Milan, 28 October 1816, 8 a.m.
Seat of the Directorate-General of the Austrian Police
Ziani came across his colleague Andrea Vitali from the department of internal affairs early in the day.
Beside him, with her face darkened like that of a punished child, sat Molinari.
‘Good morning to you both. To what do I owe the pleasure, Vitali?’ asked Ziani.
‘Take a look at this complaint and explain why I shouldn’t send your sergeant back behind bars for good and throw the key away’.
‘Sergeant Paolo Sangalli reported for assault and the blows dealt to two local constabulary colleagues and so on and so forth … at Cassina de Pomm?’
‘Does that locale seem strange to you?’ Vitali asked with an incisive look in his eye.
‘This is outwith our beat. In any event, the accusations are false’
