“What time does he get off work at the discotheque?”

“Five in the morning.”

“Let’s go get something to eat.”

“I’m going to text Rocco.” And Brizio reached for his cell phone.

“No!” shouted Sebastiano. “This is my job. Not Rocco’s. Leave him out of it.”

“But Seba . . . he said . . .”

“This is the way it’s going,” the big man shouted. “I have to find whoever shot Adele. We only need to tell Rocco about it when it’s all said and done. You feel like a bowl of pasta cacio e pepe?”

“Sure, I guess. Where? Roma Sparita?”

“Why, is there anyplace else knows how to make it?”

“WHAT ARE ALL THESE PAPERS ON MY DESK?” SCHIAVONE shouted as soon as he stepped into the office. Deputy Inspector Caterina Rispoli hurried in from the hallway. “Welcome back . . .”

“What a mess . . . And where’s Lupa?”

“Lupa is at my cousin’s house. She has a garden, so Lupa’s happy there. These papers are from Deruta and D’Intino. They wouldn’t tell me what they’re about, apparently they’re only allowed to report to you.”

“Of course not, the last thing they would do is tell you about it . . . but what is it?” He took the first sheet of paper off the top of the pile. It was a list of the guests in the city’s hotels for the ninth and tenth of May. A lightbulb lit up in the folds of his memory. The two policemen, loyal and conscientious, were tracking down all the hotel guests in Aosta and surrounding areas during the two nights of the murder in the apartment on Rue Piave, the killing of Adele.

“But that’s a huge job!” Caterina said.

“It certainly is. But just think how many days we’ve had them out from underfoot, right?”

Caterina smiled. “Is this work good for anything, though?”

“Absolutely not,” said Rocco, tossing the sheets of paper back on his desktop. “All right, now. Why don’t you update me on the latest developments while we go over to the Berguets’.”

“To the Berguets’? To do what?”

“I have to keep a promise. And if she sees a woman there, too, Chiara might just relax and put her trust in us. Come on! The quicker we get there the sooner we can leave.”