The Resistance Man (Bruno Chief of Police 6)

a
gîte
he was renting. It seemed a bit strange when he had a place of his own.’
    ‘Does it have barns?’ Bruno asked. ‘Could he have used it as a warehouse?’
    ‘Yes, that’s why he got it. It was cheap, of course, but withthe new autoroute he could get around to the various
brocantes
and estate sales from Bordeaux to Lyon.’
    ‘I think we’d better go out and take a look at this place. Where is it exactly?’
    ‘Just south of Ussel, about twenty minutes off the autoroute. I need to go there myself to see his
notaire
. Is there anything more you need me to do?’
    ‘If you know what you want to do with your brother’s remains, I can introduce you to the local undertakers. But first I must consult with the
juge d’instruction
. I think he’ll want you to give a DNA sample, just to confirm the identification, and I’m sure he’ll need to interview you. Let me see if he’s still in St Denis.’
    Bruno called Ardouin, who was still at the St Denis Gendarmerie, gave him a swift explanation of what he’d learned from Brian Fullerton and arranged to escort him there. On the way back to his office, he stopped at Father Sentout’s house to check on the details for Murcoing’s funeral and called in at Delightful Dordogne to see if Dougal had heard any news from Yvonne Murcoing. Not a word, he said, and he was about to clear out her room at the staff house to make way for a replacement. On his way out Bruno met Philippe Delaron coming in to pick up a list of new rental addresses to be photographed for Dougal’s website.
    ‘When’s the English spy coming back to his house?’ Philippe asked. He was wearing a new leather jacket that looked expensive. His sideline in news photos was evidently paying better than the family camera shop. ‘I’ll need to take a photo. Gaëlle says she thinks he gets back tomorrow.’
    ‘In that case, she’s probably heard more than I have.’
    ‘Why have they got Gendarmes guarding the house?’
    ‘Ask the Gendarmes.’
    ‘Come on, Bruno, be a sport. Surely you can tell me something.’
    ‘The
Procureur
has appointed a
juge d’instruction
into the murder inquiry and the victim’s brother has arrived from England,’ Bruno said, trotting down the steps. At the last step, he stopped. ‘Have you had a request from the
Police Nationale
to publish a photo of anyone they want to find urgently?’
    ‘You mean a suspect? Not that I’ve heard. Give me a minute.’ Philippe thumbed an autodial number on his phone, fired off a quick question and then shook his head. ‘Not so far.’
    ‘I’ll see what I can do,’ said Bruno and called J-J as he walked back down the Rue Gambetta. J-J said that the press officer was supposed to issue Murcoing’s mugshot from his earlier arrest later that day.
    ‘What if I let
Sud Ouest
have the more recent photo from the surveillance camera? They’ll give it more prominence if they think it’s their story rather than a routine police request.’
    ‘Go ahead. But don’t get quoted saying this guy’s a suspect. Let them take the responsibility for that and we’ll give a no comment.’
    Bruno described what he’d learned from Brian Fullerton and said he planned to drive out to the Corrèze farm as soon as he’d finished with the
juge d’instruction
. Back in his office, he texted Delaron to come and see him, prepared another copy of Murcoing’s photo for the paper, and began printing out the pictures of Crimson’s rugs, paintings and furniture that had been deposited with Crimson’s insurance agent.
    He was looking up the phone number of the
Police Municipale
in Ussel when Delaron appeared. Bruno handed him a copy of Murcoing’s photo from the surveillance camera at the printing shop.
    ‘This didn’t come from me, understood? And I’m not saying he’s a murder suspect, just that the police urgently want to interview him. I think the
Police Nationale
will be issuing his mugshot later today. He’s Paul Murcoing, lives in Bergerac, makes a living as a driver – and his grandpa is getting a full-scale Resistance funeral here in St Denis next week. That’s it.’
    ‘Thanks, Bruno. Where was this taken? Looks like a print from a surveillance tape.’
    ‘I’m not saying, Philippe.
Bon courage
. Oh, by the way, there’s something you can do for me in return.’ Bruno pulled out the photos of Loïc Murcoing as a young man in his Resistance unit and handed them to Delaron. ‘I’d like these blown up as large as you can