Deadly Degrees In The Pyrenees

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Book excerpt

Chapter One

When the woman first began to feel too hot, she tried to tough it out, convincing herself she could take it. Besides, the sauna was great for her skin, but after another few minutes she knew she’d had enough.  Her face was flushed, her temperature raised and sweat was no longer forming in droplets on her skin.  Definitely time to call it a day, she thought. 

Pushing on the door, she was surprised to find it unyielding.  Sauna doors are designed to withstand extreme changes in temperature.  They do not warp.  The woman put her shoulder to it.  Still it didn’t budge.  Her stomach began to cramp and fear crept in.  Why was the door stuck?  How could it be stuck?  She stared out of the tempered, safety-glass panel. 

“Help, help!” she called, banging on the glass.  “Is anybody there?  Help, help me, I’m stuck in the sauna!”  She paused, listening, but she heard no sounds, only silence.

Realising her plight, she began to panic and scream, long, keening animal-like sounds.  Her temperature rose even higher.  Painful spasms wracked her legs and hands.  She became confused, throwing herself against the side walls of the sauna in an attempt to escape, then trying to kick her way out by pounding her bare heels on the wooden floor.

Eventually, she collapsed with exhaustion and heat stroke.  She lost consciousness and fell into a coma before her body succumbed to shock.

Her corpse was discovered hours later, when her lover arrived for a romantic liaison.  There was nothing romantic about what he found.  The ghastly sight of the broiled woman with her red skin and bulging, bloodshot eyes would stay with him for the rest of his life.

Michelle Moliner’s murderer had planned to kill her.  This was not an accident, not a random act of burglary gone wrong.  Her killer knew she’d be alone and vulnerable.  Her killer wanted her to burn in hell.

***

It had been a beautiful morning.  The sun was shining through a chink in the curtains.  Michelle stretched lazily, spreading out her limbs in the comfortable, king-sized bed.  Even though she and Jacques no longer shared a bedroom, she was pleased he had gone away with his club and she had the house to herself.  Michelle planned to have a gloriously indulgent day.  She had first stirred when Jacques banged about the house, getting ready for his weekend.  He was a clumsy man and didn’t make any effort to be quiet on her account.  She heard the front door slam, the squeal of the hinges on the tall, electrically controlled double gates which enclosed the driveway, then his car revving before he drove off.  Michelle knew that the front door wouldn’t be locked as Jacques would have merely pulled it closed as he left, but she was surprised that there was no clunk from the gates closing.  It amazed her that he’d installed the gates to stop any of his precious cars being driven away and stolen, yet the house with all her precious contents was left unprotected.  It was clear where his priorities lay.  Now she was fully awake having been able to grab an extra hour of blissful slumber once all had eventually become quiet once again.

Michelle had planned the perfect day.  She’d made a list in her head of her regime for the next few hours, making full use of the trappings of wealth she enjoyed.  There was her beautiful swimming pool, the hot-tub, the sauna and enough creams and lotions to satisfy the whole town.  Everyone knew that her home was sensational, because Michelle constantly reminded them.  She wasn’t liked, many hated her, but all were rather frightened of her and that’s the way she liked it.

Michelle Moliner enjoyed being rich.  She loved the power of wealth.  Apart from the mayor’s wife, who she considered to be her equal, Michelle thought she was probably the most important woman in the area.  But she didn’t always hold the position she now enjoyed. As a child, being the fourth daughter of a local cheese merchant, she was way down the pecking order.  But Michelle was smart – smart enough to realise the value of marrying well.  Jacques Moliner was not as clever as Michelle, but he was an only son and his father was blessed with amazing luck and the ability to turn muck into brass.  Jacques’ father amassed a huge fortune then conveniently died young, leaving everything divided equally between his wife and his only son.  Within one month of her husband’s demise, Madame Moliner suffered a massive heart attack and was promptly buried beside him.  Jacques didn’t grieve for long however; his bulging bank account soon helped to dry his tears. 

He’d always liked Michelle, although on and off he’d dated her sister, Helene.  In fact, everyone expected him to one day marry Helene.  Michelle was petite and pretty, and being rather shy, Jacques appreciated the cute young woman who found him so fascinating.  She persuaded him to end things once and for all with Helene, then tempted him with the promise of dirty sex – but only after they were married, of course.  Helene was not pleased but there was nothing she could do.  Michelle had hooked Jacques, as easily as if he’d jumped on the line and played dead. 

Everyone suspected that Michelle found the money more attractive than the man.  They all said – those wagging-tongued, jealous bitches – that it wouldn’t last and many prayed for the opportunity of stepping into Michelle’s shoes.  And they were partly right.  The sex didn’t last and neither did the promise of love ever after, but they underestimated Michelle’s tenacity.  There was no way she would leave Jacques, not while one single centime remained in the bank account they shared.  So the couple continued to live together, yet apart, in the fabulous house they jointly owned, and while Jacques frequently travelled away with the vintage car club, Michelle entertained her current lover and spent more and more of their joint cash, while all of her own earnings were being saved in a secret account in Spain. 

But none of that mattered any more.  Michelle was beyond caring.  One callous act, one murderous act had ended her life and everything she’d worked for. 

***

When I received the call from the dispatcher, I responded immediately.  Accompanied by my assistant Laurent, I left the office and we drove to Michelle Moliner’s house.  Laurent was excited to be going with me.  He, like many others, had speculated about Madame Moliner’s home.  Only a privileged few; her inner circle, her employees and her husband’s close friends, had ever been invited to enter through the large iron security gates and be welcomed at the castel. 

But, forgive me please, I am rambling on before we have been formally introduced.  Allow me to rectify that.  My name is Danielle and I am the senior police officer in charge of this region.  I oversee my small town, which is situated on the French side of the Eastern Pyrenees.  I also look after several villages and farms, quite a large area, in fact.  I’m smart and in my thirties – still quite young – but it’s been a struggle to reach the esteemed position I now enjoy.  Women do not usually reach the higher echelons here and in particular, women who are young and unmarried. 

I live with my friend Patricia in a lovely home on the edge of town.  It is close enough for me to walk to work, but far enough away from the gossipers and the prying eyes.  Not that I have anything to hide, our friendship is that of sisters even though Patricia is a lesbian, but you know how people like to talk.

Anyway, I am rambling again.  Apart from Guy Legler, who was Michelle’s lover, Laurent and I were the first to arrive at the scene.  We found Monsieur Legler in a state of deep shock and no wonder, the sight that greeted us was ghastly.  I have never seen a person cooked before and I hope I never witness such a thing again.  Within a few minutes the medical emergency team arrived, closely followed by the pompiers, who are both firemen and trained paramedics.  There is nothing anyone can do.  Michelle has been dead for several hours. 

I arrange for Monsieur Legler to be taken to the clinic for treatment and send the medical emergency team away.  I tell Laurent to return to the office.  He is not happy about being dismissed, as he’d like time to look around this house, but that’s too bad. I am the boss and he must do as he is told.  Besides, he is a bungler, a bit of a buffoon and he irritates me.

I wait at the house with my old friend Jean, who oversees the pompiers.  We have attended many scenes of death before, and apart from the unfortunate circumstances of our meetings, we enjoy spending the time together, passing a few hours chatting.  We must wait now for a medical examiner to attend the corpse before we can move on.  My old friend, Doctor Poullet has been summoned, but we have no idea when he will arrive. 

Jean and I sit in the landscaped garden in the sunshine and discuss the pétanque club’s forthcoming barbecue and the cycle race which is being held next month and the poor condition of the main road through town and indeed, anything else that springs to mind as we await the good doctor’s arrival.