Maigret on Holiday

M is on vacation with Mme M, but she's been in the hospital, recovering from an operation. M has settled into a pleasant routine, touring the cafes, visiting his wife, watching a bridge game at the Brasserie de Remblai. He'd received an odd note about a patient at the hospital, apparently from one of the sisters, but before he'd had a chance to think about it, he learned that the patient had died. She was Lili Godreau, the 19-year-old sister-in-law of Dr. Philippe Bellamy, an eminent neurologist, who happened to be one of the bridge players M watched every day. She'd fallen out of his car. Bellamy struck up M's acquaintance and brought him back to his house, where, as they entered, a young girl dashed out. M had the feeling Bellamy was troubled by the incident, and spent most of his evening trying to identify and locate the girl. Bellamy's wife, Odette Bellamy, Lili's sister, had been ill for the past few days, and didn't leave her room. The next morning the local chief of police, calls him to report that they'd located the girl. From there on it is a contest with Bellamy, for M is sure of his guilt. He learns that Lucile's brother, Emile Duffieux, has apparently left town for Paris, , but no one had seen him leave. M returns to the hospital and interviews the sister who'd passed him the note, and learns that Lili had spoken in delerium of a silver knife, and that "he wasn't guilty...". M is convinced that at least one more person is in danger, and spends the next morning searching the area for somewhere that Odette, of whom he is known to be obsessively jealous, had gone frequently. He finally locates Olga's, a dressmaker, and asks her if it wasn't true that Odette and Emile had secretly met there, and planned to run away together, and she admits it. At that moment Bellamy calls him, and he goes to his house, where he admits all. He'd discovered Emile's letters to his wife and their plans.


Genre: Mystery