Death and Judgement Read Online Free PDF Page A

can see, is still on the seat opposite where he was sitting ’
    'Mafia?' Brunetti asked, the way one did, the way one had to.
    Patta shrugged. 'He's a lawyer,' he answered, leaving it to Brunetti to infer if this made him more or less likely to merit execution by the Mafia.
    'Wife? ’ Brunetti asked, expressing with the question the fact that he was bom an Italian and a married man.
    'Not likely. She's the Secretary of the Lions' Club,' Patta answered, and Brunetti, caught by the absurdity of his remark, involuntarily guffawed, but when he caught the look Patta shot him, he turned the noise into a cough, which turned into a real cough that left him red faced and teary eyed.
    When he had recovered enough to breathe normally, Brunetti asked, 'Business partners? Anything there ?'
    'I don't know.' Patta tapped a finger on his desk, calling for Brunetti's attention. 'I've been looking over the case-load, and it seems like you're the one who's got the least to do.' One of the things that most endeared Patta to Brunetti was his unfailing felicity of phrase. 'I'd like to assign this case to you, but before I do, I want to be certain that you'll handle it in the proper fashion.'
    This meant, Brunetti was certain, that Patta wanted to be sure he would defer to the social status implied by the secretaryship of the Lions' Club. Because he knew he wouldn't be there if Patta had not already decided to give him the case, Brunetti chose to ignore the admonition implicit in these words and, instead, asked, 'What about the people on the train?'
    His talk with the Mayor must have impressed on Patta that speed was more important here than making a point with Brunetti, for he answered directly, The polizia ferrovia got the names and addresses of all the people who were on the train when it pulled into the station.' Brunetti raised his chin in an inquisitive gesture, and Patta went on, 'One or two of them said they saw people on the train. It's all in the file,' he said, tapping at a manila folder that lay in front of him.
    'What judge has been assigned to this?' Brunetti asked. Once he knew this, Brunetti would know how much he'd have to defer to the Lions' Club.
    'Vantuno,' Patta answered, naming a woman about Brunetti s own age, one with whom he had worked successfully in the past. A Sicilian, as was Patta, Judge Vantuno knew that there were complexities and nuances in the society of Venice that would be forever elusive to her, but she was co nfident enough in the local com missari to give them great liberty in the way they chose to conduct an investigation.
    Brunetti nodded, unwilling to reveal even this minimal satisfaction to Patta.
    'But I'll expect a daily report from you,' Patta went on. 'Trevisan was an important man. I've already had a call from the Mayor's office about it, and I make n o secret that he wants this settl ed as quickly as possible.'
    'Did he have any suggestions?' Brunetti asked.
    Accustomed to impertinence from his inferior, Patta sat back in his chair and peered at Brunetti for a moment before asking, 'About what?', putting sharp emphasis on the second word to imply his disapproval of the question.
    'About anything Trevisan might have been involved in,' Brunetti replied blandly. He was quite serious about this. The fact that a man was mayor did not exclude him from knowledge of the dirty secrets of his friends; in fact, the opposite was more likely to be the case.
    'That is not a question I thought fit to ask the Mayor,' Patta answered
    Then maybe I will,' Brunetti said evenly.
    'Brunetti, don't go stirring up trouble with this.'
    'I think that's already been done,' Brunetti said, dropping the photos back into the file. 'Will there be anything eke, sir?'
    Patta paused a moment-before he answered. 'No, not now.' He pushed the file towards Brunetti. 'You can have this. And don't forget that I want a daily report.' When Brunetti made no acknowledgement of this, Patta added, 'Or give it to Lieutenant Scarpa, ’ and kept