The Danger. Part 2

Wewaitedalongtime,notspeakingmuch.WewaitedsolongthatIbegantofear eitherthatnocallwouldcometoCenciatall,thatthemessagehadbeena retributivepieceofcruelty,orevenworse,that.i.thadbeenarusetolurehim awayfromhishousewhilesomethingdreadfultookplaceinit.Myheartthumped uncomfortably.Alessia'seldersister,Ilaria,andPaoloCenci'ssister,Luisa, werebothupstairsinthevilla,asleep.

PerhapsIshouldhavestayedthere...butCencihadbeeninnostatetodrive.

PerhapsIshouldhaveawokenhisgardenerinthevillage,whodrovesometimeson thechauffeur'sdaysoff...Perhaps,perhaps.

Theskywasalreadylighteningtodawnwhenhereturned,theshakinessshowing inhiswalk,hisfacerigidashereachedthecar.Istretchedoverandopened thedoorforhimfromtheinside,andhesubsidedheavilyintothepa.s.senger seat.

"Herangtwice."HespokeinItalian,automatically."Thefirsttime,hesaid wait.Iwaited..."Hestoppedandswallowed.Clearedhisthroat.Startedagain withabetterattemptatfirmness."Iwaitedalongtime.Anhour.More.

Finally,hetelephoned.HesaysAlessiaisstillaliveb.u.t.thepricehasgone up.HesaysImustpaytwothousandmillionlireintwodays."

Hisvoicestopped,thedespairsoundinginitclearly.Twothousandmillionlire wasapproachingamillionpounds.

"Whatelsedidhesay?"Iasked.

"Hesaidthatifanyonetoldthecarabinieriofthenewdemand,Alessiawould dieatonce."HeseemedsuddenlytorememberthatRicardowasinthecar,and turnedtohiminalarm."Don'tspeakofthismeeting,nottoanyone.Promiseme, Ricardo.Onyoursoul."

Ricardo,lookingserious,promised.Healsosaidhewouldgonowtothe hospital,tojoinhisparentsandgetnewsofLorenzo,andwithafurther pa.s.sionatea.s.suranceofdiscretionhewentovertohisscooterandputt-putted away.

Istartedthecaranddroveoutofthecarpark.

Cencisaiddully,"Ican'traisethatmuch.Notagain."

"Well,"Isaid,"youshouldeventuallygetbackthemoneyinthesuitcase.With luck.Thatmeansthattherealextrais...um...sevenhundredmillionlire."

Threehundredthousandpounds.Saidquickly,itsoundedless.

"Butintwodays..."

"Thebankswilllendit.Youhavethea.s.sets."

Hedidn'tanswer.Socloseontheothercollectionofrandomusednotes,this wouldbetechnicallymoredifficult.Moremoney,muchfaster.Thebanks, however,wouldreadthemorningpapers...andraisingaransomwashardlya processunknowntothem.

"Whatareyoutodo,whenyou'vecollectedit?"Iasked.

Cencishookhishead."Hetoldme...b.u.t.thistimeIcan'ttellyou.ThistimeI takethemoneymyself...alone."

"It'sunwise."

"Imustdoit."

Hesoundedbothdespairinganddetermined,andIdidn'targue.Isaidmerely, "Willwehavetimetophotographthenotesandputtracersonthem?"

Heshookhisheadimpatiently."Whatdoesitmatternow?ItisAlessiaonlythat isimportant.I'vebeengivenasecondchance...ThistimeIdowhathesays.This timeIactalone."

OnceAlessiawa.s.safe-ifsheweresolucky-hewouldregrethe'dpa.s.sedupthe bestchanceofrecoveringatleastpartoftheransomandofcatchingthe kidnappers.Emotion,a.s.soofteninkidnapsituations,wa.s.stampedingcommon sense.Butonecouldn't,Isupposed,blamehim.

PicturesofAlessiaCenci,thegirlIhadnevermet,adornedmostroomsinthe VillaFrancese.

AlessiaCencionhorses,ridinginracesroundtheworld.Alessiatherichgirl withthehandsofsilkandatemperamentlikethesun(afancifulnewspaper reporthadsaid),bright,warm,andoccasionallyscorching.

Iknewlittleaboutracing,butI'dheardofher,theglamourgirlofthe Europeantrackswhoneverthelesscouldreallyride:onewouldhavetohave avertedone'seyesfromnewspapersprettythoroughlynotto.Thereseemedtobe somethingaboutherthatcaptivatedthedailyscribblers,particularlyin England,wheresheracedoften;andinItalyIheardgenuineaffectioninevery voicethatspokeofher.Ineveryvoice,thatistosay,exceptforthatofher sister,Ilaria,whosereactiontothekidnaphadbeencomplexandrevealing.

Alessiainclose-upphotographswasn'tparticularlybeautiful:thin, small-featured,dark-eyed,withshorthead-huggingcurls.Itwashersister,by hersideinsilverframes,wholookedmorefeminine,morefriendly,andmore pretty.Ilariainlife,however,wasnotparticularlyanyofthosethings,at leastnotinthepresenthorrificfamilycirc.u.mstances.Onecouldn'ttellwhat happinessmightdo.

SheandherauntLuisastillsleptwhenCenciandIreturnedtothevilla.All wasquietthere,allsafe.Cenciwalkedstraightintothelibraryandpoureda largeamountofbrandyintoatumbler,indicatingthatIshouldhelpmyselfto thesame.Ijoinedhim,reflectingthatseveninthemorningwasasgoodatime asanytogetdrunk.

"I'msorry,"hesaid."Iknowit'snotyourfault.Thecarabinieri...dowhatthey want."

Igatheredhewasreferringtotheangerhe'dpouredonmethelasttimewe'd satinthosesametwochairs.Imadeavaguedon't-think-about-itgestureand letthebrandysearapathtomystomach,ashaftofvividfeelinggoingdown throughmychest.Itmightnothavebeenwise,b.u.t.theoldesttranquilizerwas stillthemosteffective.

"Doyouthinkwe'llgetherback?"Cenciasked."Doyoureallythinkso?"

"Yes."Inodded."Theywouldn'tbestartingagainmoreorlessfromscratchif theymeanttokillher.Theydon'twanttoharmher,asI'vetoldyouallalong.

Theyonlywantyoutobelievetheywill...andyes,Idothinkit'sagoodsign theystillhavethenervetobargain,withtwooftheirnumberbesiegedbythe carabinieri."

Cencilookedblank."I'dforgottenaboutthose."

Ihadn't;b.u.t.thentheambushandthesiegewereimprintedinmymindas memories,notreports.Ihadwondered,throughmostofthenight,whetherthe twocollectorshadbeencarryingwalkie-talkieradios,andwhetherHEhadknown ofthedebacleatalmostthemoment.i.thappened,notsimplywhenneitherhis colleaguesnorthemoneyturnedup.

IthoughtthatifIwereHIMI'dbehighlyworriedaboutthosetwomen,not necessarilyfortheirownsakes,butforwhattheyknew.Theymightknowwhere Alessiawas.Theymightknowwhohadplannedtheoperation.Theyhadtoknow wherethey'dbeenexpectedtotakethemoney.Theymightbehiredhands...but trustedenoughtobecollectors.Theymightbefullequalpartners,butI doubtedit.Kidnapgangstendedtohavehierarchies,likeeveryother organization.

Onewayoranotherthosetwoweregoingtofallintothegraspofthe carabinieri,eithertalkingorshot.Theythemselveshadpromisedthatifthey didn'tgofree,Alessiawoulddie,butapparentlyHEhadsaidnothinglikethat toCenci.DidthatmeanthatHISprioritywasmoney,thathewa.s.seton extortingonlywhathealmostcertainlycould,moneyfromCenci,andnotwhathe almostascertainlycouldn't,thereturnofhisfriends?Ordiditmeanthathe didn'thaveradiocontactwithhiscolleagues,whohadmadethethreatinfaith morethanpromise...ordiditmeanthatbyradiohehadpersuadedthecolleagues tobarricadethemselvesinandmakethefiercestthreatscontinually,staying outofthecarabinieri'sclutcheslongenoughforHIMtospiritAlessiaawayto anewhideout,sothat.i.twouldn'tmatterifthecolleaguesfinallydidtalk, theywouldn'tknowtheonethingworthtelling...?

"Whatareyouthinking?"Cenciasked.

"Ofhope,"Isaid;andthoughtthatthekidnappersintheapartmentprobably didn'thavecontactbyradioafterall,becausetheyhadn'tmadeanyreference toitduringthehourI'dlistenedtothemviathebug.b.u.t.thenHEmightguess aboutbugs...ifHEwasthatclever...andhavetoldthemtoswitchoffafterhis firstburstofinstructions.

IfI'dbeenHIM,I'dhavebeenintouchwiththosecollectorsfromthemoment theysetout...b.u.t.thenthereweren'tsomanyradiofrequenciesasallthat,and thepossibilityofbeingoverheardwashigh.b.u.t.therewerecodesand prearrangedphrases...Andhowdidyouprearrangeamessagewhichsaidthe carabinierihaveswarmedalloverusandwe'veshotthemanwhobroughtthe ransom?

Iftheyhadn'ttakentheransomwithitshomingtransmitter,theywouldprobably haveescaped.Iftheyhadn'tbeenfanaticalabouttakingtheransom,they wouldn'thaveshotthedrivertoget.i.t.

Ifthecarabinierihadactedstupidly,sohadthekidnappers,andonlyaslong asHEdidn'tdecideafteralltocuthislosseswasthereanypositivehope.I stillthoughtthathopetobefrail.Onedidn't,however,admit.i.ttothe victim'sdad.

Cencianywayhadtearsatlastrunningdownhischeeks,released,Iguessed,by thebrandy.Hemadenosound,nortriedtobrushthemawayorhidethem.Manya manwouldhavecometothatstagesooner,andinmyownexperience,most victims'parentsdid.Throughoutrage,anger,anxiety,andgrief,throughguilt andhopeandpain,thestepstheytrodwerethesame.I'dseensomanypeoplein despairthatsometimesalaughingfacewouldjoltme.

ThePaoloCenciIknewwasthemansittingopposite,whohadn'tsmiledoncein mysight.Hehadattemptedatfirsttoputupacivilizedfront,b.u.t.themask hadsooncrumbledashegotusedtomypresence,anditwastherawmanwhose feelingsandstrengthsandblindnessesIknew.Theurbanesuccessful man-of-the-worldlookingoutwithgenialwisdomfromtheportraitinthedrawing room,hewasthestranger.

Forhispart,afterhisfirstblinkatmynotbeinginhisownagegroup,hehad seemedtofindmecompatibleonallcounts.Hiscryforhelphadreachedour officewithinadayofAlessia'sdisappearance,andIhadbeenonhis back-doorstepthenext;butforty-eighthourscouldseemalifetimeinthatsort ofnightmareandhisreliefatmyarrivalhadbeenundemanding.Hewouldvery likelyhaveacceptedafour-armeddwarfwithblueskin,notjustafive-tenthin framewithordinarydarkhairandwashed-outgrayeyes:buthewas,afterall, payingformyhelp,andifhereallyhadn'tlikedmehehadaneasywayout.

Hisoriginalcalltoourofficehadbeenbriefanddirect."Mydaughterhasbeen kidnapped.ItelephonedToma.s.soLinardi,oftheMilanFineLeatherCompany,for advice.Hegavemeyourname...hesaysitwasyourfirmwhichgothimsafelyhome andhelpedthepolicetracethekidnappers.Ineedyourhelpnowmyself.Please come."

Toma.s.soLinardi,owneroftheMilanFineLeatherCompany,hadhimselfbeenheld forransomtwoyea.r.s.earlier,anditwasn'tsurprisingthatPaoloCencishould haveknownhim,asCencitoowasintheleatherbusiness,headingacorporation withworldwidetrade.HalftheItalianshoesimportedintoEngland,hehadtold me,hadpa.s.sedintheuncutleatherstagethroughhisfirm.

Thetwomenincidentallyhadprovedtohaveasecondandmoretenuousfactorin common,aninterestinhorses;CenciofcoursebecauseofAlessia'sjockeyship, andLinardibecausehehadownedamajorityshareinaracetrack.Thisholding inafashionableprofit-makingpieceofflatlandhadbeenoneofthethings soldtoraisehisransom,muchtohissorrowwhenonhisreleasehefoundit out.Inhiscase,althoughsomeofthekidnappershadbeenarrestedamonth later,onlyasmallpartofthemillion-poundransomhadbeenrecovered.The sevenmillionwhichhadatfirstbeenstronglydemandedwouldhavemeantlosing hisbusinessaswell,soonthewholehehadbeenrelieved,resigned,and obviouslycontentenoughwithLibertyMarkettorecommendustothenextguyin trouble.

IhadsharedtheLinardia.s.signmentwithanotherpartner.We'dfoundLinardi's wifelessthandistraughtaboutherhusbandandfuriousaboutthecostof gettinghimback.Hismistresshadweptbuckets,hissonhadusurpedhisoffice chair,hiscookhadhadhysterics,hissistershadsquabbledandhisdoghad pined.Thewholethinghadbeenconductedwithoperatichistrionicsfortissimo, leavingmefinallyfeelingI'dbeenswampedbyatidalwave.

IntheVillaFrancese,amuchquieterhouse,PaoloCenciandIsatforafurther halfhour,lettingthebrandysettleandthinkingofthisandthat.Atlength, histearslongdried,hesigheddeeplyandsaidthatasthedayhadtobefaced hewouldchangehisclothes,havebreakfast,andgotohisoffice.Iwoulddrive himnodoubt,asusual.AndIcouldphotographthenewransommoney,asbefore.

Hehadbeenthinking,andofcourseIwasright,itwasthebestchanceof gettinganyofitback.

Breakfastinthatformalhouseholdwaseateninthediningroom:coffee,fruit, andhotbreadsagainstmuralsofshepherdessesalaMarieAntoinette.

Ilariajoinedusthere,silentlyasusual,a.s.semblingherownpreferencesonto herplate.Hersilenceswereaformof.a.ggression;apositiverefusal,for instance,tosaygoodmorningtoherfatherevenoutofgoodmanners.Heseemed tobeusedtoit,butIfounditextraordinary,especiallyinthecirc.u.mstances, andespeciallyasitseemedtherewasnoanimosityordiscordbetweenthem.

Ilarialivedaprivilegedlifewhichincludednogainfuloccupation:mostly travel,tennis,singinglessons,shopping,andlunches,thankstoherfather's money.Hegave,shereceived.Iwonderedsometimesifitwasresentmentatthis dependencythatmadehersoinsistentlyrefusetoacknowledgeiteventothe extentofbehavingsweetly,butshehadapparentlyneverwantedorsoughtajob.

HerAuntLuisahadtoldmeso,withapproval.

Ilariawasafresh-lookingtwenty-four,curved,notskinny,withbrownwavyhair superblycutandfrequentlyshampooed.Shehadahabitofraisinghereyebrows andlookingdownhernose,a.s.shewasnowdoingathercoffeecup,which probablyreflectedherwholeviewoflifeandwouldundoubtedlysetintocreases beforeforty.

Shedidn'taskiftherewasanynewsofAlessia:sheneverdid.Sheseemedif anythingtobeangrywithhersisterforbeingkidnapped,thoughshehadn't exactlysaidso.Herreaction,however,tomysuggestionthatsheshouldnotgo soregularlyatsettimestothetenniscourtandinfactshouldgoaway altogetherandstaywithfriends,becausekidnappersiffeelingfrustratedby delayshadbeenknowntotakeasecondspeeding-upbiteatthesamefamily,had beennotonlynegativebutacid."Therewouldn'tbethesameagonizedfussover me."

Herfatherhadlookedaghastatherbitterness,butbothsheandIsawinhis facethatwhatshe'dsaidwastrue,evenifhehadneveradmittedittohimself.

ItwouldinfacthavebeenverymucheasiertoabductIlaria,butevenasa victimshehadbeenpa.s.sedoverinfavorofherfamouslittlesister,her father'sfavorite.Shehadcontinued,withthesamedefianceasinhersilences, togoatthesametimestothesameplaces,anopeninvitationtotrouble.Cenci hadbeggedhernotto,tonoavail.

Iwonderedifsheevenpositivelywantedtobetaken,sothatherfatherwould havetoprovehisloveforher,asforAlessia,bysellingpreciousthingsto getherback.

Becauseshehadn'tasked,wehadn'ttoldhertheeveningbeforethatthatwas thenightforpayingtheransom.Lethersleep,Cencihadsaid,contemplating hisownwakefulordealandwishingtospareher."PerhapsAlessiawillbehome forbreakfast,"he'dsaid.

HelookedatIlarianowandwithgreatwearinesstoldherthatthehandoverhad gonewrong,andthatanotherandbiggerransomhadtobecollectedforAlessia.

"Another..."Shestaredathimindisbelief,cupstoppinghalfwaytohermouth.

"Andrewthinkswemaygetthefirstonebackagain,butmeanwhile..."Hemadean almostbeseechinggesturewithhishand."Mydear,wearegoingtobepoorer.

Notjusttemporarily,butalways.This.e.xtrademandisagravesetback...Ihave decidedtosellthehouseonMikonos,buteventhatwillnotbeenough.Your mother'sjewelsmustgo,alsothecollectionofsnuffboxes.TherestImust raiseontheworthofthishouseandthisestate,andifwedonotrecoverthe firstransomIwillbepayinginterestontheloanoutofthereceiptsfromthe olives,whichwillleavenothingover.ThelandIsoldinBolognatoraisethe firstransomwillnotnowbeprovidinguswithanyrevenue,andwehavetolive onwhatImakeinthebusiness."Heshruggedslightly."We'llnotstarve.We'll continuetolivehere.b.u.t.therearethepensionsforourretiredservants,and theallowancesformyuncles'widows,whichtheyliveon...Itisgoingtobea struggle,mydear,andIthinkyoushouldknow,andbeprepared."

Shelookedathimwithabsoluteshock,andIthoughtthatuntilthatmomentshe hadn'trealizedthatpayingaransomwasaverycruelbusiness.

Chapterthree.

IDROVECENCItohisofficeandlefthimtheretohistelephoneandhisgrim taskwiththebanks.Then,changingfromchauffeur'suniformintonondescript trousersandsweater,Iwentbybusandfoottothestreetwherethesiegemight stillbetakingplace.

Nothing,itseemed,hadchangedthere.Thedark-windowedambulancestillstood againstthecurbonthefarsideoftheroadfromtheapartments,the carabinieri'scarswerestillparkedhelter-skelterinthesamepositionswith fawnuniformscrouchingaroundthem,thetelevisionvanstillsproutedwiresand aerials,andacommentatorwa.s.stilltalkingintoacamera.

Daylighthadsubtracteddrama.Familiarityhaddonethesametourgency.The scenenowlookednotfrighteningbutpeaceful,withfiguresmovingatwalking pace,notinscurryinglittleruns.Awatchingcrowdstoodandstaredbovinely, growingbored.

Thewindowsonthethirdfloorwereshut.

Ihoveredattheedgeofthings,handsinpockets,hairtousled,localpaper underarm,looking,Ihoped,nottooEnglish.SomeofthepartnersinLiberty Marketwerestunningatdisguises,butI'dalwaysfoundaslouchandvacant expressionmybestbetfornotbeingnoticed.

AfterawhileduringwhichnothingmuchhappenedIwanderedoffinsearchofa telephone,andrangthenumberoftheswitchboardinsidetheambulance.

"IsEnricoPucinellithere?"Iasked.

"Wait."Somemumblingwentoninthebackground,andthenPucinellihimself spoke,soundingexhausted.

"Andrew?Isityou?"

"Yes.How'sitgoing?"

"Nothinghasaltered.Iamoffdutyatteno'clockforanhour."

Ilookedatmywatch.Ninethirty-eight."Whereareyoueating?"Isaid.

"Gino's."

"O.K.,"Isaid,anddisconnected.

Iwaitedforhiminthebrightlylitgla.s.s-and-tile-linedrestaurantthattomy knowledgeservedfreshpastaatthreeinthemorningwithgoodgrace.Ateleven itwasalreadybusywithearlylunchers,andIheldatablefortwobyordering loadsoffettucinethatIdidn'twant.Pucinelli,whenhearrived,pushedaway hiscoolingplatefulwithhorrorandorderedeggs.

Hehadcome,asIknewhewould,incivilianclothes,andthetirednessshowed inblacksmudgesunderhiseyesandinthedroopofhisshoulders.

"Ihopeyousleptwell,"hesaidsarcastically.

Imovedmyheadslightly,meaningneitheryesnorno.

"Ihavehadtwoofthetopbra.s.sonmyneckintheva.n.a.llnight,"hesaid.

"Theycan'tmakeuptheirfatmindsabouttheairplane.Theyaretalkingto Rome.Someoneinthegovernmentmustdecide,theysay,andnooneinthe governmentwantedtodisturbhissleeptothinkabout.i.t.Youwouldhavegone quitecrazy,myfriend.Talk,talk,talk,andnotenoughactiontos.h.i.t."

Iputonasympatheticfaceandthoughtthatthelongerthesiegelasted,the safernowforAlessia.Let.i.tlast,Ithought,untilshewasfree.LetHIMbea realisttotheend.

"Whatarethekidnapperssaying?"Iasked.

"Thesamethreats.Thegirlwilldieiftheyandtheransommoneydon'tgetaway safely."

"Nothingnew?"

Heshookhishead.Hiseggscamewithrollsandcoffee,andheatewithout hurry."Thebabycriedhalfthenight,"hesaidwithhismouthfull."The deep-voicedkidnapperkeepstellingthemotherhe'llstrangleitifitdoesn't shutup.Itgetsonhisnerves."Heliftedhiseyestomyface."Youalwaystell metheythreatenmorethantheydo.Ihopeyou'reright."

Ihopedsotoo.Acryingbabycoulddriveevenatemperatemantofury."Can't theyfeedit?"Isaid.

"Ithascolic."

Hespokewiththefamiliarityofexperience,andIwonderedvaguelyabouthis privatelife.Allourdealingshadbeenessentiallyimpersonal,anditwasonly inflashes,asnow,thatIheardthemanbehindthepoliceman.

"Youhavechildren?"Iasked.