Death Brings Gold. Nicola Rocca

Чтение книги онлайн.

СКАЧАТЬ nodded, her bright eyes revealed her happiness.

      ***

      The man looked around, sitting on the ruined fabric of the couch that he had found at a dump. He was moving his eyes from one side to the other of the lounge, the biggest room of his two-room flat.

      His… What a nonsense! It was owned by the council. He felt ashamed for even thinking that only immigrants and old lonely people would live in one of these council houses. Immigrants, old people and himself, Giuliano Giuliani.

      If he hadn’t been caught, maybe he would have become the leader of a criminal gang, a really big one. With a lot of dough. After all, hadn’t he got away with it when, during a job someone had died?

      You don’t make history with “ifs”, you don’t make anything with “ifs”, he admitted to himself.

      But, if… here he goes again. Well, who cares. If his life had been different, maybe he could have even had a family. A beautiful wife and a couple of brats around the house. He should have quit dealing earlier. Had he got out once he’d made his money, he could’ve thought about starting a family.

      Instead he was all alone. And certainly he would remain like this for the rest of his awful life. Besides, which woman, even one of the really desperate ones, would want to have a relationship with an incomplete man?

      That question made him look down at his arm that no longer had a hand, and down at his leg that was without a foot.

      He sighed.

      Then he cursed out loud.

      ***

      Romeo went to the entrance door and locked it. The newsagent’s was officially closed. His working day was over.

      â€œI bet you’ve never heard such a bizarre name before,” he said to the client. “That guy was called Giuliano Giuliani…”

      â€œLike an old goalkeeper from Udinese Football Club, I think.”

      â€œAh, I didn’t know that. Well, if so, then I’ve lost my bet.”

      They chuckled, like friends.

      Then, the newsagent regained his train of thought.

      â€œGoing back to Giuliani… those were the times when if a client wanted to buy a copy of La Gazzetta Magazine with the special supplement, he’d come to me. I was the only one who could supply that.”

      â€œSpecial supplement?” the client asked, with a perplexed expression that was a pleasure to watch.

      â€œYes, back then, when someone wanted to smoke some good weed he’d come to me to buy his copy of la Gazzetta dello Sport. I’d insert it among the pages of the newspaper. I had the best Mary Jane in all Milan. At least, that’s what I thought. I didn’t know that on the other side of the city – in Quarto Oggiaro – there was a Giuliano Giuliani who had it as good as mine. And in industrial quantities.”

      Romeo paused, noticing that the interest in the eyes of his anonymous client was growing. People may have said these were not the kinds of things you’d discuss with anyone, but at this stage he had nothing left to hide. He’d made his mistakes and had paid for his errors. That life belonged to his past. But it would always be his life and he could recount it to anyone he wanted to, any time he felt like it.

      â€œI met him in jail,” he continued. “We got caught within days of each other. And we ended up in the same prison. He was a really tough guy. With a knack for business, you know what I mean? For a certain type of business. But in jail he wasn’t popular with the other inmates. One night, he was raped by four of them. Someone joked about it saying that they made his arsehole as big as the window of Milan Cathedral.”

      The newsagent stopped, proud of the laughter he elicited in the client.

      Then, Romeo’s voice became serious again.

      â€œHe had probably mentioned names that he should have kept secret. And jail, as everyone knows is like a big community. Inside everyone knows everything about everyone. To survive you should see and hear as little as possible. You need to plug up your mouth and your ears … to avoid having your arsehole plugged by someone else.”

      He granted himself a satisfied little laugh, that his new friend echoed immediately.

      â€œI remember that we became very close” he continued, “even though outside we had been rivals. He made me a proposition to do business together, once we were out of jail.”

      â€œAnd did you start a.. farm business?” the client said ironically.

      â€œAh, that’s a good one! No, I called it quits with everything. I mean, I continued selling newspapers, but without special supplements.”

      Another pause. And another laugh.

      â€œAnd what about the guy? What happened to him?” asked the client.

      He was really interested, thought Romeo. Good, an enjoyable night.

      â€œI believe Giuliano carried on with his dealings. After a couple of years he even ended up on the front page.”

      â€œOn the front page?”

      â€œYes, he had been assaulted by a group of unknown individuals, according to the journalist’s report. They assaulted him in the middle of the night and beat him to a pulp.”

      â€œDid they kill him?”

      â€œNo, for God’s sake! He has a thick skin!” stated Romeo, enthusiastically. Then, getting darker, he continued. “But they ruined him. Apparently they cut off his hand, or his foot. Now I can’t remember exactly. The point is, after jail I have never seen him again. Maybe it’s better. Otherwise now I too could have also be without one of these” he concluded merrily, showing his hands.

      ***

      It was just a matter of seconds. The mixed race young man’s silhouette materialised on the stairs.

      â€œYou must be the new arrival, right?” Beatrice was quicker than her friend.

      The young man answered with a smile.

      â€œYou’ll like living here,” Luigia continued. “ it’s a safe place.”

      They waited until he reached the landing area, then Beatrice started talking again, without letting up.

      â€œLet us give you some advice.” She was saying this in a low voice, almost whispering. “Because here even walls have ears.”

      The young man looked perplexed.

      â€œIf you need anything, do not hesitate to ask,” Luigia added. “Anything.”

      The СКАЧАТЬ