal mastermind, so he’s calling the shots.’
    â€˜But if he is, why would he compromise himself in that way?’
    â€˜Perhaps because he’s an arrogant psychopath who thinks he can get away with anything, because he’s so clever.’
    â€˜Or maybe he believes he has the devil on his side.’
    â€˜What!’
    â€˜I’ve been talking with David Wainwright. You know he has a degree in psychology?’
    â€˜I hope you didn’t tell him about the counterfeit money that Max found, and the pentacle that was at the scene. Scotland Yard wants to keep that quiet at present, and I agree with that decision.’
    â€˜I’m afraid I did, Philippe. But Dave won’t say anything – he knows it’s all hush-hush. He promised he wouldn’t, and anyway he’s a priest so he has to keep things between him and his parishioners strictly private.’
    â€˜But you’re not one of his little flock are you?’
    â€˜Well… no… at least not in the strictly
technical
sense of the word . ’
    â€˜Not in any sense of the word! You’re as fond of bending the truth as Nicole was,’ he said. ‘Why do I keep getting mixed up with women like you? Will I never learn?’
    â€˜Oh, pish! Now do you want to hear David’s take on all this, or not? It’s your choice.’
    â€˜Tell me.’
    â€˜He thinks Serge Vachon’s mood swings might have had something to do with Satanism, and the upside-down pentacle with the money supports that belief.’
    â€˜That’s complete nonsense! We can’t be sure that Serge had anything to do with the money Max found, or the pentacle. I don’t believe it for a moment.’
    â€˜Easy for you to say, Philippe, but he’s seen people struggling with this kind of thing before, and he says the pattern is very similar.’
    At that moment Philippe’s mobile rang.
    â€˜I’ll ignore it, darling,’ he said. ‘All this talk of devil worship has made me hungry. Let’s eat.’
    But the phone continued to ring insistently, so that in the end, he was forced to answer it. It was Jacques.
    â€˜This better be important, my friend,’ Philippe said, ‘because I’m about to have my dinner.’
    â€˜Sorry, sir, but this
is
important. At least I think it is.’
    â€˜Okay, speak to me.’
    â€˜I’ve found another pentacle, the same as all the others.’
    â€˜That could have waited until the morning, Jacques.’
    â€˜Maybe, sir, but I thought you’d want to know that there was also another cache of money, and it’s even more than Max found.’
    â€˜Hmm, well I guess that was worth a phone call,’ his boss said, although he was not convinced, and his stomach was rumbling.
    â€˜No, sir, wait – there’s more. This is the really important thing. It was in Dulwich Park, not far from that new gallery.’
    â€˜That’s a very public place to hide something this important; they must be getting careless.’
    â€˜Not really, Chief. It was fairly high up and hidden in a large knot-hole in a tree. I only discovered it because Inky seemed very interested in the area. I think she must have picked up a scent of some kind, because she kept sniffing around the tree, and didn’t want to leave, even when I called her. And then, when I looked more closely, I saw the pentacle. It was a small one, much smaller than the others I’ve found. You’d have to be actually looking for it to notice it.’
    â€˜That’s very good work, Jacques, I’ll contact Chief Inspector Scott tomorrow with this new information. I wouldn’t like to disturb him now while he’s having his dinner,’ Philippe Maigret said pointedly, hoping Jacques would take the hint.
    He did. ‘There’s one more thing, sir, or rather, two. I’ve had a good look at the money, and this time