The Danger. Part 14

"Thelads."

"Whataboutthem?"

"Theireyes."Thesameeruptingforce.

"Ifyourodeatthebacktheywouldn'tseeyou,"Isaid.

"I'dthinkoftheireyes."

Iglancedatherverytroubledface.Shewastakingmeoutofmydepth,I thought.Sheneededprofessionalhelp,notmyamateurcommonsense.

"Whytheireyes?"Isaid.

"Eyes..."Shespokeloudly,asifthewordsthemselvesdemandedviolence."They watchedme.Iknewtheydid.WhenIwasasleep.Theycameinandwatched."

SheturnedsuddenlytowardstheLandRoveranddidactuallykickthetire.

"Theycamein.Iknowtheydid.Ihate...Ihate...Ican'tbear...theireyes."

Istretchedout,putmyarmsroundherandpulledheragainstmychest.

"Alessia...Alessia...Itdoesn'tmatter.Whatiftheydid?"

"Ifeel...filthy...dirty."

"Akindofrape?"Isaid.

"Yes."

"Butnot...?"

Sheshookherheadsilentlyandconclusively.

"Howdoyouknowtheycamein?"Isaid.

"Thezip,"shesaid."ItoldyouIkneweveryst.i.tchofthetent...Iknewhow manyteethinthezip.Andsomedays,itwouldopenhigherthanothers.They undidthezip...andcamein...andfasteneditatadifferentlevel...sixorseven teethhigher,tenlower...Idreadedit."

Istoodholdingher,notknowingwhattosay.

"Itrynottocare,"shesaid."ButIdream..."Shestoppedforawhile,then said,"Idreamabouteyes."

Irubbedoneofmyhandsoverherback,tryingtocomfort."Tellmewhatelse,"

Isaid."Whatelseisunbearable?"

Shestoodquietforsolongwithhernoseagainstmychestthat.i.thoughtthere mightbenothing,butfinally,withahardsortofcoldness,shesaid,"Iwanted himtolikeme.Iwantedtopleasehim.ItoldPapaandPucinellithathisvoice wascold...b.u.t.thatwas...atthebeginning.Whenhecameeachtimewiththe microphone,tomakethetapes,Iwas...ingratiating."Shepaused."I...loathe..

myself.Iam...hateful...anddreadfully...unbearably...ashamed."

Shestoppedtalkingandsimplystoodthere,andafterawhileIsaid,"Very oftenpeoplewh.o.a.rekidnappedgrowtoliketheirkidnappers.Itisn'teven unusual.It'sasifanormalhumanbeingcan'tlivewithoutsomesortof friendlycontact.Inordinarycriminalprisons,theprisonersandwardersgrow intodefinitelyfriendlyrelationships.Whenalotofhostagesaretaken,some ofthemalwaysmakefriendswithoneormoreoftheterroristsholdingthem.

Hostagessometimesbegthepolicewh.o.a.rerescuingthemnottoharmtheir kidnappers.Youmustn't,youshouldn't,blameyourselffortryingtomakethe manwiththemicrophonelikeyou.It'snormal.Usual.And...howdidherespond?"

Sheswallowed."Hecalledme...deargirl."

"Deargirl,"Isaidmyself,meaningit."Don'tfeelguilty.Youarenormal.

Everyonetriestobefriendtheirkidnapperstosomeextent,andit'sbetterthat theyshould."

"Why?"Thewordwasm.u.f.fled,butpa.s.sionate.

"Becauseantagonismbegetsantagonism.Akidnappedpersonwhocanmakethe kidnapperslikeherismuchsafer.They'llbelesslikelytoharmher...andmore careful,forherownsake,nottoletherseetheirfaces.Theywouldn'twantto killsomeonethey'dgrowntolike."

Sheshivered.

"Andasforcomingintoseeyouwhenyouwereasleep...maybetheylookedonyou withfriendship...maybetheywantedtobesureyouwereallright,asthey couldn'tseeyouwhenyouwereawake."

Iwasn'tsurewhetherIbelievedthatlastbitmyself,but.i.twasatleast possible:andtherestwasalltrue.

"Theladsarenotthekidnappers,"Isaid.

"No,ofcoursenot."

"Justothermen."

Shenoddedhersmotheredhead.

"It'snotthelads'eyesyoudreamabout."

"No."Shesigheddeeply.

"Don'tridewiththestringuntilyoufeelO.K.about.i.t.Popsywillarrangea horseforyouupontheDowns."Ipaused."Don'tworryiftomorrowyoustill feelchurnedup.Knowingthereasonforfeelingsdoesn'tnecessarilystopthem comingback."

Shestoodquietforawhileandthendisconnectedherselfslowlyfrommy embrace,andwithoutlookingatmyfacesaid,"Idon'tknowwhereI'dbewithout you.Inthenut-house,forsure."

"Oneday,"Isaidmildly,"I'llcometotheDerbyandcheeryouhome."

ShesmiledandclimbedintotheLandRover,butinsteadofpointingitsnose homewardsIdroveonoverthehilltotheschoolingground.

"Whereareyougoing?"shesaid.

"Nowhere.Justhere."Istoppedtheengineandputonthebrakes.Theflightsof hurdlesandfenceslayneatanddesertedonthegra.s.syslope,andImadenomove togetoutofthecar.

"I'vebeentalkingtoPucinelli,"Isaid.

"Oh."

"He'sfoundthesecondplace,whereyouwerekeptthoselastfewdays."

"Oh."Asmallvoice,butnotpanic-stricken.

"DoestheHotelVistaclarameananythingtoyou?"

Shefrowned,thought,andshookherhead.

"It'supinthemountains,"Isaid."AbovetheplacecalledViralto,thatyou toldmeabout.Pucinellifoundthegreententthere,folded,notsetup,ina loftoveradisusedstableyard."

"Stables?"Shewa.s.surprised.

"Mm."

Shewrinkledhernose."Therewasnosmellofhorses."

"They'vebeengonefiveyears,"Isaid."Butyousaidyoucouldsmellbread.The hotelmakesitsown,inthekitchens.Theonlythingis..."Ipaused"...whyjust bread?Whynotallcookingsmells?"

Shelookedforwardthroughthewindscreentothepeacefulrollingterrainand breatheddeeplyofthesweetfreshair,andcalmly,withoutstrainortears, explained.

"AtnightwhenIhadeatenthemealoneofthemwouldcomeandtellmetoput thedishandthebucketoutthroughthezip.Icouldneverhearthemcoming becauseofthemusic.Ionlyknewtheyweretherewhentheyspoke."Shepaused.

"Anyway,inthemorningwhenIwoketheywouldcomeandtellmetotakethe bucketinagain...andatthatpoint.i.twouldbecleanandempty."Shestopped again."ItwasthenthatIcouldsmellthebread,thoselastfewdays.Early...

Whenthebucketwasempty."Shefellsilentandthenturnedherheadtolookat me,seekingmyreaction.

"Prettymiserableforyou,"Isaid.

"Mm."Shehalf-smiled."It'sincredible...butIgotusedtoit.Onewouldn't thinkonecould.But.i.twasone'sownsmell,afterall...andafterthefirstfew daysIhardlynoticedit."Shepausedagain."ThosefirstdaysIthoughtI'dgo mad.Notjustfromanxietyandguiltandfury...butfromboredom.Hourafterhour ofnothingb.u.t.thatd.a.m.nedmusic...noonetotalkto,nothingtosee...Itried exercises,butdayafterdayIgrewlessfitandmoredopey,andaftermaybetwo orthreeweeksIjuststopped.Thedaysseemedtorunintoeachother,then.I justlayonthefoammattressandletthemusicwashinandout,andIthought aboutthingsthathadhappenedinmylife,b.u.t.theyseemedfarawayandhardly real.Realitywasthebucketandpastaandapolystyrenecupofwatertwicea day...andhopingthatthemanwiththemicrophonewouldthinkIwasbehaving well...andlikeme."

"Mm,"Isaid."Helikedyou."

"Whydoyouthinkso?"sheasked,andIsawthatcuriouslysheseemedgladat theidea,thatshestillwantedherkidnappertoapproveofher,eventhoughshe wasfree.

"Ithink,"Isaid,"thatifyouandhehadfelthateforeachotherhewouldn't haveriskedthesecondransom.Hewouldhavebeenverymuchinclinedtocuthis losses.I'dguesshecouldn'tfacethethoughtofkillingyou...becauseheliked you."Isawthedeepsmileinhereyesanddecidedtostraightenthingsupin herperspective.Nogoodwouldcomeofherfallinginlovewithhercaptorin fantasyorinretrospect."Mindyou,"Isaid,"hegaveyourfatheranappalling timeandstolenearlyamillionpoundsfromyourfamily.WemaythankG.o.dhe likedyou,but.i.tdoesn'tmakehimanangel."

"Oh..."Shemadeafrustrated,veryItaliangesturewithherhands."Whyareyou alwaysso...sosensible?"

"Scottishancestors,"Isaid."Thedoursort,notthefire-brands.Theyseemto takeoverandspoilthefunwhenthequarterofmethat'sSpanishachesfor flamenco."

Sheputherheadononeside,halflaughing."That'sthemostI'veeverheard yousayaboutyourself."

"Stickaround,"Isaid.

"Idon'tsupposeyou'llbelieveit,"shesaid,sighingdeeplyandstretchingher limbstorelaxthem,"butIamafterallbeginningtofeelfairlysane."

Chapternine.

JULYCREPTOUTinadrizzleandAugustsweptinwithastorminaweekoflittle activityintheLondonofficebutagooddealinItaly.

Pucinellitelephonedtwicetoreportnoprogressandathirdtime,ecstatically, tosaythatCenci'sofferofarewardhadborneresults.Theoffer,alongwith thekidnappers'pictures,hadbeenpostedineverypossiblepublicplace throughoutBolognaandthewholeprovincearound;andananonymouswomanhad telephonedtoPaoloCencihimselftosaysheknewwhereapartoftheransom couldbefound.

"SignorCencisaidshesoundedspiteful.Awomanscorned.Shetoldhimitwould serve'him'righttolosehismoney.Shewouldn'tsaywho'he'was.Inanycase, tomorrowSignorCenciandIgotowhereshesaysthemoneycanbefound,andif sheisright,SignorCenciwillpostarewardtoher.Theaddresstosendthe rewardisasmallhotel,nothighcla.s.s.Perhapswewillbeabletofindthe womanandquestionher."

Onthefollowingeveninghesoundedmoremoderatelyelated.

"Itwastruewefoundsomeofthemoney,"hesaid."Butunfortunatelynotvery much,whenyouthinkofthewholeamount."

"Howmuch?"Iasked.

"Fiftymillionlire."

"That's...er..."Ididrapidsums,"nearlytwenty-fivethousandpounds.Hm...The lootof.a.gangmember,notaprinc.i.p.al,wouldn'tyousay?"

"Iagree."

"Wheredidyoufindit?"Iasked.

"Inaluggagelockerattherailwaystation.ThewomantoldSignorCencithe numberofthelocker,butwehadnokey.Wehadaspecialisttoopenthelock forus."

"Sowhoeverleftthemoneythinksit'sstillthere?"

"Yes.Itisindeedstillthere,butwehavehadthelockaltered.Ifanyone triestoopenit,hewillhavetoaskforanotherkey.Thenwecatchhim.We've setagoodtrap.Themoneyisinasofttravelbag,withazip.Thenumberson thenotesmatchthephotographs.Thereisnodoubt.i.tispartoftheransom.

SignorCenciha.s.sentarewardoffivemillionlireandwewilltrytocatchthe womanwhenshecollectsit.Heisdisappointed,though,asIam,thatwedidn't findmore."

"Betterthannothing,"Isaid."Tellmehowyougeton."

Thereweretwousualwaystodealwith"hot"money,ofwhichthesimplestwasto parkthelootsomewheresafeuntilthefiercestphaseofinvestigationwasover.

Crooksestimatedthesafetymarginvariouslyfromamonthtoseveralyears,and werethenfairlycarefultospendthemoneyfarfromhome,usuallyonsomething whichcouldinstantlyberesold.

Thesecond,moresophisticatedmethod,mostusedforlargeamounts,wastosell thehotmoneytoasortoffence,aprofessionalwhowouldbuyitforabouttwo thirdsofitsfacevalue,makinghisprofitbyfloatingitinbatchesontothe unsuspectingpublicviatheoperatorsofcasinos,markets,fairgrounds, racecoursesoranywhereelsewherelargeamountsofcashchangedhandsquickly.

Bythetimethehotmoneypercolatedbacktofar-flungbanksthesourceofit couldn'tbetraced.

SomeofPaoloCenci'smillionquidcouldhavebeenloppedbyathirdinsuch laundering,somecouldhavebeensplitbetweenanunknownnumberofgang members,andsomecouldhavebeenspentinadvanceonoutgoings,suchasrenting thesuburbanhouse.Theexpensesofasuccessfulkidnappingwerehigh,the ransomneverwhollyprofit.Allthesame,despiteitsrisks,itwasthefastest waytoafortuneyetdevised,andinItalyparticularlythechancesofbeing detectedandcaughtwereapproximatelyfivepercent.Inacountrywherenowoman couldwalkinthestreetsofRomewithahandbagoverherarmforfearofhaving itrazoredoffbythievesonmotorcycles,kidnappingwasregardedasafactof life,likeulcers.

Pucinellitelephonedtwodayslaterinagoodmoodtoreportthatthewomanwho hadcollectedtherewardhadbeenfollowedhomewithoutchallengeandhadproved tobethewifeofamanwhohadservedtwotermsinjailforraidsonliquor stores.Neighborssaidthemanwasknownforchasinggirls,hiswife hot-bloodedlyjealous.Pucinellithoughtthatanarrestandsearchofthemanon suspicionwouldpresentnoproblems,andthenexteveningreportedthatthe searchhadrevealedtheluggagelockerticketintheman'swallet.Theman, identifiedasGiovanniSanto,wasnowinacellandpouringoutinformationlike lavafromavolcano.

"Heisstupid,"Pucinellisaiddisparagingly."We'vetoldhimhewillspendhis wholelifeinjailifhedoesn'tcooperate,andhe'ss.h.i.tscared.Hehastoldus thenamesofallthekidnappers.Thereweresevenofthemaltogether.Twowe alreadyhave,ofcourse,andnowSanto.Atthisminutewehavemenpickingup threeothers."

"AndGiuseppe?"Iasked,ashestopped.

"Giuseppe,"hesaidreluctantly,"isnotoneofthem.Giuseppeistheseventh.