“We’ve had dinner together. Several times.”
“Not the same.”
Piero patted his lips with the white napkin and smiled. “I think I understand. And of course I will honor your wishes.”
“Thank you, Uncle.” He took a piece of calamari that was small enough not to need cutting and put it in his mouth. The soft inside was the perfect foil, in taste and texture, for the crunchy breading.
“Your friend Inspector LoGuercio appears to be back on the track for advancement.” Piero carefully sliced one of the asparagus spears, but held it on his fork while he continued. “Resolving two murders in a matter of a few days did him no harm. And the fact that one was connected to terrorism, albeit from decades ago, gave him even more notoriety. He may even be left in Orvieto to run the operation rather than send in someone else, since he was so successful there.” He tilted his head at Rick. “Perhaps the new mayor will request it, and our bureaucracy pays close attention to local politics, when it works in our favor.”
Rick had been curious about LoGuercio’s future, but had avoided bringing it up. “It would not surprise me if Morgante has put in a good word for Paolo.”
The commissario finished a bite of his asparagus as well as the wine in his glass. “There were people in the central office who had thought the man may not have been cut out for police work, but after this their view has changed. He’s proved himself.”
Rick rubbed the narrow strip of bandage still covering part of his hand. He looked at Piero before his eyes moved back to the plate in front of him.
“Uncle, are you ready to taste my calamari? As always, they are excellent.”
Author’s Note
As with the previous books in this series, this one takes place in an Italian town which I’ve had the pleasure of visiting many times. Its proximity to Rome made Orvieto an easy place for us to get to on a weekend, either by car or train, both routes running parallel to the Tiber River as it runs south out of Umbria into the region of Lazio. Like almost any town in Italy it has a rich history, in this case stretching back to the Etruscans and flowing through the Roman era to medieval and modern times. Much of Orvieto’s history is evident as one wanders the city’s streets, especially the relationship it had with the papacy, starting with one of the few papal palaces found outside of Rome. It was not by chance that Clement VII took refuge in Orvieto after the sack of Rome in 1527. Equally evident for the casual visitor is the city’s rich artistic tradition, especially in the field of ceramics. I have described the cathedral in some detail on these pages, but there are other churches worth visiting, as well as museums of various kinds. The Pozzo San Patrizio, the wonderful double helix-staired well built as a defense against sieges, should be part of any tourist itinerary to the city.
Nearby Todi, which appears in this book, is another gem of southern Umbria. It is your classic Umbrian hill town, with steep streets that keep both inhabitants and tourists in shape. Todi’s main square is one of the loveliest in Italy, boasting a symmetry and charm that make it look like a theater set. (In fact, one scene in the movie The Agony and The Ecstasy, with “pope” Charleston Heston riding into “Rome,” was filmed there.) The delightful town of Bolsena, on the lake of the same name, finds its way into another chapter of the book. It is one of many small towns, including Bagnoregio just to Orvieto’s south, that make this corner of Umbria so appealing to the visitor who wants to get off the usual tourist track.
Normally in my books I do not mention restaurants by name, even though in many cases the places described are ones where I’ve dined. I made the exception here with Rick and Piero’s lunch at La Campana. This venerable establishment was a favorite eatery of ours the years we lived in Rome and one we always go back to on return visits. It is hidden on a small side street near the river, but well worth searching out if you want to savor genuine Roman dishes.
My thanks go to readers and friends who clamored for more Rick Montoya. I am also indebted to the many people who helped me with this book. Once again my son provided technical advice, in this case regarding firearms. (Sorry, Max, that I couldn’t include hidden Nazi gold or zombies in the plot. Maybe the next one.) Grazie mille to my good friend Guido Garavoglia, who helped out by researching fingerprinting requirements in Italy. Also in the realm of fingerprints, I am grateful to Jane Benavidez of the Pueblo, Colorado, Police Department for her mini-seminar on the subject. And, as always, my wife, Mary, was the source of ideas, encouragement, and advice. Without her this book could not have been written.
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