I'm catching up with Jacques Forêt…

… today. I'd planned to meet Jacques in Place Urbain V right in the heart of the city of Mende.  But it's snowing today, so I'm on my way to his office…

AW Jacques hello, lovely to see you again.
JF   Take a seat and thanks for inviting me on to your blog.

AW So, Jacques, you've got a new case, and we would like to hear more about it.
JF  It's perplexing, and it is trying my patience.  I find one answer and then another piece of evidence turns up, and I have just as many questions as I had before.
AW  Not an easy case to solve then, Jacques?
JF   And without a body, it is very hard to know if a crime has really been committed or not. But there is malicious intent.  Of that, I am certain.
AW  Is that how Investigating Magistrate Pelletier sees it too?
JF   Not really.  Bruno is keeping an open mind.  But, like me, he is constantly asking himself what the actual intent might be.  What we found in the trees on Mont Mimat was most unusual, and that scene in the forest was created by a person or persons unknown.  But I can't work out why.  Both Didier and I have our theories, which keep changing as we discover more about—
AW   Ah, no spoilers please Jacques.
JF   Yes, of course. I'm sorry.
AW  And how is your business shaping up Jacques?  You're now JF Associates I believe.
JF   Yes, that's right and we're doing very well, thank you.  We're getting a lot of security work.  With the tightening up of the investigations of robberies on the Mediterranean coast and more convictions, the gangs that have plagued the south coast have moved north.  They are now striking wealthy properties in and around cities such as Le Puy, Mende, St Étienne, which is good for us.  People are very aware of the problem and are coming to us for advice and protection.
AW  I see and can you tell me if you're working for someone famous?  Someone we might know?
JF    If I could tell you, I wouldn't, anyway.  My client list is entirely confidential.
AW I guess I kind of knew that was what you would say.  And what about your team, Jacques?  Are they all well?

JF   Yes, everyone is well thank you.  Maxim's wife, Amélie is back with us for three days a week and she takes care of a lot of the admin for the office as a whole.  Didier and I still handle the investigation work.  We've also got Thibault Clergue, an ex-colleague from the gendarmerie, helping us out with the security work too.

AW  What about the village of Messandrierre?
JF    Things are changing.  The satellite gendarmerie there has closed now and there are some new people in the village.  But Gaston and Marianne are still at the restaurant and Monsieur Mancelle is still the Maire.  We still get plenty of walkers coming to the village and, of course hunting parties when the season starts.  Some things are the same.
AW  That's good to know.  I don't want to keep you from your work for too long.  So, I'll leave you and best of luck with the case...
 
You can read more about Jacques' next case Here  Here and Here
 
You can pre-order the book on Amazon