The Danger. Part 5

AfterawhileIwentafterhim.

"Let'splaybackgammon,"Isaid.

"Ican'tconcentrate."

"Try."Igotouttheboardandsetupthepieces,b.u.t.themoveshemadewere mechanicalandwithoutheart.Hedidnothingtocapitalizeonmyshortcomings, andafterawhilesimplyfelltostaringintos.p.a.ce,ashe'ddoneforhourafter hoursincewe'dleftthemoney.

Atabouteleventhetelephoneathiselbowbroughthimoutofit,but sluggishly.

"h.e.l.lo?...Yes,Cencispeaking..."Helistenedbrieflyandthenlookedatthe receiverwithanapatheticfrownbeforeputtingitbackinitscradle.

"Whatwasit?"Isaid.

"Idon'tknow.Nothingmuch.Somethingaboutmygoodsbeingready,andto collectthem.Idon'tknowwhatgoods...herangoffbeforeIcouldask."

Ibreatheddeeply."Yourtelephone'sstilltapped,"Isaid.

"Yes,butwhat'sthat..."Hisvoicediedashiseyeswidened."Doyouthink...?Do youreally?"

"Wecouldsee,"Isaid."Don'tbankonanythingyet.Whatdidhesoundlike?"

"Agruffvoice."Hewasuncertain."Nottheusualone."

"Well...Let'stry,anyway.Betterthansittinghere."

"Butwhere?Hedidn'tsaywhere."

"Perhaps...wherewelefttheransom.Logicalplace."

Hopebeganswellingfastinhis.e.xpressionandIsaidhastily,"Don'texpect anything.Don'tbelieve.You'llneverbeabletostandit,ifsheisn'tthere.

Hemaymeansomewhereelse...but.i.thinkweshouldtrytherefirst."

Hetriedtotakeagriponthingsbutwa.s.stillhecticallyoptimistic.Heran throughthehousetowherethecarstoodwaitingnearthebackdoor,whereI'd parkedit.PuttingonmycapIfollowedhimatawalk,tofindhimbeckoning franticallyandtellingmetohurry.Iclimbedbehindthewheelstolidlyand thoughtthatsomeonehadknownCenciwasathomewhenhewasnormallyinthe office.Perhapshisofficehadsaidso...orperhapstherewa.s.stillawatcher.In anycase,IreckonedthatuntilAlessiawa.s.safelyhome,achauffeurinall thingswaswhatIneededtobe.

"Dohurry,"Cencisaid.Idroveoutofthegateswithoutrush."ForG.o.d'ssake, man..."

"We'llgetthere.Don'thope..."

"Ican'thelpit."

Idrovefastertha.n.u.sual,but.i.tseemedaneternitytohim;andwhenwepulled upbytheshrinetherewasnosignofhisdaughter.

"Oh,no...Oh,no."Hisvoicewascracking."Ican't...Ican't..."

Ilookedathimanxiously,but.i.twasnormalcrushinggrief,notaheartattack, notafit.

"Wait,"Isaid,gettingoutofthecar."I'llmakesure."

Iwalkedroundtothebackoftheshrine,tothespotwherewe'dleftthe ransom,andfoundherthere,unconscious,curledlikeafetus,wrappedinagray plasticraincoat.

Fathersareodd.TheparamountemotionfillingPaoloCenci'smindfortherest ofthatdaywasnotjoythathisbeloveddaughterwasalive,safe,andemerging unharmedfromadruggedsleep,butfearthatthepresswouldfindoutshehad beenmoreorlessnaked.

"Promiseyouwon'tsay,Andrew.Nottoanyone.Notatall."

"Ipromise."

Hemademepromiseatleastsevenseparatetimes,thoughinanycaseitwasn't necessary.Ifanyonetold,itwouldbeAlessiaherself.

Herlackofclotheshaddisturbedhimgreatly,especiallyasheandIhad discoveredwhenwetriedtopickherupthatherarmsweren'tthroughthe sleevesoftheraincoat,andtheb.u.t.tonsweren'tb.u.t.toned.Thethingray coveringhadslidrightoff.

Shehadthebodyofachild,Ithought.Smoothskin,slenderlimbs,b.r.e.a.s.t.slike buds.Cencihadstrangelybeentooembarra.s.sedtotouchher,andithadbeenI, theall-purposeadvisor,who'dsteeredherarmsthroughtheplasticandfastened hermorediscreetlyinsidethefolds.Shehadbeenlighttocarrytothecar, andI'dlainheronhersideontherea.r.s.eat,herkneesbent,hercurlyhead restingonmyrolled-up-jacket.

Cencisatbesidemeinfront:anditwasthenthathe'dstartedexactingthe promise.Whenwereachedthevillahehurriedinsidetoreappearwithablanket, andIcarriedheruptoherhalf-acrebedroominwoollydecency.

IlariaandLuisawerenowheretobefound.Cencidiscardedthecookastoo talkativeandfinallyaskedinastutterifIwouldmindverymuchsubst.i.tuting clothesfortheraincoatwhilehecalledthedoctor.AsI'dseenheralready once,hesaid.AsIwa.s.sensible.AstonishedbutobligingIuneartheda shiftlikedressandmadetheexchange,Alessiasleepingpeacefullythroughout.

Shewasmoreawkwardthananythingelse.Ipulledtheblueknittedfabricover herhead,fedherhandsthroughthearmholes,tuggedthehemdowntoherknees andconcentratedmoderatelysuccessfullyonmyownnonarousal.ThenIlaidher ontopofthebedclothesandcoveredherfromthewaistdownwiththeblanket.

Herpulseremainedstrongandregular,herskincool,herbreathingeasy: sleepingpills,probably,Ithought;nothingworse.

Herthinfacewascalm,withoutstrain,longlasheslyinginhalf-moonfringes ontautcheeks.Strongeyebrows,palelips,hollowsalongthejaw.Hairtousled, clearlydirty.Lethersleep,Ithought:she'dhavelittlepeacewhenshewoke up.

IwentdownstairsandfoundCenciagaindrinkingbrandy,standingup.

"Issheallright?"hesaid.

"Fine.Justfine."

"It'samiracle."

"Mm."

Heputdownthegla.s.sandbegantoweep."Sorry.Can'thelpit,"hesaid.

"It'snatural."

Hetookoutahandkerchiefandblewhisnose."Doallparentsweep?"

"Yes."

Heputinsomemoreworkwiththehandkerchief,sniffedabit,andsaid,"You leadaveryoddlife,don'tyou?"

"Notreally."

"Don'tsayshehadnoclotheson.Promiseme,Andrew."

"Ipromise."

IsaidI'dhavetotellPucinellishewa.s.safe,and,immediatelyalarmed,he beggedforthepromiseagain.Igaveitwithoutimpatience,becausestresscould comeoutinweirdwaysandthereturnofthevictimwasnevertheendofit.

Pucinelliwasfortunatelyondutyintheambulance,thoughpresumablyIcould havespreadthenewsdirectlyviathewire-tappers.

"She'shome,"Isaidlaconically."I'minthevilla.She'supstairs."

"Alessia?"Disbelief,relief,ashadingofsuspicion.

"Herself.Druggedbutunharmed.Don'thurry,she'llprobablysleepforhours.

How'sthesiegegoing?"

"Andrew!"Thebeginningsofexasperation."What'sbeengoingon?"

"w.i.l.l.youbecominghereyourself?"

Ashortpausecamedowntheline.He'dtoldmeoncethatIalwaysput suggestionsintotheformofquestions,andIsupposedthat.i.twastruethatI did.Implantthethought,seekthedecision.Heknewthetapwasonthe telephone,he'dorderedithimself,witheverywordrecorded.Hewouldguess therewerethingsImighttellhimprivately.

"Yes,"hesaid."I'llbecoming."

"Andofcourseyou'llhaveagreatlevernowwiththosetwokidnappersinthe flat,won'tyou?And...um...w.i.l.l.youbringtheransommoneystraightherewhenyou layyourhandsonit?ItdoesofcoursebelongtoSignorCenci."

"Ofcourse,"hesaiddryly."But.i.tmaynotbemydecision."

"Mm.Well...Iphotographedallthenotes,ofcourse."

Apause."You'rewicked,youknowthat?"

"Thingshavedisappearedoutofpolicecustodybeforenow."

"Youinsultthecarabinieri!"Hesoundedtrulyaffronted,loyallyangry.

"Certainlynot.Policestationsarenotbanks.Iamsurethecarabinieriwould bepleasedtoberelievedoftheresponsibilityofguardingsomuchmoney."

"Itisevidence."

"Therestofthekidnappers,ofcourse,arestillfree,andnodoubtstill greedy.Themoneycouldbeheldsafefromthemunderanofficialsealinabank ofSignorCenci'schoosing."

Apause."It'spossiblethatImayarrangeit,"hesaidstiffly,notquite forgiving."NodoubtIwillseeyouatthevilla."

Iputthetelephonedownwitharuefulsmile.PucinellihimselfItrusted,but notalllaw-enforcersautomatically.InSouthAmericancountriesparticularly, whereIhadworkedseveraltimes,kidnappersregularlybribedorthreatened policementolookthewrongway,acustomscarcelyunknownelsewhere.Kidnappers hadnoscruplesandseldomanymercy,andmanyapolicemanhadhadtochoose betweenhisdutyandthesafetyofwifeandchildren.

WithintenminutesPucinelliwasbackontheline.

"Justtotellyou...thingsaremovinghere.Comeifyouwant.Comeintothe streetfromthewest,onthisside.I'llmakesureyougetthrough."

"Thanks."

Thepartnerswouldn'thaveapproved,butIwent.I'dstudiedmanycasehistories ofsiegesandbeentolecturesbypeopleinvolvedinsomeofthem,butI'dnever beenonthes...o...b..foreatfirsthand:toogoodachancetomiss.Ichangedfrom Spanishchauffeurtonondescriptonlooker,borrowedthefamily'srunabout,and waswalkingalongtheBolognastreetinrecordtime.

Pucinellihadbeenasgoodashisword:apa.s.sawaitingmeatthefirstbarrier sawmeeasilythroughtothestill-parkedambulance.IwentintoitasI'dleft, throughthenearsidepa.s.sengerdoor,andfoundPucinellitherewithhisengineer andthreemenincitysuits.

"Youcame,"hesaid.

"You'rekind."

Hegavemeasmallsmileandbrieflyintroducedmetothecivilians:negotiator, psychiatrist,psychiatrist.

"Thesetwomedicalgentlemenhavebeenadvisingusaboutthechangingmental stateofthekidnappers."Pucinellispokeformally;theynoddedgravelyback.

"Mostlytheirmentalstatehasbeenconcernedwiththebaby,"Pucinellisaid.

"Thebabyhascriedalot.Apparentlythemilkwesentinupset.i.tsstomacheven worse."

Asifoncuethebugontheapartmentproducedtheacceleratingwailofthe infantgettingnewlyintoitsstride,andfromthefacesofthefivemenin frontofmeitwasn'tonlythekidnapperswhowerefindingthesoundafrazzle.

"Fortyminutesago,"Pucinellisaid,turningdownthebaby'svolume,"the deep-voicedkidnappertelephonedhereandsaidtheywouldcomeoutifcertain conditionsweremet.Noairplane...they'veabandonedthat.Theywantonlytobe suretheyaren'tshot.Inabouttwentyminutes...that'sonehourfromwhenthey telephoned...theysaythemotherwillleavewiththebaby.Thenoneofthe kidnapperswillcomeout.Therearetobenocarabinierianywhereinthe apartments.Thestairsmustbeclear,alsothefrontdoorandthepavement outside.Themotherandbabywillcomeoutintotheroad,followedbythefirst kidnapper.Hewillhavenogun.Ifheistakenpeacefully,oneofthechildren willleave,andafteraninterval,thefather.Ifthesecondkidnapperisthen surehewillbesafe,hewillcomeoutwiththesecondchildinhisarms.No gun.Wearetoarresthimquietly."

Ilookedathim."Didtheydiscussallthisbetweenthemselves?Didyouhear themplanit,onthebug?"

Heshookhishead."Nothing."

"TheytelephonedyouverysoonafterAlessiawashome."

"Suspiciouslysoon."

"You'lllookfortheradio?"Isaid.

"Yes."Hesighed."Wehavebeenmonitoringradiofrequenciesthesepastfew days.We'vehadnoresults,butIhavethoughtonceortwicebeforethisthat thekidnapperswerebeinginstructed."

Instructed,Ithought,byaverycoolandboldintelligence.Apitysuchabrain wascriminal.

"Whatdotheyplantodowiththemoney?"Iasked.

"Leaveitintheapartment."

Iglancedatthescreenwhichhadshownthewhereaboutsofthehomerinthe ransomsuitcase,but.i.twasdark.Ileanedoverandflickedtheon-offswitch, andthetraceobliginglyappeared,efficientandsteady.Thesuitcase,atleast, wa.s.stillthere.

Isaid,"I'dliketogoupthere,a.s.signorCenci'srepresentative,toseethat it'ssafelytakencareof."

Withsuppressedirritationhesaid,"Verywell."

"It'sagreatdealofmoney,"Isaidreasonably.

"Yes...yes,Isupposeitis."Hespokegrudgingly,partly,Iguessed,becausehe washimselfhonest,partlybecausehewasacommunist.Somuchwealthinone man'shandsoffendedhim,andhewouldn'tcareifCencilost.i.t.

Acrossthestreettheapartment'swindowswerestillclosed.Allthewindowsof alltheapartmentswereclosed,althoughthedaywashot.

"Don'ttheyeveropenthem?"Iasked.