Obviously they were anticipated, for an elderly woman stood at the open door to one of the apartments below. 'She's in here, sir’ she said, stepping back and leaving room for Brunetti, and then Vianello, to enter.
Seeing that they were in a small foyer, Brunetti asked softly, 'How is she?'
'Very bad, sir. I've called for my doctor, and he'll come as soon as he can.' She was a short woman, somewhat given to stoutness, with light blue eyes and skin that looked as though it would be as cool and dry as a baby's to the touch.
'Have they lived here long?' Brunetti asked.
'Claudia came three years ago. The apartment's mine, and I rent it to students because I like to have the sound of them around me. Only to girls, though. They keep their music lower, and they stop in sometimes for a cup of tea in the afternoon. Boys don't’ she said in final explanation.
Brunetti had a son at university, so he knew all there was to know about the volume at which students liked to keep their music as well as the unlikelihood that they would stop in for a cup of tea in the afternoon.
Brunetti knew he would have to talk to this woman at length, but he wanted to speak to the girl first, to see if there was anything that would help them begin to look for the killer. 'What's her name, Signora?' he asked.
'Lucia Mazzotti’ she said. 'She's from Milano’ she added, as if this would help Brunetti in some way.
'Will you take me to her?' he asked, making a small signal with his hand for Vianello to stay behind. Even though
Vianello no longer wore his uniform, his size might be enough to make the girl nervous.
The old woman turned and, favouring her right leg, led Brunetti back through a small sitting room, past the open door of the kitchen and the closed door of what must be the bathroom, to the one remaining door. ‘I made her lie down’ the woman said. ‘I don't think she's asleep. She wasn't just a few minutes ago, when I heard you on the stairs’
She tapped lightly on the door and, in response to a sound from inside, pushed the door open. 'Lucia,' she said softly, 'there's a man to see you, a policeman.'
She made to step aside, but Brunetti took her arm and said, ‘I think it would be better if you stayed with us, Signora.'
Confused, the old woman froze, glancing from Bruhetti into the room. I think it would be easier for her,' Brunetti whispered.
Persuaded, but still not fully agreeing, the woman stepped into the room and stood to one side of the door, allowing Brunetti to enter.
A young woman with bright red hair lay on top of the covers, leaning back on a plump pillow. Her hands extended on either side of her, palms upwards, and she stared at the ceiling.
Brunetti approached the bed, pulled a chair towards him, and sat, making himself smaller. 'Lucia,' he said, 'I'm Commissario Brunetti. I've been sent to find out what happened. I know that you found Claudia, and I know it must have been terrible for you, but I need to talk to you now because you might be able to help us.'
The girl turned her head and looked at him. Her fine-boned face was curiously slack. 'Help you how?' she asked.
'By telling us what happened when you came home, what you saw, what you remember.' Before she could say anything, he went on, 'And then I'll need for you to tell me anything you can about Claudia that you think might be in some way related to what’s happened’
‘You mean to her?'
Brunetti nodded.
The girl rolled her head away from him and returned her gaze to the yellow lampshade that hung suspended from the ceiling.
Brunetti allowed at least a full minute to pass, but the girl continued to stare at the lamp. He turned back to the old woman and raised his eyebrows interrogatively.
She came to stand beside him, putting a firm hand on his shoulder and pushing him back into the chair when he attempted to stand. 'Lucia,' she said, ‘I think it would be a good thing if you'd speak to the policeman.'
Lucia turned towards the old woman, then towards Brunetti. 'Is she dead?'
'Yes’
'Did someone kill her?' 'Yes,'he said.
The girl considered this for some time and then said, 'I got home at about nine. I spent the night in Treviso and came home to change and get my books. I have a class this morning.' She blinked a few times and looked out the window. Is it still morning?' she asked.
‘It’s about eleven’ the old woman said. 'Would you like me to get you something to drink, Lucia?'
‘I think I'd like some water’ the girl said.
The woman gripped Brunetti's shoulder again and left the room, again favouring her right leg.
When she was gone, the girl went on, ‘I got back and went upstairs and opened the door to the apartment and went in, and I saw her on the floor. At first I thought she'd fallen or something, but then I saw the rug. I stood there and I didn't know what to do. I think I screamed. I must have because Signora Gallante came up and brought me down here. That's all I remember’
'Was the door locked?' Brunetti asked. The door to your apartment?'
She considered this for a moment, and Brunetti could sense her reluctance in having to keep returning to the memory of that scene. Finally she said, 'No, I don't think it was. That is, I don't remember using my key’ There was a long silence, and then she added, 'But I could be wrong’
'Did you see anyone outside?'
When?'
'When you got home.'
'No,' she said with a quick shake of her head. There wasn't anyone’
'Even people you know, neighbours,' Brunetti asked and then, at her quick, suspicious glance, he explained, They might have seen someone.'
Again she shook her head. 'No, no one.'
These questions, Brunetti knew, were probably less than useless. He'd seen the colour of the blood on the carpet and knew it meant Claudia had been dead for a considerable time. The medical examiner would be able to tell him more accurately, but Brunetti would not be surprised to learn that she had lain there all night. He needed to establish in this girl's mind the importance of answering his questions so that, when he got to the ones that might lead to whoever had done this, she would answer without thinking of the consequences, perhaps for someone she knew.
Signora Gallante came back into the room, saying, The doctor's here, sir’
Brunetti got to his feet and said something he tried to make comforting to the girl, then left the room. Signora Gallante went in with a glass of water in her hand. Behind her came a man who looked far too young to be a doctor, the only proof that he was, the black leather bag, obviously new, that he carried in his right hand.
After a few minutes, Signora Gallante came out of the bedroom and approached Brunetti and Vianello. The doctor suggested she stay here with me until her parents can get here from Milano and take her home’
'Have you called them?'
'Yes. As soon as I called you.'
'Are they coming?'
'I spoke to her mother. She's been here a few times to visit Lucia, so she knew who I was. She said she'd call her husband at work, and then she called back and told me they were leaving immediately to come here.'
'How?'
'I didn't ask’ Signora Gallante said, surprised at such a question. 'But the other times they came by car, so I suppose that's how they'll come this time.'
'How long ago did you speak to them?' Brunetti asked.
'Oh, half an hour, perhaps an hour ago. It was right after I went up and found Lucia and brought her down here. I called the police first, and then I called her parents.'
Though this would limit the time Brunetti would have to speak to Lucia and complicate all future contact with her, he said, That was very kind of you, Signora’
‘I tried to think of what Td want to happen if it were one of my granddaughters, and then it was easy’
Brunetti couldn't stop himself from glancing towards the door of the bedroom. 'What did the doctor
