Her life is a series of frozen images, a spool of film that has snapped in the projector--it is impossible for her to rewind, to refashion her story, to find new words. The next time she has dinner here, she might stay a little later, and he might be waiting for her outside when she leaves--who knows? Alex knows. Alex knows all too well how these things go. It's always the same story. Her fleeting encounters with men never become love stories; this is a part of the film she's seen many times, a part she remembers. That's just the way it is. It is completely dark now and the night is warm. A bus has just pulled up. She quickens her step, the driver sees her in the rearview mirror and waits. She runs for the bus but, just as she's about to get on, changes her mind, decides to walk a little way. She signals to the driver, who gives a regretful shrug, as if to say Oh well, such is life . He opens the bus door anyway. "There won't be another bus after me. I'm the last one tonight . . ." Alex smiles, thanks him with a wave. It doesn't matter. She'll walk the rest of the way. She'll take the rue Falguière and then the rue Labrouste. She's been living near the Porte de Vanves for three months now. She moves around a lot. Before this, she lived near Porte de Clignancourt and before that on the rue du Commerce. Most people hate moving, but for Alex it's a need. She loves it. Maybe because, as with the wigs, it feels like she's changing her life. It's a recurring theme. One day she'll change her life. A little way in front of her, a white van pulls onto the pavement to park. To get past, Alex has to squeeze between the van and the building. She senses a presence, a man; she has no time to turn. A fist slams between her shoulder blades, leaving her breathless. She loses her balance, topples forward, her forehead banging violently against the van with a dull clang; she drops everything she's carrying, her hands flailing desperately to find something to catch hold of--they find nothing. Excerpted from Alex by Pierre Lemaitre All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.