The Danger. Part 4

"Whynot?"

Ishrugged."Don'tknow.Hehasn'talicense.Hehastohavesomeonetodrive himalways."

Iwasn'tquitesurehehadfollowedthat,thoughI'dspokenprettyslowlyand withahintofdrowsiness.Iyawnedagainandthoughtthatonewayoranother he'dhadhisrationofchat.Iwouldmemorizehisface,justincase,but.i.twas unlikely...

Heturnedawayasifhetoohadfoundtheconversationfinished,andIlookedat theshapeofhisroundsmoothheadfromtheside,andfeltmostunwelcome tinglesripplealldownmyspine.I'dseenhimbefore...I'dseenhimoutsidethe ambulance,throughthetintedgla.s.s,withcamera.s.slungfromhisneckandgold bucklesonthecuffsofhisjacket.Icouldrememberhimclearly.He'dappeared atthesiege...andhewashereatthedrop,askingquestions.

Nocoincidence.

ItwasthefirsttimeI'deverknowinglybeenphysicallynearoneoftheshadowy brotherhood,thosefoesIopposedbyproxy,whosetrialsIneverattended,whose earsneverheardofmyexistence.Isloucheddownagaininmyseatandtippedmy capovermynoseandthoughtthatmypartnersinLondonwouldemphatically disapproveofmybeinginthatplaceatthattime.Thelowprofilewasdownthe drain.

IfI'dseenhim,he'dseenme.

Itmightnotmatter:notifhebelievedintheSpanishchauffeurwhowasbored withwaiting.IfhebelievedintheboredSpanishchauffeur,he'dforgetme.If hehadn'tbelievedintheboredSpanishchauffeurIwouldquitelikelybe sittingtherenowwithaknifethroughmyribs,growingcold.

InretrospectIfeltdistinctlyshivery.Ihadnotremotelyexpectedsuchan encounter,andatfirst.i.thadonlybeenhabitandinstinct,reinforcedbytrue tiredness,thathadmademeanswerhimasIhad.Ifounditdefinitelyscaryto thinkthatAlessia'slifemighthavehungonayawn.

Timepa.s.sed.Eighto'clockcameandwent.Iwaitedasifasleep.Nooneelse cametomystill-openwindowtoaskmeanythingatall.

ItwasafterninebeforeCencicameback,halfrunning,stumbling,sweating.I wasoutofthecara.s.soonasIsawhim,politelyopeningareardoorand helpinghiminasachauffeurshould.

"Oh,myG.o.d,"hesaid."Ithoughthewouldn'ttelephone...It'sbeensolong."

"IsAlessiaallright?"

"Yes...yes..."

"Whereto,then?"

"Oh..."HedrewinsomecalmingbreathswhileIgotbackbehindthewheeland startedtheengine."WehavetogotoMazara,abouttwentykilometerssouth.

Anotherrestaurant...anothertelephone.Intwentyminutes."

"Um..."Isaid."Whichwayfromhere?"

Hesaidvaguely,"Umbertoknows,"whichwasn'tespeciallyhelpful,asUmberto washisrealchauffeur,awayonholiday.Igrabbedtheroadmapfromtheglove compartmentandspreaditonthepa.s.sengerseatbesideme,tryingunsuccessfully tofindMazarawhilepullinginanormalfashionoutofthecarpark.

Theroadwewereonranwesttoeast.Itookthefirstmajor-lookingturn towardsthesouth,anda.s.soonaswewereoutofsightofthehighwaydrewinto thesideandpausedforanupdateongeography.Onemoreturn,Ithought,and therewouldbesignposts:andinfactwemadeittoMazara,whichprovedtobe littlemorethanacrossroads,withbreathingtimetospare.

OnthewayCencisaid,"Alessiawasreadingfromtoday'spaper...ontape,itmust havebeen,becauseshejustwentonreadingwhenIspoketoher...b.u.t.tohearher voice..."

"You'resureitwasher?"

"Oh,yes.Shestartedasusualwithoneofthosememoriesofherchildhoodthat yousuggested...itwasAlessiaherself...mydarling,darlingdaughter."

Well,Ithought.Sofar,sogood.

"Hesaid..."Cencigulpedaudibly."Hesaidiftherearehomersthistimeinthe ransomhe'llkillher.Hesaysiftherearemarksonthenotes,he'llkillher.

Hesaysifwearefollowed...ifwedon'tdoexactlyashesays...ifanything...

anything...goeswrong,he'llkillher."

Inodded.Ibelievedit.Asecondchancewasapartialmiracle.We'dnevergeta third.

"Youpromise,"hesaid,"thathe'llfindnothingonthenotes."

"Ipromise,"Isaid.

AtMazaraCencirantothetelephone,butagainhewasagonizinglykeptwaiting.

Isatasbeforeinthecar,stolidlypatient,asiftheanticsofmyemployer wereoflittleinterest,andsurrept.i.tiouslyreadthemap.

Therestaurantatthisplacewa.s.simplyacafenexttoagarage,astopfor coffeeandgas.Peoplecameandwent,butnotmany.Thedaywarmedupunderthe summersun,andasagoodchauffeurshouldIstartedthepurringengineand switchedontheair-conditioning.

Hereturnedwithhisjacketoverhisarmandfloppedgratefullyintothecool.

"Casteloro,"hesaid."Whyishedoingthis?"

"Standardprocedure,tomakesurewe'renotfollowed.He'llbedoublycareful becauseoflasttime.Wemightbechasingaboutallmorning."

"Ican'tstandit,"hesaid;buthecould,ofcourse,afterthelastsixweeks.

IfoundthewaytoCasteloroanddrovethere:thirty-twokilometers,mostlyof narrow,straight,exposedcountryroads.Openfieldsonbothsides.Anycar followinguswouldhaveshownuplikearash.

"Hemadenotroubleaboutyou,"Cencisaid."IsaidstraightawaythatI'd broughtmychauffeurbecauseIhaveepilepsy,that.i.twasimpossibleformeto drive,tocomealone.Hejustsaidtogiveyouinstructionsandnotexplain anything."

"Good,"Isaid,andthoughtthatifHEweremehe'dcheckupwithAlessiaabout theepilepsy,andberea.s.sured.

AtCasteloro,asmalloldtownwithacobbledcentralsquarefullofpigeons, thetelephoneCencisoughtwasinacafe,andthistimetherewasnodelay.

"ReturntoMazara,"Cencisaidwithexhaustion.

Ireversedthecarandheadedbackthewaywehadcome,andCencisaid,"He askedmewhatIhadbroughtthemoneyin.Idescribedthebox."

"Whatdidhesay?"

"Nothing.JusttofollowinstructionsorAlessiawouldbekilled.Hesaidthey wouldkillher...horribly."Hisvoicechokedandcameoutasasob.

"Listen,"Isaid,"theydon'twanttokillher.Notnow,notwhenthey'reso close.Anddidtheysaywhat'horribly'meant?Werethey...specific?"

Onanothersobhesaid,"No."

"They'refrighteningyou,"Isaid."Usingthreatstomakesureyou'deludethe carabinieri,evenifuptonowyou'dbeenlettingthemfollowyou."

"ButIhaven't!"heprotested.

"Theyhavetobeconvinced.Kidnappersareverynervous."

Itwasrea.s.suringthough,Ithought,thattheywerestillmakingthreats, becauseitindicatedtheywereseriousaboutdealing.Thiswasnocrueldummy run:thiswastheactualdrop.

BackattheMazaracrossroadstherewasanotherlengthywait.Cencisatinthe cafe,visiblethroughthewindow,tremblingoveranundrunkcupofcoffee.Igot outofthecar,stretched,ambledupanddownabit,gotbackin,andyawned.

Threeunexceptionalcarsfilledwithgasandthegarageattendantscratchedhis armpits.

Thesunwashigh,blazingoutofthebluesky.Anoldwomaninblackcycledup tothecrossroads,turnedleft,cycledaway.Summerduststirredandsettledin thewakeofpa.s.singvans,andIthoughtofLorenzoTraventi,whohaddriventhe lastlotofransomandnowclungtolifeonmachines.

InsidethecafeCencisprangtohisfeet,andafterawhilecamebacktothecar inn.o.betterstatethanbefore.Iopenedthereardoorforhimasusualand helpedhiminside.

"Hesays..."Hetookadeepbreath."Hesaysthereisasortofshrinebythe roadsidebetweenhereandCasteloro.Hesayswe'vepa.s.sedittwicealready...but Ididn'tnotice..."

Inodded."Isawit."Iclosedhisdoorandresumedmyownseat.

"Well,there,"Cencisaid."Hesaystoputtheboxbehindtheshrine,anddrive away."

"Good,"Isaidwithrelief."That'sit,then."

"ButAlessia..."hewailed."Iaskedhim,whenwillAlessiabefree,andhedidn't answer,hejustputthetelephonedown..."

IstartedthecaranddroveagaintowardsCasteloro.

"Bepatient,"Isaidgently."They'llhavetocountthemoney.Toexamineitfor tracers.Maybe,afterlasttime,toleaveitforawhileinaplacetheycan observe,tomakesurenooneistrackingitbyahomer.Theywon'tfreeAlessia untilthey'recertainthey'resafe,soI'mafraiditmeanswaiting.Itmeans patience."

Hegroanedonalongbreath."b.u.t.they'lllethergo...whenI'vepaid...they'll lethergo,won'tthey?"

Hewasaskingdesperatelyforrea.s.surance,andIsaid"Yes,"robustly:andthey wouldlethergo,Ithought,iftheyweresatisfied,iftheyweresane,if somethingunforeseendidn'thappen,andifAlessiahadn'tseentheirfaces.

Abouttenmilesfromthecrossroads,byacornfield,stoodasimplestone waysideshrine,asinglepieceofwallaboutfivefeethighbythreeacross, withaweatherbeatenfoot-highstonemadonnaofferingblessingsfromanichein front.Rainhadwashedawaymostofthebluepaintofhermantle,andtimeor vandalshadrelievedherofthetipofhernose,butposiesofwiltingflowers layonthegroundbeforeher,andsomeonehadleftsomesweetsbesideherfeet.

Theroadwewereonseemeddeserted,runningstraightineachdirection.There werenowoods,nocover,noobstructions.Wecouldprobablybeseenformiles.

CencistoodwatchingwhileIopenedthetrunk,luggedoutthebox,andcarried ittothebackoftheshrine.Theboxhadjustaboutbeenbigenoughtocontain thewholeransom,andthereitstoodonthedustyearth,foursquare,brownand ordinary,tiedaboutwiththickstringtomakecarryingeasier,andcheerfully labeledwithred.Almostamillionpounds.ThehouseonMikonos,thesnuffbox collection,hisdeadwife'sjewelry,therevenueforeverfromtheolives.

Cencistaredat.i.tblindlyforafewmoments,thenwebothreturnedtothecar andIreversedanddroveaway.

Chapterfour.

FORTHERESTofthatday,Sat.u.r.day,andallSunday,Cenciwalkedslowlyround hisestate,cameheavilyhome,dranktoomuchbrandyandlostvisibleweight.

Ilaria,silentlydefiant,wenttothetennisclubasusual.Luisa,heraunt, driftedaboutinherusualwispyfashion,touchingthingsasiftomakesure theywerestillthere.

IdrovetoBologna,sentoffthefilms,washedthecar.Lorenzostillbreathed precariouslyonhismachinesandinthemeagersuburbanstreetthetwo kidnappersremainedbarricadedinthethird-floorapartment,withtalkgoingon frombothsides,butnoaction,exceptadeliveryofmilkforthebabyandbread andsausagefortheothers.

OntheSundayeveningIlariacameintothelibrarywhereIwaswatchingthenews ontelevision.Thesceneinthestreetlookedalmostexactlythesame,except thattherewasnocrowd,longdiscouragedfromlackofexcitement,andperhaps fewerfawnuniforms.Thetelevisioncoveragehadbecomeperfunctory:repet.i.tive as-you-weresentencesonly.

"Doyouthinkthey'llreleaseher?"Ilariasaid,asthescreenswitchedawayto politicians.

"Yes,Ithinkso."

"When?"

"Can'ttell."

"Supposethey'vetoldthecarabinierithey'llkeepheruntilthos.e.m.e.ninthe flatgofree.Supposetheransomisn'tenough."

Iglancedather.She'dspokennotwithdreadbutasifthequestiondidn't concernherbeyondacertainmorbidinterest.Herfacewasunstudiedlycalm.She appearedreallynottocare.

"ItalkedtoEnricoPucinellithismorning,"Isaid."Bythentheyhadn'tsaid anythinglikethat."

Shemadeasmallnoncommittalpuffingnoisethroughhernoseandchangedthe televisionchanneltoatennismatch,settlingtowatchwithconcentration.

"I'mnotab.i.t.c.h,youknow,"shesaidsuddenly."Ican'thelpitifIdon'tfall downandkissthegroundshewalkson,likeeveryoneelse."

"Andsixweeksisalongtimetokeepupthehair-tearing?"

"G.o.d,"shesaid,"you'reontheball.Anddon'tthinkI'mnotgladyou'rehere.

Otherwisehewouldhaveleanedonmeforeverythinghegetsfromyou,andI'd haveendedupdespisinghim."

"No,"Isaid.

"Yes."

Hereyeshadbeenonthetennisthroughout.

"Howwouldyoubehave,"Isaid,"ifyouhadason,andhewaskidnapped?"

Theeyescameroundtomyface."You'rearighteoussod,"shesaid.

Ismiledfaintly.Shewentresolutelybacktothetennis,butwhereherthoughts were,Icouldn'ttell.

IlariaspokeperfectidiomaticEnglish,asI'dbeentoldAlessiadidalso, thankstotheBritishwidowwhohadmanagedtheCencihouseholdformanyyears afterthemother'sdeath.Luisa,Ilaria,andAlessiaranthingsbetweenthem nowadays,andthecookinexasperationhadcomplainedtomethatnothinggot doneproperlysincedearMrs.Blacketthadretiredtolivewithherbrotherin Eastbourne,England.

Thenextmorning,duringthedrivetotheoffice,Cencisaid,"Turnround, Andrew.Takemehome.It'snogood,Ican'twork.I'llsittherestaringatthe walls.IhearpeopletalkbutIdon'tlistentowhattheysay.Takemehome."

Isaidneutrally,"Itmightbeworseathome."

"No.Turnround.Ican'tfaceanewweekintheoffice.Nottoday."

Iturnedthecaranddrovebacktothevilla,wherehetelephonedtohis secretarynottoexpecthim.

"Ican'tthink,"hesaidtome,"exceptofAlessia.Ithinkofhera.s.shewasas alittlegirl,andatschool,andlearningtoride.Shewasalwayssoneat,so small,sofulloflife..."Heswallowed,turnedawayandwalkedintothelibrary, andinafewsecondsIheardbottleclinkagainstgla.s.s.