Inspector Pascal Mysteries 1000 #31 Drawn In

INSPECTOR PASCAL MYSTERIES 1000
#31 Drawn In
There's a job to be done and Inspector Pascal wants none of it!
New! Classic-style, short-story mystery-adventure in only 1000 words, for all ages.

INSPECTOR PASCAL MYSTERIES 1000
#31 Drawn In
By T.K. Naliaka, ©2018 All rights reserved
 
   “Come in!”
   They opened the office door.  Standing before the window by an imposing deep brown mahogany desk, an older grey-haired man in a three-piece dark tweed suit turned to look at them.  Both he, neat in a grey suit and crisp white shirt with a copper and blue tie, and the big-broad-shouldered uniformed police sergeant shadowing him stepped inside, “Inspector Oswald?  I received a message to report to you?”
   “You are?”
   “Inspector Pascal.”
   “Ah, yes.”  Apparently not recalling ever encountering him*, Oswald glanced at the typed list of names on a paper on his desk.  He directed Pascal to sit in the chair in front of the desk, then indicated to an attractive brunette woman in a black blazer and black pants standing by him. “This is my deputy, Inspector Draw.”
   Pascal noticed that she didn’t have anywhere near the saucy confidence she had projected when they’d first met**.  She was guardedly watching him, having bluffed her way into that deputy promotion by stepping on Pascal to get what she needed, aware that Pascal might take this opportunity to enlighten Oswald.
   Even though she’d made no effort to offer her hand to him, Pascal smiled with warm cordiality. “I’m completely charmed, Inspector Drew.”
   Her eyes narrowed.  “It’s Draw.”
   Oswald lifted a thick binder and intoned grandiloquently. “The Alexander Park case... we have an opening.”
   Pascal looked at it, then back up at Oswald. “That is a very important and complex investigation.”
   After a long silent pause, Oswald finally set the binder down. “Yes, indeed, it is!”
   Sergeant Braque, standing near the door kept his face bland as he muttered. “It’s the biggest mess in the department, which is saying something.”
   “Inspector Drew…”
   She flushed, “Draw.”
   Pascal touched his hand apologetically to his head. “Of course, pardon me.  Inspector-or-or…”
   She didn’t believe him. “What is it?”
   “I lost my train of thought.”
   Increasingly unimpressed, Inspector Oswald frowned. “You’re correct there; it’s definitely a very demanding case, requiring a high-energy person.”
   Sergeant Braque’s eyes narrowed.
   Inspector Oswald continued. “I was informed that you speak French.”
   Pascal’s gaze went from obliquely considering the tropical leaves design carved into the side of the desk in front of him, back to Oswald. “I… speak French?”
   Braque, struggling to stay out of this conversation, was reduced to inaudible mutterings. “He is French.”
   Sensing a tension developing in the corner, Inspector Oswald looked at Braque. “Sergeant, wait outside.”
   Pascal glanced at Braque without protest.
   Braque nodded curtly, “Yes, sir.”
   As Braque went out and closed the door, Oswald clasped his hands behind his back and rocked on his heels. “As per our inquiries, you are one of three in the department on file as having a level of fluency in the language of French.”
   Pascal cleared his throat and demurred deferentially. “Certainly, it’s nowhere near Inspector Draw’s level of fluency.”
   She glared at him, but quickly had to smile agreeably because Oswald liked it.
   Inspector Oswald lifted a folder.  “On my instructions, Inspector Draw has created an assessment test to rank the three of you for suitability for this case.”
   Pascal looked over at her.  She looked down her nose back at him.  He turned back to Oswald. “Will we be permitted some study time to refresh before sitting for it?”
   Oswald hesitated, “W-well… h-how much time?”
   Pascal appeared thoughtful, “… two weeks?”  He watched Draw with an expectant raised eyebrow so he could see every barely restrained twist of her mouth as Oswald pondered if this was a good idea or not.
   Oswald decided to flex his negotiating skills, “One week; take it or leave it.”
Pascal pensively pressed his fingers together.  He spoke up. “Will we be provided with a study guide?”
   Draw’s jaw started to sag, but she pulled it up hurriedly as Oswald turned to her. “I think Inspector Draw can provide that... yes?”
   She nodded, “Of course, sir.”
   Exuding brightening confidence - that Draw would be working overtime all week - Pascal agreed to the terms. “This sounds very fair; thank you, sir.”
   Needing to finish, Oswald clapped his hands. “That’s it. When can you take the test?”
   Pascal opened his notepad and thumbed consideringly past a few pages before he replied, “Thursday, next week?”  Oswald glanced at Draw who finally nodded, so Pascal clicked his pen and diligently wrote the appointment into his notes, “Very good, sir!”
   “You’re dismissed, Inspector.”
   Pascal rose, then as he opened the door, he turned, “Well! What do the French say…”  He paused and frowned looking for a helpful prompt from Draw, “au-au… re... re…”
   Oswald interjected, “Au revoir!”
   “Of course!”  Pascal smiled as Draw fumed, and closed the door, “Allez tchao!
   “Ciao?” Oswald frowned and glanced at Draw. “Is he Italian?”
 
   “What do you have, sir?”  Braque matched his pace to Pascal’s as they strode to their vehicle.
   “Coincidentally, Senior Inspector Oswald is recruiting a French-speaker…”  Pascal snorted, “Again.”
   “You’re not really considering it, are you?”
    Pascal grimaced, “Under his authority?  No thank you!  I don’t know Oswald enough to determine whether he’s a simple buffoon or corrupt.”
   Braque rolled his eyes. “It could be both.”
   Pascal concurred. “One should never rule out that combination.”
   “What about Inspector Draw?”
   Pascal clicked his tongue dismissively. “She is very unrestrained in what’s she’s willing to do in pursing her foolish ambitions.  What a waste of an otherwise quite attractive woman.”
   “Very good, sir.  Where to now?”
   Pascal glanced at his watch, “The library.”
   “Ah! What are you researching?”
   Pascal grinned slightly. “I have to study for my French exam.”
   Braque halted mid-stride to stare at him.
   Pascal chuckled. “Let’s reserve one of those quiet rooms with a couch.  Inspector Oswald and Inspector Draw are certainly going to verify if I’ve put in the study hours I requested, so if I sign into the library and sign-out two hours later every day this coming week, Oswald will be satisfied, I will have caught up with my sleep and be completely refreshed and prepared to fail the test.”
by T.K. Naliaka for TIPTOPduTOP ©2018 All rights reserved
 * Inspector Pascal Mysteries 1000 #23 Faux ami
** Inspector Pascal Mysteries 1000 #22 Garbled