Detective Ferri smirked. “Except your wife wasn’t standing next to you when the explosion happened. Was she? The CCTV from inside the building shows her heading to the floor below.”
I exhaled. “No.”
“Where was she going?”
“She went to the bathroom.”
“Convenient?”
“Don’t see how. It’s not like I can control my wife’s bladder.”
A flicker of irritation crossed Morelli’s face, which made me do a little happy dance inside. They were growing agitated because they realised they weren’t winning. I wasn’t going to give them anything.
“A prepaid device that activated the explosion was traced to a property that you owned nearby.”
I didn’t react. “Another wonderful convenience.”
“For you?”
“For someone.”
“Do you really expect us to believe that you are being framed, Santino?”
“I expect you to do your jobs.”
“That is what we are doing.”
“Debatable.” Another discreet kick from Salvo.
“If not you… Who else would benefit from attacking the mayor?”
There it was. They expected me to give them names, making their jobs easier so they could claim all the credit. But we never talk to the police, especially about our enemies, because that gives away our power to deal with them ourselves. And D'Ardenzi was mine to deal with.
“You’re the detectives.”
Morelli exhaled sharply, glaring daggers at me. “Tell us what happened in your own words, Buccini.”
“You’re asking me to speculate for you?” I raised an eyebrow.
“We are asking you to cooperate.”
“I thought that was what I was doing.”
“By saying nothing?”
“By not guessing.”
Ferri closed the file. “You seem awfully calm for a man who is facing life in prison, Buccini.”
“I didn’t do it.”
Another long silence as they both studied every micro-reaction on my face. I held their gazes, showing them I had nothing to hide. Not when it came to this, anyway.
Ferri stood up, and Morelli slowly followed suit. “We will continue this later.”
“Can’t wait,” I mumbled, tapping my fingers in a rhythm against the table. “Hurry back, detectives.” The door closed, and I turned to glance at Salvo. His lips curved into an amused grin as he shook his head.
“Myzioalways said you were just like yourpadre. Now I see it. It’s uncanny.”
