Lucy and Bill watched as their daughter joined the group and exchanged bisous with Monsieur and Madame Seydoux, then walked to the side of the lobby, where they sat down on a sofa. “So much for my plan to question Sylvie’s parents,” said Lucy. “Even if I could speak French well, I wouldn’t have been able to do it. They seem so shattered and vulnerable.”

“I doubt they’d have much to say,” said Bill. “They probably don’t have any idea what their daughter was up to here in Paris.”

Lucy thought of Sylvie’s black bag and nodded. “I bet you’re right.”

Then the group broke up. Serge strode across the lobby in the direction of the elevators, and Elizabeth approached with the Seydouxes.

“They want me to thank you for your help today,” said Elizabeth. “Now they’re going back to Chartres. They have a little shop there by the train station, and they can’t leave it unattended. They also have to plan for the funeral, and they’ll let us know when it will be.”

Lucy and Bill exchanged hugs and bisous with the Seydouxes and waved them off to the train station in their taxi. When it was gone, Lucy fell into Bill’s arms.

“I’m exhausted,” she said. “Imagine how they must feel.”

“I hope I never have to find out,” said Bill.

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fourteen

Leaving Elizabeth at the hotel, Lucy and Bill decided to grab a quick lunch at a café, where they discussed their plans for the afternoon. Bill was tired and wanted to go back to the apartment, where he hoped to enjoy a little downtime and finish reading Hemingway’s A Moveable Feast. That left Lucy with time to kill until it was time to accompany Elizabeth back to the group’s apartment for the night. She wanted to stay close to the Cavendish, in case Elizabeth needed her, so she decided to do some shopping in the nearby grands magasins Printemps and Galeries Lafayette.

Lucy enjoyed browsing through the huge department stores, but prices were high and her only purchase was a striped Breton-style shirt for her grandson, Patrick. Throughout the afternoon she contacted Elizabeth regularly and got prompt replies. Okay? she’d text, waiting anxiously until she received Elizabeth’s response, a smiley face. At a quarter to six she was back in the Cavendish lobby, waiting for Elizabeth to get off work. Seeing her enter, Elizabeth beckoned her over to the reception desk.

“The police called, Mom, and said they’re through with the apartment and I can go back.”

Lucy didn’t think this was a good idea. “Are you sure you want to do that?”