The Danger. Part 33

"Untranslatable,"Isaid."Goodbyeforjustnow."

ItelephonedimmediatelytoKentWagner'sheadquartersandbydintofthreats andpersuasionfinallytrackedhimtothehomeofhisniece,whowascelebrating herbirthdaywithabrunch.

"Sorry,"Isaid;andexplainedatsomelength.

"JesusChrist,"hesaid."WhoisthisguyPucinelli?"

"Agoodcop.Verybrave.Talktohim."

"Yeah."

IgavehimthetelephonenumbersandEnrico'sschedule."AndtheGoldonisare goingtoNewYork,"Isaid."Mrs.Goldonitoldme.Ithinkthey'regoingtoday.

They'vebeenstayinghereattheRegency."

"I'llgetontoitrightaway.w.i.l.l.youbeatth.e.s.h.erryattstill?"

"Yes,I'mtherenow."

"Staybythephone."

"O.K."

Hegrunted."Thanks,Andrew."

"Apleasure,Kent,"Isaid,meaningit."Justcatchhim.He'sallyours."

a.s.soonasIputthereceiverdowntherewasaknockonthedoor,andIwas alreadyopeningitbeforeitoccurredtomethatperhapsIshouldstarttobe careful.Itwasonlythemaid,however,onmydoorstep;short,dumpy, middle-agedandharmless,wantingtocleantheroom.

"Howlongw.i.l.l.yoube?"Isaid,lookingatthecartoffreshlinenandthelarge vacuumcleaner.

ShesaidinCentral-AmericanSpanishthatshedidn'tunderstand.Iaskedherthe samequestioninSpanish.Twentyminutes,shesaidstolidly.AccordinglyI liftedthetelephone,askedtheswitchboardtoputanycallsthroughtomein thelobbytemporarily,andwentdownstairstowait.

Towait-andtothink.

IthoughtchieflyaboutBeatriceGoldoniandherexcitedguilt.Ithoughtofher son,banishedfromhisfather'shouse.Ithought.i.thighlylikelythat.i.twasn't aloverBeatricehadbeensneakingofftomeetinWashingtonthatFriday,buta stillbelovedblacksheep.Hewouldhaveset.i.tuphimself,knowingshewas therefortherace,andstillfeeling,onhispart,affection.

Foracertaintyshedidn'tknowhewasthekidnapperofAlessiaandFreemantle.

Shehadn'tthatsortofguile.Shedidknow,however,that.i.thadbeenIwho'd negotiatedAlessia'sransom,becauseatthatFridaybreakfastPaoloCencihad toldher.Whatelsehehadtoldher,heavenknew.Maybehehadtoldheralso aboutDominic:itwouldn'thavebeenunreasonable.Manypeopledidn'tunderstand whyLibertyMarketlikedtokeepquietabout.i.tswork,andsawnogreatharmin telling.

IhadmyselfdrivenBeatriceintoWashington;andshetalked,always,alot.

Chatter,chatter,we'reherewiththeCencis,yourememberAlessiawhowas kidnapped...andthere'sayoungmanwithher,theonewhocametoItalytoget herbacksafely...he'sherebecauseofthisotherkidnapping...andPaoloCenci toldusherescuedalittleboycalledDominicinEngland...Alessiawasthere too...chatter,chatter,chatter.

Istoodupfromthelobbysofa,wenttothedesk,andsaidIwascheckingout; wouldtheypleasepreparemybill.ThenIgotthroughagaintoKentWagner,who saidI'djustcaughthim,hewasleavingthebrunch.

"Yousureash.e.l.lbrokeupmyday,"hesaid,thoughsoundingphilosophical.

"Thoughtofsomethingelse?"

IsaidIwasleavingth.e.s.h.erryatt,andwhy.

"Jee-sus,"hesaid."Comedowntoheadquarters;I'llputyouintoagoodplace whereGoldoniwouldneverfindyou...it'ssureprudenttoa.s.sumethathedoesnow knowyouexist."

"Mightbesafer,"Iagreed."I'monmyway."

ThedesksaidmyaccountwouldbereadywhenIcamedownwithmygear.The twentyminuteswasbarelyup,butwhenIsteppedoutoftheliftIsawthemaid pushinghercartawaydownthepa.s.sage.Iunlockedmydoorandwentin.

Therewerethreemeninthere,allinhigh-domedpeakedcapsandwhiteoveralls, withInternationalRugCo.Inc.onchestsandbacks.Theyhadpushedsomeofthe furnituretothewallsandwereunrollingalargeIndian-typeruginthecleared freecenter.

"What..."Ibegan.AndIthought:it'sSunday.

Ispunonmyheeltoretreat,but.i.twasalreadytoolate.

Afourthman,InternationalRugCo.Inc.onhischest,wasblockingthedoorway; advancing,stretchingouthisarms,thrustingmeforcefullybackwardsintothe room.

Ilookedintohiseyes...andknewhim.

Ithoughtinlightningflashes.

Ithought:I'velost.

Ithought:I'mdead.

Ithought:Imeanttowin.IthoughtIwouldwin.IthoughtI'dfindhimandget himarrestedandstophim,anditneverseriouslyoccurredtomeitcouldbe thiswayround.

Ithought:I'mafool...andI'velost...IthoughtIwouldwin,andBrunelleschi...

thedanger...hasbeatenme.

Everythinghappenedveryfast,inablur.Asortofcanvasbagcamedownovermy head,blockingoutsight.Iwastrippedandtossedbymanyhandstothefloor.

Therewasasharpstinginmythigh,likeawasp.Iwasconsciousofbeing turnedoverandover...realizeddimlythatIwasbeingrolleduplikeasausage intheIndianrug.

ItwasthelastthingIthoughtforquitealongwhile.

Iwokeupoutofdoors,feelingcold.

Iwasrelievedtowakeupatall,b.u.t.thatsaid,couldfindlittleelseof comfort.

Forastart,Ihadnothingon.

Sodit,Ithoughtfuriously.Truetob.l.o.o.d.yform.JustlikeAlessia.Morgan Freemantle...hetoo,Idaredsay,wascurrentlystarkers.

LibertyMarket'sownprivateunofficialtrainingmanual,issuedtoeachpartner onjoining,spelleditout:"immediateandeffectivedominationand demoralizationofthevictimisachievedbydeprivinghim/herofclothes."

Dominichadhadclothes:they'devenaddedajerseytohistinyshorts.Dominic, ontheotherhand,wastoolittletofindanythinghumiliatinginnakedness.

Therewouldhavebeennopoint.

Theonlythingtodowastotrytothinkofmyselfasdressed.

Iwa.s.sittingontheground;groundbeingloamyearthcoveredwithfallen leaves.Iwasleaningagainstthetreefromwhichmostofthesaidleaves appearedtohavedescended:asmalltreewithasmoothhardtrunknomorethan fourinchesindiameter.

Theviewwaslimitedoneverysidebygrowthsofevergreen;mostly,itseemedto meironically,oflaurel.Iwasinasmallclearing,withonlyoneother youthfultreeforcompany.Beechtrees,perhaps,Ithought.

Themainandmostdepressingproblemwasthefactofbeingunabletowalkaway onaccountofhavingsomethingthatfeltlikehandcuffsonmywrists,onthe wrongsideofthetreetrunk,behindmyback.

Itwasquietintheclearing,butbeyondIcouldhearthem.u.f.fledconstantroar whichannounceditselfascity.WhereverIwas,itwasn'tfarout.Notnearlyas far,forinstance,asLaurel.Morelikeamileortwo...inasuburb.

Iopenedmymouthandyelledatthetopofmylungsthecornyoldword"Help."I yelleditmanytimes.Consistentlynegativeresults.

Thesky,sobluefortherace-week,wascloudingover:gray,likemythoughts.

Ihadnoideawhattimeitwas.Myfingers,exploring,discoveredIhadno watch.

Icouldstandup.

Istood.

Icouldkneeldown:didn'tbother.

Icouldcircleroundthetree.

Ididthat.Thesurroundinggreenerywa.s.similarfromallangles.

Thebranchesofthetreespreadfromjustabovemyhead,narrowhardarmsending insmalleroffshootsandtwigs,Agoodmanytan-coloredleavesstillclung there.Itriedshakingthemoff,butmyeffortshardlywobbledthemandthey stubbornlyremained.

Isatdownagainandthoughtagoodmanyfurtherunwelcomethoughts,chiefamong thembeingthatintheLibertyMarketofficeIwouldneverlivethisdaydown...

ifeverIlivedtotell.

Gettingmyselfkidnapped...b.l.o.o.d.ystupid.

Embarra.s.singtoadegree.

Ithoughtback...IfPucinellihadbeeneasiertoreachIwouldhavelearnedabout theGoldonifamilysooner,andIwouldhavebeenlonggonebythetimethe InternationalRugCo.Inc.arrivedatth.e.s.h.erryattwiththeirrug.

IfIhadn'tgoneupstairstofetchmythings...

If,if,if.

IthoughtofthefaceofGiuseppe-Peter-PietroGoldonicomingthroughmybedroom door;intent,determined,asoldierinaction,remindingmeinhisspeedand neatnessofTonyVine.HehadhimselftakenDominicfromthebeach,andina maskhadbeentherepersonallytoseizeAlessia.Itwaspossibletoimaginethat ithadbeenhewhohadannouncedhimselfasthechauffeurtocollectMorgan Freemantle;andifsotheactualactofsuccessfulabductioncouldbealmostas potentasatisfactiontohimasthemoneyitbrought.

IfIunderstoodhim,Iwondered,wouldIbebetterequipped?I'dnever negotiatedfacetofacewithakidnapperbefore:alwaysthroughproxies.Theart ofcoercivebargaining,LibertyMarkettrainingmanual,chaptersix.Hardtobe coercivewhileatthepresentdisadvantage.

Timepa.s.sed.Airlinersflewatintervalsoverheadandacoupleofbirdscame crosslytoinspectthestrangerintheirterritory.Isat,notuncomfortably, tryingtoshapemymindtothepossibilityofremainingwhereIwasforsome time.

Itbegantorain.

Thetreegavelittleshelter,butIdidn'tparticularlymind.Thedrops spatteredthroughthedyingleavesinasoftshower,freshandinterestingonmy skin.I'dneverbeenoutintherainbeforewithnoclotheson,thatIcould remember.Iliftedmyfaceup,andopenedmymouth,anddrankwhatcamemyway.

Afterawhiletherainstopped,anditgrewdark.Allnight,Ithoughtcoldly.

Well.Allnight,then.Faceit.Accept.i.t.It'snotsohard.

Iwa.s.strongandhealthyandpossessedofanaturalinbornstaminawhichhad rarelybeentestedanywherenearitslimits.Therestrictiontomyarmswas looseandnotunbearable.Icouldsitthereforalongtimewithoutsuffering.I guessed,infact,thatIwouldhaveto.

Thegreatestdiscomfortwascold,towhichItriedtoshutmymind,joined,as thenightadvanced,byadesireforanicehotdinner.

Itriedonandofftorubthehandcuffsvigorouslyagainstthetreetrunktosee ifthefrictionwoulddoanythingspectacularlyusefullikesawingthewood rightthrough.Theresultofsuchlaborswasaslightrougheningofthetree's surfaceandamoreconsiderablerougheningoftheskininsidemyarms.Smallthe treetrunkmightbe,butdensely,forbiddinglysolid.

Islept,onandoff,dozingquitedeeplyandtopplingsidewaysonce,waking laterwithmynoseonthedeadleavesandmyshouldersstretchedandaching.I triedtofindamorecomfortablewayoflying,buteverythingwascompromise: sittingwasthebest.

Waiting,shivering,fordawn,Ibegantowonderseriouslyforthefirsttime whetherheintendedsimplytoleavemetotheelementsuntilIdied.

Hehadn'tkilledmeinthehotel.Theinjectioninmythighwhichhadputme unconsciouscouldjustaseasilyhavebeenfatal,ifdeathhadbeenwhathe intended.Abodyinarugcouldhavebeencarriedoutofahotelasboldlydead asunconscious.Ifhe'dsimplywantedmeoutofhislife,whywasIstillinit?

Ifhe'dwantedrevenge...thatwa.s.somethingelse.

I'dtoldKentWagnerconfidentlythatGiuseppe-Peterwouldn'tkillbyinches...

andperhapsI'dbeenwrong.

Well,Itoldmyselfastringently,you'lljusthavetowaitandsee.

Daylightcame.Agrayday,thecloudslower,scurrying,fullofunhappypromise.

Where'stheVerdi?Ithought.Iwouldn'tmindanorchestralearful.Verdi...

GiuseppeVerdi.

Oh,well.Giuseppe...Itmadesense.

Peterwashisownname-Pietro-inEnglish.

Coffeewouldn'tbebad,Ithought.Ringroomservicetobringit.

Thefirsttwenty-fourhoursweretheworstforakidnapvictim:chapterone, LibertyMarkettrainingmanual.Frommyownintimateviewpoint,Inowdoubted it.

Atwhatwouldhavebeenfulldaylightexceptfortheclouds,hecametoseeme.

Ididn'thearhimapproach,buthewa.s.suddenlythere,halfbehindme,stepping roundoneofthelaurels;Giuseppe-Peter-PietroGoldoni,dressedinhisbrown leatherjacketwiththegoldbucklesatthecuffs.

IfeltasifIhadknownhimforever,yethewastotallyalien.Therewa.s.some qualityofimplacabilityinhisapproach,asortofmuteviolenceinthewayhe walked,asubtlearroganceinhiscarriage.Hissatisfactionathavingbrought metothispa.s.swasplaintosee,andthehairsroseinvoluntarilyallupmy spine.

Hestoppedinfrontofmeandlookeddown.