“May I speak?”
“Only to answer my question.”
“The situation is not what you think.”
“Then you don’t need to explain anything else to me. I think what I say will be enough for you. You don’t need a written reply. Okay.”
“What do you mean, ‘okay’?”
“The Scorpio case is yours, Inspector Callahan.”
Mimi gave him a bewildered look. He hadn’t understood Montalbano’s cinematic allusion. Fazio did, however, and immediately turned red in the face.
“You mean you’re passing it off ?”
“Exactly.”
Mimi finally caught on.
“You’re giving me the case?”
“Yes.”
“Are you sure? You’re not going to regret it later on?”
“I’m not going to regret it.”
“And you won’t interfere in the investigation?”
“No.”
“I’ll have complete freedom of action?”
“Of course.”
“And what do you want in exchange?”
“Mimi, we’re not at the market. All I want is for you to respect the rules.”
“Meaning?”
“That, before taking any step whatsoever—arrests, press conferences, public declarations—you will inform me first.”
“And what if you tell me not to do it?”
“I won’t. You can be sure of it. I only want to be informed daily on the developments of the case.”
“All right, then. Thanks.”
Mimi stood up and held out his hand to him. Montalbano took it and squeezed it rather tight. Mimi couldn’t resist any longer.
“May I embrace you?” he asked.
“Of course.”
They embraced. Mimi’s eyes were moist.
“This morning I phoned Dr. Lattes,” said the inspector. “Today is Wednesday, and this evening I’m leaving for Boccadasse to see Livia. I’ll be away until Sunday. So you have to replace me in every respect, Mimi. Fazio will now go into your office and explain to you how far we’ve got on the case. And he’ll put himself at your disposal. As soon as you can, call Tommaseo and bring him up to speed on everything. Fazio’ll be with you in three minutes.”
Mimi went out looking so happy, he seemed he might start dancing at any moment.
“He looked like he was about to kiss your hand,” Fazio said disparagingly. “And now, would you please explain to me why you had this brilliant idea?”
“Because I’m tired.”
“Come on, you can’t be
“Well, then, it’s because I can’t stand this investigation any longer.”
“Oh, yeah? When did you reach your breaking point? Yesterday at Gioia Tauro?”
“Well, then, it’s because Mimi deserves it.”
“No, sir, Mimi does not deserve it.”
“Fazio, can we put a little distance back between the two of us? I decided to do this because I felt like it. And I don’t feel like discussing it any longer.”
“Look, Chief, that guy’s going to send the department to hell in a handbasket. He’s not right in the head. I don’t know what’s got into Inspector Augello. And this is a delicate matter, with the Mafia smack-dab in the middle. I don’t want to work with Inspector Augello.”
“Fazio, it’s not a question of what you want or don’t want. It’s an order.”
Fazio stood up, pale as a corpse and stiff as a broomstick.
“Yes, sir.”
“Wait. Try to understand. It’s precisely because it’s such a delicate matter, as you said, that I want you working alongside Augello.”
