The French Girl Read Online Free PDF Page A

broke away and raced towards the entrance of the school.  I heard all three women shout my name, but I kept running.  I ran past the empty playground, down the road towards the center of Cote Nouveau, past Monsieur Cavelle’s flower stand where I caught the scent of roses for just a second, past Le Gateau which had a “Closed” sign dangling on the front door. I nearly stumbled as I turned my head because I had never known Le Gateau to be closed in the middle of the day, ever.  As I passed The Thirsty Fish, Luc Paul came out and spotted me.
    “Etoile!” I heard him call, but I kept on running.  He started after me, but I was much faster.  My lungs were beginning to burn. I was aware of people calling my name as I sailed past them.
    Turning the corner, I saw several police cars and an ambulance at the entrance of the apartment building. Two men in white shirts came from behind the building near the alley pulling a steel gurney.  The body was wrapped tightly in black plastic and strapped down heavily as if it was going to try and escape. I stopped in my tracks.  I did not like how tight the straps had been pulled down.  It made everything look flat.
    A sudden gust of wind came out of nowhere billowing the men’s white shirts out from their waists, but the black plastic sheet did not stir one bit.
    A car’s breaks screeched behind me as the county woman pulled up.  I bolted up the stairs, but a policeman stood at the entrance of my apartment.
    “Sorry, Miss, no one can go in there,” he said pointing to the yellow tape strung across the entrance.
    “Anais!” I yelled. “Anais!”
    From deep within the apartment, I heard someone call my name.  Ignoring the policeman, I ducked under the tape and ran inside.
    “Hey!” the policeman said as he tried to maneuver under the tape to stop me.  “I said you cannot…”
    There were several policemen in our living room lifting cushions, opening drawers, and touching everything we owned.  They all looked up as I bolted in.
    “Anais!” I yelled.
    She was sitting in one of the chrome silver chairs smoking a cigarette, staring at the open window across from her.  She did not get up.
    “Anais,” I said throwing my arms around her neck.  She kissed my hair.
    “It is okay, Etoile,” she said stroking at my head and drawing me very close to her. “ Il est partout maintenant .  It is all over now,” she whispered.
    “What do you mean, Anais?” I said pulling back.
    She put a finger to my lips.
    A man wearing a gun on his belt was taking photographs while another had a long tape measure and was measuring near the window.
    “Who is this?” the man with the measuring tape asked as he stood up.
    “This is my sister, Etoile.”
    He had a very large, bald head. He stooped down to me.  “Hello, Etoile.  My name is Detective Brody and I want you to know how sorry I am about your mother.”
    I looked at Anais, but she turned away and looked towards the window.
    “Why don’t you come out with me into the other room?  We need to talk to your sister alone.”
    “ Non .  I will stay with Anais,” I said.
    Detective Brody put a hand under my arm and tried to pull me away.
    “ Non !” I yelled.  “ Je veux rester avec Anais! I want to stay with Anais!”
    Anais turned to me and touched my arm with her hand.  I noticed for the first time, that her nails were painted bright red.  “Go with them, Etoile,” she said.  “Do what they ask you to do.”
    “But Anais!” I said again.
    “Go with them,” she said again as she picked up the cigarette and took a long, slow drag.
    ***
    The Detective led me by the arm to the living room where the county woman was standing.  She was very out of breath.  Her skin was flushed and beads of sweat glistened on her forehead. Her chest rose and fell quickly.
    “You…you should not have run off like that,” she said between breaths. Turning to the detective, she said, “I am Audrey Galloway of County Services.”