Alain Boulanger And The Basque Conspirators: France Crime Thriller

By Henry Rohmer

Alain Boulanger And The Basque Conspirators: France Crime Thriller

by Henry Rohmer

 

For his latest case, Parisian private detective Alain Boulanger goes to the Basque country to bring back home Mikel Otxoa, the son of a rich Parisian with Basque roots. The father suspects that his son wants to join ETA.

No sooner is Boulanger there and takes up the search for the boy than he is arrested by the local police, because he is believed to be a leading figure in ETA ...

• Language: English
• Publisher: BEKKERpublishing
• Release date: Mar 27, 2023
• ISBN: 9798215978818

Book preview

1

Paris, in 1991...

Alain Boulanger, the well-known Parisian private detective, stood at the window and looked out into the bright blue sky above the Champ de Mars park. His hands were in his trouser pockets. He raised his broad, muscular shoulders and took a deep breath before turning back to the man who had taken a seat in his office on the 7th floor of Rue Saint-Dominique.

The man was clearly overweight, and his three-piece suit was surely an expensive custom-made one. His hair was blond, but had a strong tinge of red. And looking at his name, it was clear that he must have Basque ancestors.

His name was Danel Otxoa and he had made more money in real estate than he would ever be able to spend in his life. Many problems could be ironed out with money, but the matter that was on Danel Otxoa's mind at the moment was not one of them. Money alone would not make a difference.

It would be good if you would tell me slowly and clearly what you want me to do for you, Monsieur Otxoa, Alain Boulanger said as he took a cigarette and put it in his mouth. He offered Otxoa one too, but he didn't want it. Alain took the first puff, blew out the smoke, and then added, You ask me question after question, but you don't come out with your thing. I wonder what this is all about.

Otxoa made a helpless gesture. A tense smile crossed his swollen face.

Excuse me, Mr. Boulanger! It was not my intention at all to waste your time. But let it be a comfort to you: Time is money to both of us, but my time is at least twice as expensive as yours! Even if your agency is doing as well as I hear!

Alain grinned.

One hears correctly. Nevertheless! The best thing to do is just tell me what your concern is, and I'll tell you if there's anything I can do for you!

He shrugged his shoulders.

All right, he muttered. Why not, actually? Maybe you can prevent the worst from happening. He looked frankly at Alain. I am the son of a poor Basque, Monsieur Boulanger.

Her name suggests something like that.

When my father came here, he was as poor as a church mouse. Two years later he was dead. He was working in construction. A steel beam killed him. I was fifteen at the time. It was a hard time for my mother, younger siblings - and for me. I want you to know that so you can better understand what happened. I look like a Frenchman, and that's what my passport says. I don't even have an accent anymore that could give me away - at most my name. But I have always remained Basque at heart. The ties have never been broken.

Alain frowned.

I understand, he mumbled, but in truth he still didn't understand what Otxoa was getting at.

Do you know what the ETA is? he asked.

The Euskadi ta Askatasuna? An underground organization that, through its terrorist attacks, seeks to have the Spanish withdraw from the Basque Country and for the Basque Country to become independent.

Part of the Basque Country is French, noted Mr. Otxoa.

But the bombs usually explode on the Spanish side.

That's right.

Exactly!

You express that very unkindly, Monsieur Boulanger. But never mind! It's about my son Mikel. He's gone into hiding, and I suspect he's gone to Bilbao to join ETA there. Danel Otxoa swallowed, and a slight blush now covered his face. You can guess what that could mean. 

Alain raised his eyebrows.

What are you afraid of?

He could be put behind bars for long years. He could possibly even become a murderer and ruin his life. Besides, he's still completely green behind the ears.

How old is he?

Nineteen. He dropped out of college. He exhaled audibly. He dropped out of everything, actually. A real loser, even though everything was chewed up for him. He didn't grow up the way I did. He didn't want for anything. Only the best was good enough for him. All he had to do was grab it. I want him to take over what I built one day, but when I think of what will happen if I close my eyes one day, I see black.

And what makes you think he might have gone to the Basque Country?

Otxoa fixed Alain with his gaze, as if he wanted to weigh for a moment whether to tell the private detective or not.

We talked about it, he then said rather meekly. We often talked about what is happening today in Bilbao or Mondragón. About the injustice, about the civil war. And now ... He didn't speak further, so Alain finished for him, Now the boy has flown to Bilbao to prove he's a whole guy, too.

Otxoa nodded.

Yeah, something like that. Anyway, I suppose so.

I have no great sympathy for ETA, Alain Boulanger openly declared. Blowing up innocent people with car bombs is anything but a heroic act in my eyes!

It's about freedom!

I don't care what it's about, Mr. Otxoa. It remains abominable in any case.

Now I only care about Mikel! For his life, Monsieur Boulanger! For the life of my son!

Alain nodded and came a little closer to Otxoa. The private detective half sat down on the desk.

It is well known that ETA gets a considerable part of its capital from French Basques. Out of certain romantic feelings that you also seem to share!

I'm not going to say anything about that, Mr. Boulanger.

Could it be that some of the bombs that go off over on the other side of the Pyrenees and elsewhere were perhaps paid for by your money? Alain didn't expect his counterpart to answer at all, but instead continued, But now that it's about your own son, you're suddenly getting cold feet.

If you were in my position, you wouldn't feel any different!

It's possible.

Boulanger, you are my last hope. Get Mikel back! I'll give you a blank check if you do this for me.

What if he doesn't want to go back at all? What do you want me to do? Kidnap him?

Otxoa shrugged his shoulders.

Do what you can, Boulanger! And if he still can't be dissuaded from his ideas, then at least I've tried everything. You could save Mikel's life with it.

Yes, thought Alain. And maybe not only the life of this spoiled millionaire scion driven by an inferiority complex!

What if he didn't fly to Bilbao at all? asked Alain.

Why else would he go into hiding? No, I think he's in Bilbao or trying to get there. He has withdrawn money from the account I set up for him. And at one point he also talked very specifically about the need to do something. Do you understand, Boulanger?

I don't know.

Fighting with gun in hand to liberate the Basque Country!

I hope you're wrong and we pick him up here somewhere.

I hope so, too. He took a deep breath. Then he said, Oh, yes, there is something else, Monsieur Boulanger. I found it among his things. He reached into the inside pocket of his suit jacket and laid a thick, rather battered brochure on the table. It's a directory of all the private boarding houses in the Basque Country.

Alain took the notebook and leafed through it. It was still no proof that Mikel had really set out on the journey to Bilbao. In fact, it spoke rather against it, because why would he leave this booklet behind in that case?

Then Alain stumbled.

Some pages are torn out,