The Étoile Polaire Marguerite Van de Weert rummaged feverishly in her handbag, in a hurry to show them something. ‘Haven’t you had the Écho de Givet yet?’ And she handed Anna a newspaper cutting. She had a modest smile on her lips. Anna passed the paper to Maigret. ‘Who gave you the idea?’ ‘It was me, yesterday, by chance.’ It was only a small advertisement. Would the motorcyclist who passed along the Route de Meuse on the evening of 3 January please make himself known. Large reward. Please come to Peeters grocery. ‘I didn’t dare to give my address, but …’ It seemed to Maigret that Anna was looking at her cousin with a hint of impatience as she murmured: ‘It’s an idea. But no one will come.’ And there was Marguerite, waiting so excitedly to be congratulated! ‘Why wouldn’t he come? If a motorbike passed along the quay, there’s no reason why he wouldn’t, since it wasn’t Joseph …’ The doors were open.
