Back at home, Franco switched on his computer.
He looked for information about Giovanni Della Torre’s company. He discovered that Torre Company dealt with investments.
However, because of Giovanni Della Torre’s bad management, and owing to certain speculative investments on the stock market, it had large debts and found itself on the verge of bankruptcy.
While he was continuing his internet search, Ginevra called him.
«Hi Franco. How are you? I don’t know if it still interests you, seeing that Giovanni Della Torre fired you, but my journalist friend told me that “la Signora dei Cardellini” will certainly be sold at the next clandestine auction».
In an instant, Franco understood everything.
«Ginevra, you’ve been a great help! Listen, I’ve worked it out! Do me a favour, tell the police!!» Franco told Ginevra the address to give to the police.
At four in the afternoon, Franco pulled up at Via Aristofane 28 and rang the bell. The owner was at home. He was shown in.
«What are you doing here, Detective?»
«I’m here because you, Signor Della Torre, stole the painting and the jewellery and accused Rosa!!» said Franco.
«But what are you saying? Get out of my house. I’ve an appointment and I’m in a hurry» Giovanni Della Torre replied dryly.
«You’re in a hurry because you have to take the painting that you stole from your mother’s house to the underground art auction, right?
In the end, I worked it out. You’re very clever, Giovanni. You stole the painting, and so you wanted to get both the insurance money and the proceeds from the illegal sale. And so as not to be found out, you also stole the jewellery.
You thought you could blame Rosa and teach her a lesson for having left you and for having immediately got engaged to another man. You wanted to pay her back for ending it.
So when your mother was at the spa and Rosa wasn’t here, you went round to your mother’s house, you took the keys to Rosa’s room, and you hid the stolen jewelery.
When I came by to speak to the Contessa, you told me that you were there to check the house.
But the next day, you convinced your mother to open Rosa’s room and you pretended to find the stolen jewellery!
I bet that the painting is still here.»
Giovanni took his time to reply.
«Detective, you actually seemed to be such an idiot, I never imagined you’d have got this far. I stole the painting because I needed the money. My company was going bust. And now that you’ve found me out, I can’t let you go.»
As he finished speaking, Giovanni pulled out a pistol and pointed it at Franco.
«Now, sit down» he told Franco.
Franco sat on the couch and asked
«Before you kill me, I’d like to know why you called a detective, as it was you that stole the painting?
You can’t have wanted it found, given that you intended to sell it. And with the police, you’d surely have got away with it.»
«Exactly. I didn’t want it found. It was my mother, who insisted. She wanted that painting back at all costs. So I decided to call you. A mediocre detective who only finds lost puppies. That way, after a while you’d have given up looking.
Now though, say your prayers so…»
As Giovanni spoke, in the distance the sound of police sirens could be heard. Giovanni panicked and ran out of the front door of his house.
He jumped into the pickup, which was parked a few meters from the gate, and turned the key in the ignition. But the vehicle wouldn’t start.
Franco, who in the meantime had come out of the house, reached Giovanni and said, satisfied:
«I knew that you would try to escape, so I made sure your car wouldn’t start!»
The police arrived and arrested Giovanni.
Franco ran to meet Ginevra, who had arrived with the police.
«Thanks Ginevra. You saved my life. Giovanni wanted to shoot me. »
«Next time be more careful» she admonished him. «That Giovanni Della Torre is a madman. Poor Contessa!»
«Never mind, Ginevra, don’t think about it any more.
Let’s go. This time I’ll buy you a pizza!»
And they walked towards the nearest restaurant.
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