“What did he say?”

“All sorts of things. Twice, he beat her in the street. One morning she found her car scratched all over with a screwdriver. One evening, she got home to find her bicycle, which was in the entrance hall of the apartment block where her mother lives, all smashed up. Of course, there’s no proof it was him. Anyway, to cut a long story short, as you said, Avvocato, her life became hell. The girls in the community and I have been trying to help. Whenever possible we go with her to and from work. For a few weeks she even came and worked in the refuge, which at least is somewhere he doesn’t know and can’t find her. But that’s no solution. She doesn’t have a life, she can’t go out in the evenings, can’t go for a walk, can’t go shopping in a supermarket, can’t do anything for fear she’ll run into him. Or that he’ll be following her. So she doesn’t go out any more. She stays at home, shut in, as if she’s in prison. But he can move around without anyone bothering him.”

“Has she reported him?”

It was Tancredi who replied. “Three times. Once to the carabinieri, once to us at police headquarters, and the third time directly to the Public Prosecutor’s department. Fortunately, the case was assigned to Prosecutor Mantovani, who’s been working on it. She investigated as much as she could, listened to the woman, got hold of the medical reports, and then put in a request for the bastard to be arrested.”

“On what charge?”

“Actual bodily harm and threatening behaviour. But it was useless. The judge rejected the request, saying there were no grounds for arrest. This is where things get interesting. Sister Claudia is here to ask you if you’re prepared to take on the woman’s case and bring a civil action. Two of your colleagues have already refused. A malicious gossip might say for the same reason the judge refused to arrest the man.”