Free Reasonable Doubts by Gianrico Carofiglio Page A

very useful. This was the way an investigator had to proceed, it seemed to me. In fact I had no idea what I was doing and was basically just imitating what detectives did in crime movies.
    In the end I gave up. But I told her to think about it later and, if she remembered anything, even that famous apparently insignificant detail, to call me.
    As I said this, I had a sudden feeling of pointlessness. Mixed with shame. This investigation of mine was a farce. I wouldn’t find out anything. I was just trying to impress Natsu. I was unfairly deluding her and her bastard of a husband.
    I told myself I should finish with this nonsense as soon as possible. I would wait to see what Colaianni told me about Macrì and what Tancredi came up with on the subject of the passenger list and then, since it was highly unlikely anything would come of it, I would talk to Paolicelli and tell him that unfortunately we had no choice but to plea-bargain.
    I would say that I realized how difficult it was to agree to something like that, if you think you’re innocent - if you are innocent - but unfortunately we had to be realistic. With no evidence in our favour, nothing that could be used to introduce a degree of reasonable doubt, it would be madness to give up on plea-bargaining and go ahead with an appeal. We had to limit the damage.
    I stood up, and after a moment’s hesitation she stood up, too.
    “You told me you’d like to try my cooking.”
    “I’m sorry?”

    “There’s an exhibition opening tomorrow night.” She took a small card made from rough white paper out of her handbag. “There’s a reception and I’m taking care of the buffet. Japanese food with a few variants of my own creation.”
    She handed me the card.
    “This is an invitation for two. You can bring your girlfriend if you like, or whoever. The reception starts at nine o’clock. I think it could be fun. It’s in a garage that’s been converted into an exhibition space.”
    I thanked her and looked at the card. I had never heard of either the artist - nothing unusual about that - or the address. And that was a little more unusual, as it was in Bari.
    I told her I had a previous engagement, but I’d see if I could get out of it because I’d really like to go.
    Of course I didn’t have any previous engagement. I’d only said that to make myself look good. Don’t worry about me, I have a wild social life. I’m not a loser who spends his evenings in the office studying files, or in a gym taking punches, or alone at the cinema, trying not to think about his girlfriend who left him.
    A stab of pain. A photographic negative of Margherita. Dissolve.
    Now Natsu really had to go. She walked a little faster to the door, as if she felt embarrassed and wanted to leave in order to get rid of that embarrassment.
    We shook hands, and I opened the door for her. The little girl was sitting on Maria Teresa’s lap at the computer, which was emitting strange gurgling and splashing sounds.
    The girl asked when she could come back and play Bubbles and Splashes again. Maria Teresa told her she could come back whenever she liked, and the girl kissed her, jumped up
and went to her mummy. On the way out, she even waved goodbye to me.
    “Beautiful little girl, isn’t she?” I said when they had gone.
    “Beautiful?” Maria Teresa replied. “She’s amazing.”
    “Yes, she’s very beautiful,” I said, as I went back into my room, lost in thought.
    I went and sat down, and stayed there for at least five minutes, without doing or saying anything.
    When I came to my senses, I got out the street map to look for that address.

13
    In front of the entrance stood a man who looked like a bodybuilder. He was wearing a dark suit, and had a microphone and earpiece. He asked me if I was alone. No, I’m with the invisible woman. And from the intelligent look on your face, I assume you’re Ben Grimm.
    I didn’t say that, but I did go right up to him - wondering who’d emerge the winner if