Free The Scent of the Night by Andrea Camilleri Page B

full.'
    'Stop right there!'
    Catarella froze.
    ‘ What have you got there?' the inspector asked. 'Papers you're sposta sign. Fazio just now give 'em to me.'
    'I'm going to count to three, and if you haven't disappeared I'm going to start shooting.'
    Catarella obeyed, walking backwards and moaning in terror. A little vendetta on the part of Fazio, who'd taken offence.
     
    A good half hour passed without any sign of Fazio. Had he moved on to sabotage? ‘F azio!'
     
    He came in, dead serious. ‘ Your orders, sir ’
    'Still haven't got over it? You're really taking it hard,
    eh? ’
    'What am I supposed to be taking so hard?' 'The fact that I didn't let you tell me what you thought about Gargano. It's all right, you can tell me ’ ‘ I don't want to anymore.'
    Was this the Vigata Central Police Station or the Maria Montessori Kindergarten? If he gave him a red shell or a button with three holes would Fazio agree to talk in exchange? Better to get on with things.
    'So, about that licence plate.'
    'I'm unable to reach Inspector Augello, he doesn't even answer his mobile.'
    'Go ahead and look in his files ’ ‘ You authorizing me?' "That's right. Go.'
    'There's no need. I've got it right here, in my pocket.'
    He pulled out a little scrap o f paper and handed it to Montalbano, who refused to take it
    'How'd you find it?'
    'Looking through Augello's files.'
    Montalbano felt like slapping him around. When he put his mind to it, Fazio could give an invertebrate a nervous fit
    'Go back now and look through Augello's files some more. I want to know the exact day when everyone was expecting Gargano to return.'
    'Gargano was supposed to be here by the first of September ’ Fazio said immediately. 'There were dividends to pay. By nine in the morning there were already some twenty people waiting for him.'
    Montalbano realized that during the half hour in which Fazio had disappeared he was engrossed in Augello's papers. The man was a real cop and by now knew everything about the case.
    ‘ Why did they line up like that? Did he pay in cash?'
    ‘ No, Chief. He paid by cheque, wire, credit transfer, and so on. The ones who lined up to wait for him were the old retirees, who got a kick out of receiving their cheques personally from him.'
    'Today's the fifth of October. That means he hasn't been heard from for thirty-five days.'
    'No, Chief. The secretary in Bologna said the last time she'd seen him was on the twenty-eighth of August. On that occasion Gargano told her that the following day — that is, the twenty-ninth — he'd be leaving to come down here. Since there are thirty-one days in August, ragioniere Gargano hasn't been seen for thirty-eight days ’
    The inspector looked at his watch, picked up the phone, and dialled a number.
    'Hello?'
    From her deserted office, Mariastella Cosentino had answered on the first ring, her voice filled with hope. Surely she was dreaming that one day the telephone would ring, and at the other end would be the warm, seductive voice of her beloved boss.
    ‘M ontalbano here ’
    'Oh ’
    The old girl's disappointment took material form, entered the phone line, travelled the distance between them, and crept into the inspector's ear in the form of an annoying itch.
    'I need some information, signorina. What means of transport did Mr Gargano normally use when he came to Vigata?'
    'He would come by car. His own.'
    'Let me rephrase that. Would he drive all the way from Bologna to here?'
    'Certainly not. I always bought his return tickets. He would load the car onto the Palermo-Naples ferry, and I would reserve a single cabin for him.'
    He thanked her, hung up, and looked at Fazio.
    ‘ Here's what I want you to do ’
     
    SEVEN
     
     
     
    As soon as he opened the door to his home, he realized Adelina had found a moment to come and tidy up. Everything was in order, the books dusted, the floor sparkling clean. But the housekeeper wasn't there. On the kitchen table he found a note:
    Mr Inspector, I’