The Rome Prophecy

76

Louisa Verdetti sits in Sylvio Valducci’s office biting a thumbnail and waiting for her boss to finish a call.

Finally he clunks the phone down on its cradle.

‘Both the police officers you complained of have been suspended.’ He smiles triumphantly.

Louisa doesn’t say anything.

He gives her another second.

Surely she appreciates his power? What he’s done for her? What he could do for her if she was nicer to him?

It’s a while since any woman’s been nice.

A good session of nice with the not unattractive Signora Verdetti and he could see her as something entirely different from the pain-in-the-ass clinician always nagging for more funds.

But there’s not even a hint of the gratitude he’s hoping for.

‘What, no thank you?’ He jerks his arms. ‘You don’t think I had to pull strings to get these police officers kicked out of your way?’

She concentrates harder on the hangnail.

‘Well, let me make something clear to you. There’s no room for excuses now. I expect to see results, Louisa, and I expect to see them soon.’

‘I didn’t want them suspended!’ She’s so angry she can’t look at him. ‘I asked you to make a call to someone senior to see if there was any way to get them to back off and give me some space and time alone with Anna.’ She feels sorry for Valentina. Being appreciated as a woman in the medical world is tough, but in the Carabinieri it must be close to impossible. ‘What will happen to them?’

He lets out a small laugh. ‘You care?’

‘Yes!’ Louisa looks down at her hands. Her thumb’s bleeding where she’s chewed the nail. ‘They were only doing their jobs.’

Now he’s angry. ‘Oh, please! No bleeding hearts. Be a bit more professional.’

He loves the fact that she’s feeling guilty, feeling so bad about things that she can’t help but let off steam.

‘What’s done is done. You’ve got your personal victory and beaten the bad lady captain and her army, so enjoy it. Then forget it and get your job done.’

In a sense, Louisa has already forgotten it.

Her mind is back on her patient. ‘She damaged herself again last night.’

‘What?’

‘Anna. She tore at the stitches again.’ She makes a motion towards her forearm. ‘Drove the corner of a bible into her wounds until she’d opened them all up.’