A Place in This World
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CHAPTER 5
The next afternoon
Inspector DuBois stood in front of the magistrate with the evidence in hand. He spread it out before him and stood quietly while the magistrate, Valéry Grévy, perused the contents. He took his time, scrutinizing every page of the journal. The hideous dealings of Joseph Bouquet were evident and made Mousier Grévy sick to his stomach. He had been in this position for 13 years and had seen many criminals come and go. Joseph Bouquet, though he was already dead, was by far the most heinous.
He finally placed the journal on his desk and pushed it away from him as though it carried a disease. He leaned back in his chair and cleared his throat"This is appalling. I would have killed the man myself had the opportunity presented itself."
Mousier Grévy reflected on his own family, especially his two teen-age daughters; they had expressed an interest in learning to dance at the Opera Populaire, he was so thankful that he had not consented while Bouquet was pillaging the area.
"It seems that Monsieur Phantom has done us all a favor in bringing about the demise of Joseph Bouquet. It is clear by the evidence that he was acting in self-defense when he killed Bouquet, and the other crimes were committed by Bouquet…"
Grévy reached for the paperwork on the corner of his desk, "Please bring Monsieur…" he searched the paperwork for Erik's last name. When he could not find it, he glanced up at Albert, "What's his last name?"
Albert shook his head, "He does not know. We are hoping to help him find out his last name and his place of birth."
Grévy shook his head in agreement and continued, "Bring him to me. He has been in isolation for a couple of days."
Grévy retrieved two letters from his top drawer and signed them, he handed them, one at a time, to Albert, "This authorizes Erik's release." Albert took the envelope and placed it in his breast pocket.
"This authorizes the cost of a suite at the finest hotel in Paris, some new clothes for Monsieur Erik, and dinner from the finest restaurant in Paris to be catered here; bring him back around 6:30 . I want to have dinner with this man that held Paris in the grip of fear and never broke the façade; he is a master at keeping himself hidden and seems to move through walls…I could use a man like him."
Albert eagerly took the letters and headed out of the office. He headed for the prison building and made his way to the warden's office. After the necessary red-tape, Albert addressed a guard and asked him to accompany him to the correct cell. The guard unlocked the cell door and Albert stood at the entrance and observed the man before him.
Erik sat despondently on the bed in the far left hand corner of the small cell. Even after two days of isolation and little food, he still cut a demanding figure. He had an air of nobility about him that was present when they hauled him in here and was still evident, even in his exhaustion.
The man known only as Erik had not looked up from the floor yet, he was studying his hands as though seeing them for the first time. Albert cleared his throat to get Erik's attention. Erik slowly pulled his eyes up from his hands and focused them on the man before him. Albert could see the glistening of tears shining in those green orbs. "Monsieur, please come with me. You have been released; new evidence was found that cleared you of all charges.
Erik's face held no emotion save the tears that were creeping down his perfect cheek. He made no move to stand and his eyes seemed to look through Albert, settling on an unknown object behind him.
"Why do you tarry? You should be overjoyed and anxious to be out of this God-forsaken place. You definitely don't deserve to be here." Albert insisted.
Erik watched Albert very intently as he approached him and sat down beside him on the meager, makeshift bed. He had not said a word and Albert was slightly disconcerted. Erik looked away and again stared at his hands, tears still noticeable on his face. "Did you hear me Erik? You are a free man." Albert repeated, emphatically.
After what seemed like an eternity, Erik stood up. He turned toward Albert and held his gaze. When he finally spoke, his voice was raw with emotion and self-loathing, "No matter what the evidence says, I have no desire to remain confined within this body…" Erik dropped his head and peered at Albert through the tops of his eyes, Albert grew slightly uneasy under the weight of that stare. "I grow tired of this weary journey that has led me here; I wish it to stop..."
The large man turned and leaned with his back against the wall. Once again, his tone demanded Albert to meet his gaze, when his eyes found Erik's, he was shocked at the overflowing amount of what?…Love…tenderness…maybe compassion he saw in them
Erik spoke with determined rhetoric, "There are so many people who will benefit from my death. People I have scarred with visions of my horrid face, people who have interwoven their lives so intimately with mine that they have ceased to live, and people who think they must serve me because, in a rare instant of humanity, I saved their life. I love all of them too much to continue to cause them grief."
Erik's eyes held a pleading look that Albert found very hard to resist. He sympathized with Erik's plight; the pain that this man was feeling emanated from his body with each breath he took. Albert became more determined not to allow this man to pay for crimes he did not commit. "I cannot allow you take this road Erik, it would not be ethical. You do not deserve to die, especially for something that you have no control over."
Erik began to speak, but Albert would not have it. He knew that Erik was going to protest, saying that Albert really did not know him. "You think I don't know you?"
Albert stood and placed his hand on Erik's shoulder and felt him stiffen at the contact"I have spent many hours in the company of a woman whose every word was consumed with stories about you. She shared her concerns about your health, living down in the dark, dismal, dank area of the home you made."
Erik glanced over at Albert and saw the sincerity in his face, "She told of your mother's inhumane treatment of you and then your torture at the hands of the gypsies. When she speaks of the interactions that she has had with you, her eyes light up and she has the most beguiling smile on her face." Albert dropped his hand from Erik's shoulder and fixed his eyes on the ceiling.
Erik voice was steady, but held just a hint of amusement, "You're in love with her…soyou're the man who has put the blush back in her cheeks and the laughter in her eyes." There was a brief moment when Albert could have sworn he saw a smile brush across the mouth of this enigmatic man. Albert meant his eyes and smiled back at him.
Albert considered on the man before him. Who had been there for him? Who wiped his tears and bandaged his wounds? Margarite admitted that she was not always the best friend to Erik; he was too brilliant and it frightened her. Many are intimidated by those with extreme intelligence; they put them on a different plane than everyone else and assume that they are not as normal in their desires and needs as the rest of society. Albert felt a welling up of compassion for Erik. (Society has failed him; the most I can do, is direct him toward a future worthy of the noble heart that beats inside his chest.)
Albert stood directly in front of Erik, evading the statement about Margarite, and with a determined glint in his eye, he looked up at Erik, "I am to solicit a hotel room for you at the Reginé Hotel. You are to be fitted with new clothes, as yours were destroyed. You are to return to the magistrate's office at 6:30 tonight and have dinner with us. He wishes to converse with you about your plans or ideas for the future."
Erik lifted a sculptured eyebrow and tilted his head in an inquisitive manner, "It seems that we are at an impasse, I have no desire to continue on in this life and you are determined to thrust me into it."
The smile that Albert thought he saw before, actually appeared this time, "However, my circumstances have not improved. My heart still aches profoundly; my home is in ruins; I have lost the desire to compose, which provided my livelihood; and now, I can't even provide myself and others with the peace of my demise…oh, and there is still the colossal matter of my repugnant body."
Erik paused with an indignant smirk on this face, "How do you suggest I rise above these and go on with this isolated life? I have grown weary of my own company." Erik's control precluded anger, but his voice was low and dripped with malice, "I wanted what any normal man wants; a wife to share my dreams and bed, children to pass my gifts and talents to, and a home that echoes with laughter and love."
Erik turned his head again so that Albert could not see the loneliness that blanketed his eyes, "But these luxuries are not meant for beasts, Monsieur DuBois. I have given my heart on two occasions…and both times nearly killed me. This disgusting body prevents any woman from being able to endure my presence…or touch." Erik started to say more, but the words did not come. Albert walked up to him and gently took his arm; leaving him no other choice but to follow, he led Erik out of the jailhouse.
Chapter 6 preview – Revelations