He gave Zen a crafty glance.
‘But without me, neither can you.’
Catching the incredulous gaze of the official taking notes, Zen quickly stood up, as though to assert his authority.
‘Allow me to remind you that you are in detention pending being charged with assault on a police officer, Minot.’
‘I didn’t lay a finger on you, dottore. You were much too quick for me.’
‘It’s the intent that counts.’
‘But what if my intent has changed? Supposing that I intend to cooperate fully with your investigation into the murder of Aldo Vincenzo, and that I’m the one person who can provide proof that will stand up in court. Would that be enough to get the charges against me revoked?’
Aurelio Zen stared at him.
‘You were right. You don’t need a lawyer.’
Minot fought to contain his exultant emotion.
‘So you agree?’
‘Agree to what?’
Minot regarded him fixedly.
‘I give you conclusive evidence of the killer’s identity. In return, you drop all charges and release me unconditionally.’
Zen snorted.
‘It’ll take more than a stray button to get anyone convicted, Minot. And to get you released.’
‘There is more.’
‘What?’
Minot smiled conspiratorially.
‘Ah, well, that would be telling, wouldn’t it? And I can’t very well do that until I know that you’re going to keep your end of the bargain.’
The plain-clothed cop shifted awkwardly in his chair.
‘Listen, capo,’ he said, ‘I don’t think you should be…’
‘That’ll do, Morino.’
Zen turned to Minot.
‘All right, so what do you propose? You can’t expect an unconditional discharge until I can evaluate what you’re offering in return, and you’re apparently not prepared to reveal that until I’ve handed over the papers, signed and sealed. In short, you don’t trust me and I don’t trust you.’
Minot nodded slyly.
‘So we need to find a third party. That’s what we do in the truffle business when we’re dealing with some outsider, use a go-between we can both trust.’
‘You mean a lawyer?’
Minot laughed.
‘Someone we could trust, I said!’
‘Do you know someone?’
‘Plenty of people, dottore, but you don’t know them. So let’s look at it the other way round. Can you think of someone round here that you trust? The chances are that I’ll know them, too, and perhaps we can do business.’
Zen considered a minute.
‘I suppose there’s Lucchese…’
Minot glanced at him in surprise.
‘You know him? Perfect.’
‘This is highly irregular, capo!’ protested Morino.
‘Shut up,’ Zen told him, lifting the phone. ‘And strike all references to a deal from the record. Hello? Ah, good morning, principe. This is Aurelio Zen.’
Minot did not bother to listen to the ensuing one-sided conversation, preoccupied as he was with reviewing his own position. As always, he had acted instinctively. That was his great strength. Plans that were not made could not be exposed later. It was just a question of checking that his spontaneous words and actions were consistent with the apparent facts of the case. He did, and they were.
‘… take receipt of the item and of the papers which I will give you,’ Zen was saying into the phone. ‘I will then examine the former and, if satisfied, authorize you to release the latter to the said third party. Agreed? Very good.’
He hung up and looked at Minot.
‘Lucchese agrees. Where is the evidence in question?’
‘At my house. I’ll go and pick it up, then bring the evidence back to the Palazzo Lucchese in person.’
‘Don’t trust him, capo!’ Morino burst out. ‘I’ll take a couple of men and go over the place with a fine-tooth comb. Whatever’s there, we’ll find it!’
Knowing what was at stake, it took Minot all his nerve to smile disdainfully.
‘I could have it on me right now and you’d never find it,’ he replied in a matter-of-fact tone.
Zen shot him a keen look.
‘It’s small enough to conceal, then?’
Minot smiled.