14

There are days when the jealous beauty of this city seems to unveil itself. On clear days, for example, windy days, when the breeze that announces the arrival of the south-westerly sweeps along the streets slapping like a taut sail. Then the houses and bell towers take on a brightness that is too real, the outlines too sharp; like a photograph with fierce contrasts, light and shade collide aggressively without blending together, forming a black-and-white check of splashes of shadow and dazzling light, of alleyways and small squares.

Once, if he had nothing else to do, he used to choose days like this to wander round the old dock area, and now, following the dead-end sidings the wagons use along the quay, heading back to town, he finds himself thinking of those days. He could catch the bus that goes to town through the tunnels of the beltway, but instead he chooses to walk across the docks, following the twists and turns of the wharves. He feels he wants to dawdle slowly through this grim landscape of railway lines that reminds him of his childhood, of diving from the landing stage with the tires along its sides, of those poor summers, the memory of which has remained etched inside him like a scar.

In the disused shipyard, where once they repaired steamships, he sees the hulk of a Swedish vessel lying on its side. It’s called the Ulla. Strangely, the yellow letters of the name somehow escaped the fire that devastated the boat leaving enormous brown stains on the paint. And he has the impression that this old monster on the brink of extinction has always been there in that corner of the dock. A little further on he found a battered phone booth. He thought of phoning Corrado to put him in the picture. Anyway it was only right to let him know, since to a certain extent he owed the meeting to his friend.

“Corrado,” he said, “it’s me. I managed to speak to him.”

“But where are you? Why did you disappear like that?”

“I didn’t disappear at all. I’m at the docks. Don’t worry.”

“Sara was after you. She left you a message here at the paper. She says they’re extending their vacation for three days, they’re going to Switzerland.”

A seagull, which had been wheeling about for some time, landed on the arm of a water pump right next to the phone booth and stood there quietly watching him while at the same time hunting through its feathers with its beak.

“There’s a seagull next to me, it’s right here next to the phone booth, it’s as if it knew me.”

“What are you talking about? . . . Listen, where did you find him, what did he tell you?”

“I can’t explain now. There’s a seagull here with its ears pricked, it must be a spy.”

“Don’t play the fool. Where are you, where did you find him?”

“I told you, I’m at the docks. We met at the Boat Club. There are boats for rent and we went out for a trip.”

Corrado’s voice dropped, perhaps someone had come into the office. “Don’t trust him,” he said. “Don’t trust him an inch.”

“It’s not a question of trusting or not. He gave me a tip and I’m going to try it out. He didn’t know anything about the business. But there’s someone who maybe does know something and he told me who.”

“Who?”

“I told you I can’t tell you, I don’t want to speak on the phone.”

“There’s no one here who can hear you. You can speak on my phone. Tell me who.”

“Come on, you don’t imagine he went and gave me name and surname, do you? He’s very smart. He just gave me an idea.”

“So then give me an idea.”

“You wouldn’t understand.”

“So how come you understood?”

“Because it’s someone I happened to know years back. A musician.”

“Where does he play?”

“Corrado, please, I can’t tell you anything.”

“In any event I don’t like it, and you’re too naive, understand? It’s quicksand. Anywhere you put your feet you risk sinking in.”

“Sorry Corrado, have to say goodbye, it’s getting late. And then this seagull is getting annoyed, he wants to make a call, he’s waving his beak at me furiously.”

“Come straight here, I’ll wait for you at the paper. I won’t go home, just so I can see you.”

“What about tomorrow, okay? I’m tired now, and I’ve got something to do this evening.”

“Promise me you won’t trust anyone.”

“Okay, talk to you tomorrow.”

“Hang on a second, I heard something that might interest you. The coroner has arranged for the burial, the case has been dropped.”