Chapter 25 – The Suspect

"You think you can trap the Buquet brothers?" Mme. Giry asked in disbelief, staring at Detective Aubin and finding his confident smile extremely irritating. "But they have eluded capture for years!"

"That is about to end," he said casually.

The challenge in his expression piqued her irritation. His eyes are too blue, she thought, too distracting. She could feel them piercing the armor covering her heart. Narrowing her gaze, she studied him suspiciously. "What makes you think you will succeed?"

He almost smiled, the creases around his eyes threatening but not delivering. "Your help, of course—not to mention the substantial reward your friends have offered for capturing the Opera Ghost."

She had read about that reward, worrying that its temptation might force the hand of violence. Yet it was obvious the donors were anonymous. "I have no idea what you are talking about," she huffed, toying with a frayed spot on her sleeve.

He turned away and strolled slowly toward the window. "Think, Madame," he insisted, standing by the window to gaze down at the busy streets. "Whom do you know that might have a different, perhaps less obvious reason for desiring an audience with the infamous Phantom of the Opera?"

Despite the fact that she thought his assumption preposterous, her mind nevertheless focused upon the newspaper article she had read at Jean's table. About to protest his insinuation, she suddenly and quite unexpectedly knew. Her eyes shot to the detective, who was leaning against the sill as casually as if he were deciding to go out for a walk.

Jean and Rosalie—how could she have not seen it before? They were the only ones wealthy enough to have offered such an amount and on such short notice. She remembered her conversation with Jean about treating Erik as a patient, as well as Rosalie's obsession with opera: it all made perfect sense! They had always been generous in supporting different charities, but never anonymously. Yet whatever their motivation, she knew in her heart that they would only want the best for Erik. And now the police had taken advantage of their generosity, as well as her own.

"You have gone too far, monsieur," she accused, "prying into the financial affairs of my friends. I would not be surprised to learn that your department had manipulated them into offering that reward—"

"The lack of cooperation by the citizenry made it necessary," he argued, "particularly in an investigation of this magnitude...but for accuracy's sake, the good doctor and his wife were not that reluctant to offer their support."

"I doubt that very much, seeing that you people hear only what you wish to hear, not to mention holding me against my will, denying me sleep and the right to return to my rooms at the Opera House!"

Aubin turned to face her, crossing his arms over his stomach. "It is imperative that we find out exactly where the truth lies—"

"You should be detaining the Buquet brothers instead of me! But no, you merely follow them home and watch them celebrate the spoils of their victories! Need I remind you of your department's failure to bring even my daughter's attackers to justice?"

He dropped his arms and approached her side. "Now that you mention your daughter, perhaps we will bring her in for questioning as well," he stated, "once you tell me where I might find her."

"As I told you before, she is with family—"

He leaned close. "Something tells me you and your 'family' know much more than you admit."

"Leave my daughter out of this," she warned. "She is young and innocent."

"I am not so sure about that," a voice called from the doorway. Inspector Leger stood there, his arms full with what looked like old files. "At least concerning the 'innocent' part."

"How dare you—" Louise protested, gripping the arms of her chair as Leger came toward the desk and dropped them onto its surface.

"I have been studying her case with greater attention," he stated, pulling out the chair to seat himself.

"Then perhaps you will finally arrest the Buquets for attacking her," she said tersely.

Leger nodded distractedly, glancing up at Aubin. "All in due time, and after I question her myself…I will need the address in order to contact her, Madame Giry."

"She was questioned nearly out of her mind!" Louise protested, leaning toward him. "Or did that escape your attention, Inspector?"

"I prefer to do my own questioning," he said calmly, opening the top file. "In fact I might ask you a few questions concerning her mysterious rescue, something which I believe received only scant attention in the previous investigations."

"You are correct about that!" she huffed, suddenly remembering that it was Erik who rescued her. Fearful that they would then connect Meg with his escape, she fitted a smug expression upon her face. "The man should truly be rewarded for saving her life—"

"Ah, so it was a man—"

"Of course it was, who else could carry her all the way back home?"

"Why did she not name him?" Leger pressed, his eyes holding hers. "To see that he was rewarded?"

"She was too distraught!" she lied. "But you are missing the point, which is why the police did nothing to prevent such an attack—"

"Was it not rather the fact that our phantom was the one who rescued her?" Leger asked pointedly, a tiny smile playing about his lips. "And that you both have been protecting him for years?"

Momentarily speechless, Louise swallowed, knowing she was finally caught. Telling herself that he would never suspect Meg of helping Erik escape, she slumped dramatically back into her chair. "I must give you credit, Inspector," she admitted, "you are more perceptive than most."

"I don't understand," Aubin said into the silence. "What does her case have to do with—"

"He did rescue her, as he did all the other young and defenseless," Louise admitted. It was no use denying their part in protecting Erik, especially now that the inspector seemed to have discovered that fact. "The managers only concerned themselves with their earnings, never the safety or well being of our staff! They even refused to fire Joseph Buquet despite his shocking behavior, so it was necessary to seek the aid of someone else. The Opera Ghost became our protector, and had it not been for him my daughter would have been raped!"

"She must be eternally grateful toward him," Leger prompted, looking suddenly energized. "If I may be so bold as to suggest it?"

"It is the Buquets you must hunt down, not him."

"They did not set fire to the Opera House," Leger stated, "nor kidnap Christine Daae."

Louise put a hand to her head, feeling suddenly so exhausted she was confused. If only these men would let her sleep, then she could think more clearly. "Christine teased him, led him on, then rejected him," she complained, shaking her head. "He was of course completely unfamiliar with such tactics—"

"Do you not blame him for burning down the Opera, and your own home?" Aubin asked incredulously.

"You don't understand—he was our protector and maestro!" she croaked, beginning to lose her voice. "He was the opera! He took care of everything, and made it rise to greatness!"

"Through his reign of terror," Leger summarized, his expression clearly one of distaste.

"He is a genius, though at times he could be temperamental—"

"That, Madame, is putting it mildly—"

"There was no use fighting him, for no one could fault his judgment," she insisted.

"So of course you would cooperate with him," Leger stated, "and when he protected your daughter it was only natural to believe that you owed him—"

"Of course we did, we all owed him!" she defended. "Were it not for him the opera would have been closed down years ago, leaving us all out on the street!"

The answering silence spoke louder to her than any accusations either of them might have made, and she realized her error. She had unwittingly given herself away and knew in an instant that she must be very careful from this point onward.

"You can help us end this," Leger said quietly, drawing her attention back to him. As she stared at him he spread his hands in supplication. "The peace of all Paris rests upon your aid."

Frowning, she nodded curtly. "All right, I will help you but only upon the condition that he and my daughter will be protected from further harm."

"I guarantee it," Leger stated with a nod of his head.

"Thank you," she said sincerely, watching him pull out a new file.

"It is good that you have clarified your position, now that our phantom has confessed in writing," he said casually, pulling out a small stack of papers. Ignoring her gasp of surprise, he glanced up at Aubin. "And he is going to help us indict the Buquet brothers, in exchange for lighter sentencing from the judge—"

"But I thought there were no charges filed against him—"

"Everything has been arranged," Leger continued as if he had not heard her. "He will be returning to Paris, along with your daughter, under police escort. We have agreed that he will help us lure the brothers out into the open when they attempt to sell the opera herd on the black market. Their best opportunity is at the upcoming steeplechases."

Her eyes widened. "At the Grande Course des Haies d'Auteuil?"

He nodded. "Are you familiar with the event?"

"Yes, of course—it is one of our largest international events—"

"One which offers ample opportunity to move about anonymously through the crowds."

Worried not only for Erik's safety, but for Meg's, she got up and approached the inspector's desk. "Any my daughter?"

Leger frowned. "We need her help, and yours, to lure them out into the open. You are both easily recognizable—"

"No, please, you must not use her!" she protested. "She is too vulnerable—"

"You will be together at all times, surrounded by plain clothed police and gendarmes. Aside from that fact, it is the reward for his capture which will truly capture their attention. "

"But it's too dangerous—what if the mobs learn of his return? And should the Buquets capture him they will have a score to settle!"

"Madame, please!" Aubin interrupted, holding up a hand. "You must have faith: if not in us, then in his abilities to elude capture."

"It is his plan, Madame," Leger added, watching her carefully. "If you know him at all, you must know that he will not let that happen."

Somewhat reassured, she nodded. "Yes…he is very capable."

Leger tapped the file on his desk. "He has given us legal documentation detailing his experiences, part of which offers us valuable evidence against the Buquets. By doing so he has earned Judge Miller's favor and approval, both of which will translate into some amount of leniency."

"But Miller is the harshest judge of all—"

"He is also, if I have heard correctly, an opera connoisseur…"

Then she remembered having seen the judge the night of the fire, in his usual box seat at the opera. Of course, she realized, he had been there, and had no doubt witnessed Erik's unmasking. Yet could it be possible that Erik's suffering may have touched him in some way? It certainly had touched her heart, and the hearts of many in Paris. Since that night Erik had unwittingly prompted a tremendous group of supporters, all desiring his return.

"You and your daughter will pretend to have an interest in purchasing new horses for the opera, and be accompanied by your solicitor as financial agent named by the managers. By the way, he knows nothing of our plan, so please keep it that way."

"All right, but won't seeing my daughter back in Paris arouse their suspicions?"

"If they were the men who attacked your daughter they will remember how the phantom came to her rescue," Leger reasoned. "Seeing her should lead them to assume he is nearby."

"They know he is bold and unafraid, and decidedly protective of your daughter," Aubin added.

She had to admit that was the case. "So her presence is meant only to lure them into going after him, and the reward."

Aubin nodded. "Greed seems to be their greatest temptation."

"His plan is to reveal himself to them, but only after they have sold back the horses they stole."

"You are going to let them sell the horses?"

"Yes, but to an undercover gendarme who will be posing as a buyer on the black market."

"How clever."

"Our buyer has already sent out word of his interest in their particular breed," Leger informed her. "I am sure that by now they have heard and will make an appearance."

Louise studied him carefully, knowing she should trust him but deciding against telling him about her request that Erik marry Meg. It would have no bearing on their plan if he had not done so, yet she knew him too well to see him disregard her wishes. Furthermore, if he had married Meg they would not suffer the consequences of aiding his escape from Paris. No, she was confident that by now they were married, if only for the purpose of protecting them both.

"I suppose I must trust you," she said carefully, shifting her attention from Aubin to Leger.

"It would be in your best interests," the inspector advised. "If you do not, we shall have to charge you and your daughter as his accomplices."

"What? How can you—"

"And for keeping such information from us, thus hindering our investigation," Aubin warned.

Holding his accusing look, she wondered how they had discovered Meg's role, again thinking of her plea that Erik marry Meg. "All right, I will do as you ask," she agreed, turning to Leger again. "Now when can I see my daughter?"

c. 2007 by Christine Levitt