The Paris Time Capsule Read Online Free PDF Page B

hundreds of photographs yesterday. She could show them to her boss. Not that he would care, but, still, technically …
    “ I’ll talk to you soon.”
    “ Oh, Christian, that’s so great.”
    He hung up. Cat took a deep breath, and then put her key in the lock.
    “ Madame!” Cat jumped at the sound of a woman’s voice. She turned, to see a woman who was hardly half Cat’s own height standing across the hallway. The woman was eyeing Cat up and down very fast. “Vous entrez la?” Was she going in there?
    “ Oh! Oui, oui. Pardon, my French is not good …”
    “ Non, non, non, non, non!” The woman, who wore a maroon skirt and coordinated blouse, eyed Cat again. In a quick second, she seemed to change her mind. Now, there appeared to be something approaching approval passing across her face. “Americaine?”
    “ Er, oui.”
    “ Vell.” With great care, the woman shut the apartment door across the wide hallway and came out into the corridor. “You ’ave a key for this one, non?”
    “ Yes!”
    The woman folded her arms. “Zer has been no-one in zis apartment since I live here.”
    “ The woman who owned it was very old. She was possibly ill, so …”
    “ But no-one, in ze building, know who own this apartment.”
    “ No-one knew Madame de Florian? How long have you lived here, Madame?”
    “ I’ve been here these twelve years,” the woman announced. “Never, have I seen a person enter zis apartment.”
    Maybe Isabelle de Florian had been unwell for that period of time. It had hardly been appropriate to ask Loic about the state of his grandmother’s health. After all, she had been ninety-one when she died. So if she hadn’t visited for twelve years then that was hardly unreasonable. The question was why hadn’t Isabelle changed her will, and why hadn’t she told her grandson about the apartment? Why hadn’t it been left to her family? None of it made sense.
    The woman in front of her folded her arms. “I see now. You Americaine, so you never come to Paris. Keep it locked.” She shook her head. “So, ze apartment is yours?”
    Cat chewed on her lip. “For now.”
    The woman looked beady.
    “Nice to meet you, I’m Cat Jordan.” Cat held out a hand.
    The woman didn’t move an inch.
    “Sandrine.” No last name.
    “ So …”
    “ Your apartment will be full of mice!”
    “ Oh!”
    “ Oui.”
    Cat tu rned around.
    Loic stepped out of the lift.
    Sandrine clapped her eyes on him and didn’t take them off. “Zis is your 'usband? Chic alors!”
    “ No.”
    But to Cat’s complete surprise, Loic threw an arm around her shoulders.
    “ You know, this is a special time for us. We’ll catch up with you, Madame. Soon. Thanks for dropping by.” He put on a perfect American accent.
    Sandrine seemed to consider this. “You vill knock on my door if you need me.” She was simpering up at Loic.
    “ We will.” Loic was firm.
    “ Thank you!” Cat trilled. Her voice sounded tinny and high.
    Loic took his arm away from Cat’s shoulder. Sandrine melted back through her own front door.
    “ Ready?” Loic asked.
    Cat looked up at him. “I understand if you aren’t.”
    “ It just got to me. That’s all.”
    “ Yes …”
    “ So.”
    She put the key in the lock, but it would not turn an inch.
    “ Let me have a try.”
    “ Sandrine says it’s a long time since it’s been used. Twelve years apparently.”
    “ I can turn the key, Cat, but the door is jammed shut.” Loic leaned his entire body weight into the door but it was stuck fast. After several attempts he stopped and leaned against the wall.
    Cat pushed at it again. “Makes you wonder whether it’s been even longer than twelve years.”
    “ I’m hoping it’s not since 1940.”
    Cat looked at him for a moment, but he was studying the door. Suddenly she threw her own body weight against it. Her shoulder seared. The door did not budge.
    “ Martial Arts, Cat?”
    “ Years of living on my own and getting by.” Cat felt her face