constriction began to tighten the muscles and skin over his temples. His mind went numb. He feared he knew the answer to the question he was about to ask, but had to utter it.
‘What do you mean?’
‘We have the diary.’
‘
Mio Dio!
’ The Pope put a hand to his mouth and felt his hand begin to shake. After a moment, he said meekly, ‘And … and what do you intend to do with it?’
‘That depends on the Curia.’
The shadow’s image dissolved and the monitor went blank.
Vespoli had just finished escorting the Pope back to his room and had hurried back to the video conference room, this time alone. It was time for their prescheduled video conference, and as he sat down in one of the plush velvet seats, Vespoli fought back the increasing panic with every fiber of his body. Little droplets of sweat were forming on his upper lipand he wiped them away with the back of his hand. He tried to calm his frayed nerves by closing his eyes, drawing a blank in his mind, and holding it. He hated the impersonality of the electronically altered voice and shadowed outline format of the transmission, but recognized the need for utmost safety precautions to hide the identity of the parties.
The monitor flickered to life. At the sound of the static, Vespoli jumped.
Gathering his wits, he said to the shadowed outline on the screen, ‘We have a problem, sir.’
‘Problem?’ answered the electronically-altered voice.
‘They’ve arrested Aguar.’
A long silence. Vespoli felt the muscles of his throat tighten.
‘Where is he?’
‘According to our contact, they’ve taken him to Rome, to the Questura Centrale.’
‘I trust you have an immediate solution to this problem,’ said the voice, dispassionate.
‘He was crossing the Swiss border and—’
‘Where is Umberto?’
‘Ah. We … we don’t know. He was to meet Aguar at the train station. He hasn’t reported in.’
‘Then you have two problems.’ The voice’s tone changed, more forceful.
Vespoli could feel the sweat running down from his armpits. Another long, oppressive silence. Vespoli heard the shadow inhaling and exhaling breaths through the electronic voice modifier. It sounded like the last rasps of a dying man.
‘What does Aguar know? How far up?’ said the voice.
‘Only to Umberto.’
‘You’re sure?’
‘I swear.’
‘You’d better be right. I want this resolved quickly, Vespoli. Before I arrive in Switzerland tomorrow. Get Tomaso on it.’
‘Yes, sir.’
‘I don’t need to remind you that we’re on a very tight schedule.’
‘No, sir.’
‘No more screw-ups Vespoli, is that clear?’
‘Perfectly, sir. I’ll get Tomaso on it right now.’
The screen went blank. Vespoli rose from his seat and felt the numbness in his legs slowly dissipate. Raw, deep fear overtook him. He knew the man didn’t have a high tolerance for error, sometimes exacting a heavy price from those who had ventured beyond those limits. Vespoli knew he was at that threshold. He was responsible for all men under his command. Their errors were his. Damn that Aguar. Vespoli thought for a moment, searching for options. No, Tomaso had to be called. There was no other way.
Yet Vespoli still hesitated, fearing the call to Tomaso would also trigger his own death.
Chapter 13
Hotel Dante, 8.05 a.m., Thursday 25 May
Dulac had returned to the hotel, exhausted and frustrated. The clock was ticking and the investigation was stalled. Even if Guadagni made Aguar crack, apart from his role, Aguar probably didn’t know much. Dulac knew the kidnappers would have compartmentalized each and every of their accomplices’ tasks, to avoid any linkage. At best Aguar would know the name of his immediate superior, and it would undoubtedly be false. To go up the chain would take time, a commodity Dulac didn’t have.
After a quick breakfast with Karen and seeing her off to her meeting with her graduate student, Dulac returned upstairs to his room. He poured himself a
‘What do you mean?’
‘We have the diary.’
‘
Mio Dio!
’ The Pope put a hand to his mouth and felt his hand begin to shake. After a moment, he said meekly, ‘And … and what do you intend to do with it?’
‘That depends on the Curia.’
The shadow’s image dissolved and the monitor went blank.
Vespoli had just finished escorting the Pope back to his room and had hurried back to the video conference room, this time alone. It was time for their prescheduled video conference, and as he sat down in one of the plush velvet seats, Vespoli fought back the increasing panic with every fiber of his body. Little droplets of sweat were forming on his upper lipand he wiped them away with the back of his hand. He tried to calm his frayed nerves by closing his eyes, drawing a blank in his mind, and holding it. He hated the impersonality of the electronically altered voice and shadowed outline format of the transmission, but recognized the need for utmost safety precautions to hide the identity of the parties.
The monitor flickered to life. At the sound of the static, Vespoli jumped.
Gathering his wits, he said to the shadowed outline on the screen, ‘We have a problem, sir.’
‘Problem?’ answered the electronically-altered voice.
‘They’ve arrested Aguar.’
A long silence. Vespoli felt the muscles of his throat tighten.
‘Where is he?’
‘According to our contact, they’ve taken him to Rome, to the Questura Centrale.’
‘I trust you have an immediate solution to this problem,’ said the voice, dispassionate.
‘He was crossing the Swiss border and—’
‘Where is Umberto?’
‘Ah. We … we don’t know. He was to meet Aguar at the train station. He hasn’t reported in.’
‘Then you have two problems.’ The voice’s tone changed, more forceful.
Vespoli could feel the sweat running down from his armpits. Another long, oppressive silence. Vespoli heard the shadow inhaling and exhaling breaths through the electronic voice modifier. It sounded like the last rasps of a dying man.
‘What does Aguar know? How far up?’ said the voice.
‘Only to Umberto.’
‘You’re sure?’
‘I swear.’
‘You’d better be right. I want this resolved quickly, Vespoli. Before I arrive in Switzerland tomorrow. Get Tomaso on it.’
‘Yes, sir.’
‘I don’t need to remind you that we’re on a very tight schedule.’
‘No, sir.’
‘No more screw-ups Vespoli, is that clear?’
‘Perfectly, sir. I’ll get Tomaso on it right now.’
The screen went blank. Vespoli rose from his seat and felt the numbness in his legs slowly dissipate. Raw, deep fear overtook him. He knew the man didn’t have a high tolerance for error, sometimes exacting a heavy price from those who had ventured beyond those limits. Vespoli knew he was at that threshold. He was responsible for all men under his command. Their errors were his. Damn that Aguar. Vespoli thought for a moment, searching for options. No, Tomaso had to be called. There was no other way.
Yet Vespoli still hesitated, fearing the call to Tomaso would also trigger his own death.
Chapter 13
Hotel Dante, 8.05 a.m., Thursday 25 May
Dulac had returned to the hotel, exhausted and frustrated. The clock was ticking and the investigation was stalled. Even if Guadagni made Aguar crack, apart from his role, Aguar probably didn’t know much. Dulac knew the kidnappers would have compartmentalized each and every of their accomplices’ tasks, to avoid any linkage. At best Aguar would know the name of his immediate superior, and it would undoubtedly be false. To go up the chain would take time, a commodity Dulac didn’t have.
After a quick breakfast with Karen and seeing her off to her meeting with her graduate student, Dulac returned upstairs to his room. He poured himself a
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