“Still in the same cell.”
“What’s he doing?”
“Sleeping.”
“Let him be for now. When he wakes up, bring him to me. By the way, I want to show you something.”
He pulled out the passport and handed it to Fazio, who started thumbing through it.
“And who’s this Lannec?”
“I’m ninety-nine percent sure he’s the body in the dinghy.”
And he told him the whole story, starting with his visit with Pasquano, continuing with his visit to Zito, and ending with his culinary nightmare at the Pesce d’Oro.
Fazio came out with one of his rare witty remarks.
“Chief, maybe the poor guy did go to eat at the Pesce d’Oro but they deny it because they poisoned him themselves.”
“Listen, can you recall whether we’ve had any dealings with this Lannec in the past?”
“I don’t think so. Why do you ask?”
“Because the name doesn’t seem entirely unfamiliar to me.”
“You could have met him anywhere, Chief, but I’m sure it wasn’t here.”
“Ahh Chief Chief! Jesus Christ, Chief! Jesus Christ and Mary and Joseph, Chief! I can’t hardly breathe, Chief!”
Catarella had knocked in his usual way, practically breaking down the door, and now he was acting like he’d been bitten by a tarantula.
“Calm down! What’s going on?”
“Iss Liutinnint Sferlazza!”
“On the phone?”
“Nah, Chief, ’e’s ’ere, poissonally in poisson!”
“What’s he want?”
“To talk t’yiz. But be careful, Chief, eyes open at all times!”
“Why?”
“’Cause ’e ain’t wearin’ a uniform, ’e’s in civvies!”
“And what does that mean, in your opinion?”
“‘When a carabiniere’s outta uniform, ’e’ll makes ya pay twice the norm!’ A’ss wha’ they say, Chief!”
“Don’t worry, show him in.”
Montalbano and the lieutenant had known each other for some time. And, though they might not admit it, they rather liked each other. After they shook hands, Montalbano had him sit down.
“Sorry to bother you,” the lieutenant began.
“Not at all! What can I do for you?”
“I was told that a certain Mr. Shaikiri, who’s one of the crew of a yacht called the
“Yes. On the other hand, I believe the carabinieri also arrested him, when he pissed on one of your cars.” The inspector paused a moment. “Then you released him almost at once.”
The lieutenant seemed a little uneasy.
“That’s just it. When he was inside, we received a phone call from the Regional Command, specifically about Shaikiri.”
“What did they want?”
“They wanted to know if we’d arrested him.”
Montalbano balked.
“How did they find out about it in Palermo?”
“Dunno.”
“It really doesn’t seem to me like the kind of thing that would interest the Regional Command.”
“Exactly.”
“Go on.”
“Well, I confirmed the arrest and they told me to hold him at headquarters, saying someone would be coming from Palermo the following morning to interrogate him.”
“For pissing on a squad car?”
“I was a little surprised myself. But I did as they said.”
“And did this person come?”
“Actually, no. They called me back and said the person who was supposed to question him had a problem and couldn’t come. And they said I should act in accordance with the law as far as Shaikiri was concerned. So I filed a report on him and then let him go.”
“And why did you come to see us today?”
“Because that person finally came. He’s at our station now and wants to talk with Shaikiri.”
“Let me get this straight. You’re asking me to turn the Arab over to you?”
“That’s right.”
“Out of the question.”
The lieutenant grew even more uneasy.
“The person who came-”
“What’s his name?”
“I don’t know. Apparently he’s from the antiterrorism unit. Anyway, as I was saying, that person, as soon as he found out you’d arrested Shaikiri, had also expected… well, that you would refuse to turn him over to us.”
“It was pretty easy to figure that out. So what’s he plan to do?”
“If you refuse, he’s going to call the commissioner.”
“And you think the commissioner will-”
“I don’t think he’ll be able to say no to this person.”
At this point Montalbano had an idea.
“We could make an agreement.”
“Let’s hear it.”
“I’ll lend him to you for tonight. And you’ll bring him back to me in the morning.”
“All right,” said Lieutenant Sferlazza.
Montalbano picked up the receiver and told Fazio to come to his office.
When Fazio entered, he greeted the lieutenant but showed no surprise at seeing him there.
Surely Catarella, seeing an enemy enter the camp of Agramante [10], had told everyone about it.
“Turn Shaikiri over to the lieutenant at once,” the inspector said.
Fazio turned pale.
“Yessir!” he said, military style.
Five minutes later, however, he came back to the inspector, looking rather agitated.
“Could you tell me why you-”
“No,” Montalbano snapped.
Fazio turned around and left.
“Catarella, is Augello back?” he said into the phone.
“He in’t onna premisses yet.”
“But did he come to the office this morning?”
“Yessir, Chief.”
“When?”
