Andrea Camilleri - The Voice of the Violin

'Right you are. And thetiming fits, because they didn't notify Dr Pasquano until four hours afterMaurizio's death.'

'How do you know that? OK,sorry.'

'Do you know who's incharge of the depository?'

'Yes, and you know him,too: Nene Lofaro. He worked here with us for a while.'

'Lofaro? If I remember himcorrectly, he's not the kind of person to whom you can say, "Give me thekey, I need a hand grenade.'"

'We'll have to look intohow it was done.' 'You go to Montelusa, Mimi. I can't, since I'm under fire.'

'All right. Oh, Salvo,could I have the day off tomorrow?'

'You got some whore on yourhands?' 'Not a whore, a lady friend.'

'But can't you spend theevening with her, after you've finished here?'

'She said she's leavingtomorrow afternoon.'

'A foreigner, eh? All right, good luck. But first youhave to unravel this story of the hand grenade.',

'Not to worry. I'll go toMontelusa today, after I eat.'

He felt like spending alittle time with Anna, but once over the bridge, he shot past and went straighthome.

In his letter box he founda large brown envelope that the postman had folded in two to make it fit. Therewas no return address. Feeling hungry, Montalbano opened the fridge: babyoctopus alla luciana and a very simple fresh tomato sauce.Apparently Adelina hadn't had the time or the desire to make more. Whilewaiting for the spaghetti water to boil, he opened the envelope. Inside was acolour catalogue for 'Eroservice', featuring pornographic videos for everysingle, or singular, taste. He tore it in half and tossed it into the rubbishbin. He ate and went into the bathroom, then came racing out, trousersunzipped, like a character in a silent film. How had he not thought of itsooner? Had it taken the porno catalogue? He looked up a number in theMontelusa phone book.

'Hello, Mr Guttadauro?Inspector Montalbano here. Were you eating? Yes? I'm so sorry'

'What can I do for you,Inspector?'

'A friend of mine, talkingof this and that -- you know how these things happen -- mentioned to me that youhave an excellent collection of videos of yourself hunting'

A very long pause.Apparently the lawyer's brain was in high gear.

Yes, it's true'

Would you be willing toshow me a few?'

I'm very particular, youknow, about my possessions. But we could make an arrangement,'

'That's what I was hopingyou'd say.'

They said goodbye as ifthey were the greatest of friends. It was clear what had taken place.Guttadauro's friends -- there had to be more than one -- happen to witness thekilling of Maurizio. When they see a policeman racing away in a squad car,they realize Panzacchi has hatched a plan for saving his face and career. Oneof the friends then runs and equips himself with a video camera. And he returnsin time to tape the scene of the policemen pressing the dead man's fingerprintsonto the hand grenade. Guttadauro's friends now have a grenade of their own,though different in nature, and they have sent the lawyer into the field Anasty, dangerous situation, which Montalbano absolutely had to find a way outof.

'Mr Di Blasi? InspectorMontalbano here. I need to speak to you immediately.' 'Why?'

'Because I have seriousdoubts about your son's guilt.'

'He's already gone.'

'Yes, of course, sir. Buthis memory.'

'Do what you want.'

Utter resignation. Abreathing, talking corpse. 'I'll be at your place in half an hour at thelatest.'

He was astonished to seeAnna open the door for him. 'Talk in a low voice. The signora is finallyresting.' 'What are you doing here?'

It was you who got meinvolved. I haven't had the heart to leave her alone since.'

'What do you mean, alone?Hasn't anyone called for a nurse?'

'Of course. But she wantsme. Now come inside.'

The living room was evendarker than the time the inspector was shown in by Mrs Di Blasi. He felt hisheart sink when he saw Aurelio Di Blasi lying crosswise on the armchair. Theman's eyes were closed, but he'd sensed the inspector's presence, and he spokeout.

'What do you want?' heasked with that terrible' dead voice.

Montalbano explained whathe wanted. He spoke for half an hour straight and little by little saw theengineer sit up, prick up his ears, look at him and listen with interest. Herealized he was winning him over.

'Does the Flying Squad havethe keys to your villa?'

'Yes,' Mr Di Blasi said ina different, stronger voice. 'But I had a third pair made some time ago.Maurizio kept them in his bedside table. I'll go and fetch them.'

He was unable to get upfrom the armchair. Montalbano had to help him.

He blew into headquarterslike a gunshot.

'Fazio, Gallo andGiallombardo, come with me.'

'Are we taking the squadcar?'

'No, we'll go in mine. Is Mimiback?'

He wasn't back. They leftin a hurry. Fazio had never seen him drive so fast. He got worried, not havinga lot of faith in Montalbano's driving abilities.

'Want me to drive?' askedGallo, who was apparently harbouring the same concerns as Fazio.

'Don't bust my balls. We havevery little time.'

It took him about twentyminutes to drive from Vigata to Raffadali. Once outside the town, he turned ontoa country road. Mr Di Blasi had carefully explained to him how to get to thehouse. They all recognized it easily, having seen it repeatedly on television.

"Now, I've got thekeys' said Montalbano. "We're going to go inside and do a thorough search. We've still got a few hours of daylight left, and we musttake advantage of it. We have to find what we're looking for before it getsdark, because we can't turn on any lights. We don't want anyone seeing thelights on from outside. Is that clear?'

'Perfectly dear' saidFazio. 'But what are we looking for?'

The inspector told them,then added, 'I hope I'm wrong, I really do'

"But we'll leavefingerprints' said Giallombardo, worried. "We didn't bring gloves'

'We don't give a fuck.'

Unfortunately, the inspectorhadn't been wrong. After they'd been searching for an hour, he heard Gallo callhim triumphantly from the kitchen. They all came running. Gallo was steppingdown from a chair, a leather ammunition box in his hand.

It was on top of thiscupboard.'

The inspector opened it:inside was a hand grenade exactly like the one he'd seen in the crime lab, anda pistol that looked like the kind once issued to German officers.

'Where were you guys?What's in that case?' asked Mimi, curious as a cat

'And what have you got totell me?'

'Lofaro's on sick leave fora month. He was replaced fifteen days ago by somebody named Culicchia.'

'I know him well,' saidGiallombardo.

'What's he like?'

'He's not the type wholikes to sit behind a desk keeping records. He'd sell his soul to go back inthe field. He wants to make a career of it'

'He's already sold hissoul,' said Montalbano.

'So, what's in there?' Mimiasked, increasingly curious.

'Chocolate, Mimi. Nowlisten, all of you. When does Culicchia go off duty? Eight o'clock,right?'

'That's right' Fazioconfirmed.

'When Culicchia leavesMontelusa Central, I want you, Fazio, and you, Giallombardo, to persuade him toget into my car. Don't explain anything to him. Keep him guessing. As soon ashe's sitting down between you two, show him the ammunition box. Of course, he'snever seen it before, so he's going to ask you what this whole charade isabout'

'Come on, can't somebodytell me what's in there?' Mimi asked again, but nobody answered.

'How come he won'trecognize it?'

The question came fromGallo. The inspector gave him a dirty look.

Haven't you guys got anybrains in your head? Maurizio Di Blasi was retarded, but he was a decentperson, and he certainly didn't have any friends who could provide him withweapons at the drop of a hat. The only place he could have found the grenadewas at his country house. But they need proof that he took it from there. SoPanzacchi, who's a slyboots, orders one of his men to go to Montelusa to gettwo grenades and one wartime pistol. One of these he'll claim Was in Maurizio's hand, the other he hangs on to,together with the pistol, until he can come up with an ammo box. Then he sneaksback into the Raffadali house and hides the whole kit and caboodle in the firstplace where somebody would look for it.'