Chief Inspector Maigret Visits London by Margaret de Rohan

leaving.
    â€˜Yes?’
    â€˜That day Mrs Lisle and I came collecting books for the church fair. Why did you have wet paint on your cheek and a paint brush behind your ear… ?’
    â€˜I’m an artist,’ she interrupted, ‘that’s how I look most days.’
    â€˜But the painting we saw downstairs was dry.’
    â€˜Yes, I finished it the night before. What of it?’
    â€˜How could the paint have come from that painting?’
    â€˜You really are an observant man, aren’t you,’ she said, ‘but did it never occur to you that I might have been working on
another
painting upstairs?’
    â€˜Were you?’ Chief Inspector Scott asked quickly.
    â€˜Yes, of course I was! I’d set up an easel on the balcony of our bedroom, at the back of the house overlooking the garden,’ she said. ‘I was painting the garden and the trees and houses beyond.
‘Still life with apple tree’
is what I’ve decided to call it. Would you like to see it?’
    â€˜No, that won’t be necessary. But why were you so abrupt with us that day?’ Andy Gillespie asked, ‘and why did it take you so long to answer the door?’
    â€˜Questions, questions,’ Nicole said wearily. ‘Serge and I had just had a terrible row, if you must know.’
    â€˜About what, Mrs Vachon?’
    â€˜Money. And now I suppose you’ll want to know more.’
    â€˜Yes, please.’
    â€˜I’d taken some money from his briefcase. Only £60 but he went crazy when he discovered it. I tried to explain that I needed it to buy some meat and other things for dinner, but he kept shouting that I had no right to take it without asking him. But how could I? He was out at the time. And anyway, I couldn’t understand why he made all the fuss; it wasn’t like he didn’t have plenty left! And he’s never been a mean man – never! He’s always given me what I needed before, then a huge drama this time.’
    â€˜This £60, Mrs Vachon, can you remember what notes were involved? How it was made up?’ Clive Scott tried to make his voice sound casual, but he was holding his breath while he waited for her to answer.
    â€˜That’s easy! All the notes in his briefcase were £20. He must have just been to the bank because they were all clean and new-looking, in neat bundles with paper bands around them. That’s why I was surprised that he missed the three I took. And I did intend to tell him later. I’d never just take money without mentioning it later. I’m not thatkind of woman.’
    â€˜I’m sure you’re not. Do you remember where you spent the money?’
    â€˜What’s this all about?’ she said, suddenly suspicious again.
    â€˜Just routine enquiries, Mrs Vachon, I can assure you.’ Yes, it was a white lie, but for the greater good, he thought, so nothing to make a blasted song and dance about.
    â€˜I spent it down at Little Venice. I remember buying some meat in the organic butcher’s shop, and then I went into Tesco’s and bought a few things there.’
    â€˜And did you spend all of the £60?’ asked Andy Gillespie.
    â€˜No, not all of it: I had one £20, and some change left, but Serge took the £20 off me.’
    As they drove out of the mews Clive Scott said, ‘No prizes for where we’re going now, eh Andy?’
    â€˜No, boss: as we always say
“follow the money”.
But where do you want to go first, the butcher’s or Tesco’s?’
    â€˜Let’s go to the posh butcher first; it’ll be easier than blasted Tesco’s. I hate to think how much money passes through their tills on any given day!’
    The organic butcher didremember a counterfeit £20 note being spent in his shop recently. He hadn’t noticed it at the time, but NatWest certainly had when he’d paid in his takings later that day. The watermark was wrong and