Slay Ride

By Ian Honeysett and Peter Stevens

It’s 20th December 1791, the third year of the French Revolution, and the Inspector-General of Crime in Paris, Rouget Maison, is on the most important mission of his life - to prevent a war his arch-enemy, the ‘True Patriot’, is determined to foment. But it's fraught with danger. As his coach nears the Belgian border, he realises there is a large price on his head and that one of his five fellow passengers might well be an assassin. But, if so, which one (or more) is it? There’s the rotund, scowling banker, Hercules Oliver. The dapper tailor, Robert Christophe. The charming widow, Margaret Valois. Shy, young Isabelle Rochet who is due to marry on Christmas day. And the extremely talkative furniture-maker and author, Bertrand Des Rosch.
Slay Ride - a free Bastille Mysteries short story.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Ian Honeysett
• Release date: Oct 19, 2020
• ISBN: 9781005265267

Ian Honeysett

I’m Ian Honeysett and I write historical crime fiction with an old college friend, Pete Stevens, with whom I wrote a number of comedy reviews when we were students at the Kent College for the Careers Service. Pete tells me we agreed that, when we retired, we would write books together. And that is what we have done. We share a love of history and murder (purely theoretical of course). Together we have written 4 historical novels set during the French Revolution and I’ve written a free novella (The Odd Fellow). I am also part of Godalming Writers' Group, based in my home-town of Godalming (Surrey, England) which has produced 2 books of short stories: Godalming Tales 1 & 2.I am married to Jan. We have 3 children and live in Godalming, Surrey. My interests include travelling (well, I am retired), running quizzes, military history, parish work, editing a newsletter for laryngectomees, painting and playing the ukulele.

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SLAY

RIDE

A Free Bastille Mysteries story

PETER STEVENS

& IAN HONEYSETT

SLAY RIDE

Copyright (c) 2020

Peter Stevens & Ian Honeysett

All Rights Reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other non-commercial uses permitted by copyright law.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

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‘IT’S FREEZING!’ INSPECTOR-General of Crime in Paris, Rouget Maison, says to himself as the coach slowly nears the border with the Austrian Netherlands. ‘I just hope I’ve brought enough warm clothing.’ It is 20th December 1791 and he is definitely feeling the chill in his bones. ‘I’m 38 in two months’ time,’ he reflects. ‘I’m getting old.’

His thoughts are a mixture of apprehension and anticipation. Apprehension because of the task the new Paris Mayor, Jérôme de Villeneuve, has given him. It is to bring back to France from Vienna the man who calls himself ‘the True Patriot’, an implacable enemy of the Revolution and everything it stands for. The one responsible for so much crime and bloodshed in Paris over the last two and a half years. And probably long before that.

He has no doubts about the size of the challenge. Success would be immensely satisfying not to mention career-enhancing. He also has a major personal score to settle. But is he the right man for the task? He’s not so sure. Perhaps he and the ‘Patriot’ know each other just too well. It wasn’t that long ago that Rouget regarded him as one of his closest friends. Most of those who know Rouget would see him as a very confident and successful policeman in tune with the Revolution. All this is true – when he’s busy solving crimes. But this job is rather different. His adversary is an extremely clever, wealthy, determined and quite ruthless individual. Rouget has a feeling that he may well have met his match. On the other hand, he cannot think of anyone else in the Paris Police with a better chance of success.

There is a hidden agenda too to this mission – to try to head-off a possible war with Austria. Or at least ensure the Habsburg monarchy doesn’t benefit from the ‘True Patriot’s’ considerable financial and other resources.

He is also fully aware of the risks he faces. If his adversary knows about his mission – and his extensive intelligence network means that is quite likely – then there is a strong possibility that there is a price on his head. A very high price.

But there’s another reason why he is keen to reach Vienna. A certain lady is waiting for him: Claudette, sister of Jean-Claude Renoir, the famous castrato singer. Rouget knows that the two of them are in Vienna for the New