Read IM10 August Heat (2008) for Free Online Page A

in front of them. To avoid him, Gallo swerved and nearly crashed into the cottage’s front door, shattering an earthenware jug that was beside it.
    “You broke something,” said Montalbano.
    As they were getting out of the car, the door to the cottage opened and the peasant of about fifty appeared, still wearing shabby clothes and a dirty beret on his head.
    “What happened?” asked the man, turning on a small light over the door.
    “We broke your jug and wanted to compensate you for the damage,” Gallo said politely.
    Then something strange happened. The man looked at the squad car, turned around, extinguished the light, went back in the house and locked the door. Gallo looked puzzled.
    “He saw the police car,” said Montalbano. “Apparently he doesn’t like us.Try knocking.”
    Gallo knocked. Nobody came to the door.
    “Hey! Anybody home?”
    Nobody answered.
    “Let’s get out of here,” said the inspector.
     
     
     
    Laura and Livia had set the table on the terrace.The evening was so beautiful it was heartbreaking.The heat of the day had mysteriously given way to a restorative cool, and the moon floating over the sea was so bright that they could have eaten by its light alone.
    The two women had prepared light fare, since they’d gone late to Enzo’s and had stuffed themselves into the bargain.
    As they were sitting around the table, Guido told the others what had transpired that morning between him and the peasant from the rustic cottage.
    “As soon as I said a little boy had disappeared, he said ‘Ohh no’ and ran and shut himself up in the house. I knocked and knocked, but he wouldn’t open.”
    So it’s not just the police he has problems with , thought the inspector. But he didn’t say anything about the nearly identical treatment he himself had received.
    After they’d eaten, Guido and Laura suggested they all go for a walk on the beach in the moonlight. Livia declined, and so did Montalbano. Luckily Bruno chose to go with his parents.
    After they’d been sitting for a while in the deck chairs, enjoying a silence broken only by the purring of Ruggero, who was luxuriating in the inspector’s lap, Livia said:
    “Would you show me the place where you found Bruno? You know, ever since we’ve been back, Laura has forbidden me to go see where he fell.”
    “All right. Let me get a flashlight.There’s one in the car.”
    “Guido must also have one somewhere. I’ll see if I can find it.”
    They met back up in front of the excavated window, each with a flashlight in hand. Montalbano climbed through the opening first, checked to make sure there weren’t any rats, then helped Livia inside. Naturally, Ruggero hopped in after them.
    “Unbelievable!” said Livia, looking at the bathroom.
    The air was damp and heavy.The only window through which any fresh air could enter was not enough to ventilate the space.They went into the room where the inspector had found Bruno.
    “You’d better not go any further, Livia. It’s a swamp.”
    “The poor boy! He must have been so scared!” said Livia, heading towards the living room.
    In the beam of the flashlights they saw the window frames, all wrapped up in plastic. Montalbano noticed a rather large trunk pushed up against a wall. Overcome by curiosity, he opened it, since it wasn’t locked.
    At that moment he looked exactly like Cary Grant in Arsenic and Old Lace . He quickly slammed the trunk shut and sat down on top of it.When the beam from Livia’s flashlight shone on his face, he automatically smiled.
    “What are you smiling about?”
    “Me? I’m not smiling.”
    “So why are you making that face?”
    “What face?”
    “What’s in the trunk?” Livia asked.
    “Nothing. It’s empty.”
    How could he possibly have told her there was a corpse inside?

4
    When Guido and Laura returned from their romantic stroll along the moonlit beach, it was past eleven.
    “That was amazing!” Laura exclaimed enthusiastically. “I really needed that,