La patronne or the boss owns the café where the murder first occurs. She is a bystander of the metaphysical affair between Anne and Chauvin, and serves them wine from time to time. She usually serves clients who come from the factory at 6:00 pm from work. When she is not conversing with them, she is knitting a red sweater. This colour sustains the motif of the colour red throughout the novelette. Towards the latter stages of the relationship between Anne and Chauvin, she disapproves of their relationship, but says nothing.