“Now we have to talk about the most important thing. The powder residue that was found on your jacket. I’ve read your statements. You maintained that you went shooting a few days earlier, wearing that jacket. You said you were in a quarry, with a friend, doing target practice. I’d like to know a bit more about that.”

Cardace massaged his shoulder, as if his muscles were aching. It struck me he probably kept up his training, even in prison. His strong, muscular form was in strange contrast to the weakness of his expression. He shifted on his chair and crossed his legs. Tancredi had taught me that this might be a symptom of lying, or of reluctance to speak. I made a note of it. Making notes almost always makes me feel a little ridiculous, as if I were striking a pose, trying to live up to a certain image. But I’ve often reread my notes and got some good ideas from them that hadn’t even occurred to me as I was listening to somebody or reading something.

“Yes. I’d gone shooting with a friend in a quarry. A few days earlier, I don’t know how many days.”76

“That’s what you said in court. Nobody was able to question you because these were statements and you weren’t examined. But if we want to make use of this fact at the appeal hearing we need something more. The ruling says there’s absolutely no possibility of confirming this information, so it’s completely irrelevant. They’re not wrong.”

“I don’t know what else I could say.”

“Well, for example, you could tell me right now who you went shooting with, who the gun belonged to, what kind of gun it was, where this quarry is, and then we’ll decide what use to make of the information.”

I took a deep breath to overcome my irritation. “Who did you go shooting with?”

He looked away, massaged his shoulder again and shook his head. “I don’t want to say. He’s a friend of mine. If I say who he is I’ll get him in trouble.”

“Look, Cardace, let’s clarify a few simple concepts. I’m not the kind of lawyer who wants to know everything about his client’s life. In fact, as far as I’m concerned, the less I know the better. Some things, though, are useful to know if a defence has any chance at all of succeeding. If things stay as they were at the original trial, if we don’t bring in some new evidence that allows us to call seriously into question the narrative that’s at the basis of the ruling, you can be sure they’ll confirm that original verdict. Did you read the ruling?”

“Yes.”