Dead Ringer

Bennie smiled. She could relate. She had a Bear, he had a Gustave. There are different forms of baby birds. It was all about love, anyway.

“Gustave, he knows he doesn’t belong on the trail, nor do I. However, I spur him on, I take him out by myself, and along comes a little tiny creature, smaller than a squirrel, brown with a little tiny stripe, what do you call it”-Georges thought a minute-“a chipmunk! Is that it, chipmunk?”

Bennie nodded. A cheepmunk.

“This chipmunk, it is so little tiny it is only not even the size of Gustave’s one hoof!” Georges made a number one with his index finger. “Gustave, he is seventeen hands tall, very tall, and he leaps forward in great and terrible fear of his life, going as high as if he is jumping a Grand Prix fence, and, mon Dieu, he slips in the mud and goes tumbling down the hill”-Georges made a spiraling motion with his hand-“then I go down, and the little tiny chipmunk, he runs off and tells his friends!”

“Oh, no!” Bennie couldn’t help but smile. The way he told the story made her I-almost-drowned-last-time-I- rowed story look like chopped foie gras.

“Luckily, only one of us broke his leg.” Georges smacked his forehead with his palm, and Bennie laughed again. She didn’t get it. Robert had said that his brother was wacky, but she thought he was sort of cute. She could tell he was being a good host, cheering himself and her up, mixed with a little of Robert’s special alertness to women. She appreciated the effort, especially in the circumstances.

“So how long will you be in the chair?”

“Any day now, then they take off the cast, and I go back to work.” Georges took a minute to extract a handkerchief from a pocket of a soft cardigan sweater and dab his long, bony nose with it. “I am almost retired now, from my practice as a gynecologist, as you may know. But Gustave teaches me much, every time I ride him. You know what is said about horses?”

“No, what?”

“It is said, ‘The outside of a horse is good for the inside of a man.’ Churchill says this, either he or Roosevelt, or De Gaulle, I think.” Georges laughed. “I don’t know who said it really, one of those. Not Stalin, I am sure of it.”

Bennie smiled, then thought about it. She wondered if her father had had anything to do with the horses, where he’d lived. If he had ridden. She found herself saying, “My father worked on a horse farm, outside of Wilmington.”

“I like the horses, I love the horses, but Robert, he doesn’t like these so much. Our father, when we were very young, he taught us to ride, until our seat is perfect. But Robert, he doesn’t have the interest.” Georges fiddled with his handkerchief, momentarily lost in sadness. His mouth set, and his light blue eyes clouded like the sky. “I don’t understand why, why would someone kill Robert? He hurts no one.”

“It is hard to understand,” Bennie said. She didn’t add that she didn’t understand it either. That wouldn’t help Georges now. And part of her knew that the deep wrench in her chest over Robert’s death wasn’t related to Georges. Because if Alice had killed Robert, his only mistake would have been choosing Bennie as his lawyer and remaining loyal to her. Bennie would be responsible for his death. And now she sat face-to-face with the grief and pain of his family.

“It doesn’t make sense to me, not at all,” Georges went on. “They take his wallet, they take his watch. These things, they add up to what, a few hundred dollars? Why do they kill him for these things? Robert, he would have given them. He could afford to replace them, easily.”

“The police think it has something to do with hatred for foreigners. That the killer targets them because they’re easy prey and because they have money, then kills them out of hate or resentment. But usually, criminals kill during robberies on impulse or to prevent identification. They don’t want to leave a witness.”

“I see. The newspaper says they kill because he is French. Can this be? I do not believe it! The Americans I know from my practice, from my riding, they are kind. They have good hearts. A generous people. They share their country with the world! Bennie, do you think this is why Robert is killed?”

“I’m not sure,” Bennie had to admit. He could see doubt on her anyway.

“I don’t think you do!” Georges managed a smile, though his eyes shone with new wetness. “I tell my wife, I do not believe this is the reason, this hatred, but she says, no. It is because he is French. Silly! So I do not understand these stupid theories,” Georges said, partly to himself now, rubbing his forehead, and it was all Bennie could do not to tell him everything.

“Let’s see what the police come up with,” Bennie said noncommittally, and Georges looked up, his forehead reddened under his silvery hair.

“I hear nothing more from them today. The whole day goes by. Nothing.”

“They’ll call if they have something to tell you. I know they’re investigating and I think they’re doing a good, thorough job.” Bennie wasn’t lying. Needleman was doing everything she’d want him to do, including checking the maitre d’ at the Palm. She didn’t blame him for not being a naturally suspicious lawyer.

Georges gave a resigned sigh. “The coroner, from the morgue, he says we can take Robert home perhaps on Monday. Then they will be finished.” His upper lip curled with such distaste it showed even under his beard. “Micheline, she has made all the arrangements, for burial at home. She was very fond of Robert.”

“I see,” Bennie said, but she didn’t. The woman hadn’t shed a tear to mess up her mascara. It was enough to make Nancy Drew suspicious again, and it was always fun to speculate without any factual basis. In fact, it was downright American.

“So we will be burying Robert in our family plot. But this is too soon, too soon for Robert. He is my little brother, younger than I.” Georges paused, collecting himself. “Robert was good at the business, though. Quite good.”

“He sure was.” Bennie considered taking the opening. She felt so uncomfortable about it, but she had no other way to find out about the succession plans. She had never met a single other person from St. Amien amp; Fils. “Georges, do you know much about the business?”

“Just a little, what Robert mentioned.” Georges waved his hand dismissively. “But this is not my concern. Robert has his business, I have mine. We decide this, Robert and I, a long time ago, that Robert will work in the family business. I choose not. I go to the university for medicine.” Georges gestured at the books lining the room. “I enjoy a study of living beings, not a study of medical lenses, for God’s sake!”

“So you don’t work in the business at all?”

“Not at all.” Georges shook his head. “I am now on staff at only the one hospital. The insurance is so high, I go in only one day a week. I do not live to work, like Robert. He buys out my interest in the lens business, so long ago, and I don’t know what he does with it. We both agree to do this.”

“But you must know who his vice president is, or his successor. I have to find out if that person wants me to continue the company’s claim against the trade association, or if I should just withdraw the complaint.”

“Oh, you mean, who will take charge of the business, now that Robert is… gone?” Georges straightened in his wheelchair, hoisting himself up by both hands. “Of course I know that. Julien, of course.”

Bennie perked up. An answer, and an easy one! “The one from Harvard Law. The one you asked me to meet today?”

“Yes. He is Robert’s only son, and heir. Robert wants him to run the business, that’s why he sends him to Harvard. Julien makes his graduation this summer, in only one month. But Robert will not-” Georges’s throat caught with the thought that Bennie could have finished for him.

“Robert will be watching, I’m sure,” Bennie said with conviction. She knew her mother was watching her, right now, and she’d only gone to Penn. “I’m sure Robert was proud of him. Harvard is one of the best law schools in the country.”

“Robert is, was, so very proud of Julien. Julien graduates with degrees from the law school and the business school. He is admitted in some sort of special program, very difficult to get into, and his grades are quite good.”

“Is he here yet? I know you wanted me to meet him, and now I think I should.”

“Yes, he’s here. He arrives not long ago, his flight from Boston was delayed. He was very upset, as you can imagine. He and Robert were very close, especially since his mother’s death.” Georges wheeled around to the desk behind him and reached for the telephone. “Julien goes to get a shower, then to lie down. He’s in the guest room. I buzz him.”