Author's note: Due to an unforseen plot twist, I have had to go back and re-write the following chapters: 17-20. If you have read them before, please re-read them before going on to chapter 21 because the timing and the plot has changed. Sorry for the inconvenience!
Gerard heard Choletti's bellow of rage and quickly let go of Carlotta. He disappeared into the crowd, snickering to himself when he heard Carlotta's terrified shrieks. He was beginning to see the appeal Erik found in this haunting business! He ducked out the side door and headed for the manager's office.
He passed a few partygoers on the way, and got a couple of amused and appreciative comments about his costume. He thanked them politely, and one of them, a stagehand, recognised his voice and started laughing. "I know you're still around here a lot after your dismissal, Monsieur Carrière, but I wouldn't have called it haunting!"
Gerard laughed. "Ghosts come in all shapes," he replied lightly. "And haunt for all sorts of reasons. Go and enjoy the ball, my friend."
As soon as the coast was clear, he stole into the manager's office and began rifling through the files. Most of them were his own, but he could see Choletti had added and rearranged a few things.
He wanted to find out what sort of hold Choletti had over Ledoux. He also wanted to find out whether there was anything that could be held over Choletti in return. He went through all the drawers in Choletti's desk, but found nothing.
Then he looked down at the desk and blinked. There it was, right out in plain sight. He picked up the letter that Choletti had evidently just finished writing and left there to dry, and read it quickly.
My dearest Clemence,
You really must have a talk with that husband of yours. Ledoux has been wandering around my opera for weeks and still hasn't caught that phantom! If he doesn't find him soon, I might be forced to call in his debt all at once.
I am sure neither of you wants it known that his debts are so high—or the reasons behind them. Honestly, my dear, two hundred thousand francs is rather a lot of money for a police inspector to have to come up with. What a lucky man, that he has such a beautiful wife who is willing to help him "work off" his debt, as it were.
My terms of payment remain the same: meet me at the same address as before, in the afternoon when my wife is napping. For every time we meet, I shall deduct 20 francs from your husband's debt to me. The choice is yours, but if I were you I would encourage him to find and catch my pestilential ghost. As long as the theatre remains haunted, I find myself lacking a certain "interest" in seeing you and reducing the debt.
I look forward to your reply.
Alain Choletti
Gerard's jaw dropped. So Ledoux owed money to Choletti, and was prostituting his wife to pay it off? This was indeed interesting. He never would have thought Ledoux a man to do such a thing. He flipped to the next page.
My dear M. Poligny:
Thank you so much for your assistance in arranging the "early retirement" of Gerard Carrière, and my subsequent placement as the Opera manager. I am sure you will not mind my writing to you, now that our deal is complete and the Opera is mine. I shan't bother you again, unless you try to pull my strings again.
We both know it is I who shall be pulling yours, unless you want the world—including your wife—to know about your son. Discretion is recommended, Poligny; take care.
Alain Choletti
Ah, now that explained a lot. Poligny was the director of l'Academie Nationale, and to the best of Gerard's knowledge, he had no children. He must have got an illegimate son on someone, and Choletti was blackmailing him so his wife wouldn't find out.
Choletti seemed like quite the little blackmailer, Gerard thought with disgust. Quickly he flipped through the remainder of the papers, but the rest of the papers were just bills and business letters from opera patrons.
Gerard pocketed the two letters and went to work on the wooden cabinet on the wall; he flipped through the papers contained therein and found nothing. Hmmm. Just as an experiment, he took them out and then reached back into the cabinet. Would Choletti have discovered the secret compartment in the back?
Aha! There was something there. He reached in and pulled it out, and then gasped and nearly dropped it.
It was one of Erik's old child-size masks.
Where on earth had Choletti found it? Gerard held it up to the light, remembering when he had given it to him; Erik had been about ten, and had been complaining that his fabric mask was too hot and was hard to see through. Gerard had bought a child-size stage mask that was molded like a face and had large eye holes—it turned out to be the style Erik continued to use after that—and had written a quick note on the inside. Remembering, he turned it over in his hands—sure enough, the note was still there, albeit much faded.
Dear Erik,
I hope this mask is more comfortable than your old one. Happy birthday.
Gerard
Hand shaking with emotion, Gerard looked back into the secret compartment; it was empty now except for a scrap of paper which he pulled out to read.
Choletti,
No, I have not forgotten my business here at the opera. I look forward to seeing your proof that Carrière knows the phantom—myself, I find it hard to believe.
Please believe me that I have not forgotten; I am doing my best to discharge my debt to you. And while we are on the subject of debts, your latest "reminder" had a smaller total than last month's—smaller by more than 100 francs. Why have you reduced the amount owed?
I will come to see your "proof" first thing Monday morning after the Bal Masque.
Until then I remain,
Your humble servant,
Henri Ledoux
Gerard swore, and swore again. Choletti was using Ledoux's wife without Ledoux even knowing! What a villain! He had known Henri and Clemence Ledoux for years, and knew how much in love they were—now Choletti was trading on that love, and probably planning to blackmail Clemence Ledoux with evidence of their liasons! For just a moment, his mind was so caught up in outrage on the Ledoux's behalf that he didn't even think of what it meant for himself.
Then he blinked and read the note again. Choletti was planning to blackmail him, as well! The proof had to be the mask in his hands, with his name on it. Shaking his head quickly, he shoved the mask inside his coat and the note into his pocket.
Choletti was a worse fiend than he had ever accused Erik of being! He had to be stopped, discredited somehow, and Ledoux… something had to be done about Ledoux. Gerard resolved to show them to Erik and figure out what they could do.
He left the office carefully and opened the door to the nearest secret passage. He left the mask and papers in the tunnel where no one would find them before he returned.
Then it was back to the ballroom. Erik was nowhere to be found, so wandered over to talk to Ledoux.
"Good evening, Inspector," he said.
Ledoux jumped. "Wha—who?" he gasped.
Gerard nodded to him. "Don't you know your old friend, then?" he smiled gently.
Ledoux shook his head. "Gerard. I might have known it was you dressed up as the phantom!" He took out his handkerchief and mopped his glistening forehead.
"If you'll forgive me, Ledoux, you seem a little nervous this evening. Are you not having a good time?"
"Who could have a good time, with Choletti breathing down their necks?" Ledoux seemed uncharacteristically jumpy. Gerard hadn't heard him sound this agitated before.
"Henri… old friend, is there anything I can do to help?" Gerard asked. "If Choletti is forcing you into anything…" he let the sentence trail off, not knowing how to encourage the inspector to confide in him.
"There is something you can do, Gerard," Ledoux's voice hardened. "You can tell me everything you know about the phantom!"
"Why, what do I know about the phantom?" Gerard asked innocently.
"I don't know," Ledoux replied, his voice sarcastic, "But perhaps you can tell me why he was talking to me through the walls just now, and making threats?"
"He was threatening you?" Gerard questioned, stunned. Erik hadn't said anything about threatening Ledoux.
"Ah, no. Not exactly. He was threatening Choletti."
"He was talking to you, here, and making threats to harm Choletti?"
"Yes."
Before he could stop himself, Gerard shrugged and asked, "So why not let him?"
For just an instant, such an expression of naked hope flashed over Ledoux's face that Gerard was startled; but then, like any Parisian, he masked it immediately and gave a pained smile. "You're joking. For just a moment there I almost believed you."
"What, exactly, was the phantom saying? And how do you know it was him?"
"He asked me to stop my pursuit of him. He said he was sorry about my men, but he hadn't killed them; they had just blundered into his traps. Then he told me…" Ledoux hesitated, but then went on, more quietly. "He told me that if I didn't leave him alone he'd be forced to kill Choletti." Ledoux quirked one corner of his mouth. "That's how I knew it was him. Choletti told me the phantom hates him!"
"That's hardly conclusive, though. Everyone does," Gerard pointed out dryly. He thought over Erik's words to the inspector. "So, either you end your investigation or Choletti dies?"
"That's what he told me; but you see, there are other factors here, Gerard. I cannot simply end my investigation—two of my men were killed! I must produce the killer, or else…"
"Or else you'll be sacked," Gerard guessed.
Ledoux nodded. "And I need this job, Gerard! You have no idea how much I need this job! I have…" he swallowed uncomfortably. "You see, I was once unwise with my gaming, and I have… debts, that I must pay."
"Yes," Gerard replied grimly. "Choletti has things he must pay for, too, many of them. So what will you do?"
"I must find and arrest the phantom, now, tonight—before he can get to Choletti. I just wish I knew who he was." He glanced sharply at Gerard. "I'm sure you could help me with that if you wanted to."
Gerard gestured around the room. "My friend, everyone here is wearing a mask tonight. How could I possibly help?"
He saw a flash of red at the doorway and bowed to Ledoux. "If you'll excuse me, Ledoux, I must have a word with someone. Please, though, remember what I said. If you ever wish to discuss anything, you know I can keep a confidence."
"Yes, that much I know. Your lips are sealed on a number of subjects!" Ledoux said sarcastically. Then he relented and held out his hand. "Thank you, my friend."
Ledoux had looked about nervously when he heard the ghost talking to him through the walls, but had answered him fairly politely. Then Gerard arrived and Erik fell silent, listening hard to every word. Debts, hmm? He wondered whether he could make something out of that. He had to talk with Gerard, to regroup and see what he found out from his snooping. Gerard's grim comment about Choletti having many things to pay for made him suspicious. He didn't get the impression his father was talking only about getting dismissed.
He had to talk to Gerard, and he had to plan his next move and carry it out before Christine came down from talking with that boy. He made his way back through the passage to the entrance, and then sauntered down to the doorway of the ballroom. He peered into the ballroom until he caught Gerard's eye, and watched as Gerard excused himself from Ledoux and came over.
