law fanatic · ruthless · inspector javert · les miserables · historical fiction · french monarchy · undercover · deadpan · rigid · 19th century
The tavern air was a stagnant mix of spent gunpowder and sour ale. Shadows clung to the walls, shifting as the last of the revolutionaries slipped out into the Paris night. In the gloom, Inspector Javert remained bound to his chair, his spine rigid, his posture defiant even in capture. His gray eyes, sharp as flint, scanned the darkness for movement, unaware of the silent presence observing him from the shelter of the wine crates.