Patience of the Spider

other than Peruzzo himself, who—as the monsignor insinuated—was dragging things out trying to extract some miserable little discount on the ransom. The way he was acting, would he get any discount when he appeared before God on Judgment Day? In conclusion, it seemed clear that, once the girl was freed, a change of scene was Peruzzo’s only option.

Talk about political ambitions gone up in smoke! He wasn’t even welcome anymore in Montelusa, Vigata, or environs.

o o o

This time the clack at three twenty-seven and forty seconds woke him up. He realized his brain was clear and functioning perfectly, and took advantage of this to review the entire kidnapping case, starting from Catarella’s first phone call. He stopped thinking around five-thirty, when he suddenly began to feel sleepy. As he was sinking into unconsciousness, the telephone rang and, luckily, Livia didn’t hear it. The clock said five forty-seven. It was Fazio, who was very excited.

“Susanna’s been freed.”

“Oh, really? How is she?”

“Fine.”

“See you later,” Montalbano concluded.

And he went back to bed.

He told Livia the news the moment she began to move in bed, showing the first signs of waking up. She leapt out of bed and onto her feet, as if she’d seen a spider between the sheets.

“When did you find out?”

“Fazio called. It was around six.”

“Why didn’t you tell me immediately?”

“Was I supposed to wake you up?”

“Yes. You know how anxiously I’ve been following this whole ordeal. You let me keep sleeping on purpose!”

“If that’s the way you want to see it, fine, I admit my guilt, end of subject. Now calm down.”

But Livia felt like making trouble. She eyed him with disdain.

“And I don’t understand how you can lie there in bed, instead of going to see Minutolo to get more information, to find out—”

“To find out what? If you want more information, turn on the TV.”

“Sometimes your indifference drives me crazy!” She went and turned on the television. Montalbano, for his part, locked himself in the bathroom and took his time.

Obviously to get on his nerves, Livia kept the volume high. As he was drinking his coffee in the kitchen, he could hear angry voices, sirens, screeching tires. He could barely hear the telephone when it rang. He went into the dining room. Everything was vibrating from the infernal noise emanating from the set.

“Livia, would you please turn that down?” Muttering to herself, Livia obeyed. The inspector picked up the receiver.

“Montalbano? What’s wrong, aren’t you coming?” It was Minutolo.

“What for?”

Minutolo seemed stunned.

“Er . . . I dunno . . . I thought you’d be pleased . . .”

“Anyway, I have the impression you’re under siege.”

“That’s true. There are dozens of journalists, photographers, and cameramen outside the gate . . . I had to call in reinforcements. The judge and the commissioner should be here soon. It’s a mess.” “How’s Susanna doing?”

“A bit the worse for wear, but basically all right. Her uncle examined her and found her in good physical condition.”

“How was she treated?”

“She said they never once made a violent gesture. On the contrary.”

“How many were there?”

“She saw only two hooded men. Obviously peasants.”

“How did they release her?”

“She said that last night, when she was sleeping, they woke her up, made her put on a hood, tied her hands behind her back, took her out of the vat, and made her get in the trunk of a car. They drove for over two hours, she said. Then the car stopped. They made her get out, had her walk for half an hour, then loosened the knots around her wrists and made her sit down. Then they left.” “And they never spoke to her at any point during all this?”

“Never. It took her a while to free her hands and remove the hood. It was pitch-black outside. She hadn’t the slightest idea where she was, but she didn’t lose heart. She managed to get her bearings and headed in the direction of Vigata. At some point she realized she was near La Cucca, you know, that village—” “Yeah, I know. Go on.”

“It’s a little over two miles from her villa. She walked the distance, arrived at the gate, rang the bell, and Fazio went and let her in.”