Within a few hours there would be thirty-six arrests. Thirty-six men would be remanded in custody for Mafia-style association, and association for the purpose of trafficking in narcotics and extortion.

And four homicides.

“Four homicides…”

“Three men have turned state’s evidence. One of them is the man who carried out the Gaglione murder.”

“Has he claimed responsibility?”279

“Yes. They’re arresting Amendolagine tomorrow, partly as the instigator of that murder.”

We stood there like that, surrounded by books.

I should have been pleased, instead of which I had a sense of defeat and futility.

“We’ll have to put in a request to reopen the case,” I said slowly.

Tancredi looked at me in surprise. “Hey, this is good news. What’s got into you?”

“It’s true, it’s very good news. I don’t know what’s got into me.”

“Anyway, the request to reopen the case will be made by the prosecutor in the next few days. It’ll be filed as soon as the custody orders have been notified. Along with a request to suspend the sentence. In a couple of weeks maximum, the kid will be out.”

“Have you read the papers?”

“Some. You did a good job.”

“Were we also right about the ways of getting into the building?”

“No. The killer, who did only plan to kneecap Gaglione, came in through the front door, even rang the bell. Obviously Gaglione wasn’t as cautious as all that. Maybe he thought Cardace had come back.”

“I have to call Lorenza.”

“Not now. Wait till tomorrow morning, we don’t want the information to get out. A few hours won’t make any difference.”

He was right. That evening or the next day, it was all the same.

“He did six years in prison,” I said after a while, as if talking to myself.280

“It’s a nasty business, you’re right. But he’s still young, he has time to rebuild his life. Let’s look on the bright side. Why don’t we go and grab a nice bottle of wine? Let’s call Annapaola and tell her to join us and then we can tell her all about it.”

Grabbing a nice bottle of wine was the best plan possible, I said. I was starting to feel better already.

Without even opening the umbrella, we walked out into the rain. In the meantime it had dwindled to a drizzle and made you feel almost cheerful.

281

30

The next day, at eight in the morning, after checking that the first news had appeared about the Flying Squad operation, I phoned Lorenza.

“Guido?”

“Hi, are you busy?”

“I’m at home. I don’t have a lesson until hour 3. What’s happened?”

“Nothing. Well, that’s not true, something has happened, but nothing negative. In fact, it’s very positive.”

“Is it about Iacopo?”

“Yes, there’s good news. If it’s all right with you, I’d like to tell you in person.”