Death and Judgement by Donna Leon Read Free Book Online Page B

'Apparentl y so. ’ 'And this time?'
    'She told her mother that she had very bad cramps again and wanted to see me. I've been her doctor for about s even years, since she was a littl e girl.'
    'Why did the mother come with her?'
    She looked down into her empty coffee cup as she answered, 'Signora Trevisan has always been overly protective of her. When Francesca was smaller, her mother would call me if she had the least sign of fever. Some winters, she'd call me at least twice a month and ask me to go to the house to see her.'
    'Did you?'
    'In the beginning - I was new in my practice — I did, but then I gradually learned who would call only when they were really very sick and who would call ... well, who would call for less than that.'
    'Did Signora Trevisan call you for her own illnesses?'
    'No, never. She'd come to the office.'
    'For what?'
    "That doesn't seem relevant to me, commissario, ’ she said, surprising him by the use of his tide. He left it. 'What were the girl's answers to the other questions? ’ 'She said that her partner did not use prophylactics. He said it would interfere with their pleasure.' She gave a crooked grimace, as if displeased to hear herself repeating such a self-serving cliche.
    "Partner", singular?'
    'Yes, she said there was only one.'
    'Did she tell you who he was?'
    'I didn't ask. It's none of my business.'
    'Did you believe her? That there was only one?'
    'I saw no reason not to. As I told you, I've known her since she was a child. It seemed, from what I know of her, that she was telling me the truth.'
    'And the magazine her mother threw at you?' Brunetti asked.
    She glanced across at him, clearly surprised. 'Ah, my sister, when she tells a story, she tells it all, doesn't she?' But there seemed to be no real anger in her voice, only the grudging admiration that a lifetime with Elettra, Brunetti was sure, would command.
    'That came later,' she began. 'When we came out of the examining room, Signora Trevisan demanded to know what was wrong with Franceses. I said it was a minor infection and would clear up soon. She seemed content with that , and they left the office.'
    'How'd she find out?' Brunetti asked.
    'The medicine. Zovirax, it's specific for herpes. There's no other reason she'd be taking it. Signora Trevisan has a friend who's a pharmacist, and she asked him - I'm sure she did it very, very casually - what the medicine was for. He told her. It isn't used for anything else, or very rarely. The next day, she was back in my office, without Francesca, and she made some offensive remarks.' She stopped. 'What sort of remarks?'
    'She accused me of having arranged an abortion for Francesca. I told her to get out of the ambulatorio, and that was when she picked up the magazine and threw it at me. Two of my patients, elderly men, took her by the arms and put her out of the office. I haven't seen her since then.'
    'And the girl?'
    'As I told you ’ I've seen her once or twice on the street, but she's no longer my patient. I had a request from another doctor to verify my diagnosis, which I did. I'd already sent both of their records back to Signora Trevisan.'
    'Have you any idea where or how she might have got the idea you arranged an abortion?'
    'No, none. I couldn't do it without her parents' consent, anyway.'
    Brunetti s own daughter, Chiara, was the same age as Francesca had been: fourteen. He wondered how he or his wife would respond to news that she had a venereal infection. He shied away from the thought with something he realized was horror.
    'Why are you reluctant to discuss Signora Trevisan s medical history?'
    'I told you, because I don't think it's relevant'
    'And I've told you that anything might be relevant,' he said, trying to soften his tone, perhaps succeeding.
    'If I told you she had a bad back?'
    'If that were the case, men you wouldn't have hesitated to tell me in the first place ‘
    She said nothing for a moment and then shook her head. 'No. She was my patient, so I can't