The Methods of Maigret ( PDFDrive )

“Where?”
“To the water. Paul lent him a bathing suit.”
They headed unconsciously for the harbor. The slope of the ground led them
there of its own accord. One felt that everyone was bound inevitably to take the
same path.
“I think you’d better be very careful. The person who killed Marcellin has a
grudge against you and will try to get you.”
“We’d better wait until Mr. Pyke is out of the water.”
Lechat indicated a head which was emerging on the far side of the boats.
“Is he on the case?”
“He’s following it. We’d better not give the impression of plotting behind his
back.”
“We would have been quieter at the Grand Hotel. It’s closed in winter. It has
only just opened and there’s no one there. Only it’s at Paul’s that everyone
meets. It’s there that it all began, because it was there that Marcellin mentioned
you and claimed you were a friend of his.”
“Let’s wait for Mr. Pyke.”
“Do you want to question people in his presence?”
“I shall have to.”
Lechat made a wry face but did not dare to protest.
“Where are you thinking of summoning them? There’s hardly anywhere
except the town hall. A single room with benches, a table, and flags for the
fourteenth of July. The mayor keeps the grocer’s shop next to the Arche de Noé.
That’s him you can see over there, pushing a wheelbarrow.”
Mr. Pyke was now returning into his depth once more, near a boat attached to
a chain, was walking in the water, peacefully splashing in the sun.
“The water’s marvelous,” he said.
“If you like, we’ll wait here while you go and get dressed.”
“I’m very comfortable as I am.”
This time it was a point to him. He was, in fact, just as much at his ease in
swimming trunks, with drops of water trickling down his long thin body, as in
his gray suit.
He pointed to a black yacht, not in the harbor, but at anchor, several cables
out. The English flag was discernible.
“Who’s that?”