Chapter Six

LukeWarm Water

-oOo-

Now that she had more time, Chloe followed a few more leads on her rapist case. She investigated a secret Celtic cult situation on the outskirts of Paris, unfortunately it led to another dead end, as all of its members were strictly female, so down heartened she got a taxi back to the DCPJ. However as she stared out of the window of the car, she thought for a glimmer of a second she saw Capitaine Fache pass by in his own taxi, a foul expression on his face.

Chloe frowned, but thought she was only imagining things and leant back on her seat, dozing until the taxi driver braked and demanded his fare.

She returned to her desk to complete her other duties, but her mind kept going back to two things; her rapist and the monk. She didn't know why, but it was driving her crazy. She could get rid of the regret she saw in his eyes. That was the difference between Silas and the rapist. The monk had stopped his attack before Fache had pulled the gun on him, he had obvious seen the alarm and fear in her eyes, and instead of revelling in it, he released her.

Chloe shook her head, checked her watch and began gathering her things together. For the first time that week, she actually left work on time. She waved good-bye to Jerome and caught another taxi back home.

She checked her answering machine, but there were no messages. A fact that both saddened and relieved Chloe. It reminded her of her lack of friends, she had never been good at keeping friends. She normally shut them out when she felt particularly vulnerable or afraid, and gradually over time; everyone she had befriended had just floated away from her.

With a sad sigh, Chloe threw a frozen ready meal in the oven and began to run a hot bath for herself, making sure to add extra bubbles and perfumes to cheer herself up. Tenderly she peeled away the new gauze and studied her wounds. The bleeding had finally stopped but the cuts were still red raw and sore. She stripped the rest of her clothes and was just about to step into the bath when her doorbell rung.

Chloe closed her eyes and sighed, but then she frowned, who on Earth would be calling on her? Nobody had knocked on her door for almost three months.

Gingerly she pulled a white dressing gown on and padded over to the door. She made sure the chain was securely fastened and she consciously checked that her gun was still on the table by the door, where she normally left it after work.

She opened the door a crack and looked out. Her eyes widen.

"Capitaine Fache?" she breathed. The man stood before her, his hands in the pockets of his jacket and was almost bouncing on the balls of his feet.

"I understand this is unusual practise, Miss Blanc. But may I come in?" he asked urgently.

Chloe almost did, but she then realised that this could only be about the Opus Dei case, and if Fache was here about it, then he had defied her wishes about not getting involved.

"Capitaine. I already told you-" she began, but Fache moved closer to the gap and hissed.

"Miss Blanc, I need your help. I understand you don't want to, but I'm…" he faltered as if the next few words would cause him pain, "…I'm begging you," he added.

Chloe pondered for a moment, but she figured there was no harm in at least hearing what he had to say, so she closed the door, took off the chain and allowed Fache to step over the threshold into her home.

Fache's eyes lingered over the apartment; her sofa, the small television, the walk in kitchen and the gun sitting on the table. Then his eyes turned to her and he obviously noticed she was wearing nothing but a dressing gown and averted his eyes to her face.

"I'm sorry to interrupt in your personal time, Miss Blanc. May I sit down?" he asked.

Chloe nodded, "Of course, can I get you a drink, Capitaine?" she asked.

"Non, merci. I will not be long" he replied and sat down on the sofa. He glanced at the empty wine bottles on the table and Chloe suddenly felt very exposed, so she sat down opposite him and cleared her throat impatiently.

"I went to the Bastille today to speak to Sir Teabing…" he began, but Chloe shook her head.

"I'm sorry Capitaine, but I thought I told you I wasn't going to take the case" she repeated for what felt like the hundredth time.

"I know…" he said impatiently, but Chloe's temper was rising. It was bad enough that Fache was taking time out of her workday, but to come to her home and try and rein her in was down right rude.

"Now if you excuse me" she said rising from her seat, "I have dinner in the-"

"Teabing is dead" Fache said.

Chloe starred at him, "What?"

"I got to the Bastille, the guard told me he had been murdered. An inmate admitted to the crime, snapped his neck in two. The point is, someone is trying to cover the Councils tracks, and I fear I may be compromised as a result," he added.

Chloe sat back down. This was serious now. Who would authorise the murder of an English Knight? It was insane and very dangerous. Only someone truly desperate or very powerful could do it.

"Someone in the Council must have bribed the inmate to murder him" Chloe replied.

Fache nodded, "That's what I thought. I tried to get an interview with the killer, but it turns out he committed suicide right after he murdered Teabing"

Chloe brought a hand up to her mouth in shock.

"Now you can see why I'm concerned. I must have been spotted going into the Bastille, that can only confirm to whoever set up the murder that I am investigating. I can no longer do this on my own, Miss Blanc. I need your help," he said.

Chloe sat in silence. It looked like she didn't have a choice, but her mind was screaming at her to back out, to find another way.

"But Capitaine. I can't help; I don't know where to start. I'm only a Criminal Psychologist and not a very good one at that. Look how I messed up with the monk!" she cried.

Fache sighed, "Well you must have made some impression," he said.

"What do you mean?" asked Chloe suspiciously.

"I tried to talk to him today, but the only thing he said was that he would only talk to you" he replied.

Chloe's frown deepened, "Why?" she asked.

Fache shrugged, "Maybe he likes you" he joked.

Chloe glared at him and got to her feet, nervously pacing the floor of her apartment, "He's a celibate monk" she murmured.

"He's also a killer, but the point is, he might have something to tell us after all" he explained.

Chloe continued to pace, thoughts searing her mind. The monk wanted to talk to her? Only her? It didn't make sense. He had spoken to her with contempt and anger, but then she remembered the look in his eye as she begged him to let her go. And he had.

Maybe the monk's life was in danger too; maybe he was an innocent party, made to believe he was doing Gods work by killing those people. And now he had done what the Council wished him to do, they didn't care about him and if they ever found out he was still alive, they might do to him what they did to Teabing.

Chloe looked back at Fache, "Fine. I will help you, Capitaine, but you must give me my space. If Silas wants to talk to me, it will only be to me. You can't listen in to our conversations," she demanded.

Fache nodded and got off his seat, "I understand, of course you will update me of any progress you make though?" he asked. Chloe nodded and Fache allowed himself a relieved grin.

"Well now that we have discussed what I came here to, I will leave you to…" he said, glancing again at her dressing gown.

Chloe consciously tightened the rope around her waist and saw the Capitaine to the door. With a brief farewell she was back in the bathroom, the water now lukewarm and her dinner slightly burnt.

-oOo-

phoenix rising06 - lol, well here's your new fix! Glad you're enjoying the story.

A/N : Sorry guys, this one is a little shorter, but it still had to be done!