In a Heartbeat by Sandrone Dazieri Read Free Book Online Page B

it?’
    ‘We’d like to find out.’ Ferolli took out a pack of Nazionali cigarettes. They still existed. ‘May I smoke?’
    ‘Of course, as a matter of fact … ’ I took a cigarette from my pack and managed to light it on the fifth try. I looked around for an ashtray; there was none in sight. That’s right, the Ad Exec didn’t smoke. ‘Rosario! Rosario!’
    ‘Staff nowadays … ’ I said, rolling my eyes.
    ‘They left while you were in the bathroom.’
    ‘OK, then drop your ash on the floor.’
    ‘No, wait.’ Ferolli took the last cigarette from his pack and used the pack as an ashtray.
    ‘Well, I pay them to clean anyway. It’s marble, it won’t get ruined.’ I took a deep breath. ‘Oh, Roveda … ’
    Ferolli wasn’t moved. ‘Signor Denti, when was the last time that you saw Signor Roveda?’
    ‘Alive?’ That was smart. ‘Listen, I’m too upset right now … could we … ’
    Brambilla took out a notepad. ‘They said that you had a meeting with him last Friday.’
    ‘A meeting?’
    ‘At the office.’
    ‘Oh yeah, that’s right.’
    ‘May I ask what it was about?’
    Ash fell on my trousers. ‘Dammit.’ I brushed it off. ‘It was about work.’
    ‘ Discussion related to company activity ,’ Brambilla wrote.
    ‘Could you be more specific?’ Ferolli requested.
    I felt like I was being drilled for my school exams. ‘Well, you know that we’re in advertising. There was an … ad.’
    ‘An ad?’
    ‘For a detergent … you know, stuff that gets everything white.’
    ‘They said that it was an administrative meeting.’
    Oh, God.
    ‘Yes, it was about a detergent as well as an administrative meeting.’
    Ferolli put the cigarette out in the pack. ‘And was the overall mood of the meeting, how should we put it … a bit tense?’
    ‘No, not at all.’ I looked at them. ‘Well, maybe a little?’
    I wasn’t doing very well.
    ‘They told us that Signor Roveda had raised his voice with you. There was, how should we say … the impression of a row.’
    ‘I assure you … ’
    ‘You left slamming the door behind you. They heard you say … can you read the statement, Brambilla?’
    ‘ That old piece of shit. ’
    Did anyone mind their own business at Beagle & Manetti? I dropped my arms, defeated. ‘So maybe it’s true.’
    ‘This doesn’t mean anything of course,’ said Ferolli. ‘Please don’t feel like we’re pressing you. We’re simply having a friendly conversation. We only need information.’ He smiled at me the way Judas did before he kissed Jesus.
    ‘It doesn’t seem so friendly, if I may say so.’
    ‘So, since then, you’ve had no further contact with the deceased?’
    ‘No.’
    ‘Are you sure?’
    Was this a trick question?
    ‘Yes.’
    He looked at me, holding his gaze. ‘Did he appear to have any enemies?’
    ‘No. Everyone loved him.’
    ‘Actually … ’
    Ferolli silenced his partner with a wave of his hand.
    ‘Loved, huh?’
    Why couldn’t the ground open up and swallow me? Why couldn’t a bolt of lightning strike me down? ‘Within reason … ’
    ‘Within reason. Brambilla, write it down’.
    ‘ Believes that the victim’s relationships with his acquaintances were positive in nature overall. ’
    ‘Did you know that the recent decisions by Signor Roveda were very unpopular with personnel?’
    Of course not.
    ‘Of course.’
    ‘You yourself criticised him on more than one occasion.’
    I was losing energy here. I nodded.
    ‘Signor Denti, last night you were accompanied home in a police car. May I ask you what happened?’
    ‘I didn’t feel well.’
    ‘The police report indicated that you were … please read, Brambilla.’
    ‘ In a state of confusion. ’
    ‘OK, I was drunk. It happens sometimes. You know what I mean?’
    ‘No, I don’t,’ said Ferolli.
    ‘I didn’t think so.’
    Ferolli brushed a speck of ash from his brown wool trousers that had razor-sharp creases. ‘You see, Signor Denti, when someone behaves in a bizarre way