Page 94 of The Grey Wolf
“We’ll find out. Mostly we need to find out what Simon knows about the contents of those letters.”
“But still, why didn’t the Keeper tell you about the Abbot’s directive and the Vatican letters?”
“He didn’t because he didn’t know about them. I think this Keeper of the Keys is new to the post. He wasn’t the one on duty when Dom Philippe was here. Once the Abbot left, Simon was free to make changes. I think he put someone else at the door and went back to the old system, where all the mail went through him.”
“So he could go back to reading it. This Keeper wouldn’t have known about the Abbot’s directive, and he wouldn’t have seen the Vatican letters. They were delivered before he got the job.”
“I was talking to the wrong monk.”
“We need to find the previous Keeper.”
“Now who’s thinking?” said Gamache, as though talking to a puppy.Who’s a good boy?
Beauvoir’s face cracked into a smile. Then settled back to serious. “Knowing what he was like, and not trusting him, why would the Abbot leave Frère Simon in charge? Why not choose one of the other monks?”
Gamache had wondered the same thing, but then he remembered his talks with Dom Philippe on their first visit. The Abbot was kindly, yes. Not very worldly. But still wise. Very astute. He might not know much about the outside world, but he knew the one inside the walls very well. He might not be up on the news, but he was well-versed in human nature.
“He was depending on Simon’s weakness. Dom Philippe knew I’d come looking for him. Made sure I did. And he knew that the monk I’d have most contact with would be the acting Abbot. Frère Simon.”
“He wanted you to talk to him. To question him. Simon’s the only person here who knew what the letters said. The Abbot wanted you to get the information out of him. But he was still reluctant. He didn’t tell us everything.”
“True. He was in a prickly position. He wanted to blurt out what he knew, but he also knew it would expose him.”
“A rock and a hard place.” Jean-Guy almost had sympathy for Simon. Almost.
“We need to find the original Keeper of the Keys and confirm all this.” Armand turned to look back at the abbey. They hadn’t heard singing in a few minutes. “Try the door again. Lauds must be over.”
While Beauvoir did that, Gamache walked down the long wharf to the plane and the pilot.
“Look at that,” said the pilot, pointing into the clear water. “What I wouldn’t give for a fishing rod.”
“Bass,” said Gamache. Water made everything look bigger, but still what he saw swimming languidly just off the dock were plump, healthy fish.
“I wonder why the monks don’t catch them.”
“I think they have an aversion to killing.”
“Fish?”
“Anything.”
“Wasn’t Christ a fisherman?”
“A fisher of men. And he didn’t actually eat them.”
Just then, Beauvoir shouted. The huge doors were open.
“Are we ready to go?” Gamache asked the pilot, who looked into the sky.
“Oui, patron.It’s light enough now. Just say the word.”
“Give us half an hour.”
CHAPTER22
“Looking for this?”
Armand held up the map.
