The Cafe Girl Page 27

  'I confess, I wish I could be more exciting but I...'

  The man ignored him. 'Even given a last, fleeting opportunity to grasp decency, you fail to do so.' He was detached, impassive, as if studying a dead carcass on the road. 'You are pitiable, Giraud, a stove without fuel in a world that demands warmth, unvisited, unvalued, unloved. If only you had the barest flicker... the barest ounce of concern for the lives of others...'

  Giraud eyed the man warily. 'I do not believe we have met, monsieur,' he said. 'And yet you presume to judge my guilt. Are you to cite me Marx and Lenin and the great emancipation from Royalty and the Bastille and Joan of Arc? Am I going to be judged inadequate in the eyes of history's false martyrs and their social contrivances, their wishful archetypes? Or perhaps we can face reality: that people like me who take what we want have real value, the ability to accommodate and include others in our gains, to offer that fleeting moment of relief in a cruel ...'

  The visitor cut him off. 'I suppose you have an extensive sales pitch for me, as if you were selling a miracle cure for what ails the common man. Forgive my arrogance if I am incorrect, but I do not choose to listen.'

  'And this is because...'

  'This is because I know you already, monsieur; and I believe you knew my wife,' the man said.

  The man's tone was pointed. Cold dread crept up Giraud's spine. 'Your wife?'

  'Yes. She came to you once, vulnerable, burying her pride in order to ask for help. And you have already met my daughter-in-law, Claire. My name is Bernard Distin.'

  It must be said that there is nothing so shocking to a man as the realization of his true self. Giraud's mind reeled; the truth took the form of a broach stained with innocent blood, and a dead-end cafe, and a girl who could have stolen his heart... had there ever been one to steal.

  From the village to the west, he heard the distant chime of the one o'clock bell.

  THE END

  A message from Ian Loome:

  THANK YOU! You give me the encouragement to keep writing and I appreciate that.

  Word of mouth is crucial for any author's success and if you like Quinn, please leave a review at Amazon. Even just a few words would make all the difference and I would very much appreciate it. PLEASE LEAVE A REVIEW HERE

  (If you live in the United Kingdom, you can find the review page here)

  I'd also like to thank my wife for her love and support, my editor Bee for her skill, my proofer/editor Wayne Coe for his help, and everyone who has contributed their ideas and time over the years. You're all wonderful!

  Cheers,

  J. Ian Loome

  THE CAFÉ GIRL