Maigret at Picratt's

Through the half-open door, Dr. Pasquier could be seen putting his overcoat back on and replacing his instruments in his bag. On the white goatskin rug at the foot of the untouched bed, a body was stretched out: black satin dress, chalk white arm, auburn hair.

What's most moving is always an absurd detail and, in this case, what caused Maigret's a momentary stab of anguish was, next to a foot still in its high heel, a foot out of its shoe, the toes visible through a silk stocking which was covered with flecks of mud and had a ladder starting at the heel and going up over the knee.