Treasure Hunt by Andrea Camilleri Read Free Book Online Page A

silence.
    “Listen,” Mimì said suddenly, looking him straight in the eye. “You’re not becoming a little obsessed, are you?”
    “With what?”
    “With this business of the dolls. You’re not going to start investigating this the way you did a while back with that horse that was killed?”
    “Come on, what do you think this is? I’m just curious, that’s all.”
    But he was lying. There was something about this whole affair that disturbed him.

    When it came time to call Gallo for a ride home, it occurred to him that he couldn’t very well leave those dolls in his office. Catarella was liable to show someone in when the inspector wasn’t there, and one could only imagine what a fine impression that would make! He could have them put in storage, or just throw them away outright.
    But something inside told him that they might at some point prove useful.
    And so he had them put in the trunk and took them home with him, where he stored them in the closet in which Adelina kept the things she needed for cleaning the house.
    He looked at them again, one beside the other, upright. In fact the doll from the dumpster was not identical to its twin.
    Now that they were standing, the difference became clearer. The tit on the second doll was flat and wrinkled, yes, but it had three less wrinkles. That detail had been the hardest one to copy, and hadn’t come out well.
    Perhaps that was why the unknown person had thrown it into the trash bin?
    And, if so, did this mean he would try to do better? But where would he ever find a third doll?
    In taking the cigarettes and lighter from his jacket pocket, he inadvertently touched an envelope. He took it out and looked at it.
    It was the one he’d found under the door the previous evening. He’d forgotten all about it.
    The treasure hunt.
    He went into the kitchen, opened the refrigerator, and his heart sank.
    A little piece of caciocavallo, four passuluna olives, five sardines in oil, and a sprig of celery. Well, at least Adelina had bought some fresh bread.
    He opened the oven. And howled like a wolf with joy. Eggplant parmesan, done up just right, enough for four!
    He lit the oven to heat it up, went out on the veranda, and set the table, choosing a special bottle of wine. He then waited for the eggplant to get nice and hot, then brought it to the table directly in the casserole, not bothering to transfer it to a plate.
    When he finished it an hour and a half later, there was no need even to wash the casserole. He’d carefully cleaned it out with the bread, and the sauce was a wonder to taste.
    He got up, cleared the table, and went and got the letter and a pen, then sat back down on the bench.
    Three times three
    is not thirty-three
    Montalbano wrote down the number 9.
    and six times six
    is not sixty-six.
    He wrote 36
.
    The figure thus obtained
    another number shall ordain.
    9 plus 36 made 45.
    Add your age to the raffle
    and the riddle unravel.
    He was fifty-seven, and the result was the number 9364557. A telephone number, clearly. Without an area code, which implied that it was from the province of Montelusa.
    So, what now?
    Should he drop the whole silly game or carry on?
    Curiosity easily got the better of him. After all, these were days where he had plenty of time to waste. It had been years since he was last able to blow off whole days. He got up, went into the dining room, and dialed the number.
    “Hello?” said a male voice.
    “Montalbano here.”
    “Is that you, Inspector?”
    “I’m sorry, who am I speaking to?”
    “Don’t you recognize me? It’s Tano, the barman at the Marinella Bar.”
    “I’m sorry, Tano, but since I . . .”
    “What are you gonna do, are you gonna drop by?”
    “What for?”
    “To pick up the letter somebody left for you yesterday. They didn’t tell you?”
    “No.”
    “If you like, I could bring it over to your house, but it wouldn’t be before one o’clock. Closing time, you know.”
    “No, thanks, I’ll come by in