“Fresh can mean naughty,” said Lucy. “Sassy. My mother used to say, ‘Don’t be fresh with me, young lady,’ and then I knew I was in trouble.”

“Elizabeth is fresh like a spring morning. She’s not in trouble,” said Serge.

“That’s good to know,” said Lucy, tremendously pleased that Elizabeth seemed to be doing so well at her job. “I asked Elizabeth to introduce me because I think we may have a friend in common, Larry Bruneau.”

“Chef Larry? How do you know him?” asked Serge. “He is in hospital. Someone attacked him.”

“I was taking a cooking class from him. I was actually the one who found he’d been stabbed and called for help.”

“You saved his life. I am sure he is very grateful for that.”

“I was just at the hospital,” said Lucy, suddenly unwilling to admit she’d actually been in his room and had spoken to him. “They say he’s doing much better, but he’s still under police guard.”

“That’s for the best, I suppose,” said Serge.

“Maybe in a day or two he’ll be allowed to have visitors. I’m sure he’d be eager to see his old colleagues,” said Lucy, delivering Larry’s message in a roundabout way.

“Of course,” said Serge. “Perhaps I will organize a visit when he is well enough.”

Lucy wondered whether he was simply mouthing platitudes or if he actually cared about Chef Larry. And if he did care, was it because he was genuinely concerned about Chef Larry’s well-being, or because he himself was involved in the black market scheme at the hotel and was fearful that the hospitalized man might incriminate him?

“I’m sure he would appreciate it,” said Lucy, watching Serge closely and probing for some clue to his true feelings. “I suppose he’ll be in increased danger when he recovers enough to tell the police who attacked him.”

“Bien sûr,” said Serge with a nod. “It is a problem for him, whether to tell or not. Maybe he doesn’t know or remember.”

“If he can’t, or won’t, name his attacker,” continued Lucy, “my friends and I will remain under suspicion. I am here with seven others, and the police have taken our passports. We’re in limbo until this case is solved.”

“I am very sorry for you, but, bien entendu, you must cooperate with the police. You have no choice but to tell them everything you know. Believe me, crime is taken very seriously here, especially crimes against a person.”

“I understand that, and we’ve all been trying to cooperate, but the police don’t seem to believe us. They even searched our rooms and made a terrible mess.”

“Mom, you didn’t tell me that!” exclaimed Elizabeth.

“It’s true. When we got back from police headquarters yesterday, we found the apartment had been ransacked, completely tossed.”