A Noble Radiance by Donna Leon Read Free Book Online Page B

the Lorenzonis. Not yet, at any rate.
    'Yes’ the Count
answered. They open inward. There's a call box on the wall, and all a visitor
has to do is push the bell and then announce himself. The gates can be opened
from the house.'
    'Or from the outside
if you have the code’ Brunetti added. "That's what his girlfriend tried to
do, but the gates wouldn't open.'
    'The Valloni girl,
wasn't it?' the Count asked.
    The name was familiar
from the report 'Yes. Francesca.'
    'A pretty girl. We
went to her wedding.'
    'Wedding?' Brunetti
asked. 'How long ago was that?'
    'A little more than a
year ago. She married that Salviati boy. Enrico, Fulvio's son; the one who
likes speedboats’
    Brunetti grunted in
acknowledgement of a vague memory he had of the boy. 'Did you know Roberto?'
    'I met him a few
times. I didn't think very much of him’
    Brunetti wondered if
it was the Count's social position that allowed him to speak ill of the dead,
or the fact that the boy had been gone for two years, my not?'
    'Because he had all
the pride of his father and none of his talent.'
    'What sort of talent
does Count Ludovico have?'
    He heard a noise from
the other end of the phone, as though a door had closed, and then the Count
said, 'Excuse me a moment, Guido’ A few seconds passed, after which he returned
to the phone and said, I'm sorry, Guido, but a fax has just come in, and I'm
afraid I have to make some calls while my agent in Mexico City is still in the
office’
    Brunetti wasn't sure,
but he thought Mexico City was about half a day behind them. Isn't it the
middle of the night there?'
    'Yes. He's paid to be
there, and I want to get him before he leaves.'
    'Oh, I see’ Brunetti
said. 'When may I call you again?'
    The Count's answer
came quickly. 'Is there any chance we could meet for lunch, Guido? There are
some things I've been wanting to talk to you about. Perhaps we could do both.'
    'Gladly. When?'
    'Today. Is that too
soon?'
    'No, not at all. I’ll
call Paola and tell her. Would you like her to come?'
    'No,' the Count said,
almost sharply, and then added, 'Some of the things I want to discuss concern
her, so I'd prefer she not be there’
    Confused, Brunetti
said only, 'All right. Where shall we meet?' expecting the Count to name one of
the famous restaurants in the city.
    'There's a place over
near Campo del Ghetto. The daughter of a friend of mine and her husband run it,
and the food's very good. If it’s not too far for you, we could meet there’
    'Fine. What's it
called?'
    'La Bussola. It's
just off San Leonardo, heading towards Campo del Ghetto Nuovo. One o'clock?'
    'That'll be fine. I'll
see you there. At one’ Brunetti hung up and pulled the phonebook back towards
him. He flipped through it until he came to the 'S's. He found a number of
Salviatis, but only one Enrico, listed as a 'consulente', a
term that always amused Brunetti as much as it confused him.
    The phone rang six
times before a woman's voice, already annoyed at the caller, answered, 'Pronto’
    'Signora Salviati?'
Brunetti asked.
    The woman was
panting, as though she'd run to answer the phone. 'Yes, what is it?'
    'Signora Salviati,
this is Commissario Guido Brunetti. I'd like to ask you a few questions about
the Lorenzoni kidnapping’ From beyond her, he heard the high wailing of a
baby's scream, that genetically pitched howl no human can ignore.
    He heard the phone
slam down on a hard surface, thought he heard her tell him to wait, and then
all sound was swallowed up in the wail, which rose up to a sudden squeal and,
as suddenly as it had started, stopped.
    She was back at the
phone again. ‘I told you everything about that years ago. I don't even remember
it very clearly now. So much time has passed, so much has happened.'
    'I realize that,
Signora, but it would be a great help to us if you could spare me a little
time. I guarantee it wouldn't take long at all’
    'Then why can't we do
it on the phone?'
    'I'd prefer to do it
in person, Signora. I'm afraid I don't