Paris Noir - Aurelien Masson [89]
“So you agreed, and …?”
“And I went out of the Charbon …” Into the Saturday-night zoo, a little nervous and not very uplifted by the local crowd. I’d known the Oberkampf neighborhood a few years earlier when it was trendier, sleeker, newly revitalized. Now it was like anyplace else again, with even more bars and restaurants.
The building where Ilona and her housemate had their apartment was located in a private, gated alley not far from the restaurant. What used to be called a cité (housing block) in the 11th, a kind of narrow alley where artisans had their workshops before. These had disappeared a long time ago, replaced by very expensive, slightly bohemian apartments for models, photographers, and artists of all kinds. Or by public housing. Social diversity in the making.
“There wasn’t much light in the courtyard and no one in sight.” I stood a moment outside, listening to the sounds of a party several floors up and watching people in the street on the other side of the gate. “I climbed up to the third floor, I found the entrance Ilona had mentioned on the landing, and I was going to knock when I heard the cry.” I had never been confronted with such suffering. A terrible scream, interrupted by deep gurgles and sobs. “It was a girl, I think. I thought it must be Ilona’s housemate, and I almost tried to enter, but …”
“But?” Sydneyleaned toward me.
“Two men began talking to each other inside, in Russian. There were heavy punches, more moaning from someone in pain. Even through the … I … I could practically feel the punches.”
“The address! Quick!”
I gave it to Ralphfrom memory, this time turning around. Impossible to forget it after what I’d heard behind that door. Ralphwent to make phone calls in the next room.
“What did you do afterward?”
“I left.”
Yvesshook his head behind his computer screen.
“I … I wanted to tell Ilona, ask her for her key, warn someone, get people …” I tried to explain but it was useless. “And what would you have done in my place? I had no weapon, I don’t know how to fight.” I lowered my head. “I got scared.”
The office was silent for a few seconds. They let me stew in my shame. I felt their mocking eyes on me.
“You left, and then?” Sydney,the humiliation had lasted long enough.
“I was going back down when I met the guy I’d seen in front of the Pop’in. He was carrying a McDonald’s bag. We were both surprised but he didn’t recognize me, at least not right away. He just checked me out from head to toe as I casually passed him, trying to stay calm. I was already running along the alley when I heard shouting in the stairway. Names, I think, at least one: Victor.”
“His sidekicks in the apartment?”
“I didn’t try to find out. I rushed to find Ilona at the Char-bon. She understood there was a problem as soon as she saw me come in.”
“Not stupid, that babe. Then?”
“Then she refused to follow me outside.”
“Why?”
“Instinct, I guess. The threat was behind me. She dragged me into the bathroom, and from there we stepped into the nightclub next door, the Nouveau Casino.” Barely through the door, she’d done something that puzzled me. She’d gone to the cloakroom and checked her purse. But not her helmet. Then she gave me the ticket she’d gotten from the girl in charge. I didn’t tell them this, though.
“What did you do once you got inside?”
“She led me toward the bar at the back. We lost ourselves in the crowd and we waited. She refused to listen to me. I could see she was scared stiff, and this began to make me panic too. I wanted to call someone.”
“Who?”
“You, the police. Who else?”
“Why didn’t you?”
Behind me, other cops were filing into the second office. Ralphstarted to talk to them, and I understood that these were the guys who had stayed at Marc’s while we’d gone to the hospital. They exchanged information in low voices.
Sydneyreturned to the job at hand. “Why didn’t you call us, Monsieur Henrion?”
“She stopped me. She didn’t want me to go out to make a call, and my cell wasn’t working inside. Plus, I couldn’t hear above the music.”
“A