A Florentine Death Read Online Free PDF

to have a field day.'
    'I'm surprised I haven't had them under my feet already'
    The Commissioner winked. 'A good turn from a devoted admirer of yours. As soon as I heard about the murder, I got all the journalists out of the press room and gave them an impromptu briefing on the measures we're taking to avoid or limit disorder in the stadium on Sunday. They couldn't resist.'
    'Thank you, though I don't think it'll help much. The TV people have already arrived, which means the papers won't be far behind.'
    As I expected. But even a few minutes' head start can help, don't you think? If we can forestall them before they start spreading scare stories as they usually do . . .'
    'It depends how long we take to get on the right track and bring the culprit to justice. My own feeling is that it's going to take a while.'
    'I assume you'll be handling this personally?'
    'Not exactly. I'd like to put Superintendent Rizzo in charge of the investigation. He's a good detective, he could do with the space.'
    The Commissioner seemed slightly put out. Ferrara preferred not to think that he was someone else who'd have liked to see him working on something other than the Monster of Florence case for the moment.
    'Of course, of course. I know Superintendent Rizzo. But his experience . . . Well, anyway, I'd be really grateful if you gave this case your special attention. You know as well as I do that when something like this happens, the police need to act quickly and efficiently, or people start to feel scared. Apart from anything else, the publicity is bad for the tourist trade, and Greve is only fifteen miles from here, practically part of Florence.'
    'Don't worry, Commissioner. I stand by my men and I've never shirked my responsibilities. The case will be pursued with due diligence and Rizzo will have my full backing. I'll keep you updated myself.'
    'Thank you. I have every confidence in you.'
     
     
     
    6 p.m.: Chief Superintendent Ferrara's office
     
     
    There was a knock at the door, and Rizzo, just back from the morgue, came in.
    'Sit down, Francesco.'
    'Thank you, chief.'
    Ferrara no longer found it strange that, although he had been calling Rizzo by his first name since early in their relationship, Rizzo, with a traditional respect for rank and seniority, continued to address him formally. Of medium height and solid, even stocky build, a down-to-earth man of few words, Francesco Rizzo was the personification of a reliable policeman and a regular guy.
    'Anything interesting?'
    A few things,' he said, sitting down on one of the two small black armchairs in front of the big wooden desk and taking out a packet of cigarettes. Then, remembering that Ferrara, although not expressly forbidding it, didn't like the stench of cigarettes to clash with the smell of his cigar, put it back in his pocket.
    He appeared visibly tired. His face was drawn, and his dark, prematurely greying hair slightly ruffled.
    He checked in his notebook. 'The most important thing is that they were able to pinpoint the time of death very precisely: between 1.15 and 1.45. Definitely not before or after, most likely the twenty minutes between 1.20 and 1.40. From an examination of the wounds, it's clear that death was almost instantaneous, and was caused by the first or second wound to the back. They were the two deepest wounds. The weapon used was a knife with a blade about four and a half inches long.'
    'How many times was he stabbed?'
    'A lot. Thirty-six, and almost all of them, as I said, after he was already dead and lying on his side on the ground.'
    'What do we know about the direction of the blows?'
    'The first blows were struck with great force in a downward direction and from right to left, in rapid succession, which indicates that the killer is right-handed and must be as tall as, or taller than, the victim. The other blows, more cuts than blows, were inflicted from right to left, from left to right and in a downward direction.'
    'Well, that's