Late Harvest Havoc by Jean-Pierre Alaux Page B

sessions at the kitchen table, dating tips, the search for the right college… Damien would never marry and make him a grandfather. In fact, because his son also had health problems, the boy would probably die before he did.
    â€œThis is how it’s been for twenty-eight years, Virgile. I’ve lived with Down’s syndrome since the day I married. But I wouldn’t change my life for anything. Happiness lies with the people you love.”
    The inspector’s face brightened. The fine crow’s feet made his moss-green eyes more mischievous and his whole appearance less austere. His teeth were perfect for a person his age, and his lips were finely shaped.
    Virgile smiled. His grandmother would have had an expression for the inspector: “a handsome man in his day.”
    â€œA third coffee would not be reasonable, would it?” Fauchié suggested.
    â€œReasonable people are a pain in the ass,” Virgile replied, flashing his own mischievous eyes.
    Thanks to the coffee and the conversation, Virgile was no longer feeling the effects of his night on the town and his lack of sleep. He felt energized and eager to find the “vine assassin,” which was what at least one newspaper was calling him.
    â€œI just thought of something, Inspector. Judging by my observations at the Klipsherrer, Flanck, Deutzler, and Ginsmeyer vineyards, it would seem that our weirdo goes after relatively young vines: five years old—ten at the most.”
    â€œThat’s true,” Fauchié confirmed. “I hadn’t given it much consideration.”
    â€œIn that case, he’s a professional!”
    â€œWell, he is now: he’s attacked five vineyards,” the inspector said.
    â€œNo, that’s not what I mean,” said Virgile. “He’s in the profession: he’s a winemaker.”
    â€œWhat makes you say that?”
    â€œFirst of all, destroying a budding vine is more exciting than killing an old vine. Second, young plants are easier to prune than gnarly ones. And for that, there are extremely sophisticated power pruners these days. They’re sharp, lightweight, and quiet. Models for left-handed people are even available.”
    â€œIf I follow your line of reasoning, you may be trying to convince me that we’re dealing with some kind of winemaker’s vengeance scheme and not a madman who takes pleasure in reading about his misdeeds in the papers.”
    â€œPower pruning shears are a tool a winemaker would use, and I’m tempted to add a young winemaker, because some of the old guys still balk at them. They’re rather expensive, but you can do a season’s worth of pruning in a matter of days. In the Bordeaux and Burgundy regions, power pruners replaced the manual ones long ago.”
    â€œI take it they’re battery operated. How do they work?”
    â€œIt’s easy: the shears look like classic pruners, except they’re more responsive. They’re connected to a lithium battery pack that you wear on your belt or on your back. The wire connecting the shears and the battery pack doesn’t restrict your movements in any way.”
    â€œAnd what about the battery? It must weigh a ton.”
    â€œNot really. It depends on the model. It can weigh anywhere from two and a half to five kilos. Sure, at the end of the day you feel it, but compared with the tendinitis you can get with manual shears, the weight is hardly a problem.”
    â€œDo you know how to use one of these things?”
    â€œYes. It feels a little like a gun, and you have to be careful about not cutting the wire that connects the shears to the battery pack. But once you get the hang of it, you can cut everything: vine shoots, spurs, vine stocks…”
    â€œWhat kind of safety precautions do you need to take?” Fauchié asked.
    â€œNot many. They just pinched my fingers at first. You’d have to be really clumsy to cut yourself. Steel-mesh