The Danger. Part 15

Hewastheleader.Herecruitedtheothers,whowereallcriminalsbefore.Santo doesn'tknowGiuseppe'srealname,norwherehecamefrom,norwherehe'sgone.

I'mafraidinthisinstanceSantospeaksthetruth."

"You'vedonemarvels,"Isaid.

Hecoughedmodestly."I'vebeenlucky.AndAndrew...betweenusprivatelyIwill admit.i.t...ithasbeenmosthelpfultotalktoyou.Itclearsthingsinmymind totellthemtoyou.Veryodd."

"Carryrighton,"Isaid.

"Yes.It'sapleasure,"hesaid;andhetelephonedthreedayslatertosaythey nowhadallsixgangmembersincustodyandhadrecoveredafurtherhundred millionlireofCenci'smoney.

"Wehavealsotakenrecordingsofallsixmenandhadvoice-printsmadeand a.n.a.lyzed,butnoneofthemisthevoiceonthetapes.Andnoneofthemisthe manyousaw,ofwhomwehavethepicture."

"Giuseppe,"Isaid."Onthetapes."

"Yes,"heagreedgloomily."Noneofthemknewhimbefore.Herecruitedoneasa strangerinabar,andthatonerecruitedtheotherfive.Wewillconvictthe six,there'snodoubt,but.i.t'shollowwithoutGiuseppe."

"Mm."Ihesitated."Enrico,isn't.i.ttruethatsomeofthestudentswhojoined theRedBrigadesintheirhot-headedyouthgrewoutofitandbecameordinary blamelesscitizens?"

"I'veheardso,butofcoursetheykeepthepastsecret."

"Well...itjuststruckmeadayortwoagothatGiuseppemighthavelearnedthe techniquesofkidnappingfromtheRedBrigades,whenhewasastudent,perhaps, orevenasamember."

Pucinellisaiddoubtfully,"YourIdentikitpicturesdon'tmatchanyonewitha criminalrecord."

"Ijustwonderedifitmightbeworthwhiletoshowthosepicturestoex-students ofaboutthesameage,saytwenty-fivetoforty,atperhapssomesortof students'reunion.It'safaintchance,anyway."

"I'lltry,"hesaid."b.u.t.theRedBrigades,asI'msureyouknow,areorganized insmallcells.Peopleinonecellcan'tidentifypeopleinothercellsbecause theynevermeetthem."

"Iknowit'salongshotandinvolvesalotofprobablyfruitlesswork,"I agreed.

"I'llthinkabout.i.t."

"O.K."

"Alltheuniversitiesareclosedforsummervacations."

"Sotheyare,"Isaid."Butintheautumn..."

"Iwillthinkabout.i.t,"hesaidagain."Goodnight,friend.Sleepwell."

Alessiaheardfromherfatherabouttherecoveryofsomeoftheransomandfrom meofthecaptureofsixofthekidnappers.

"Oh,"shesaidblankly.

"Yourmanwiththemicrophoneisn'tamongthem."

"Oh."Shelookedatmeguiltily,hearing,asIdid,thefaintreliefinher voice.WeweresittinginPopsy'sminutetree-shroudedgardenwherefour loungingchairssqueezedontoasquareofgra.s.sandlowstonesurroundingwalls failedtoobscureviewsofstableyardonthreesides.Weweredrinkingiced coffeeintheheatwavewhichhadfollowedthestorms,clinkingthecubesand beingwatchedpolitelybyequineheadspeeringinrowsoverhalf-doors.

Ihadinvitedmyselfdownonmydayoff,amoveneitherAlessianorPopsyhad objectedto,andI'dfoundPopsyalonewhenIarrived,asusualoutinheryard.

"h.e.l.lo,"shesaid,asIdrewup."Sorryaboutthewet."Shewa.s.standingin greengumboots,hoseinhand,wateringthelowerhindlegofalargechestnut horse.Bobhelditshead.Itseyesblinkedatmeasifbored.Thewaterranina streamacrosstheyardtoadrain."It'sgotaleg,"Popsysaid,asifthat explainedthings.

IstifledadesiretosaythatasfarasIcouldseeithadfour.

"Alessiawalkedalongtotheshops,"shesaid."Shewon'tbelong."She squelchedawayandturnedoffatap,flingingthehoseinloosecoilsbesideit.

"That'lldofornow,Bob,"shesaid."GetJamietorollupthathose."Shedried herhandsontheseatofherpantsandgavemeabrightblazefromthegreen eyes.

"Sherides,youknow,"shesaidasBobledthewateredhorseofftoanempty box,"butonlyupontheDowns.ShegoesupanddownwithmeintheLandRover.

Wedon'tdiscussit.It'sroutine."

"Howissheotherwise?"

"Muchhappier,I'dsay."Shegrinnedhugelyandclappedmelightlyonthe shoulder."Don'tknowhowanyonesocoldcanbringsomeoneelsetolife."

"I'mnotcold,"Iprotested.

"No?"Sheconsideredmequizzically."There'safeelingofironaboutyou.Like arod.Youdon'tsmilemuch.You'renotintimidating...butI'msureyoucouldbe, ifyoutried."

Ishookmyhead.

"Doyouevergetdrunk?"shesaid.

"Notoften."

"Never,morelike."Shewavedahandtowardsthekitchen."Likeadrink?It's...o...b..l.o.o.d.yhot."

Wewentintoacoolinteriorwithhershakingoffhergumbootsonthedoorstep, andshebroughtwhitewinefromtherefrigeratortothekitcheninfawnsocks.

"I'llbetforinstance,"shesaid,pouring,"thatyounevergethelplessgiggles orsingvulgarsongsorgenerallymakeana.s.sofyourself."

"Often."

Shegavemean"oh,yeah"lookandsettledherlargeselfcomfortablyontoa kitchenchair,puttingherheelsuponthetable.

"Well,sometimes,"Isaid.

Shedranksomewinecheerfully."Whatmakesyougiggle,then?"sheasked.

"Oh...onetimeIwaswithanItalianfamilyduringakidnapandtheyallbehaved likeacomicsoapoperaatthetopoftheirvoices,anditwaspainful.Ihadto goupstairssometimestostopmyselflaughing...awfulgigglesoverandover,when reallythewholethingwasdeadlydangerous.Ihadterribletrouble.Myfacewas achingwiththeeffortofkeepingitstraight."

"Likewantingtoexplodeinchurch,"Popsysaid,nodding.

"Justlikethat."

Wesippedthecoldwineandregardedeachotherwithfriendliness,andina momentortwoAlessiaappearedwithabagofgroceriesandawelcomingsmile.

Therewascolorinhercheeksatlast,andasortofrebirthtakingplaceofthe girlshemusthavebeenbefore.Icouldseeagreatdifferenceineventhe carriageofherhead;self-respectreturningtostraightenthespine.

Igotupatthesightofherandkissedhercheekingreetingandsheputthe groceriesonthetableandgavemeapositivehug.

"Hi,"shesaid."Pleasenote,I'vebeenshopping.That'sthethirdtime.Weare nowbackinbusiness...nonerves,nottospeakof."

"Terrific."

Shepouredherselfsomewineandthethreeofusamicablyatelunch,anditwas afterwards,whenPopsyhadgoneofftoherofficetodopaperwork,that.i.told Alessiainthegardenaboutthenewarrests.

"Doyouthinkthey'llcatchhim...themanwiththemicrophone?"sheasked.

"HecalledhimselfGiuseppe,"Isaid,"thoughthat'salmostcertainlynothis name.ThesixcapturedkidnappersknewhimjustasGiuseppe,andnoneofthem knowsanythingelse.Ithinkhe'scoolandintelligent,andI'mafraidPucinelli won'tfindhim...orthebulkofyourransom."

Shewasquietforawhileandthensaid,"PoorPapa.Poorallofus.Ilovethe houseonMikonos...sofullofbrilliantlight,rightbythesapphiresea...Papa saysthemoneysofarrecoveredwon'tbeenoughtosaveit.Hesayshekeeps postponingputtingitupforsale,justhoping...but.i.t'snotjust.i.t'svalue, there'stheupkeep,andthefarestheretwoorthreetimesayear.Itwasalways aluxury,evenbefore."Shepaused."Partofmychildhood.Partofmylife."

"Giuseppetookit,"Isaid.

Shestirredslightlyandfinallynodded."Yes,youareright."

Wedranktheicedcoffee.Timepa.s.sedtranquilly.

"Ithoughtofgoingtotheracesnextweek,"shesaid."ToBrighton.MikeNoland runsalotofhorsesthere,becauseheusedtotraininSuss.e.x,andmanyofhis ownersstilllivethere.Imayaswellgoandtalktothem...showthemI'mstill alive."

"IfIwent,"Isaid,"wouldIbeinyourway?"

Shesmiledoveratthestill-watchinghorses."No,youwouldn't."

"Whichday?"

"Wednesday."

Ithoughtofswitchboardschedules."I'llfixit,"Isaid.

GerryClaytonhavingagreedwithathoroughlyfalsemartyredexpressiontosit informefromfourtomidnight,IdroveearlytoLambourntocollectAlessia, pausingonlyforcoffeeandencouragementfromPopsybeforesettingoffonthe three-hourtrektoBrighton.

"Icouldhavegotalift,"Alessiasaid."Youdidn'thavetocomeallthishuge wayround."

"Sure,"Isaid.

Shesighed,butnotapparentlywithregret."Halfadozentrainersorjockeys willbedrivingfromheretoBrighton."

"Bullyforthem."

"SoIcouldalwaysgetaliftback."

Ilookedathersideways."I'lldriveyouunlessyoudefinitelyprefernot."

Shedidn'tanswer;justsmiled.WedrovetoBrightonandtalkedofmanythings forwhichtherehadneverbeenpeaceenoughbefore;oflikesanddislikes, places,books,people;cabbagesandkings.

Itwasthefirsttime,Ithought,thatIhadseenherinaskirt:ifone excepted,ofcourse,thedressIhadpulledoverherunconscioushead.Avision ofherleannakednessroseunbidden;anagreeablememory,tobehonest.For Brightonshehadcoveredthebasicswithaneatpale-coffee-coloreddress,and worebiggoldearringsunderhershortcurls.

Herreappearanceonaracecoursewasgreetedwithawarmththatalmost overwhelmedher,witheveryonewhosawherseeminglyintentonhuggingheruntil herbonescracked.Sheintroducedmevaguelymanytimesbutnoonetookany notice.Theeyeswereonlyforher,devouringherwithcuriosity,butalsowith love.

"Alessia!Howsuper!"

"Alessia!Fantastic!"

"Alessia!Marvellous...smashing...delirious...terrific..."

SheneednothavedoubtedthatMikeNoland'sownerswouldnoticeher reemergence.Atleastfourwidely-grinningcouplesa.s.suredherthata.s.soonas shewasfittheywouldbethrilledtohaveherbackintheirsaddles.Mike Nolandhimself,bigandfifty,toldheritwastimetoleavePopsy'sjumpersand cometorideworkonthetwo-year-olds;andpa.s.singbright-silkedjockeys,Iwas interestedtosee,greetedherwithgenuinepleasureundermorecasual greetings.

"h.e.l.lo,Alessia,how'sitgoing?"

"Howyadoing?"

"Welldone;gladyou'reback."

"Getyourbootson,Cenci."

Theirdirectcamaraderiemeantalottoher.Icouldseethefaintapprehension oftheoutwardjourneyvanishingminutebyminute,replacedbytheconfidenceof beingathome.Shekeptmebesideherallthesame,glancingatmefrequentlyto checkIwa.s.stillthereandnevermovingastepwithoutbeingsureIfollowed.

Onemighthavethoughtofitasacourtesyexceptforwhathadgonebefore.

Isawlittleenoughoftheracesthemselves,andnordidshe,fromthepressof peoplewantingtotalk;andtheafternoonwascutshort,asfarasIwas concerned,byamessagebroadcastovertheloudspeakersafterthefourthevent.

"WouldMr.AndrewDouglaspleasegototheClerkoftheCourse'soffice.Mr.

AndrewDouglas,please,gototheClerkoftheCourse'soffice."

Alessia,lookingworried,saidshe'dshowmewheretheofficewas,andtoldme thatmessagesofthatsortnearlyalwaysmeantbadnews."Ihopeit'snot...

Papa,"shesaid."Popsywouldaskforyou...soasnottofrightenme."

WewentquicklytotheClerk'soffice,brushingawaythenonstopclutching greetingswithquicksmiles.Alessia'sanxietydeepenedwitheverystep,but whenwearrivedattheofficetheClerkoftheCoursehimselfputherfearsto rest.

"I'msosorry,Mr.Douglas,"hesaidtome,"butwehaveadistressingmessage foryou.Pleasewouldyouringthisnumber..."Hehandedmeaslipofpaper."Your sisterhashadabadaccident...I'msosorry."

Alessiasaid"Oh!"faintly,asifnotsurewhethertobegladorhorrified,and Iputahandcomfortinglyonherarm.

"There'samoreprivatetelephonejustoverthere,"theClerksaid,pointingto asmallalcoveattherear."Douseit.Howsplendid,MissCenci,toseeyou back."

Shenoddedvaguelyandfollowedmeacrosstheroom."I'msosorry..."shesaid.

Ishookmyhead.Ihadnosister.Thenumberontheslipofpaperwasthatof theoffice.IdialedthenumberandwasansweredbyGerryClayton.

"It'sAndrew,"Isaid.

"ThankG.o.d.Ihadtotellallsortsofliesbeforethey'dputoutacallfor you."