Death Brings Gold. Nicola Rocca

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СКАЧАТЬ I don’t know how,” she replied, sobbing.

      Walker remained silent, wondering if he hadn’t made a mistake in summoning the woman too soon after her husband’s death. Would it have been better to have let some days go by?

      â€œMrs Pilenga,” he regained her attention, also by putting a light pressure on her hands. “Maybe it’s better if you go back home. You need to rest. Relax, let yourself go with all the tears you need. We’ll be in touch again in a couple of days. So if in the meantime you remember anything that can be useful to us, let me know.”

      Martina nodded, taking a tissue out of her handbag.

      â€œMaybe it’s better, yes,” she confirmed.

      Walker offered her one last smile and stood still waiting for her to slip her hands from his.

      â€œHave a good day,” said the woman, looking at the two men, first at one, then at the other.

      â€œSee you soon,” and “Have a good day too,” answered Walker and Zambetti in unison.

      Martina Pilenga stood up from the chair and, walking slowly and sadly, left.

      The two men found themselves alone together again.

      â€œShe seemed worn out,” ventured Zambetti.

      â€œWell, even if it was true that she was unfaithful to him, he was still her husband,” suggested Walker.

      â€œI wonder why she didn’t admit to the extramarital affair.”

      â€œWell, it’s obvious. We didn’t ask her explicitly and she didn’t say it. It’s normal, isn’t it? Who’s that woman who loves to shout it from the rooftops that she is having an affair? I tried to bring up the topic, but she avoided it.”

      â€œTo be honest, you’re right, Chief Inspector,” Zambetti tried flattering him. “Although…”

      Walker turned his head sharply towards him.

      â€œAlthough?”

      Zambetti tapped his fingertips on the edge of the computer.

      â€œI don’t know why, but I kind of have the impression that she’s hiding something from us.”

      CHAPTER 10

      After a lunch break, David Walker returned to his office. He saw straight away that the file on Ghezzi’s murder was on his desk. Bassani had notified him that the autopsy appraisal had been written. He had sent a copy to him and one to Fini.

      David sat on the old armchair, in front of the envelope. He lit a cigarette and opened it. He made a copy of the appraisal and summoned Bassani.

      â€œWell, detective,” said the Inspector, as soon as the other crossed the threshold. “I saw you brought me more fuel for the fire. Let’s get started.”

      He handed him a copy of the document.

      â€œRead it and make notes of the most important parts. I’ll do the same. Then we’ll compare them.”

      Bassani’s face took on a bemused and incredulous expression. It was obvious that he had never worked that way before. Detective Caslini also looked shocked the first time. But afterwards Walker’s words had put him at ease.

      Four eyes see better than two, and two heads think better than one…

      When Walker repeated the same motto to Bassani, he replied with a pleased smile.

      Then, neither of them needing to add anything else, they started reading Dr Visconti’s report.

      After less than an hour, they had finished. Both men had highlighted the cause of death: cardiorespiratory arrest. Moreover, Visconti in his report talked about ligature strangulation with undetermined object. The doctor assumed it was a strip of fabric, or something similar. Some marks with a small regular square texture had been found on the victim’s neck.

      Moreover, there was another element that caught their attention. In the victim’s mouth, Visconti had identified an unusual removal of the layer of the skin in the sublingual sulcus. And around this tear, which was irregular in shape and as big as a corn kernel, traces of methyl cyanoacrylate had been found.

      The two men stood there in silence for a long time. Without knowing, they were formulating the same thoughts.

      The only noise, that for a moment disturbed the quietness of their room, was coming from Walker’s lighter. A hiss and the cigarette came to life.

      The Inspector stood there staring at the empty space, thinking about the information he had just read, as if in that way he could absorb them completely. One question, though, formed in his mind. And he was convinced that the same doubt was gripping detective Bassani.

      Neither of them could pull an answer out of a magic hat.

      When Walker noticed that his Marlboro had burnt itself out, he squashed what was left of it in the ashtray. Finally he let his fingertips slip onto the computer keyboard. His hands typed the name of the weird chemical compound and a link appeared. When the answer appeared on the screen, he turned towards Bassani.

      â€œWhat was that man doing with traces of glue under his tongue?”

      CHAPTER 11

      The man cursed in hatred against the gaming machine. It was the third time in a row that it had given him one short of a Royal Flush. It was as if it was making fun of him, giving him the illusion of a win that would never come. But he knew these stupid devices well. They would spin, spin and spin. They would deceive ,deceive and deceive. And, after teasing one for so long with the promise of a prize without delivering, the eventual super jackpot would be served on a silver platter. And Caio Merli knew that moment was close, it was only a matter of investing some more banknotes.

      He took his wallet from the back pocket of his jeans. He opened it and with disappointment found he only had a tenner. In that moment he realised the money-hungry bitch machine had already sucked from him a hundred and forty Euros. He pulled the banknote out and flattened it with his hands, trying to make it more appetising for the poker machine’s mouth. Next, he put it near the slot, which was flashing as if to signal that it was waiting for the note.

      The jaws of the machine swallowed the note, which was also Caio Merli’s last chance to break the bank. The sound of the paper being quickly sucked in, followed by the polyphonic jingle of the machine, was the signal the credit had been accepted.

      Now, Caio was ready to play; it was all or nothing.

      He kept the button pushed until the bet reached the maximum amount allowed. In doing so, he would only have two hands to play.

      He hit the red button with his fingertips and the card symbols began spinning vigorously. Then, on the second turn, they started to slow down, stopping on a combination that came to nothing.

      â€œFuck!” СКАЧАТЬ