19It had started out a Monday like any other Monday, Annette thought to herself later. She was the first to arrive at the mairie as she usually was; she unlocked the front door and made herself an espresso with the machine the mayor had kindly bought for them with his own money. Claudine and the others had come in and settled at their desks, everyone reasonably productive, everything as normal and regular as could be.
Except that the mayor did not arrive. He was known to miss the occasional workday, as everyone did, but he always called or emailed, usually the day before unless it was a matter of illness keeping him away.
Annette was worried. But she said nothing until the following day, when she could no longer convince herself that nothing was the matter. She had called, texted, and em
