Chapter 38 Chapter Thirty-Six

Bezu Fache stood outside the State Gallery, furiously listening to the Louvre security guards describe how Sophie and Langdon had snatched his pistol from him.Why don't you shoot that precious oil painting! "Sheriff," Lieutenant Collet trotted over from the direction of the headquarters. "Sheriff, I just got word that they found Officer Neveu's car." "Did she enter the embassy?" "No. Found it at the station. They bought two tickets and the train just left." Fache waved the security guard Gruard to leave, pulled Correll to a nearby corner, and asked in a low voice, "Where is the destination?"

"Lili." "Maybe it's a hoax." Fache sighed, thinking. "Okay, notify the next station, stop and search the train, in case they actually get on the train. Leave their cars where they are, and send plainclothes surveillance in case they come back. Send people to search the train near the station. streets in case they escape on foot. Is there a bus from the station?" "Not at the moment, sir. Only taxis are queuing up." "Okay. Go question the driver and see if they have any leads. Then, get in touch with the cab company's dispatch and explain the situation to them. I'm calling Interpol now."

Collet looked surprised: "Do you want to report this?" Fache, too, regretted the embarrassment it might have caused, but he had no choice. Retracting the net must be fast, and it is important to collect the net. The first hour of the hunt is critical.The behavior of the fugitive within an hour of his escape was predictable.They all have the trinity of "transportation, hotel, cash" needs.Interpol has the ability to bring these to naught in the blink of an eye.They can send photos of Sophie and Langdon to traffic control departments, restaurants, and banks in Paris, laying a net so that they cannot leave the city, have nowhere to hide, and cannot withdraw cash smoothly.Often, terrified fugitives do something silly like steal a car, rob a store or use a bank card out of desperation.Whatever mistakes they make, their whereabouts are exposed to the local police station.

"Only Langdon is wanted, isn't it?" Collet said. "You don't want Sophie Neveu, do you? She's one of us." "Of course she is wanted!" Fache snapped his fingers. "If she can help Langdon do all the bad things, what's the use of wanting Langdon? I'm going to check Neveu's personnel file and find out who she might ask for help." Friends and family. I don't know what she's doing, but what she's doing will cost her more than her job." "Do you want me to answer the phone, or go out?" "Get out. Go to the train station and cooperate with the police. You have the authority to issue orders, but report to me first."

"Yes, sir." Collet ran out. Fache stood in the corner, stiff.Glittering glass pyramids outside the windows are reflected in the breezy water.They slip through my fingers.He told himself to relax. Even a well-trained police officer can hardly withstand the pressure that Interpol is about to exert. A female codebreaker and a teacher? They didn't last until dawn.