Chapter Twenty-eight
"I had not planned on staying here long," Raoul said, not surprised that Major Hetzner's presence in Casablanca was connected with his own.
"I was supposed to meet with a Monsieur Andre," he went on, "about some letters of transit which would allow safe passage out of Casablanca. For myself and my wife."
"You know that Andre was killed," Philippe said, idly tracing circles on the worn table top.
"Yes, Inspector Giry informed me of his death last night."
Philippe shook his head with a snort of disgust.
"Inspector Giry? I would not trust him, Monsieur. His only loyalty is to his own unstoppable appetites. Not to France, not to the traitorous bastards of the Vichy government. He would sell his mother to the German's if he thought it would support his vices."
"His vices? Perhaps I could use his vices to arrange passage to Lisbon."
Philippe shook his head again and added more sugar to his coffee.
"Gambling and women are his passions. He is likely to demand a night or two with your pretty wife as payment for his help. It would not be the first time."
Raoul frowned. Was he prepared to make that sort of sacrifice, even if Christine would consent to such a devil's bargain?
"The letters of transit that Andre was supposed to sell me...I understand they were not found when he was arrested."
"If he really had them to begin with," Philippe shrugged, 'there is a rumor he gave them to someone before Giry's men took him."
"Do you know who might have them?"
"I have heard...and I trust my source...he is a bartender at La Belle Reve...that Monsieur Erik has them."
Raoul set his cup down so quickly that the bitter coffee sloshed onto the tabletop."
"You know Monsier Erik," Philippe asked him with a curious lift of his shaggy eyebrows.
"No, but his name is...familiar to me. Who is this Erik?"
"Erik owns La Belle Reve. My source said that Andre went to see him just before his arrest."
Erik looked down at Chrsitine. She was leaning against curved arm of the sofa, her eyes closed and the tears drying on her face.
Go to her...she would leave this de Chagny for you...she would be safer with you...
No...I must end this now!
He turned back to the mirror and slowly pulled the mask from his face, wincing through clenched teeth as the adhesive pulled at his skin.
Then he went and stood over her.
"Open your eyes, Christine, and look at me."