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INSPECTOR CARROLA PUSHED by the old nurse, and despite her objections, pulled back on the cream colored curtain, sliding it along the metal rail on chrome rings. It made a kind of bell sound as the rings clinked together along the rail.
Dominic turned his head as did the young doctor tending to him.
“Aspeta,” the young doctor, not more than twenty-five said, shooting a look of anger at the Inspector. “Aspeta, nessun ospiti.”
“I am not a tourist and I do not wait.” Inspector Carrola flashed a badge at the young doctor. “Tourist? That is correct?” He looked to Dominic
“Visitor. Tourist is okay,” Dominic answered the inspector.
“You would say tourist?”
“No, visitor.”
Inspector Carrola looked at the young doctor. “I am no a visitor.”
The young doctor shook his head at the Inspector, then turned his attention back to the embedded glass shards in Dominic’s head.
“He’s only an intern and he thinks he’s a doctor.” “I didn’t think that I’d see you.” Dominic winced as a piece of glass was pulled out of the flesh surrounding his skull.
“That is the difference. I knew that I would see you again.”
“Unfortunate.”
“For those who surround you, yes,” Inspector Carrola said, watching as the doctor pulled several pieces of glass from Dominic’s flesh. “You have a way, signore, of...how do you say...making the tide?”
“Making waves.”
“Ah, yes. Making waves.” Inspector Carrola moved around the bed, coming up behind the doctor. “I don’t understand this saying really. It doesn’t make sense to me.”
“It means churning things up. Making a mess of a situation.
“And that you do. Am I not right, Dominic?”
“Lately.”
“Finito,” the doctor said, dropping the surgical tweezers onto a stainless steel tray. He grabbed a roll of white sterile gauze from the stand and began to wrap it around Dominic’s head.
“Tell me. What happened tonight?” The inspector watched as the doctor manipulated the gauze around Dominic’s head.
“The window broke.”
“How did this happen? The window broking?”
“Breaking, not broking.”
“How did this happen then?”
“Something broke the window.”
“A bird maybe?” Inspector Carrola picked up some of the instruments on the stand inspecting them.
“Per favore, Ispettore.” The doctor glanced at the inspector and the surgical tool in his hand.
Inspector Carrola dropped the tool.
“Maybe? I didn’t see a bird.” Dominic tried to keep his head still, but failed.
“Non si muova,” the doctor ordered.
“Sorry, spiacente,” Dominic apologized and tried to remain still.
“Someone put a rock into the window?”
“Maybe? I told you I didn’t see anything.”
“Perhaps, that is because there was no rock, Signore. And also, there was no bird.”
“I can’t help you then. We were just talking...”
“Talking about what then? I can ask you?”
Dominic barely missed a beat. “Books and travel.”
Inspector Carrola picked up a set of tweezers. “Are you going somewhere?”
“No, Inspector. I’m not planning on it.”
“And your girlfriend? Is she going somewhere?”
“She is not my girlfriend.”
“Did I use the wrong word?”
“Per favore, Ispettore!” The doctor’s tone was sharp.
The inspector put down the tweezers. “I’m sorry. But sometimes my English is no so good.”
“The word is correct, Inspector. It’s the implication that’s wrong.”
“Ah, I forgot. You are a priest. No girlfriend then.”
“If you don’t mind Inspector?” Dominic jumped down from the surgery table, waving off the doctor. “I would like to see Tonita and the Cardinal.”
“Yes, yes. I am sorry to be keeping you.”
“If there is nothing more then?” Dominic headed toward the door, not waiting for an answer.
“No. That is it. You go to see your girlfriend.” Inspector Carrola waved a hand animatedly in front of his face, shaking his head. “I’m sorry. I use the words wrong again. Go see your friend.”
“Scusilo. Dove posso trovare Tonita e Cardinale?” Dominic said to a passing nurse.
“I can help you there,” Inspector Carrola said, waving the nurse off. “Tonita is in the room just across the hall. And the Cardinal Celent...you will find him in the morgue.”