The Snack Thief by Andrea Camilleri Page B

caught in a trap.
Montalbano turned on the light and leaned out the window.
    Bring him upstairs.You, Grasso, go round up the others.
    Meanwhile the childs wailing had stopped and turned
into sobbing. Livia was holding him in her arms, talking to
him.
    He was still very tense but had stopped crying. Eyes glistening
and ardent, he studied the faces around him, slowly regaining
confidence. He was sitting at the same table where,
only a few days before, he had sat with his mother beside
him. This, perhaps, was why he clung to Livias hand and
didnt want her to leave him.
    Mimugello, who had briefly absented himself, returned
with a bag in his hand. Everyone immediately realized
hed been the only one with the right idea. Inside were
some ham sandwiches, bananas, cookies, and two cans of
Coca-Cola. As a reward, Mimeceived an emotional glance
from Livia, which naturally irritated Montalbano. The deputy
inspector stammered:
    I had somebody prepare it last night ...I thought that,
if we were dealing with a hungry little boy...
    As he was eating, Frans gave in to fatigue and fell
asleep. He didnt manage to finish the cookies. All at once his
    head fell forward onto the table, as if someone had turned off
    a switch inside him.
    So where do we take him now? asked Fazio.
    To our house, Livia said decisively.
    Montalbano was struck by that our. And as he was
gathering up a pair of jeans and a T-shirt for the little boy, he
couldnt tell whether he should be pleased or upset.
    The kid didnt open his eyes once during the ride back
to Marinella, or when Livia undressed him after making up a
bed for him on the living room sofa.
    What if he wakes up and runs away while were
asleep? asked the inspector.
    I dont think he will, Livia reassured him.
    Montalbano, in any case, wasnt taking any chances. He
closed the window, lowered the shutters, and gave the front-
door key two turns.
    They too went to bed. But despite how tired they were,
it took them a long time to fall asleep. The presence of
Frans, whom they could hear breathing in the next room,
made them both inexplicably uneasy.
    Around nine oclock the next morning, very late for him, the
inspector woke up, got quietly out of bed so as not to disturb
Livia, and went to check on Frans. The kid wasnt there.
Not on the couch, nor in the bathroom. Hed escaped, just as
the inspector had feared. But how the hell did he do it, with
the front door locked and the shutters still down? He started
    looking everywhere the kid might be hiding. Nothing. Vanished.
He had to wake Livia and tell her what had happened,
get her advice. He reached out and at that moment saw the
childs head resting against his womans breast. They were
sleeping in each others arms.
    9
    Inspector? Sorry to bother you at home. Could we meet
    this morning? Id like to give you my report.
    Certainly. Ill come to Montelusa.
    No, thats all right. Ill come down to Vig. Shall we
meet in an hour at the office in Salita Granet?
    Yes, thanks, Lagan
    He went into the bathroom, trying to make as little noise as
possible. Also to avoid disturbing Livia and Frans, he put
on his clothes from the previous day, which were additionally
rumpled from the nightlong stakeout. He left a note: there
was a lot of stuff in the fridge, hed be back by lunchtime. As
soon as hed written it, he remembered that the commissioner
had invited them for lunch. That was out of the question
now, with Frans there. He decided to phone at once,
otherwise he might forget. He knew that the commissioner
spent Sunday mornings at home, except in extraordinary circumstances.
    Montalbano? Dont tell me youre not coming for
lunch!
    Unfortunately I cant, Mr. Commissioner, Im sorry.
    Is it something serious?
    Quite. The fact is, early this morning, I becameI
dont know how to put thissort of a father.
    Congratulations! was the commissioners reply. So,
Miss Livia...I cant wait to tell my wife,