Read Online Adam's Rib by Antonio Manzini - Free Book Online Page A

nine-millimeter round,” Rocco felt like saying to him, but he said nothing.
    â€œEsther always was unlucky,” Patrizio said, looking at the floor and stroking the bed as if his wife were lying on it, fast asleep. “She always had bellyaches. You know what I used to call her? Estherichia coli ,” and he started chuckling under his breath. “ Estherichia coli instead of Escherichia coli . . . but all she needed was a massage and she’d get over it. It was a nervous disorder, if you ask me.” He dried his tears. Then he looked up at Rocco. “I’m a believer, Commissario, but I swear to you that right now I just couldn’t say. Where was God when someone was killing my wife? Can you tell me where God was?”
    There was probably no question that Rocco Schiavone was less suited to answer.
    â€œPlease, take me to my mother’s place. I just can’t take this anymore . . . I can’t take it anymore.”
    THE DEPUTY POLICE CHIEF HAD BEEN SITTING IN THE district attorney’s waiting room for more than half an hour,looking at the wood grain on Judge Baldi’s door. Funny how he managed to see different shapes in it every time.
    On that chilly March day, what popped out of the grain was a dolphin and a rose, though the rose actually looked more like an artichoke than a rose. But if he looked at it the other way around, it became an elephant with just one ear. The door swung open and the imaginary wood-grain fresco disappeared, replaced by Judge Baldi’s face. “Well hello there, Schiavone! Have you been waiting long?”
    Rocco stood up and shook hands.
    â€œCome in, have a seat.”
    Standing next to the bookshelf, a young man in jacket and tie was gathering a series of enormous file folders full of documents. “Let me introduce you to Judge Messina. Aldo, this is Deputy Police Chief Schiavone, who’s been working with us for just a few months but has already solved one case brilliantly. Am I right?”
    Judge Messina was obliged to set down his armful of folders so he could shake hands with Rocco. “I’ve heard a lot about you,” he said, with unmistakable emphasis.
    â€œAnd you still shake my hand?”
    Messina smiled. “I wouldn’t refuse to shake anyone’s hand. If you’ll excuse me.” He gathered up his folders again and left the room. The first thing that Rocco Schiavone noticed was that the photograph of the judge’s wife was now gone from the desktop. The last time he’d seen it, the picture had been lying facedown. Now he felt certain it was tucked away in one of the desk drawers. That’s always a bad sign.The magistrate’s marriage was on its way out. The eve of the final breakup. Baldi swept his blond bangs out of his eyes with a quick flick of the hand and sat down at his desk. “Now then, what news do you have for me about what happened on Via Brocherel?”
    â€œIt was a murder. I’m sure of it. Esther Baudo—that’s the victim’s name—was beaten and then strangled. The hanging seems to me to have been staged. Plus, the room where we found the corpse was dark, with the shutters down. But when I walked in and I turned on the light, there was a short circuit. Which means that the woman hanged herself in the dark . . .”
    â€œOr else, after she hanged herself, someone lowered the blinds. Right?”
    â€œExactly.”
    â€œSo what’s your theory?”
    â€œI don’t have one, Dottore. I’m still just sniffing around.”
    Baldi stretched both arms in the air. “And do you like what you smell?”
    â€œSmells like shit, as usual.”
    â€œThe husband?”
    â€œHe’s a sales representative, works in athletic equipment. Clean record, no run-ins with the law, a traffic ticket or two. But something was stolen.”
    The judge nodded, thoughtfully. “Burglars caught in the act who then decided to stage the whole