Son of Holmes

Ponty’s eyes twinkled. He was obviously somewhat taken with Georges. Often in my career and in my life, I’d noticed that once a person has tapped one emotion in another, a door may be opened to other emotions. Georges had angered Ponty, and the director’s response had compromised his natural reserve and professional ma

Ponty smiled warmly now. “I’ll let you both in on something, then, since you’ve been so astute. When we have heavy shipments, everyone helps, even myself. For fifteen, perhaps twenty minutes, we are all pack mules. Except, of course, for the guards at the explosives rooms. They never, ever leave their posts.”

Georges returned Ponty’s smile. “Your secret is safe with us, eh, Jules?”

“To our graves,” I responded.

“And now,” Ponty said, opening the double doors, “let me show you…”

Our tour continued for the next hour or so. None of the other rooms, it turned out, was as closely guarded as the explosives room, though security everywhere was tight.

The factory made everything from bullets and bombs to rifles and ca

“We don’t have visitors very often,” he said, “and, as you said, we don’t want them, but it’s been a pleasure showing you both around.” Maurice turned to me. “Jules, I’m glad that you decided to satisfy your curiosity.” With that, we shook hands and he disappeared back into the building.

Walking back to the car, Georges and I were thoughtful. It was now dusk. The factories would be closing within the hour, and I wanted to get back home.

“Life is sure full of surprises,” Georges remarked, elbowing me slightly.

I said nothing but thought instead of the questions I would have for Tania.

“Very impressive place,” Georges said, diplomatically changing the subject. “I wouldn’t be too worried about a breach of security if I were Maurice. That anteroom scared me to death, to say nothing of the boilers.”

“Yes,” I said. “Unless the Germans take St. Etie

“I loved it. I could have stayed all day.”

Something was bothering me, so I thought I’d better say it. “Yes, I noticed how acute your interest was. I thought you’d be bored in there, though I was glad you accompanied me.”

“Bored? Not at all. Fascinated, truly fascinated. Perhaps I’ve never mentioned it, Jules, but my initial love was architecture. I studied it for years in school, and only my father’s passionate belief that all art was somewhat effete-backed by his promise to withhold any financial aid to myself-persuaded me to enter the dynamic and exciting world of business.” He seemed genuinely bitter, the sarcasm heavy.

“I didn’t mean…” I began, sorry that I had touched a nerve.

“No. That’s all right. People, in the end, do what they truly want to do, I suppose.”

We talked on for a few more minutes before I dropped him off at a hotel. As usual, in spite of the large delivery today, he had calls to make for the remainder of the week, the weekend notwithstanding.

“Unfortunately, the need for my products keeps increasing. It may be good for business, but I find it difficult to rejoice in the fact.”

“Will you be able to make it by next Wednesday?” I asked.

“I assume so. I’ll leave a message if I’m delayed.”

“Fine. Until then.”

The drive home was long and uneventful. I usually don’t like to drive at night, and by the time I had reached the road to Valence, it was completely dark. My headlights flushed a few animals along the way, but otherwise I saw nothing and heard only the sound of the engine, which drowned out my soft humming of the “Marseillaise.”

7

After di

Tania was wearing a light blouse with a tan wraparound skirt that came to a few inches above her ankles. She was beautiful enough to get away with that kind of dress, though it would properly be considered fairly risqué. Her long hair fell across her face, and looking across at her I found it very hard to believe that she was begi

“Are you feeling better?” I asked.

“Yes.”

“I went to see your friend Ponty today.”

Her shoulders stiffened a little. “What were you doing at the arms factory?”

“Georges had to deliver there, and I decided it would be a nice break to put off my appointment today and see this place you’ve talked about so much. It is a very impressive sight, though I wish they could do something about the smoke.”

“I know,” she said. “Isn’t the smell terrible?”

“Horrible. But I suppose when one works with sulfur, that’s impossible to avoid.”

We heard Fritz moving about behind us in his room. He usually did exercises and then read a bit before going to bed.

“How did you find Maurice?” she asked.

I described our tour, including the little episode at the door to the explosives room. Tania smiled and said that sounded just like Maurice. We sipped at our brandy, and the silence came back to surround us. There would never be a better time.

“Tania,” I began, then stopped, terrified. To me she was the most attractive woman in the world, and if I pressed on now I ran the risk of losing her. But I really had no choice-if I couldn’t ask, I had already lost her. “Why didn’t you tell me about Ponty’s proposal?”

Her shoulders sagged slightly as she put her snifter down. “Oh,” she said, “he told you about that?”

“It quite hurt me,” I said truthfully.

“Oh, Jules, I’m sorry.” She reached out across the table and covered my hand. “Maurice and I are only friends.”

“Obviously Maurice doesn’t feel the same way.”

“I know. I was very surprised.”

“I don’t understand why you wouldn’t have told me.”

She shrugged, squeezing my hand. “It didn’t matter. It had no effect on us. Why did you need to know?”

“Are we operating on a ‘need to know’ basis now?”

“What does that mean? Of course not. I just didn’t think it was so important, or appropriate. And really, Jules, it isn’t.”

“A marriage proposal isn’t important?”

“Not unless I’d have said yes, which I did not.”

I covered her hand with my own and stared into her guileless and beautiful face. “I’m afraid I’m uncomfortable with these secrets between us.”