Belle - Lesley Pearse [214]
‘Has Pascal said anything about Belle yet?’
‘Apparently he refused to say a word for the first few hours they had him in custody, but around four o’clock yesterday afternoon he claimed he picked up Belle on the street, and she’d gone with him to his house willingly. He then said that after having sex with him she demanded five hundred francs, and said if he didn’t give it to her she was going to tell his wife and his employers.’
Etienne shook his head in disbelief. ‘So that’s his excuse for locking her in a room for days and then raping her again and threatening to kill her?’
‘He said he panicked,’ Noah said wryly, raising one eyebrow. ‘But as it turned out he played right into our hands by saying that. You see, Philippe had already said that Pascal had acted as a go-between for him and Belle, as Philippe had seen her having tea in the Ritz a few weeks earlier and he’d asked Pascal who she was. Philippe said Pascal stopped Belle as she was leaving the hotel and said there was a gentleman who wanted to meet her. And the upshot of that was Philippe taking her out to dinner a couple of times.’
‘That was quick thinking,’ Etienne said approvingly. ‘It might make some think Belle was a bit fast, but that’s less damaging to her than the truth.’
‘Exactly. Philippe isn’t the kind of man people doubt; he’s a well-known, upright citizen who just happens to be a ladies’ man, and besides, he clearly was very taken with Belle, the gendarmes must have sensed that. And as Philippe himself pointed out, if a body is found, that will be the main thrust of Pascal’s trial, and Belle will only have to play a very minor part in it. And it is extremely unlikely that any other client of hers will come forward.’
‘Didn’t the gendarmes ask what she did for a living?’
‘Yes, and Philippe said she was a chambermaid at the Mirabeau. It was Gabrielle who suggested that.’
Etienne was impressed that Philippe appeared to have thought of everything. ‘Did you say anything about Belle being abducted and brought to France?’
‘No. If I had brought that up, Kent might get word of it and disappear before the police have a chance to arrest him. Anyway, it wasn’t a good idea to muddy the waters.’
‘You did well,’ Etienne said. ‘I never did thank you for turning up so promptly at Pascal’s house. It was a very nasty situation, and I can’t tell you how relieved I was when you came charging in. What made you come so promptly? You surely hadn’t had time to eat your dinner?’
Noah half smiled. ‘The way you rushed out made me feel tense. Then I just got this gut feeling something was wrong. When we got to the house the man from next door was standing outside looking up at the windows. He was worried because you were still in there. So Philippe booted the door in. I don’t think I’ve ever been so shocked by anything as the scene in that room. The blood, the smell, Belle’s white, terrified face. Thank God you found her! He must have planned to kill her, he couldn’t have just kept her there indefinitely.’
‘I think you’re right,’ Etienne mused. ‘But from what he said, I’d say he got her there thinking he could keep her there as his mistress. How could any man be so deluded as to think he could win a woman’s heart with force and cruelty?’
‘Speaking of hearts, has Belle asked about Jimmy? I think we should send a telegram to Mog saying we’ve found her, but I wouldn’t mind betting that will make Jimmy come charging over here.’
‘No. She wanted to know who you were and I explained that, but I steered clear of other