Death Brings Gold. Nicola Rocca
Belmondo moved closer to the wall. He leaned against it, as if the weight of death made the relatively simple task of supporting his body impossible for his legs.
After a few minutes Chief Inspector Walker arrived.
âGood morning, Chief,â Bassani greeted him. âCasual look today, hey?â he added, taking in Walkerâs dark jeans and Moncler down jacket.
âI should be recovering, but it seems like somebody up there doesnât like me.â
âYeah,â confirmed Bassani, giving just a hint of a smile.
Bassani summed up the situation for Walker, then he pointed at Belmondo, still leaning against the wall.
âHeâs the one who found the victim. And called us.â
âGood,â said Inspector Walker. âLetâs go and have a chat with him. But first, let me have a look at the poor guy.â
He moved closer, standing a few centimetres from the dead body and stared at it for some time.
âWhat happened to his wrists?â he asked Bassani, who moved closer, frowning.
âTo his wrists?â
âThey appear to have bruises on themâ Walker told him.
The detective squatted down to get a better look.
âYeah, youâre right Chief. I didnât notice it.â
âThis job requires a good eye, Bassani. Otherwise youâll never usurp my position.â
âBut I donât plan toâ¦â
âYes, you all say that, but..â joked Walker. âWeâll have a better idea when we receive the autopsy results. Now letâs go and see what the witness has to say.â
He moved at a decisive pace, his 180 cm-tall body carrying the muscles of a former workout freak beginning to go to fat.
âChief Inspector Walker,â he said to Belmondo, stopping in front of him.
They shook hands.
âGiovanni Belmondo,â he replied.
Walker didnât waste any time.
âYou told detective Bassani that you came to pick the victim up to give him a lift to work, right?â
Belmondo nodded, allowing himself some time before speaking. Then his voice came out trembling and feeble.
âYes, thatâs right. Weâre⦠eh⦠We were colleagues. Great colleagues.â
Walker signalled for Bassani to take notes, before carrying on with his questions.
âAnd where was it that you worked?â
âMazzucotelli Chemical,â answered Giovanni. âItâs here, less than ten kilometres away. In the areaâ¦â
âYes,â the Chief Inspector interrupted. âI know where it is. And please tell me, Mr â¦â
âBelmondoâ prompted Giovanni.
âYes, Belmondo. Do you know if your colleague had any problems with anyone?â
Silence.
Giovanni stared at the Chief Inspector without answering, he wasnât sure what to tell him and what to conceal. As everyone should know, one never interferes between a husband and wife⦠âMister Belmondo,â Walker prompted him, âdid you hear my question?â
Giovanni tried to get his thoughts straight.
âRaffaele and I were very close. We were more than just colleagues. We often went out together for a beer, for a drink or to watch football games. And we also told each other secrets â¦â Belmondo looked like he was searching the bottom of the ocean for a missing word âpersonal ones, I guess youâd say.â
The Chief Inspector nodded, wondering if Belmondo was really answering his question or going off on a tangent.
Giovanni continued with his statement.
âSome months ago he confessed that he suspected his wife was having an affairâ¦â
Walker gave Bassani a knowing glance.
â⦠but he wasnât sure. He told me that he was devising a plan so that he could follow her every move.â
Giovanni stopped and Walker fired another question at him.
âAnd did you have the feeling that Mrs. Ghezzi was unfaithful to her husband?â
The question seemed to hit like a punch.
Giovanni looked at Raffaele Ghezziâs body. Then, he tried to offer an answer that would please Walker and at the same time keep him out of this mess. Even though he was already feeling like he was up to his neck in it.
âI believe there was some truth to it. You know, Chief Inspector, suspicions in these situations are nearly always well founded. Nevertheless, I am sure that Martina could have neverâ¦â
He left the sentence unfinished, certain the Chief Inspector would have interpreted it as intended.
Bassani stared at the witness as if he had just talked a load of bollocks.
âAnd who would Martina be?â he asked, although he knew the answer.
âRaffaeleâs wife, Chief Inspector. Apart from the affair Raffaele was telling me about â and I donât know if itâs true â she wasnât a bad person.â
âWhat? You didnât trust your friend?â Walker asked, frowning.
The witness looked at his colleagueâs lifeless shell. He felt cornered. He had taken the time heâd needed to give an answer that would not drag him into this and instead had involved himself deeper. He may as well tell them whatever was on his mind and, if he was lucky, with all his irrational talk, he might say something that would convince the investigators to let him go.
After all, even though he had nothing to do with his friendâs death, when thereâs a dead body involved and youâre the one who found it, being questioned by the police puts so much pressure on you that it makes you lose control.
Belmondo forced himself to stay calm.
âItâs not a question of trust, Chief Inspector,â he replied. âMaybe there was some truth in it. The point is that⦠even if Martina was unfaithful to him, Iâm almost sure that she never would have gone this far⦠I mean⦠you know. I think it must be something else.â
âSomething else, ehâ¦â repeated the Chief Inspector, letting the words hang and slowly dissipate in a room that now carried the air of betrayal, as well as of death. âAnd do you know where this Martina is now?â
âSheâs not here,â said Giovanni. And immediately felt stupid.
âI can see that too, Belmondo,â the Chief Inspector interrupted sarcastically. âSo, where is she?â
Giovanni spilt the rest.
âRaffaele told me that some time ago his wife moved in with her mother. You know, their relationship wasnât great, so I think that they decided to take a break. With him staying here and her staying there.â
âAnd do you have this womanâs phone number?â
âNo, I donât have it.â
âAnd