Judge Surra Read Free Page A

can be of no assistance.”
    â€œGive me at least one name. Among those who attended today’s meeting, who would be most opposed to my coming here?”
    Fallarino’s face softened momentarily into the faintest of smiles.
    â€œYou are very shrewd. Paolantonio.”
    â€œMay I ask one more favour and then I’ll leave you in peace. Read this.”
    He pulled the anonymous letter from his pocket and handed it to Fallarino, who read it and gave it back.
    â€œWhat do you think?” Surra asked.
    â€œIt’s puzzling.”
    â€œWhy?”
    â€œBecause the anonymous writer does not explain exactly how things went. It was this that led you astray last night in the Caffè
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when you asked Don Nené to return the papers which had been unlawfully removed.”
    The judge was taken aback. So he knew this too!
    â€œAnd how did things go exactly?”
    â€œDon Nené Lonero courteously requested these papers from one of our judges, who with equal courtesy acceded to the request.”
    â€œBut this is a very serious crime!” Surra said. “Why did those papers interest him?”
    â€œPresumably because they related to trials for murder or kidnap, very serious crimes indeed. I had instituted the enquiries myself. Against members of the brotherhood of which Don Nené is head.”
    â€œAnd what is this brotherhood?” the judge asked.
    â€œYou are plainly unaware of the report drawn up by Don Pietro Ulloa, the procurator general at Trapani. It is highly instructive, and the situation has not changed in any way since then.”
    He got to his feet, walked over to his bookcase and came back with a book in his hand.
    â€œLet me make you a present of it. I have another copy.”
    He remained standing, indicating that the visit was over. Surra too got up.
    â€œYou cannot refuse to give me the name of the person who gave the papers to Lonero. That would constitute conspiracy.”
    â€œI have already given you one name. That will suffice.” Fallarino smiled again and offered him his hand.

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    HOWEVER, HE INSISTED ON ACCOMPANYING HIM TO THE CARRIAGE .
    â€œCome and see me any time you wish,” he said, once again shaking his hand.
    â€œThank you. I will take advantage of that invitation.”
    Just as the carriage was beginning to move off, Fallarino stepped onto the footboard, leant forward and looking Surra in the face said quietly: “I wish I’d had your courage.”
    And he got down.
    The judge was shaken by that expression. Clearly, to bring the court to a point where it could operate normally would require clarity of thought, perseverance, determination, patience … but courage? That was overdoing it! What a weighty word! Yes, Sicilians tended to exaggerate, to dramatise, as he was beginning to understand.
    â€œWhere now?” Attanasio asked.
    â€œTo the prefecture.”
    *
    It took less than a quarter of an hour for the news of the shots fired at Judge Surra to spread all over the town.
    The only one who was unaware of it was Surra himself, but it did not occur to a single soul that he had not understood that he had been the object of an attempt on his life, and in consequence his behaviour enlivened the discussion that afternoon at the Nobles’ Club.
    â€œIt’s exactly the same as a game of chess,” Don Agatino Smecca said. “One of the players is none other than our judge Surra who, at the Caffè
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, issued a public challenge to Don Nené Lonero. It was the judge who made the first move by asking for the return of the papers. A bold challenge, there’s no denying it. And one which the recipient accepted, and this morning he made his move by having Surra shot at.”
    â€œThat’s right,” Don Clemente Sommartino replied. “But you’ve got to add that the second move should be described as interlocutory. It was a warning, because it’s obvious to the whole world that if