Free Chief Inspector Maigret Visits London by Margaret de Rohan Page A

don’t cry, do they?
    â€˜Max, listen to me. What happened to Georges happened because someone deliberately tried to kill him. It was a criminal act, not the result of you telling him he couldn’t bowl! How could words cause what happened? Haven’t you called me a rubbish bowler sometimes? And have I ever been run down by a car after you did? No, of course I haven’t!’
    There was a loud sob mixed with a sharp intake of breath from the other end of the line.
    â€˜You don’t think I put a… a… kind of…
curse
on him, Granny?’
    â€˜No I do not! For a start only truly evil people put curses on other people. And when they do, they come to nothing because the Lord God Almighty over-rides them!’
    â€˜What?’
    â€˜He presses the cosmic delete button to make the curse disappear!’
    â€˜Are you sure? How do you know that’s an actual verifiabletruth?’
    â€˜I just
do
. The same way that I know the sun will come up tomorrow morning. Now will you do something for me, sweetie?’
    â€˜Like what?’
    â€˜Will you have a nice long shower then get dressed, and I’ll ask Mum to take a taxi to the hospital, so that you and I can see Georges together. And then we could say a crème caramel prayer. Would you like that, Max?’
    â€˜Yes. But first can I have something to eat? I’m totally starving! I’d like some scrambled eggs and bacon, and lots of toast with honey!’
    Max’s mother said later that he ate as if all the food was about to vanish from the planet.
    â€˜I thought he’d throw up with the amount he ate, after so long without food,’ she laughed, ‘but he didn’t, and I don’t think he’s stopped eating since!’
    Later that morning, Alison brought Max to the hospital. Then Megan asked both Philippe and her to leave the room. ‘You do it, Max. I think it would work better coming from you,’ she said. ‘You sit on the other side of Georges, and take hold of his hand, while I do the same on this side.’
    â€˜Okay.’ He cleared his throat dramatically, and then said, ‘
Dear God, please make Georges well again. He’s not really a rubbish bowler – he just hasn’t had the practice. If he had a few sessions in the nets I’m sure he’d show a hugeimprovement. And you must admit he’s a good batsman, even if he is French.’
Then he paused and said, in a clear, strong voice, ‘crème caramel.’
    â€˜Crème caramel,’ repeated his Granny, with tears in her eyes.
    â€˜Crème caramel,’ said Philippe, standing in the doorway.
    â€˜Crème caramel,’ Max said again.
    Whether it was the crème caramel prayer, or Father Wainwright’s many prayers and candles, or the skill of the surgeons, or the mystery of how the human body knows how to repair itself – given a little strategic help – or a combination of all those positive forces, no one knew for sure, but later that day Georges began to emerge from his coma. And within the week he would be well enough to be flown back to Paris by air ambulance. However, Granny knew what she believed, and she was not alone: there were others with similar thoughts. ‘It must have been a miracle,’ an immensely impressed Timmy whispered to Max after their mother had turned off their light that night.
    â€˜Yep,’ replied Max from the upper bunk, ‘there’s no doubt about it. It was a genuine, one hundred percent crème caramel miracle!’
    â€˜Do you think God likes crème caramel too, Max?’
    â€˜Of course – what’s not to like?’
    Then they both fell asleep and slept soundly for the next nine hours.

Chapter Twelve

    Nicole Vachon was discharged from St Mary’s after one night there. She had not been badly hurt, but had a mild concussion, so had been told to rest for a few days. The day after her return home, Chief