Free Death and Judgement by Donna Leon Page A

find Carlo's murderer.' Her voice was soft, the accent slightly brushed with the swallowed aspirants of Florence.
    She looked around her, as if noticing the room for the first time. 'Why did Ubaldo put you in here?' she asked, then added, turning towards the door, 'Come with me.'
    Brunetti followed her out into the corridor, where she turned right and opened another door. He followed her into a much larger room, this one with three windows that looked back up towards Campo San Mauri zio and which appeared to be an office or a library. She led him towards two deep armchairs and took her place in one, indicating the second with her hand.
    Brunetti sat, started to cross his legs, but realized the chair was too low to make that comfortable. He propped both elbows on the arms of the chair and joined his hands across his stomach.
    'What is it you'd like me to tell you, com missario?' Signora Trevisan asked.
    'I'd like you to tell me if, during the last few weeks, months perhaps, your husband seemed in any way uncomfortable or nervous or if his behaviour had changed in any way that seemed peculiar to you.'
    She waited to see if there was anything else to the question, and when there seemed not to be, she paused for a moment, considering. Finally, she answered, 'No, I can't think of anything. Carlo was always very much caught up in his work. What with the political changes of the last few years, the opening up of new markets, he's been especially busy. But, no, during the last few months he hasn't been nervous in any special way, not more than his work would normally warrant'
    'Did he ever speak to you about any case he was working on, or perhaps a client, which gave him particular trouble or caused him undue concern?'
    'No, not really'
    Brunetti waited.
    'He had one new client,' she finally said. 'A Dane who was trying to open an import business — cheese and butter, I think - who found himself caught up in the new EC regulations. Carlo was trying to find a way for him to transport his products through France, rather than through Germany. Or perhaps it was the other way. He was very busy with this, but I can't say that he was upset about it.'
    'And at work? What were his relations with his employees like? Peaceful? Friendly?'
    She joined her hands together in her lap and looked down at them. 'I think so. He certainly never mentioned having trouble with any of his staff ’ . If he had, I'm sure he would have told me.'
    'Is it true that the firm was entirely his, that the other lawyers were all salaried employees?'
    'Excuse me?' she asked, giving him a puzzled glance. 'I'm afraid I don't understand the question.'
    'Did your husband share the proceeds of his law practice with the other lawyers or did they work for him, as salaried employees? ’
    She looked up from her hands and glanced across at Brunetti. 'I'm afraid I can't answer that question,
    Dottor Brunetti. I know almost nothing about Carlo's business. You'd have to speak to his accountant'
    ‘ And who is that signora?'
    'Ubaldo. ’
    ‘Y our brother?'
    'Yes.'
    'I see,' Brunetti replied. After a short pause, he continued, 'I'd like to ask you some questions about your personal life, signora.'
    'Our personal life?' she repeated, as though she had never heard of such a thing. When he didn't answer this, she nodded, signalling him to begin.
    'Could you tell me how long you and your husband were married?'
    'Nineteen years. ’
    'How many children do you have, signora? ’ 'Two. Claudio is seventeen, and Francesca is fifteen.' 'Are they in school in Venice, signora? ’ 'She looked up at him sharply when he asked this. 'Why do you want to know that?'
    'My own daughter, Chiara, is fourteen, so perhaps they know one another, ’ he answered and smiled to show what an innocent question it had been.
    'Claudio is in school in Switzerland, but Francesca is here. With us. I mean, ’ she corrected, rubbing a hand across her forehead, 'with me. ’
    'Would you say yours was a happy