[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

 No, said Montalbano, surprised.
 Let s go to your place. She smiled cheerlessly.  I
told you it would end up this way, didn t I?
163
13
/0
Neither of the two felt like talking, and fifteen minutes
passed in silence. But once again the inspector surren­
dered to the cop in him. In fact, once they had reached
the bridge that spanned the Canneto, he pulled up to
the side, put on the brakes, and got out of the car,
telling Ingrid to do the same. From the summit of the
bridge Montalbano showed the woman the river s dry
bed, which one could make out in the moonlight.
 See, he said,  the riverbed leads straight to the
beach. It s on a steep incline and full of big rocks and
stones. Think you could drive a car down there?
 I don t know. It d be different if it was daylight.
But I could try, if you want me to.
She stared at the inspector and smiled, her eyes
half shut.
 You found out about me, eh? So what should I
do?
 Do it.
164
T H E S H A P E O F W A T E R
 All right. You wait here.
She got in the car and drove off. It took only a
few seconds for the headlights to disappear from view.
 Well, that s that. She took me for a sucker, said
Montalbano, resigning himself.
As he was getting ready for the long walk back to
Vigàta, he heard her return, motor roaring.
 I think I can do it. Do you have a flashlight?
 In the glove compartment.
The woman knelt down, illuminated the car s un­
derside, then stood back up.
 Got a handkerchief?
Montalbano gave her one, and Ingrid used it to
wrap her sore ankle tightly.
 Get in.
Driving in reverse, she reached a dirt road that led
from the provincial road to the area under the bridge.
 I m going to give it a try, Inspector. Bear in mind
that one of my feet isn t working. Fasten your seat
belt. Should I drive fast?
 Yes, but it s important that we get to the beach in
one piece.
Ingrid put the car in gear and took off like a shot.
It was ten minutes of continuous, ferocious jolts. At
one point Montalbano felt as if his head were dying to
detach itself from the rest of his body and fly out the
165
A N D R E A C A M I L L E R I
window. Ingrid, however, was calm, determined, driv­
ing with her tongue sticking out between her lips.
The inspector wanted to tell her not to do that she
might inadvertently bite it off.
When they had reached the beach, Ingrid asked,
 Did I pass the test?
Her eyes glistened in the darkness. She was ex­
cited and pleased.
 Yes.
 Let s do it again, going uphill this time.
 You re insane! That s quite enough.
She was right to call it a test. Except that it was a
test that didn t solve anything. Ingrid was able to drive
down that road easily, which was a point against her;
on the other hand, when the inspector had asked her
to do so, she had not seemed nervous, only surprised,
and this was a point in her favor. But the fact that she
hadn t broken anything on the car, how was he to in­
terpret that? Negatively or positively?
 So, shall we do it again? Come on, this was the
only time this evening I ve had any fun.
 No, I already said no.
 All right, then you drive. I m in too much pain.
The inspector drove along the shore,confirming in
his mind that the car was in working order. Nothing
broken.
166
T H E S H A P E O F W A T E R
 You re really good, you know.
 Well, said Ingrid, assuming a serious, profes­
sional tone,  anyone could drive down that stretch.
The skill is in bringing the car through it in the same
condition it started out in. Because afterward you
might find yourself on a paved road, not a beach like
this, and you have to speed up to recover lost time. I
don t know if that s clear.
 Perfectly clear. Somebody who, for example,
after driving down there, comes to the beach with
broken suspension is somebody who doesn t know
what he s doing.
They arrived at the Pasture. Montalbano turned
right.
 See that large bush? That s where Luparello was
found.
Ingrid said nothing and didn t even seem very cu­
rious. They drove down the path; not much was hap­
pening that evening. When they were beside the wall
of the old factory, Montalbano said:
 This is where the woman who was with Lupa­
rello lost her necklace and threw the leather purse
over the wall.
 My purse?
 Yes.
 Well, it wasn t me, Ingrid murmured,  and I
167
A N D R E A C A M I L L E R I
swear I don t understand a damned thing about any of
this.
/000000000000
When they got to Montalbano s house, Ingrid was un­
able to step out of the car, so the inspector had to wrap
one arm around her waist while she leaned her weight
against his shoulder. Once inside, the young woman
dropped into the first chair that came within reach.
 Christ! Now it really hurts.
 Go into the other room and take off your jeans [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]