But within a few months of your arrival here we now have all the ingredients of a major international incident in the making, a scenario which makes the city look like some Third World hellhole where bands of drunken sailors and local thugs have it out with knives among the wharves. We've spent a lot of time and money trying to upgrade the image of Naples in the world, and our efforts were crowned with the gj conference. Now your slackness and incompetence threatens to bring all that work to naught!'

'It's impossible for my men to be everywhere/ Zen protested feebly.

'This affray occurred less than fifteen metres from the main passenger terminal/ said the Questore. 'If you can't police that area properly, what can you do? Anyway, it's too late to worry about that now. The essential thing is to bring this investigation to a suitable conclusion in the shortest possible time, a conclusion which will satisfy and reassure all the interested parties — who, I need hardly remind you, include two of our principal NATO allies. What progress have you made?'

'What progress have we made?'

He eyed Caputo desperately.

'Well, the individual responsible…'

Caputo held up his arms, crossed at the wrist.

'… is in custody…'

Caputo ran one finger across his closed lips as though tugging at a zipper.

'… but has so far refused to talk.'

Caputo was now pacing up and down the floor, darting glances this way and that, one hand shading his eyes.

'My men are conducting a thorough search of the scene …'Zen went on.

Caputo made writing motions on the palm of his left hand.

'… and taking detailed statements from witnesses.'

'What leads are you working on?' demanded the Questore.

'What leads are we working on?'

'Must you repeat everything I say? Yes, leads! Theories, ideas, hypotheses. Something which might begin to explain this incident and which I can communicate to the Prefect for subsequent transmission to Rome.'