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Authors: Diana Bretherick
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enthusiastically.
‘Chicken organs and offal.’
James stopped chewing momentarily. Then, as the taste and the texture of the food had its effect, he grinned and continued to eat with relish. Lombroso slapped him on the back with such enthusiasm that his face almost ended up in his meal. ‘Good man, good man! And the wine, you must try some. It’s Barolo from Paolo’s cousin who has a small vineyard outside the city.’
Ottolenghi poured the wine into the glasses. It was soft and ruby red. Finally James began to relax a little but he still wondered why Lombroso had chosen this particular location even though the food was so good. Surely there were more refined places with similar culinary standards. Lombroso seemed to have an uncanny knack of knowing what he was thinking.
‘We are here as scientists, to observe,’ he murmured quietly. ‘Watch, you may learn something.’
Ottolenghi grinned and nodded towards the other tables encouragingly. James gave him a sceptical look and then noticed Lombroso frowning. ‘Murray does not yet understand. Ottolenghi, tell us who we have here.’
‘Over there are two ricettatori or “fences”, as I think you would say in English,’ Ottolenghi said, pointing at the two men arguing over watches. ‘Their trade is in stolen goods.’ James nodded. He had seen their like in some of the inns he had frequented as a student and the Italian version did not seem to differ much from their Scottish counterparts.
‘The men in the middle are a band of robbers. They originated in Sicily but have come here for richer pickings,’ Ottolenghi went on.
Lombroso nodded. ‘Look at their faces, Murray, and tell me what you see.’
James opened his mouth, about to speak, but Lombroso lifted a restraining hand. ‘Take your time. These things cannot be rushed.’
James observed the subjects carefully as he ate. This was an opportunity to make an impression and he did not want to squander it. Eventually he spoke. ‘The fences have facial hair, but it’s quite scanty and they look rather shifty. They both have quite sharp features.’
Lombroso nodded enthusiastically. ‘Anything else?’
‘Yes, they are both thin with rounded shoulders.’
‘Capital, Murray, capital! You are a natural anthropologist! And what of our friends on the centre table?’
‘They have thick, dark hair. Two of them have prominent ears and the one on the left looks like a monkey!’ declared James. He was so caught up in his description that he failed to notice that he had been overheard. The men looked at them hard with threat in their eyes.
‘Time to go, I think,’ said Ottolenghi briskly. With that he threw some money on the table, took up his hat and made his way towards the door. Lombroso followed behind him but James found his path of exit blocked by the man he had just compared to a monkey. The man leaned towards him and grimaced as if he was about to hit him. James did not want to get into an unseemly brawl in front of Lombroso but for a minute it seemed almost unavoidable. He began to square up to his foe but Paolo saw what was happening and he approached the man and whispered something in his ear. The supposed villain stood aside, a smile of mockery on his swarthy face, and James sidestepped him and made for the door. One of the men rose as if to follow but Ottolenghi casually went over to him and slipped some notes into his hand. He nodded appreciatively and sat down again. As they left and made their way outside, the men’s loud laughter followed them along the passage.
They walked towards the river at a brisk pace. As Lombroso put it, pursuit was unlikely but with the volatile mind of the criminal one can never be sure. He was smiling as he said this, so James was not sure how seriously to take the threat but thought it safer to accept it at face value.
When they arrived at the river bank Lombroso suggested that they could now afford to slow down a little and they strolled along it in a
‘Chicken organs and offal.’
James stopped chewing momentarily. Then, as the taste and the texture of the food had its effect, he grinned and continued to eat with relish. Lombroso slapped him on the back with such enthusiasm that his face almost ended up in his meal. ‘Good man, good man! And the wine, you must try some. It’s Barolo from Paolo’s cousin who has a small vineyard outside the city.’
Ottolenghi poured the wine into the glasses. It was soft and ruby red. Finally James began to relax a little but he still wondered why Lombroso had chosen this particular location even though the food was so good. Surely there were more refined places with similar culinary standards. Lombroso seemed to have an uncanny knack of knowing what he was thinking.
‘We are here as scientists, to observe,’ he murmured quietly. ‘Watch, you may learn something.’
Ottolenghi grinned and nodded towards the other tables encouragingly. James gave him a sceptical look and then noticed Lombroso frowning. ‘Murray does not yet understand. Ottolenghi, tell us who we have here.’
‘Over there are two ricettatori or “fences”, as I think you would say in English,’ Ottolenghi said, pointing at the two men arguing over watches. ‘Their trade is in stolen goods.’ James nodded. He had seen their like in some of the inns he had frequented as a student and the Italian version did not seem to differ much from their Scottish counterparts.
‘The men in the middle are a band of robbers. They originated in Sicily but have come here for richer pickings,’ Ottolenghi went on.
Lombroso nodded. ‘Look at their faces, Murray, and tell me what you see.’
James opened his mouth, about to speak, but Lombroso lifted a restraining hand. ‘Take your time. These things cannot be rushed.’
James observed the subjects carefully as he ate. This was an opportunity to make an impression and he did not want to squander it. Eventually he spoke. ‘The fences have facial hair, but it’s quite scanty and they look rather shifty. They both have quite sharp features.’
Lombroso nodded enthusiastically. ‘Anything else?’
‘Yes, they are both thin with rounded shoulders.’
‘Capital, Murray, capital! You are a natural anthropologist! And what of our friends on the centre table?’
‘They have thick, dark hair. Two of them have prominent ears and the one on the left looks like a monkey!’ declared James. He was so caught up in his description that he failed to notice that he had been overheard. The men looked at them hard with threat in their eyes.
‘Time to go, I think,’ said Ottolenghi briskly. With that he threw some money on the table, took up his hat and made his way towards the door. Lombroso followed behind him but James found his path of exit blocked by the man he had just compared to a monkey. The man leaned towards him and grimaced as if he was about to hit him. James did not want to get into an unseemly brawl in front of Lombroso but for a minute it seemed almost unavoidable. He began to square up to his foe but Paolo saw what was happening and he approached the man and whispered something in his ear. The supposed villain stood aside, a smile of mockery on his swarthy face, and James sidestepped him and made for the door. One of the men rose as if to follow but Ottolenghi casually went over to him and slipped some notes into his hand. He nodded appreciatively and sat down again. As they left and made their way outside, the men’s loud laughter followed them along the passage.
They walked towards the river at a brisk pace. As Lombroso put it, pursuit was unlikely but with the volatile mind of the criminal one can never be sure. He was smiling as he said this, so James was not sure how seriously to take the threat but thought it safer to accept it at face value.
When they arrived at the river bank Lombroso suggested that they could now afford to slow down a little and they strolled along it in a
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