The Fallen Angel

SEVEN

It was a brief conversation. The narrow street was empty, with barricades at both ends and pedestrians allowed through only down a narrow route on the far side. Costa looked up at the scaffolding and the broken balcony, understanding the form of the building better than he had before. The place looked different in the bright light of day. More ordinary. More unremarkable.

They talked briefly about what they’d seen and the options.

‘I’ll call Leo and get things started,’ Costa said, reaching for his phone.

‘Whoa, whoa, whoa. We didn’t agree to that.’

He bridled.

‘May I remind you I’m the senior officer here?’

Peroni beamed, placed a huge hand round Costa’s shoulders and squeezed.

‘By all means. When you’re on duty. But you’re not, are you? Right now you’re nothing more or less than my dear friend, Nic, casting around for something to do. If this is going to turn formal it’s best it’s kicked off by a working police officer, not someone who’s just got nosy all of a sudden. And if it turns out to be a wild goose chase and we find ourselves accused of picking on some unfortunate grieving family. .’

‘I don’t need protecting, thank you,’ Costa protested, though he found himself talking to the big cop’s retreating back.

There was nothing to do but wait. Wait and look at the building, grey and grim, like some empty shell of a fortress. He couldn’t shake from his head the photo Peroni had found, the bookmark for the chapter Malise Gabriel was reading before he tumbled to his death just a few steps away, to a street now swept and washed clean by the city workers struggling to reopen it to the public.

Costa wondered what bothered him most. The evidence that was already being lost under the feet of the building inspectors. Or the pale, thin body in the photo.

Peroni came back, his face devoid of expression.

‘Something has to happen,’ Costa said, assuming the worst.

‘Tomorrow we’ll talk to the mother and the girl. Teresa will look at the body. We’ll quietly examine what we’ve got to see if a more formal investigation is justified. Leo doesn’t want to rush into anything and I agree with him.’

‘And today?’

‘Today we’re going to have dinner together.’ Peroni brightened. ‘I get to choose the place.’

‘Dinner? We’re going to discuss a potential investigation in a restaurant?’

‘No. We’re going to discuss. . what was the phrase in that book? “Non-overlapping magisteria”. Or rather Malise Gabriel, who’s rather more interesting than I assumed. Sora Margherita in the Piazza delle Cinque Scole at eight o’clock.’ He pointed up the street. ‘It’s just round the corner.’

‘I know where Cinque Scole is.’

‘Good. It’ll be Leo, me and Teresa, who may still be a little bad-tempered what with this heat and our non-existent air conditioning. I’ve warned you so don’t get snappy with her.’ Peroni glanced at his watch. ‘I’d best be off. Got to check something at the Questura.’

He peered at Costa then pulled two plastic evidence bags out of his jacket.

‘The book and the postcard please.’

Costa handed them over without protest.

After a few steps he turned, remembering something.

‘Oh yes,’ he said, walking slowly backwards. ‘Agata’s going to be there this evening too. Best go home and change into something decent. You look as if you slept in that suit. In a garage.’