Chapter 1: Death and the Maiden

By happen chance I was behind the reception desk when the call came from the Chevalier’s room. Yvette, the duty receptionist, took the call and I looked over at her when I heard her say, “Are you sure he’s dead?”

I took the telephone from her grasp. “What’s happened? “ I asked.

“The Chevalier is dead; we need an undertaker.” I recognised the voice of Alicia, the young girl the Chevalier had taken up to his room. She sounded remarkably calm, as if it was a common occurrence for elderly men to expire when having sex with her.

“I’ll be right up,” I said. “Don’t leave the room until I get there.”

Before leaving for the Chevalier’s room I told Yvette to ring Doctor Cartier.

“Shall I also call the Gendarmerie? Sudden deaths should be reported to them.” She said, looking worried that I may not be following the correct procedure.

“We will wait until the doctor has examined the body. We don’t want les flics crawling all over the place if we can avoid it.”

You may think it strange I should take control of the situation. All you know of me is my work as a waiter, but I’m actually the Night Manager at the hotel. I waited upon the Chevalier at dinner as I have known him for almost ten years and always make sure he gets my individual attention when staying in the Hotel La Côte Vermeille, The Vermilion Coast Hotel.

I knocked on the door of the Chevalier’s room and entered. Alicia was sat in an arm chair looking pale but self-possessed. I could see why the Chevalier chose to spend the night with her. She was petite, blued eyed and blonde, and exuded a subtle air of sex appeal interleaved with innocence, a heady mixture. The Chevalier was, or rather had been, greatly attracted to that particular type of young girl.

Alicia stood up as I crossed the room to the bed. “He was an old man so it’s not surprising he died while we were doing it.” She said.

I gazed at the dead body of the Chevalier. He wore such a look of ecstasy on his face it was obvious he had died a very happy man.

Alicia looked me in the eye “The Chevalier was quite an energetic lover but he was old, and his heart must have given out with the exertion.”

I expect she was right, but the cause of the Chevalier’s death would need verifying by a doctor of medicine rather than by a whore not yet fifteen years old.

“Were you doing anything particularly kinky or depraved?” I had to ask but as far as I knew the Chevalier didn’t have any deviant fetishes.

She shook her head. “Nothing that would frighten horses. The Chevalier was Old School and vanilla in his tastes.”

“Were you in bed when it happened?”

“We were on the bed, naked, but not in it. I put him under the bed cover to preserve his dignity. It was the least I could do for him.”

By that thoughtful act Alicia showed she had both intelligence and a good heart, and I warmed to her.

“Have you told your mother yet?”

She shook her head.

“Then you’d best go and tell her now. She shouldn’t have to hear it from someone else.”

Alicia nodded and opened the door to leave but then stopped and turned towards me. “Are the police on their way?”

“Not yet. Doctor Cartier will examine the corpse; what happens next will depend on his examination.”

After Alicia had left the room I looked through the Chevalier’s wallet. It was empty of any bank notes although I knew he had enjoyed a successful afternoon at the tables so surmised Alicia had taken the cash. The Chevalier would not begrudge her the money but she should have had the common sense to leave some in the wallet. The first thing the police do is to check a dead person’s wallet.

A few minutes later Alicia’s mother knocked and entered the room. She and I had enjoyed a brief but pleasurable affair four years ago in Dinard and we had remained good friends. I was fully aware as to what sexual shenanigans occurred when she was in ‘consultation’ with her ‘clients’. But as they and she were guests at the hotel what they got up to in their rooms were no concern of mine or of any other staff at the hotel.

Annette kissed me. “Alicia has told me what happened; have the police been informed?”

“Not yet. I’m waiting for the doctor’s report before contacting them.”

“Then I think it best we leave immediately. I don’t want Alicia questioned.”

“That is not a very good idea, Annette. Leaving the hotel immediately after a death will draw attention to yourself. The police will have to be notified whatever Doctor Cartier gives as a cause of death. They may investigate, and their suspicions would be raised if they discovered guests had booked out directly after the death.”

Annette looked worried. “Alicia has been magnificent up to now. Having a man expire while inside you is the worst thing that can happen to girls in our profession, and remember she is not yet fifteen. It is a lot for her to contend with.”

I didn’t think Alicia would be questioned and gave my reasons to Annette.

“Alicia had the good sense to get the Chevalier into the bed. Doctor Cartier will be able to say he died alone. They hadn’t been between the sheets so there will be no indication of sexual activity. I will have the stained coverlet changed before the Doctor arrives so there will be no sign of intercourse taking place in the room,” I paused. “There is just one thing, there’s no money in the Chevalier’s wallet. Alicia must have taken what notes he had. An empty wallet will give the police reason to be suspicious. Go and get some of the money she took and I’ll put it back in his wallet.”