"Ah, Javert," the Commissioner barely grinned, looking up from the yellowed reports in his fat hands, "I knew it wouldn't be long before you visited me. I take it this is about the Rénauld case," his minuscule grin disappeared. "Well, Renauld case part two. The part where she actually is guilty."

Javert's perfectly stiff posture made Génot uneasy in his seat. As always, he appeared without flaw, pristine in his uniform and strict in his stance. But today, there was a disturbing intensity to his gaze, making the Commissioner shift his massive bulk from one side of his poor chair to the other.

The Inspector's voice came steady, but pressed with tension, "As Chief Inspector, I believe I'm entitled to know the evidence that is at hand, particularly since I have been the lead officer on both cases that have involved the Comtesse."

Génot set the papers down, peering at Javert through his half-moon spectacles. "Your wishes come to me as no surprise, Javert. However, I did warn you that taking on a mere citizen to help complete your arrest was an error in judgement."

His chin tilted with a defensive cockiness, Javert began, "My judgements are.."

"Flawed in this case, Javert," Génot corrected with a flick of his pudgy pointer finger. "And while it is an event that is very few and very far between, this has not been the first case since your arrival in Paris where you have let what some may deem as an obsession cause you to truly ignore the protocols and procedures that define us."

Javert's gaze grew distant, the intensity bleeding out from his look, and his prominent jaw line jutted out all the more as he clenched his teeth.

But Commissioner Génot continued,"If I remember, the last time your plans were foiled involved an escaped convict and a cul de sac on your first day here."

"That was different," Javert defended immediately, snapping his shoulders back to attention once more.

Génot chuckled, "Not entirely, but I won't lecture you further. You are by far the best Inspector we have, despite then and despite now, Javert. So I'll give you the information you seek, if only because it will either prove you right and Tanville wrong, or it will help you accept the errors of your decisions the past few days."

The Commissioner slid one of the forms across his desk towards Javert, who still stood at attention. "Tanville returned from last night's raid with this," he pointed with a single large digit to the paper. Javert closed the difference to examine it carefully, his scrutinizing gaze sweeping over each scrawled word with exacting precision.

"A witness of the murder?" he questioned, the chill to his voice palpable as he turned the paper to read. "Madame Rosette herself?" he demanded.

Génot's mouth twisted, "And now you know why we take this as credible. Rosette stated that she saw with her own eyes the Comtesse enter and leave the room while Tanville was out, when we know the murder took place. Tanville has her signed statement to that effect."

Javert stood stock still, his eyes flickering over every word, reading and rereading the statement, the mechanism of his mind visible with each ticking second. "Leave it to Tanville to believe a whore," he spat the last word with disgust. "Her statement must require corroborating evidence for it to be solid," he stated with no emotion, as if reciting a lesson. "Besides, I have my own contrary statement to issue."

"When you found her on the street, alone, in tears, Javert?" the Commissioner inquired with a raise of his sweaty brow. "Tanville informed me of that too, said he witnessed your comforting moment. Doesn't seem like her actions are the result of a guilty conscience at all," the dry sarcasm dripped from his tone.

Javert sneered, but quickly corrected himself before his superior. "With all due respect, Sir, I believe Tanville is fabricating evidence in order to gain position within the force. He is nothing more than triumphing from my mistake, Sir, and I will not stand back and let him. I still have a few leads I believe would give us the complete picture of what transpired. What else is being done to gather more evidence against Cécelie or in her defense?"

Genie adjusted his seat behind his bureau, causing the wood to creak and groan. "Powerplay or not," he stated, "Officer Tanville is still the one with a file of evidence on my desk, Javert. With such damning evidence, I should not waste the manpower required to find evidence in her defense."

"Give me one day, Commissioner, and I will find you the full evidence of the case."

Génot scanned the man before him for any signs of desperation, if only a crack. But he failed to find even one. He took a long inhale. "Look, Javert, I know you are hungry to redeem yourself, and I know your… emotions are invested in this case, but I am surprised by your devotion to proving her innocence. Typically, you are so quick to condemn."

Javert's determined voice fairly pounced on his analysis, "This has nothing to do with my emotions, you are about to condemn a woman of nobility with only one witness, and no corroborating evidence. When I am quick to judge, I am quick to judge a criminal, a thief, a prostitute, a murderer. Cécelie de Rénauld has yet to be proven as one of those, in my opinion. However, Rosette does not strike me as an honest woman, so pardon me for my judicial skepticism, Commissioner."

The Commissioner weighed these words carefully. "So quick to defend the nobility, one would almost forget the years when they were taken a la lanterne."

Javert sniffed, his thick eyebrows furrowing over his now withering gaze. "I did not come to debate politics, but to defend the law, as is my duty."

"What would you do, then Javert, to uphold the law?" Génot's frustration with this conversation edged his voice.

"Give me one day, as I asked, to investigate," Javert paused, drawing in a quiet, deep breath, "please," he added.

Génot hesitated for a second in silence, slowly drawing out his pocket watch from the breast of his jacket. "I give you until six this evening," he declared, shutting the lid with a snap. "Then you are due for your rounds in the women's prison," his black eyes flashed up at Javert. "Which, of course, I am sure you would not want to miss this evening."

"Surely another lower officer could take my duty," Javert began.

"Impossible, besides, the Comtesse is scheduled to be transferred in the morning to La Force to await her trial, which will undoubtedly be scheduled soon. Surely you would not want to miss a chance to bid her farewell, Javert."

Javert stiffened past attention at his words.

Commissioner Génot busied himself with his papers once more, waving his rotund hand once. "Dismissed, Inspector," he ordered simply.

Turning on his heel, Javert made his way to the door in two strides, shutting it behind him with perhaps more effort than was required. His determination propelled him down the hall, his footfalls ringing through the busy halls with rapid rhythm. He hurried towards the prisons first.