The next day unfolds with a semblance of normalcy. Jeanine doesn't inquire about the previous night. Cesare is already in his office when I arrive, while Dante joins later, looking like he's nursing a hangover. When I ask Jeanine about Dante, she advises me to ignore it, then proceeds to order him breakfast and prepare an espresso. I'm given permission to leave early again to compensate for the dinner outing, so I depart at three-thirty.

As I insert my key into the building's lock, it surprises me how smoothly and effortlessly it functions. I recall Cesare mentioning that it needed fixing. No, I shake my head, that's absurd. But my...