Mélanie Mercier née Markowitz (18)

The woman in sunglasses

Here it is now several days since Mélanie’s chil- dren had disappeared. Mélanie is in treatment at Geneva General Hospital, where the doctors have given her some sedatives. Her ex-husband Jérôme just left by himself on a trip, while her father and mother had stayed by her side.

In her hospital bed and despite all the drugs that the doctors had administered, Mélanie could not stop thinking about her children. Where could they be? Who had kidnapped them and, most of all, why? The thoughts ran around her head to the point of making her dizzy. The only light in this darkness, her ex-husband Jérôme. Strangely he seemed like the only person who could help her. Mélanie had even begun to blame herself for having left him. Without this separation Benjamin and Isabelle might still be here.

During the first years, their marriage had been a success. The two of them were a young and energetic team. Jérôme worked in a bank. He was in charge of managing a number of portfolios. And then everything began to turn upside down after the birth of their children. It is true that between the children and her work Mélanie didn’t have much time anymore to give to her husband. But for his part Jérôme did not help much. So, the same old story. It was ended by scenes during which Jérôme ultimately revealed his true character, which was not only selfish but also violent. The day when he had hit her, she had taken her two children and had left the home of their marriage. In the days that followed he had tried to join her to beg her to forgive him, but she would not give in. Even apart from this act of violence, she was realizing that her marriage had weighed on her more and more and that she was living just as well alone with her two children. And for that Jérôme had never forgiven her.

However, since the beginning of this affair, she felt strangely closer to him. As if the drama had brought them together. And when he had told her that he had to leave on a trip she had felt strangely abandoned. What’s more, Jérôme seemed to have a plan… all of a sudden the sedatives took hold and Mélanie fell asleep.

Geneva, 2: 45 p.m.

Monsieur and Madame Markowitz entered into the Parc des Bastions. On this Wednesday afternoon there were many children playing there. It was the meeting spot for all the kids of the quarter, who waded in the sandbox and ran on the lawn. Mélanie’s mother looked to the right and to the left, watching for someone. Mélanie’s father, the sceptic, stayed three steps behind his wife. In front of the Wall of the Reformation, sitting on a bench, a young woman stared straight ahead. She wore black sunglasses and seemed lost in her thoughts. Mélanie’s mother stepped between the wall and the young woman.

— “Hello, Mademoiselle Thornbird. We are Mélanie’s parents and we would like to ask you some questions.”
— “I don’t have much to say to you,” responded Julia Thornbird.
— “I know,” said Madame Markowitz, “but all the clues have so far led nowhere. You are Mélanie’s best friend in the organization, you could remember a detail and it could be helpful to us.”
— “No,” said Julia Thornbird brutally, “I know nothing more than what I have already told the police. And then these last weeks, since David’s death, I have hardly seen Mélanie. She is very busy and so am I!”
— “I learned,” replied Madame Markowitz, “that you had been sick and that you are still on sick leave.”
— “That does not concern you,” cut in Julia Thorn- bird. “And even so….”
— “Excuse me,” said Mélanie’s mother in a very soft voice, “I did not mean to be indiscreet, but you understand that we are very worried!”
— “It is me that should apologize,” replied Julia Thornbird,” I am a bit nervous these days. With all that has happened.”
— “I understand,” said the old woman. “I understand.”
— “No, you don’t understand,” burst out Julia Thorn- bird. “You cannot understand.” And she began crying with heavy sobs.

Mélanie’s father stood up and moved a few steps away, upset by what had happened. As for his wife, she moved a little closer to the young woman and placed a hand delicately on her forearm. Julia stiffened and leapt up. She raised her black sunglasses for an instant to wipe away her tears and walked away without looking back.

Monsieur and Madame Markowitz walked back toward the Place Neuve.

— “Do you understand something?” asked M. Markowitz?
— “You saw her eye,” said his wife, who seemed not to have understood the question.
— “No,” he said, “What was special about it?”
— “I don’t know but it was all swollen!”
— “Maybe because she had cried so much. She seemed to me on the verge of falling to pieces, the poor girl,” said M. Markowitz.
— “You with your imagination!”

London Heathrow Airport, 4: 30 p.m.

Jan Answer had just arrived from the Cape. After passing through customs he seemed to be looking for someone in the crowd that was gathered on the other side of the barriers. A young woman who waved a newspaper was finally able to get his attention. He moved toward her. When they met up, Michèle Lambert took his hand.
— “Welcome to London,” the young woman said to him.
— “Thank you for coming to meet me,” he responded. “Even though I am not sure it was very wise.”
— “We are in London here,” Michèle Lambert responded.
— “I don’t see what that has to do with anything!” added the man. “Juan was assassinated in Singapore, Erwin Mülbach in Geneva and John Gardiner in Sainte Lucie. So why would we not be at risk in London?”