“Listen up,” Schäfer said. “I understand how Heloise thinks. She wants to put the story to bed. She wants to be the first to break it. I fully sympathize with that, and I think it’s really admirable that she takes her work so seriously. But this story is bigger than Heloise, bigger than a newspaper article.”

Duvall hesitated. “This isn’t just about the story …” he began.

“Heloise is in danger,” Augustin said. “Do you understand that?”

“Yes, thank you. I sort of figured that out.” He held his battered knuckles up in front of her.

“Good. So if you care about her, then tell us where she is,” she said.

“Sorry, I can’t.” Duvall shook his head.

Schäfer placed a heavy hand on his shoulder.

“Martin, we need to talk to her. It’s important. Not just for the investigation, but there’s some real lowlifes trying to take her out. Do you get that? We still don’t know which way is up with this case, and if we’re going to ensure Heloise’s safety, then we need to know where she is.”

“I’m sorry, but I can’t help you.” Martin Duvall started walking away down the street.

Schäfer raised his voice slightly as he appeared to study his nails. “What do you think Heloise would say if she knew that last winter you forced a coworker at the ministry to have sex with you?”

Martin Duvall stopped abruptly in his tracks and turned around slowly.

“The poor girl,” Schäfer said, shaking his head.

Duvall’s voice was guarded when he spoke. “I’ve never forced anyone to do anything. The woman you’re talking about was angling for a promotion. That’s all there is to that story.”

“Sure. So, you offered her a better position if she screwed you?”

“I never touched her.” Duvall shook his head insistently. “She also retracted her story when it turned out that I wasn’t even in the country on the date in question.”

“Yes, of course.” Schäfer nodded in mock sympathy. “Be sure to mention that to your new girlfriend when Augustin and I tell her the story.”

Martin Duvall looked back and forth between them. Then he let his hands fall limply at his sides and sighed. “What do you want to know?”

“Well, since you’re asking so nicely, I would like to know where Heloise is.”

Duvall stared at him blankly. “She went to Paris.”

“To see her father?” Augustin asked.

“How did you know that—”

“Did she go there to see her father?” she repeated.

“Yes.”

“When? When is she going to see him?”

“I don’t know. I haven’t talked to her since she left.”

“Is there anything else we should know?” Augustin asked.

Duvall blinked a couple of times. Then he looked over at Schäfer and took a deep breath before he said, “Anna Kiel called her yesterday.”