Read Online The Golden Egg by Donna Leon - Free Book Online

difficult to believe. Signorina Elettra could certainly find any other indications left to bureaucracy by Cavanella’s passing through this world.
    But where could he find out if Davide had had any friends, and if his mother – if the woman who opened the door was his mother – had baked cakes for him or for him and his friends? He got to his feet and went downstairs to start Signorina Elettra in pursuit of the answers to the first questions.
    Brunetti began by asking her if the presentation the previous day had been interesting.
    Did she sniff? ‘Amateurs,’ she said, then looked up and asked, ‘What is it, Commissario?’
    When he had explained that Cavanella was not registered as resident in the city, though he had lived there for decades, he handed her the list of the information he wanted.
    She studied it for long moments, then set it to the side of her computer, saying, ‘You know you could do this officially.’ He did not understand the reluctance he sensed in her. Usually a chance to make a visit – an unauthorized visit, it must be admitted – to the database of any city office was to invite Signorina Elettra to a few hours at the fairground. ‘Or perhaps Pucetti, or even Vianello, could find all of this for you,’ she said, moving the list slightly to the left.
    â€˜If you’d rather not,’ Brunetti began, giving voice to the unthinkable.
    She placed the very tip of one red-nailed finger at
the centre of the list, smiled up at him, and said, ‘All right, Commissario: I’ll confess.’
    He smiled his readiness.
    â€˜A friend,’ she said, using the masculine form of the noun and thus rousing his interest, ‘is arriving at the airport at two, and I thought I might go out to meet him.’
    â€˜Does he know where you work?’ Brunetti surprised them both by asking.
    She answered almost without thinking. ‘Yes, I thought it best to tell him from the beginning.’
    Interestinger and interestinger, Brunetti thought. The beginning of what? ‘Then perhaps Foa could take you out on the launch.’ Before she could question this, he explained, ‘He can drop you off and wait for you both. I think it’s good that we show the luggage handlers we’re still interested in them.’ The police had failed to stop the theft of property from suitcases for years now, and it was very unlikely that the sight of a police launch moored to the dock would have any effect on their continued depredations , but it was the best excuse he could come up with at such short notice.
    â€˜But they’re over in the main terminal.’
    â€˜The word will pass to them, you can be sure.’
    She smiled. ‘I’d certainly hope so.’
    â€˜Have Foa take you home,’ he added casually, perhaps too casually, for she looked at him and smiled.
    â€˜I’ll have him take me to the Misericordia,’ she began, paused to allow Brunetti to try to remember how close to it she lived, and then added, ‘We can walk from there.’
    Brunetti had long wondered what Signorina Elettra would think of his interest in her private life. It would be too much to say that her behaviour was at times provocative , just as it would be difficult to find a more suitable word to describe it. He had been too obvious in his offer of Foa’s help, but there was no way now for him to retract the offer.
    He picked up the paper. ‘I’ll ask Pucetti to do it through official channels.’ Then, with a smile, he added, ‘The practice will be good for him.’
    â€˜Probably slow him down,’ she said and got to her feet.
    She stopped at the door and said over her shoulder, ‘It won’t be necessary for Foa to take me, Commissario: I’ve got some things to do first, so I’m leaving now.’ She did not explain what those things were, nor why she was leaving to do them four hours before she had to be at the