He turned his face up to hers and cleared his throat.  “That leads to something I have to talk about, tante.  I told Pa that I’ve made my decision to go to Florida and now he’s is worried about me being in danger down there.  He doesn’t think I should go.”  Paul’s hands were clasped tightly on the table and Margaret put her hand over his and kept it there.

 “When I told you about Suzanne and the painting, I didn’t tell you everything.  I didn’t talk about my suspicions.” He hesitated, a muscle in his jaw twitching, “I have reason to think my friend, Suzanne, may have been involved in the theft and I have to find her to know the truth.”

“Does your Papa know about these suspicions?”

“No, tante. You are the only person who knows Suzanne exists!  Not my sister, not Pa. No one else knows about her, and I want to keep it that way.”

“Mon Dieu!  Not tell your family?”

“Not now, no.  Pa is stressed out as it is and there’s no need to involve anyone else in my personal life.”

Margaret narrowed her eyes. “ But you are involving me. There must be more about this woman than you’ve told me.  Maybe she was votre amoureux, your sweetheart, eh?”

Paul closed his eyes , pinching his lips closed.

   “She left you … you were robbed, so maybe you blame her, eh, and you seek revenge?"

“No, Tante.  It’s not like that. 

   “When you seek revenge you dig two graves.  One for yourself, Jacques Paul.”