“I’ve known Suzanne was with the Phantoms for a while,” said Rupert, nodding. “I had a tip from an old friend in the business. So I’ve been keeping an eye on her, and when I found she was booking a train out of the country, I knew she’d be smuggling something worth my while. So I followed. When I saw the headlines that morning, I realized I’d hit the jackpot.” He smiled, a not even slightly vague smile. “I only ever thieve from thieves, Max. There’s a satisfying justice to it.”

Marguerite snorted. “That’s stretching it a bit, mon poulet. Two wrongs don’t make a right. But I have to admit, Max, this man has brought his own peculiar form of justice to more criminals than anyone I know in the force. And never taken a penny from an honest man. It’s just a crying shame,” she said sternly, “that he won’t use his talents lawfully, through the police force.”

“Like you do, Sister?” said Rupert, with a sly grin.

“That is not at all the same thing—”

“So, Rupert,” said Max, before they could start arguing, “you aren’t really in love with Suzanne?”

“Goodness, no,” said Rupert, grimacing. “Not my type. I prefer men, and even if I didn’t, she’s a bit—”

“Terrifying?” suggested Max.

Rupert nodded. “That’s the ticket. I was trying to work out where she was keeping it, hoping I could charm or annoy her into letting something slip. I wasn’t getting anywhere, so I took a quick look through her suitcase, and she caught me looking at her letters. I’d got a rose as a cover story: I pretended I was leaving it in her case for her to find and just got a bit nosy along the way, and I think she still believes that’s true. But I’d still obviously seen too much for her liking, even if it was ‘by mistake’.” He sighed. “She invited me for a drink in her car, and I thought I was finally getting somewhere, but my head felt awfully heavy when I went to bed, and I woke up in a snowdrift. The blasted drink must have been drugged with something to knock me out, so she could throw me off.” Rupert sneezed a sad little sneeze, then added croakily, “It’s not over – achoo – yet, though.”

Salem poured another round of tea. “A brave sentiment,” he said. “However, I have suggested to Rupert that he is very unlikely to succeed alone, now that the diamond is safely in Elodie Morel’s house. And I have suggested to Marguerite that Rupert’s information may be crucial to our success. No one understands a thief like a thief. So here we are.”

Max’s eyes widened. “Success for what? Are we stealing it back?”