Maigret Sets A Trap Page #3

it's such a blur.

I know.

What's that?

Oh, yes.

Is this from his jacket?

Yes, sir.

A statement will be issued

to the Press in good time.

Thank you.

Marthe, was he tall?

No taller than me.

Aged...20? 30?

He was young.

Young will mean something different

to you than it does to me, Marthe.

I'd say...30.

He was a gentleman.

And he had a ring on his finger.

Wedding ring? Signet ring?

He put his hand over my mouth.

A signet ring would be thick

with a flat top.

It was a wedding ring.

Let's find you a quiet office.

I want you to take your time

and I want you to write down

everything that happened.

Yes, Chief.

Before the attack,

I saw you with someone else.

He's my boyfriend, sir.

We were instructed

to act naturally and...

..as it was past the time

the killer normally attacks,

I thought I'd try something.

If the killer saw you kissing a man

and then go off alone,

you thought it would provoke him?

Yes, sir.

Did I do wrong?

No.

Janvier, could you find her

a quiet desk where she could write

her report?

Thank you.

This way.

Is this all you've got?

Is it possible to know

where it was made, Moers?

Everything's possible, Maigret.

You can build a picture of the

universe by looking at the smallest

thing. You know that.

Hmm.

It looks ordinary enough,

but it's actually

a very good quality button.

Not the kind used

for mass-produced suits.

This cloth interests me.

There's a light blue thread

woven through,

which gives it a special character.

I'd swear that it's not French

but from England.

The man you're looking for

is a man of taste.

What are you doing here?

Has Maigret's prisoner escaped?

Nobody's escaped.

Will you go back, please?

The killer's attacked in Montmartre

again, hasn't he?

Did Maigret release his prisoner?

A young woman was assaulted but she

got off with a fright.

Nobody's been released and nobody

escaped. What was her name?

That's of no importance.

Why? Was she married? Had she no

business being where she was?

You put policewomen on the street

last night as bait?

I had no idea that was

what you were thinking.

They volunteered for duty. Well,

of course they'd volunteer for you.

I've got to go.

Minister.

How far up was this authorised at

the Quai des Orfevres?

Maigret will tell you that he took

this action independently.

But you knew.

Yes.

I've given my opinion to the

procureur that we need another

detective on this investigation.

Minister, he had to try and lure

the killer into making a mistake.

And what mistake was made last

night? What evidence did Maigret

get? Does he have a description?

I advise you, replace him, Cameliau.

Unless you want the calls to grow

for you to be replaced?

Maigret?

Chief, the button manufacturer

is called Mullerbach.

Now Mullerbach tells us he sells

them directly to the tailors.

and he sold this model to about 40,

some in Lyon and Caen and elsewhere,

but only 28 in Paris.

Let's get to all of them today.

Yes, sir.

I'll send you some men.

Where are you?

A cafe, corner of Rue Michel

Bavioine. But that's not all, sir.

We've had a bit of luck

with that English cloth.

I'll cut it short but Janvier

found out from the manufacturer

they've had only ten orders

from Paris for the cloth

with the blue thread.

We'll take five each and get round

them all this morning. Good.

Chief.

Good.

I'm recalling Chief Inspector Lefors

from the murder inquiry in Bordeaux.

You will hand over all aspects

of the investigation to him.

Sorry, Maigret.

When will he get here?

Tomorrow morning.

That way.

Yes, sir.

What can I do for you, Inspector?

Do you recognise this cloth?

Sure.

Why? Do you want a suit?

No, I'd like the name of a customer

for whom you made one. Sure.

Moncin. Thank you.

Marcel Moncin.

Moncin?

What can you tell me about him?

He's a nice young man.

Bought clothes from me for years.

There you are.

How young?

About 30.

Got a nice wife.

She always comes with him,

helps him to choose.

Do you have an address?

Sure. Let me see.

Yeah, he's in the Boulevard

Saint-Germain. What number?

Thank you.

Chief...

Right. So far we have identified

three suits.

This is the only client which

corresponds with Marthe's

description.

Are you armed?

Sir.

And you're sure he's inside?

Well, I've been watching for 20

minutes and nobody's come in or out.

I spoke to the concierge

and she says they're in.

Monsieur.

Is Monsieur Moncin at home?

May we see him, please?

I'll go and ask Madame.

What is it, Odile?

Two gentlemen want to speak

to Monsieur Moncin.

What do you want?

Is your husband here?

Yes, but he's asleep.

I must ask you to wake him.

May I ask who...?

Police Judiciaire.

I suppose he got home

late last night?

What do you mean?

Well, does he usually sleep

until after 11?

Yes. He...likes to work

in the evenings.

Through the night sometimes.

He's an...artist.

He went out last night?

Not that I know of.

If you wait in the drawing room,

I will wake him.

I'm sorry to keep you waiting,

gentlemen.

Whoo!

I've been, er...

..well, I've been working very hard

just lately...

..on the interior decoration

of a grand house

that my friend is building

on the Normandy coast.

Well, I apologise for disturbing you

but I would like to see the suit

you were wearing yesterday.

Yes, yes, of course.

Excuse me.

Well, here we are.

You wore this yesterday evening?

Yes, until just after dinner, when

I changed into what I'm wearing now

before I started work.

You didn't go out

after eight o'clock?

No, no. I stayed in my office until

about, ooh, er...er...

..half past three in the morning,

maybe four o'clock.

May I see your whole wardrobe?

Yes, yes.

Last autumn, your tailor made you

a suit in this material.

Do you remember it?

Hmm, yes, I do. Yes.

Where is it?

Someone standing at a bus platform

burnt the lapel with a cigarette.

So...you're having it mended?

Oh, no, no, I hate anything

that's damaged, no matter what.

You threw the suit away?

Oh, no, I gave it away.

I took it out with me one evening

when I was walking by the Seine,

as is my habit,

and I gave it to a tramp.

When?

Oh, er, about a week ago.

Be precise, please.

A week.

Could you call your maid, please?

Yes. Odile?

Come here a minute.

Please answer the Inspector's

questions.

Do you sleep in the apartment?

No. I'm on the sixth floor.

With all the other servants

of the house, sir.

Was it late when you went up

last night?

It was...nine o'clock.

And where was this gentleman?

In his study.

How long ago is it since you saw

his dark grey suit

with the blue thread through it?

The fact is, I don't look after

his clothes.

He's very...particular.

He presses them himself?

Yes.

Have you ever heard talk

while waiting at table

or at any other time of a burn

in the lapel of that suit?

No.

I don't listen

to their conversations.

Thank you.

Thank you, Odile.

I must ask you to get dressed

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