Scene 9

They all adjourned to Le Blues Bar, where Rousseau and the police were cataloguing the crime scene. Joe thought the other two immortals might want to separate to their own homes, or, in Amanda's case, to the barge, but there was still an apprehensive feeling between the three of them - waiting to hear what had happened.

The afternoon lengthened. Joe made sure the police included in their notes Neal's story that Darling Boy had been painted over the real Rue du Village. Amanda avoided the police by going into the Ladies' to try on her new outfits, but she joined Joe at the bar once they were gone. They still couldn't talk much, with Rousseau helping Joe prepare the bar to open. Methos, also restless, came across a set of drum traps and began trying them out. Joe's experienced ear heard him fumble with the unaccustomed set at first, then settle in as if he were an accomplished percussionist.

Amanda rested her forehead in one hand. "How can you stand that noise, Joe?" she asked.

Joe continued drying glasses. "I'm a musician; I'm used to it. I should have known he was a drummer."

"Why?"

Joe smiled. "Every drummer I've ever known was really weird."

Amanda smiled, drumming her manicured fingernails on the bar.

The man came to work on Joe's back door, and that kept Joe busy until opening time. Joe's staff arrived, and Rousseau took charge of them.

Still no word.

Joe considered calling Kasoulos's Watcher.

Amanda's cell phone rang. She started, as if she'd never heard it before, then waved to Methos. She took the phone and hurried into Joe's office. Joe and Methos followed her.

"Hello? Lambis, good. How are you, Honey? How did it go?"

She listened, her eyes going wide in alarm.

Methos fidgeted. Joe would have, too, but he'd lost much of his fidgeting ability when he'd lost his legs.

"He did? They did? Oh, no. Oh, Honey, I'm sorry. Where? Did they say where?"

She looked at Joe. "What does the girl look like?"

Joe exchanged surprised glances with Methos. "Madeleine? Why? Long red hair, elegant clothes."

Amanda nodded and returned to listening to the phone. "Did anyone see? Can you clean up? Thank you. Thanks for calling, Lambis. I owe you. I'm so sorry, sweetie. Okay. I'll let you know. Bye now."

Amanda clicked off her phone.

"What?!" cried both men.

"Two men named Delanoye and Pouchet came by his place. They're the ones, right?"

"Yes, what?!"

"Looks like they came to kill Lambis - I suppose to tie up loose ends. They didn't know Duncan would be there, and they shot him, too."

"They shot them both?" Methos asked.

Amanda nodded. "Delanoye did the shooting. Lambis thinks he was forcing the other man."

Joe went cold. "What about Madeleine?"

Amanda winced. "She's like a hostage. The other man's her father, right?"

"Shit!"

"Wha … where? Did he know where they were going?"

"The Cartier museum. Somehow they plan to leave the country from there."

"Where's MacLeod?"

"That's the thing." Amanda's eyes widened, and she bit her lip. "They took his body in the trunk of their car."

Scene 10

They piled into Methos' Volvo, and Methos threaded through Paris traffic more aggressively than Joe thought possible. The Cartier estate was a good half hour out of the city - the other side of the city. Joe tried to dial the police as the car careened around corners and made abrupt lane shifts.

"Adam, please remember not everyone in the car can recover from death," Amanda called from the back seat. "And the rest of us aren't fond of it."

"Shut up, Amanda," Methos said, swerving suddenly into a parking lane which was free of cars for only four car lengths, and then swerving back into traffic just before he would have rear-ended the parked Vauxhall ahead of him.

Joe studied the phone, resolving not to look up until they were out of town. He checked that his seat belt was latched.

"Why did they take only MacLeod's body?" Methos asked as a red light forced him into vehicular inactivity before the entrance to the A6.

"I don't know, but …" Amanda paused. "Lambis could have a lot of enemies. But the police could put two and two together if Duncan were found there, too."

To his frustration, Joe was unable to reach Boudet. He left a panicked message on her voice-mail, begging her to come to the Cartier museum. He tried to explain the situation to the police emergency line, Amanda helpfully correcting his French from the rear. By then they were out of the crush of Paris traffic, but the countryside traffic was not much lighter. Methos continued to push the envelope and abuse his car in order to pass anyone in his way.

Darkness had fallen by the time they reached the one-time home of Jacques Cartier, his son Phillipe, and daughter Gisela. The ornate iron gate stood open, though a heavy lock and chain draped from one of the gate doors. A drive led into the forested estate.

"He said the museum, right?" Methos asked.

Amanda confirmed it, and Methos sped around the curving dirt drive, past the old house, braking in a cloud of dust before the now-closed estate museum.

Joe climbed out as swiftly as he was able, but the nimbler immortals were well ahead of him. Methos looked back in some concern.

"Go, go," Joe said. "I'm coming."

The front door also proved to be unlocked, and Methos and Amanda vanished through it. Moments later, Joe was also through the door, blinking in the dim interior light.

"Yes, they were here. What is this outrageous behavior?" a diminutive, elderly woman was saying. "M. Delanoye was waving a gun about! And him a museum regent!"

"Madame, please," Methos said. "What did they say? Was a young woman with them? Where did they go? It's very important."

"I should hope it's important. Such behavior. They took a painting." She motioned at what might have been a closet or other storage. "M. Delanoye held his fiancée very roughly. I actually thought he might shoot me! Thank God for M. Pouchet."

"Where did they go?"

"I don't know. They drove onto the grounds."

"Please, Madame, call the police."

"I don't need you to tell me that, young man!" She stalked off in dignity.

"Maybe we can catch up to them in the Volvo," Joe said.

Methos nodded, his lips in a tight line. "We'd be more help to him if we had weapons," he said. "Do you have your revolver?"

"Revolver?! You mean my .45!" Joe pulled aside his coat to show it. Trust a 5000 year old bookworm to know nothing about guns.

Methos shook his head, irritably. "That's what I meant. At least it's one weapon."

"I don't know what you're complaining about," Amanda joked. She flipped on a light switch, illuminating the museum showroom. "We're surrounded by weapons. How are you with a crossbow?" She flipped one elegant wrist toward the display case beside her.

Joe rolled his eyes, but Methos looked at her, then at the display cases. In a moment he was before one, looking up at a collection of lances.

"Amanda," he ordered, "pick this lock for me."

"We're in a hurry," she pointed out. "Just break the glass."

Methos turned an appalled expression on her. "Break the glass! Do you have any idea how much a case like this costs? Do you know how slim the budget for overhead has to be in a place like this?" He stepped aside as Amanda joined him.

"Oh really," she said, producing a lockpick and starting to work. "Some vandal you'd make."

Amanda may have missed the sharp look Methos gave her, but Joe didn't. He wondered what that was about.

Methos hefted two of the lances, considering.

"Joe, you and Amanda try to find them in the Volvo." He gave Amanda the keys. "I'll get there when I can."

"How?" asked Amanda.

"Neal was a stableboy here, so there must be stables."

"You're going on horseback?!" Amanda cried, a mixture of delight and dismay in her voice. "Are you completely Bedlam?"

"They were on the left as we came in," Joe said, weak with relief that Methos hadn't tried to leave him behind.

"A horse can cover this ground even better than a car. And the horse will know the terrain. We don't. The horse might even know where they go. Now you two get going."

"This is nuts," Amanda complained, but her eyes sparkled as she handed Joe the car keys and began work on the lock on the crossbow case. Joe wondered what he was supposed to do with the keys, since he couldn't drive the Volvo, then realized it was a hint to precede the swifter Amanda to the car, while she appropriated weapons. Practical but tactful, our Amanda.

Joe started out, behind the exiting Methos, who had selected both a lance and a shield. Oh, this should be good. I hope he can use those and stay on a horse.