Murder in Verona (An Armstrong and Oscar Cozy Mystery) by T A Williams

Author:T A Williams [Williams, T A]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Boldwood Books
Published: 2024-11-03T00:00:00+00:00

13

THURSDAY MORNING

The main police station in Verona is a modern concrete building on the banks of the river. I managed to find a parking space on the opposite pavement and as I walked over to the entrance with the precious plastic bag of evidence in my hands, I was amazed to see crowds of people queuing outside the security fence surrounding the station. From the languages I heard as I walked past them, it seemed likely that the majority if not all of these were asylum seekers. Luckily, I found a police constable by the main gate and I was able to explain that I had potentially important evidence relating to the death of Rodolfo Argento and he allowed me to jump the queue. He made a quick call and two minutes later, a female police officer emerged from the building and beckoned to me to accompany her. She led me inside and up two flights of stairs to a scene familiar to me after my years at Scotland Yard.

I found myself in a large open-plan office with desks either side of a central corridor and glazed offices every now and then to provide an element of privacy. She led me to one of these and I read the name Ispettore Massimo Ventura on the door.

‘The inspector’s in charge of the Argento enquiry. You can show him your evidence.’

Massimo Ventura looked up as I came in and waved towards a seat on the opposite side of a desk almost concealed beneath heaps of paperwork and I felt an immediate sense of camaraderie. It had been a standing joke in my office that nobody had ever seen the surface of my desk beneath its permanent covering of files. Ventura was probably ten years younger than me and he was completely bald. In an attempt to compensate, he had grown a beard, which covered his face and ended weirdly at ear level. I sat down and passed him across one of my cards. He took it from me and studied it for a few seconds before looking up.

‘An English private investigator? That’s unusual. I assume you’re looking into the death of Rodolfo Argento. Is that correct?’ I hastened to explain how a chance meeting with Violetta had got me involved with the case and he nodded. ‘I had a feeling the old lady might want to go private. She was convinced that it was murder and she seemed to hold me personally responsible for not being able to prove it.’

I gave him a smile in return. ‘Signora Violetta is a redoubtable character. She certainly knows her own mind. Anyway, what I’ve come to show you might be of interest.’ I set the plastic bag on his desk and explained where I had found it while he listened intently before taking it from me.

‘You’re right, this could be very interesting. Can I take it that we aren’t going to find your fingerprints on it?’

‘Apart from possibly a print or two at the top

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