“It’s rare . . . Nobody uses it anymore. There are people who might still use it for veterinary applications, but like I said, it isn’t easy to find it. It’s very complicated. That is, if you think there might be a pack of it in Varallo prison, you’d be wrong. Or in the hospital. Or in this morgue.”

“Understood. Veterinary applications, you said?”

“Yes. But why?”

“Because little by little, your favorite deputy chief is putting together all the pieces of the puzzle. Good luck on poker night.”

Alberto scratched his nether regions.

THE STACK OF PAPER ON HIS DESK HAD GROWN EVEN TALLER. D’Intino and Deruta were carrying out their assignment with Germanic precision. He poured a handful of dog kibble that he kept in the office into Lupa’s bowl, and then glanced over at those endless lists. Hostellerie du Cheval Blanc, HB, Le Pageot, Milleluci. They’d even gone to the Vieux Aosta, his residential hotel. The cretins had underlined his name three times and added an exclamation mark. Who knows what that was supposed to mean. Italo walked in without knocking. “Hey, can I bother you?”

“Come on in.” And he set down the sheets of paper. His favorite officer was gray in the face and had circles under his eyes.

“May I?” Italo asked, pointing to the sofa.

“I have to warn you that that’s Lupa’s sofa. If she jumps on you, don’t blame me.”

The officer sat down, and not three seconds later, the puppy had jumped up next to him, asking to be petted. Italo refused. “Don’t worry, I have much more serious problems.”

“Like what?”

“Caterina . . .” Italo said.

Rocco threw both arms wide. “What’s the matter with you people? Are you taking me for a marriage counselor, too? All right, let’s hear it, what’s the problem?”

Italo sniffed loudly. “The problems, Rocco. Plural. First of all, she doesn’t seem to me to be particularly interested in starting a family. And she doesn’t want me to move in with her.”

“Eminently understandable. Have you taken a look at yourself?”

“Why don’t you take this seriously for once? She says that she needs some space. She doesn’t want me around the house, she likes being on her own. I say she has another man!”

“You don’t understand a thing. You’ve only just begun, you have to give a relationship time to grow, don’t you know that? The two of you are like onionskin paper, you set something down on it that’s a little too heavy and CRACK! The whole thing rips in half.”

“How long?”

“How am I supposed to know, Italo? Wait and see, she’ll ask you when she feels ready.”

“But then what if I’m not ready anymore?”

Rocco burst out laughing. “Italo, you’re never going to find another girl like Caterina. Calm down and get a hold of yourself!”