The Danger. Part 7

"Mydear,mydear..."Helookedsurprisedattheverythought.Hedidn'tsee,asI did,theicebergtipoftheburdenofguilt,b.u.t.thenhehadn'tseenitso often.

"Icouldn'tthinkwhattheyweredoing,"shesaid."Thenallthecardoors openedatonce,andtherewerefourmen...allwearinghorridmasks...truly horrible...devilsandmonsters.Ithoughttheywantedtorobme.Ithrewmypurse atthem...andtriedtoreversetogetawaybackwards...andtheysortofleaped intomycar...justjumpedrightin..."Shestoppedwiththebeginningsof.a.gitation andPucinellimadesmalldamping-downmotionswithhishandstosettleher.

"Theyweresofast,"shesaid,hervoicefullofapology."Icouldn'tdo anything..."

"Signorina,"Pucinellisaidcalmly,"thereisnothingtobeashamedof.If kidnapperswishtokidnap,theykidnap.EvenallAldoMoro'sguardscouldn't prevent.i.t.Andonegirlalone,inanopencar..."Heshruggedexpressively, finishingthesentencewithoutwords,andforthemomentatleastsheseemed comforted.

Amonthearlier,tomeinprivate,hehadsaidthatanyrichgirlwhodrove aroundinanopensportscarwasinvitingeverythingfrommuggingtorape."I'm notsayingtheywouldn'thavetakenheranyway,butshewa.s.stupid.Shemadeit easy."

"There'snotmuchfuninlifeifyou'retwenty-threeandsuccessfulandcan't enjoyitbydrivinganopensportscaronasunnyday.Whatwouldyouadviseher todo,goaroundinamiddle-agedsaloonwiththedoorslocked?"

"Yes,"hesaid."Sowouldyou,ifyourfirmwereasked.That'sthesortof adviceyou'dbepaidfor."

"Trueenough."

Alessiasaid,"Theyputahoodofclothrightovermyhead...andthenitsmelled sweet..."

"Sweet?"Pucinellisaid.

"Youknow.Ether.Chloroform.Somethinglikethat.Isimplywenttosleep.I triedtostruggle...theyhadtheirhandsonmyarms...sortofliftingme...nothing else."

"Theyliftedyououtofthecar?"

"Ithinkso.Isupposeso.Theymusthavedone."

Pucinellinodded.Hercarhadbeenfoundabaremileaway,parkedonafarm track.

"Iwokeupinatent,"Alessiasaid.

"Atent?"echoedCenci,bewildered.

"Yes...well...itwasinsidearoom,butIdidn'trealizethatatfirst."

"Whatsortoftent?"Pucinelliasked."Pleasedescribeit."

"Oh..."Shemovedahandweakly."Icandescribeeveryst.i.tchofit.Greencanvas.

Abouttwoandahalfmeterssquare...abitless.Ithadwalls...Icouldstandup."

Aframetent.

"Ithadafloor.Verytoughfabric.Gray.Waterproof,Isuppose,thoughof coursethatdidn'tmatter..."

"Whenyouwokeup,"Pucinelliasked,"whathappened?"

"Oneofthemenwaskneelingonthefloorbesideme,slappingmyface.Quite hard.Hurryup,hewa.s.saying.Hurryup.WhenIopenedmyeyeshegruntedand saidImustjustrepeatafewwordsandIcouldgobacktosleep."

"Washewearingamask?"

"Yes...adevilface...orange...allwarts."

Weallknewwhatthefewwordshadbeen.We'dalllistenedtothem,overand over,onthefirstofthetapes.

"ThisisAlessia.Pleasedoastheysay.Theywillkillmeifyoudon't."A voiceslurredwithdrugs,butalarminglyherown.

"IknewwhatIsaid,"shesaid."IknewwhenIwokeupproperly...butwhenIsaid them,everythingwasfuzzy.Icouldn'tseethemaskhalfthetime...Ikept switchingoff,thencomingback."

"Didyoueverseeanyofthemwithoutmasks?"Pucinelliasked.

Aflickerofasmilereachedthepalemouth."Ididn'tseeanyofthemagain, eveninmasks.Notatall.Noone.ThefirstpersonIsawsincethatfirstday wasAuntLuisa...sittingbymyownbed...sewinghertapestry,andIthought...Iwas dreaming."Tearsunexpectedlyappearedinhereyesandsheblinkedthemslowly away."Theysaid...ifIsawtheirfaces,theywouldkillme.Theytoldmenotto trytoseethem..."Sheswallowed."So...Ididn't...try."

"Youbelievedthem?"

Apause.Thenshesaid"Yes"withaconvictionthatbroughtunderstandingof whatshe'dbeenthroughvividlytolife.Cenci,althoughhehadbelievedthe threatshimself,lookedshattered.Pucinelligravelya.s.suredherthathewas sureshehadbeenright:andso,thoughIdidn'tmentionit,wasI.

"Theysaid...Iwouldgohomesafely...ifIwasquiet...andifyouwouldpayformy release."Shewa.s.stilltryingnottocry."Papa..."

"Mydearest...Iwouldpayanything."Hewashimselfclosetotears.

"Yes,"Pucinellisaidmatter-of-factly."Yourfatherpaid."

Iglancedathim."Hepaid,"herepeated,lookingsteadilyatCenci."Howmuch, andwherehepaidit,onlyheknows.Innootherwaywouldyoubefree."

Cencisaiddefensively,"Iwasluckytogetthechance,afteryourmen..."

Pucinelliclearedhisthroathurriedlyandsaid,"Let'sgeton.Signorina, pleasedescribehowyouhavelivedforthepastsixweeks."

"Ididn'tknowhowlongitwas,untilAuntLuisatoldme.Ilostcount...there weresomanydays...Ihadnowayofcounting...andthenitdidn'tseemtomatter much.Iaskedwhyitwa.s.solong,b.u.t.theydidn'tanswer.Theyneveranswered anyquestions.Itwasn'tworthasking...butsometimesIdid,justtohearmyown voice."Shepaused."It'soddtotalkasmuchasthis.Iwentdayswithout sayinganythingatall."

"Theytalkedtoyou,though,Signorina?"

"Theygavemeorders."

"Whatorders?"

"Totakeinthefood.Toputoutthebucket..."Shestopped,thensaid,"Itsounds soawful,hereinthisroom."

Shelookedroundatthen.o.blebookcasesstretchingtothehighceiling,atthe silkbrocadedchairs,atthepaleChinesecarpetonthemarble-tiledfloor.

Everyroominthehousehadthesameunselfconsciousatmosphereofwealth,of antiquethingshavingstoodinthesameplacesfordecades,oftreasurestaken forgranted.Shemusthavebeeninmanyameagerroominherracingcareer,but shewa.s.seeingherroots,Iguessed,withfresheyes.

"Inthetent,"shesaidresignedly,"therewasapieceoffoamformetolieon, andanothersmallpieceforapillow.Therewasabucket...anordinarybucket, likeoutofastable.Therewasnothingelse."Shepaused,"Therewasazipto openonesideofthetent.Itwouldopenonlyaboutfiftycentimeters...itwas jammedabovethat.Theytoldmetounzipit,andIwouldfindfood..."

"Couldyouseeanythingoftheroomoutsidethetent?"Pucinelliasked.

Sheshookherhead."Beyondtheziptherewasjustmoretent...butfoldedabit, Ithink...Imean,notproperlyputuplikeanotherroom..."Shepaused."Theytold menottotrytogetintoit."Anotherpause."ThefoodwasalwayswhereIcould reachiteasily,justbythezip."

"Whatwasthefood?"Cenciasked,deeplyconcerned.

"Pasta."Apause."Sometimeswarm,sometimescold.Mixedwithsauce.Tinned,I think.Anyway..."shesaidtiredly,"itcametwiceaday...andthesecondlot usuallyhadsleepingpillsinit."

Cenciexclaimedinprotest,butAlessiasaid,"Ididn'tmind...Ijustateit...it wasbetterreallythanstayingawake."

Therewasasilence,thenPucinellisaid,"Wasthereanythingyoucouldhear, whichmighthelpustofindwhereyouwereheld?"

"Hear?"Sheglancedathimvaguely."Onlythemusic."

"Whatmusic?"

"Oh...tapes.Tapedmusic.Overandover,alwaysthesame."

"Whatsortofmusic?"

"Verdi.Orchestral,nosinging.Threequartersofthat,thenonequarterofpop music.Stillnosinging."

"Couldyouwritedownthetunesinorder?"

Shelookedmildlysurprisedbutsaid,"Yes,Ishouldthinkso.AllthatIknow thenamesof."

"Ifyoudothattoday,I'llsendamanforthelist."

"Allright."

"Isthereanythingelseatallyoucanthinkof?"

Shelookeddullyatthefloor,herthinfacetiredwiththementaleffortsof freedom.Thenshesaid,"Aboutfourtimestheygavemeafewsentencestoread aloud,andtheytoldmeeachtimetomentionsomethingthathadhappenedinmy childhood,whichonlymyfatherwouldknowabout,sothathecouldbesureIwas still...allright."

Pucinellinodded."Youwerereadingfromdailypapers."

Sheshookherhead."Theyweren'tnewspapers.Justsentencestypedonordinary paper."

"Didyoukeepthosepapers?"

"No,theytoldmetoputthemoutthroughthezip."Shepaused."Theonlytimes theyturnedthemusicoffwaswhenImadetherecordings."

"Didyouseeamicrophone?"

"No...ButIcouldhearthemtalkclearlythroughthetent...soIsupposethey recordedmefromoutside."

"Wouldyouremembertheirvoices?"

Aninvoluntaryshuddershookher."Twoofthem,yes.Theyspokemost...b.u.t.there wereothers.Theonewhomadetherecordings...I'drememberhim.Hewasjust...

cold.Theotheronewasbeastly...Heseemedtoenjoyit...buthewasworseatthe beginning...oratleastperhapsIgotusedtohimanddidn'tcare.Thentherewas onesometimeswhokeptapologizing...'SorrySignorina'...whenhetoldmethefood wasthere.Andanotherwhojustgrunted...Noneofthemeveranswered,ifI spoke."

"Signorina,"Pucinellisaid,"ifweplayyouoneofthetapesyourfather received,w.i.l.l.youtellusifyourecognizetheman'svoice?"

"Oh..."Sheswallowed."Yes,ofcourse."

Hehadbroughtasmallrecorderandcopiesofthetapeswithhim,andshe watchedapprehensivelywhileheinsertedaca.s.setteandpressedab.u.t.ton.Cenci putoutahandtograsponeofAlessia's,almostasifhecouldshieldherfrom whatshewouldhear.

"Cenci,"HISvoicesaid."WehaveyourdaughterAlessia.Wewillreturnheron paymentofonehundredandfiftythousandmillionlire.Listentoyour daughter'svoice."Therewasaclick,andthenAlessia'sslurredwords.Then, "Believeher.Ifyoudonotpay,wewillkillher.Donotdelay.Donotinform thecarabinieri,oryourdaughterwillbebeaten.Shewillbebeateneveryday youdelay,andalso..."Pucinellipressedthes...o...b..u.t.tondecisively,abruptlyand mercifullyshuttingofftheworse,theb.e.s.t.i.a.lthreats.Alessiaanywaywas shakingandcouldhardlyspeak.Hernodsweresmallandemphatic."Mm...yes..."

"Youcouldsweartoit?"

"...Yes..."

Pucinellimethodicallyputawaytherecorder."Itisthesamemalevoiceonall thetapes.Wehavehadavoiceprintmade,tobesure."

Alessiaworkedsalivaintohermouth."Theydidn'tbeatme,"shesaid."They didn'teventhreatenit.Theysaidnothinglikethat."

Pucinellinodded."Thethreatswereforyourfather."

Shesaidwithintenseanxiety,"Papa,youdidn'tpaythatmuch?That's everything...youcouldn't."

Heshookhisheadrea.s.suringly."No,no,nothinglikethat.Don'tfret...don't worry."

"Excuseme,"IsaidinEnglish.

Alltheheadsturnedinsurprise,asifthewallpaperhadspoken.

"Signorina,"Isaid,"wereyoumovedfromplacetoplaceatall?Wereyouin particularmovedfourorfivedaysago?"

Sheshookherhead."No."Hercertaintyhoweverbegantowaver,andwithafrown shesaid,"Iwasinthattentallthetime.But..."

"Butwhat?"

"Thelastfewdays,therewasasortofsmellofbreadbaking,sometimes,and thelightseemedbrighter...but.i.thoughttheyhaddrawnacurtainperhaps...

thoughIdidn'tthinkmuchatall.Imean,Isleptsomuch...itwasbetter..."

"Thelight,"Isaid,"itwasdaylight?"

Shenodded."Itwasquitediminthetent,butmyeyesweresousedtoit...They neverswitchedonanyelectriclights.Atnight.i.twasdark,Isuppose,butI sleptallnight,everynight."

"Doyouthinkyoucouldhavesleptthroughamove,ifthey'dtakenthetentfrom oneroominoneplaceanddrivenittoanotherplaceandset.i.tupagain?"

Thefrownreturnedwhileshethought.i.tover."TherewasonedaynotlongagoI hardlywokeupatall.WhenIdidwakeitwasalreadygettingdarkandIfelt sick...likeIdidwhenIwokehereyesterday...andoh,"sheexclaimedintensely, "I'msogladtobehere,sodesperatelygrateful...Ican'ttellyou..."Sheburied herfaceonherfather'sshoulderandhestrokedherhairwithreddeningeyes.

Pucinellirosetohisfeetandtookaformalleaveoffatheranddaughter, removinghimself,hisnote-taker,andmyselftothehall.

"Imayhavetocomeback,b.u.t.thatseemsenoughfornow."Hesighed."Sheknows solittle.Notmuchhelp.Thekidnappersweretoocareful.Ifyoulearnany more,Andrew,you'lltellme?"

Inodded.

"Howmuchwastheransom?"hesaid.

Ismiled."Thelistofthenotes'numberswillcomeheretoday.I'llletyou havethem.Also,doyouhavetheIdentikitsystem,likeinEngland?"