could do whatever she wanted with it, and that it was necessary and for the best of causes and that she was doing it for his father.’
Old women, Brunetti knew, often felt a need to give their money to good causes, and very often that cause proved to be the Church. Though Brunetti would hardly call that a ‘good cause’, he knew that many people considered it to be, just as he knew that people who gave to the Church would feel no hesitation about naming it. Vianello’s aunt’s failure to do so opened a Pandora’s Box of possibility about the recipient of her generosity.
‘ “Good cause”,’ Brunetti repeated in a neutral voice. ‘ “For his father”. ’
‘That’s all she said,’ Vianello replied.
‘Have your cousins got any idea how much money is involved?’
‘Including that three thousand, maybe seven thousand in total. But she’s also got money of her own, and they’ve no way of knowing what she’s done with that.’
‘Was that what you were talking about with her now?’ Brunetti asked.
‘I was listening, not talking,’ Vianello said tiredly. ‘She called me to complain about how Loredano is bothering her.’
‘
Vianello failed to smile. ‘That’s how she sees it now: she’s doing something she says is necessary. She thinks she has every right to do it, and she’s angry because her children are trying to make her stop.’
‘I’ve forgotten, Lorenzo. How many children are there?’
‘Marta and Loredano: they’re the oldest. And Luca and Paolo, the two youngest. The three boys — men, really — run the business.’
‘And your uncle? Where’s he in all of this?’ Brunetti asked.
Vianello raised his hands involuntarily. ‘I told you: he doesn’t pay attention to much. Never did, and now that he’s older and not in the best of health, it’s even worse. Loredano said he tried to talk to him and make him understand, but all he said was that his wife had her own money and could do whatever she wanted with it. Or with his. I suppose he thinks it’s some sort of proof of his masculinity that his wife can spend a lot of money: shows what a good provider he is.’
‘Even if he isn’t working any more?’
‘Probably more important, now that he isn’t and now that he can’t do the things he used to do.’
‘God, it’s complicated, isn’t it?’ Brunetti said, leaning forward and resting his elbows on the table. ‘Do any of them know what she’s doing with it?’
Vianello shook his head. ‘Nothing they’re certain of. But if she says it’s for a good cause, then she’s probably giving it to someone.’ This time Vianello slapped the surface of the table, making no attempt to disguise his anger. ‘The trouble is,’ the Inspector continued, ‘I agree with her. Well, partly. She does have the right to do whatever she wants to do with her money. When the business was new, she worked like a dog for years, and she never got a lira for it. Even after things got better, she stayed on in the office and ran it. And never got paid for it.’
Brunetti nodded.
‘So she’s entitled to as much money as she wants. Both legally and. . and morally, if that’s the right word.’
Brunetti suspected it was.
‘But. .’ the Inspector began but failed to finish the sentence.
Brunetti suggested a way to do so. ‘But her family has the right to know what she’s doing with it?’
‘I think so, yes. I don’t like saying it, but I think that’s the case. And it’s not because it’s their money. It’s not. It’s hers. But surely the fact that she refuses to tell them means she suspects she shouldn’t be doing whatever it is she’s doing with it.’
‘What are your cousins going to do?’ Brunetti asked.
Vianello looked at the table. ‘Follow her,’ he said.
‘I beg your pardon.’
Vianello looked up and, entirely without humour said, ‘I think they’ve watched too much television or something. They’ve spoken to the manager of the bank. He’s known the family for thirty years. He’s done all their banking for them.’
Vianello stared at his hands, as if one of his fingers were the director of the bank and he wanted to see what he was going to do.
‘What did they tell him?’
‘About the withdrawals and how she won’t tell them what she’s doing with it.’
‘And?’
‘And he said he’d call Loredano the next time she made a withdrawal and then start talking to her and keep her in the bank for as long as he could.’
‘Until someone from the family got there to see where she went?’ Brunetti asked, failing to disguise his astonishment. ‘Cops and robbers?’
Vianello shook his head, eyes still on his fingers. ‘I wish it were that easy.’
‘It’s not easy,’ Brunetti said. ‘It’s crazy.’
‘I thought so, too,’ Vianello said. ‘That’s what I told them.’
‘So?’
‘So they want me to do it.’
Brunetti found no words. He looked across at his friend, who continued to study his hands. Finally Brunetti said, ‘That’s crazier.’
‘That’s what I told them, too.’
‘Lorenzo,’ Brunetti said, ‘I don’t want to have to sit here and prise this out of you. What are you going to do?’
‘I thought about this while I was listening to her — some way to see what she’s doing — but the only idea I could come up with involves you. Sort of.’
‘Involves me how?’
‘I need you to let me do it.’
‘Do what?’
‘Ask some of the guys if they’ll help me.’
‘Help you follow your aunt?’
‘Yes. I thought Pucetti would be willing to do it if I asked him.’ Vianello looked across at Brunetti, face tense. ‘If they did it in their free time, when they’re not working, then there wouldn’t be anything illegal about it, not really.’
‘They’d just be taking a walk through the city, minding their own business,’ Brunetti snapped. ‘Just happening to be going in the same direction as the little old lady with all that cash in her purse.’ He felt a rush of indignation. Had the police been reduced to this?
‘Guido,’ Vianello said, voice dead level. ‘I know how it appears and what it sounds like, but it’s the only way to find out what she’s doing with it.’
‘And if she’s been lying to you all, and she ends up going down to the Casino to lose it all in the slot machines?’ Brunetti demanded.
Vianello surprised him by taking him seriously. ‘Then we can get her barred from the Casino.’
Brunetti changed his tone and asked, ‘And if she goes in somewhere and comes out without the money? Then what? You and your cousins go in and beat up whoever has the money and take it back?’
‘No,’ Vianello said calmly. ‘Then perhaps we see if there are any more little old ladies going into the same address with cash in their purses.’
Surprise stopped Brunetti from answering immediately, and when he did speak, all he could say was, ‘Oh my, oh my, oh my.’ And then, ‘Is that what you think?’
‘I don’t know what I think,’ Vianello answered. ‘But my aunt is no fool, so whoever is convincing her to give them money — if that’s what’s happening, and she’s not losing it all on the slot machines — is also not a fool, so it’s a fair bet that she’s not the only one involved in this.’
Brunetti pushed himself out of the booth and went over to the counter, where he got two more glasses of mineral water and took them back to Vianello. He set the glasses down and slipped back into his seat.
‘There’s a way we can do it officially,’ Brunetti said.
