The Methods of Maigret ( PDFDrive )

“Can you tell me exactly how it finished up?”
“It’s difficult. It was late.”
“Who was the first to leave?”
“I don’t know. Paul had closed the shutters a long time before. He was sitting
at our table. We had a final bottle. I think we left together.”
“Who?”
“The major left us in the square to go back to his villa. Charlot, who sleeps at
the Arche, stayed behind. Mrs. Wilcox and I headed for the landing stage, where
we had left the dinghy.”
“Did you have a sailor with you?”
“No. We usually leave them on board. There was a strong mistral blowing and
the sea was choppy. Marcellin offered to take us.”
“So he was with you when you set off?”
“Yes. He stayed behind. He must have gone back to the hut.”
“In short, you and Mrs. Wilcox were the last people to see him alive.”
“Apart from the murderer.”
“Did you have difficulty getting back to the yacht?”
“How did you know?”
“You told me the sea was choppy.”
“We arrived soaking wet, with six inches of water in the dinghy.”
“Did you go straight to bed?”
“I made some grog to warm us up, after which we played a game of gin
rummy.”
“I beg your pardon?”
“It’s a card game.”
“What time was this?”
“Around two in the morning. We never go to bed early.”
“You didn’t hear or see anything unusual?”
“The mistral prevented us from hearing anything.”
“Are you thinking of coming to the Arche this evening?”
“Probably.”
“Thank you.”
Maigret and Mr. Pyke remained alone together for a moment or two, and the
Chief Inspector gazed at his colleague with large, sleepy eyes. He had the feeling