The H&K felt light, which reminded me. I walked over the road to the remains of Nazari’s Peugeot. The car had seen happier days. The extra magazine for the MP5 was under the passenger seat. I stuffed it into my back pocket. When I came up to the road again, a Municipal Police car was rolling slowly off the bridge, over the busted glass. Acting Police Chief Antoine Bonnet had his window down and was staring at the chaotic scene. He pulled the cop car over to the side and Nazari walked up to meet it.

By the time I made it over to them, Bonnet was out of the car and he and Nazari were in an animated conversation. Bonnet turned when I approached. He looked terrible. Shocked and stressed and covered in black soot, as if he’d been burned alive. He smelled strongly of smoke. I said, “You smell like an out of control barbecue.”

Bonnet ignored the joke. “The police station’s on fire. I think there are several dead.”

I said, “So what are you doing here?”

“There was nothing to do there, the firemen are on it. I came to make sure Cecile is okay. Do you think this is connected?”

Nazari laughed bitterly. “Damn right it’s connected. Those assholes from Amiens aren’t cops, they’re imposters. Private mercenaries working for the mayor.”

I said, “Looks like someone triggered an exit strategy.”

Bonnet said, “I don’t understand.”

“How’d you know Nazari was here?”

He looked at her. Nazari said, “He doesn’t know my first name.”

I said, “I do but for some reason I think of you as Nazari more than Cecile.”

Bonnet looked from me to her. He said, “Cecile told me you were both here.”

She said, “I sent him a message. He’s a friend, Keeler.”

“Ok.” I smiled at him coldly. “Sent him a message when?”

She said, “When we came here after what happened. Day before yesterday.”

Bonnet said, “She messaged me after the Rigalle family were killed. You remember when I saw you outside the station. I was with the mayor, and the investigators.”

“The fake BRI investigators.”

“I guess so.” Bonnet looked exhausted. “She messaged me after that. So tell me what’s going on.”

I said, “Tell me about the fire first.”

“I was home and got a call. When I got to the station it was already well underway.”

Nazari said, “When did the fire start?”

“Early this morning. Before the first shift at least.”