Morning, Noon and Night

Morning, Noon and Night Page 6

Captaine Frangois Durer, chef de Police in Corsica, was in a foul mood.

The island was overcrowded with stupid summer tourists who were incapable of holding onto their passports@ their wallets, or their children. Complaints had comd streaming in all day long to the tiny police headquarters at 2 Cours Napol6on off Rue Sergent Casalonga. ' man snatched my purse." ship sailed without me. My wife is on board." bought this watch from someone on the street. it has nothing inside." drugstores here don't carry the pills I need.' The problems were endless, endless, endless. And now it seemed that the capitaine had a body on his hands. ' have no time for this now,' he snapped. ' they're waiting outside,' his assistant informed him.

"What shall I tell them?, Capitaine Durer was impatient to get to his mistress. His impulse was to say, ' the body to some other 40 ut he was, after all, the chief police official the island. e well.' He sighed. ''ll see them briefly.' moment later, Captain Vacarro and Dmitri @@]Kaminsky were ushered into the office. ;1".. &S. t 1 down,' Capitaine Durer said, ungraciously. The two men took chairs. ' me, please, exactly what occurred.' Captain Vacarro said, ''m not sure exactly. I didn't see it happen.' He turned to Dmitri Kaminsky. ' E;1% was an eyewitness. Perhaps he should explain it.' Dmitri took a deep breath.

"It was terrible. I work worked for the man." what, monsieurt "Bodyguard, masseur, chauffeur. Our yacht was caught in the storm last night. It was very bad. He ' me to give him a massage to relax him.

Afterward, he asked me to get him a sleeping pill. They were in the bathroom. When I returned, he was standing out on the veranda, at the railing. The storm was tossing the yacht around. He had been holding some papers in his hand. One of them flew away, and he reached out to grab for it, lost his balance, and fell over the side. I raced to save him, but there was nothing I could do. I called for help. Captain Vacarro immediately stopped the yacht, and through the captain's heroic efforts, we found him. But it was too late. He had drowned." am very sorry.' He could not have cared less. 41 captain vacarro spoke, up. ' wind, and the sea carried the body back to'the Yacht. It was pure luck, but'now we would like permission to take the body home." should be no problem.' He would still have time to have a drink with his mistress before he went home to his wife. I will have a death certificate and an exit visa for the body prepared at once.' He picked up a yellow pad.

-The name of the victim?" Stanford.' Capitaine Durer was suddenly very still. He looked up. ' Stanfordr '." Harry Stalnford?, "Yes.' And Capitairke Durer's future suddenly became much brighter. The gods had dropped manna in his lap. Harry Stanf,'Ord was an international legend! The news of his deatil would reverberate around the world, and he, Capitairle Durer, was in control of the situation. The immediate question was how to manipulate it for the maximi4m benefit to himself Durer sat there, staring into

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, thinking. ' soon c.-an you release the bodyt Captain Vacarro asked. He looked up-_ '. That's a good question.' How much time will it lake for the press to arrive?

Should I ask the yacht's c-,aptain to participate in the interview? No.

Why share Athe glory with him? I will handle this 42 ' is much to be done,' he said regretfully. rs to prepare ...' He sighed. ' could well be a ,"Rape k or more.' Captain Vacarro was appalled. ' week or more? "'But you said ' are certain formalities to be observed," Durer said sternly. ' matters can't be rushed. He picked . the yellow pad again. ' is the next of kint Captain Vacarro looked at Dmitri for help. I guess you'd better check with his attorneys in Boston." names?9 ', Renquist & Fitzgerald."