coffee from the cheap mixer and lay back on the unmade bed. He lit a Gitane. For a long moment, he stared across the room, blowing bluish puffs towards the cheap copy of the painting of Notre Dame by Monet. Something bothered him about the kidnappers’ message. He took the copy of the DVD Legnano’s secretary had made for him, went to his computer and played the disc again.
The Pope’s familiar outline came alive, as did the disquieting voice. ‘We are taking every precaution to keep your pontiff in good health.His remaining so depends on you. We must receive the sum of $310 USD million, hot wire transfer, by 5 p.m. Rome time Friday May 26 … If you do not pay, we will destroy the pontiff. We have access to worldwide TV coverage.’ Jesus, Today is Thursday. The Curia has a day to decide, thought Dulac. The idea of the Pope being murdered in cold blood chilled him to the marrow of his bones. The consequences were unthinkable. He replayed the video again.
‘We will destroy the pontiff….’
‘Merde!’ He jumped up from his desk and, grabbing his cellphone, walked quickly towards the window. He dialed Cardinal Legnano’s number. ‘Your Eminence, I want to meet the members of the Curia. Today.’
‘Mr Dulac, this is quite sudden. The members of the Curia and I will be attending meetings of the highest order.’
That could only mean with the President of Italy, Dulac thought. ‘We have to decide before tomorrow,’ said Legnano.
‘I know, but this is urgent, your Eminence. It might even have a bearing on your decision.’
‘I’ll see what I can do. What’s this all about?’ asked Legnano.
‘I’ll tell you when we meet.’
Dulac left his room and went to the lobby, waiting for Legnano’s call. What’s taking him so long? It’s about the Pope, damnit, Dulac thought as he lit a cigarette and reclined in the wraparound imitation leather seat. Suddenly, his encrypted cellphone rang. Dulac looked at the number appearing on its small screen: Harris.
‘We’ve got a lead,’ said Harris, excitement in his voice. ‘Bergson in Panama City says he’s been tipped off.’ Harris coughed. ‘Four banks are going to receive large deposits through a single hotwire transfer. It’s going down this week.’
‘What’s so unusual about that?’
‘They generally stagger hotwire deposits to avoid detection. They don’t bunch them up in one operation.’ said Harris.
‘Could be a coincidence.’
‘Four banks? That’s a hell of a coincidence.’
Dulac thought quickly. ‘If you’re right, it would mean that the Vatican already knows where to deposit the money, that the kidnappers havecontacted them and that Legnano and company are suddenly acting behind our backs. Plus, would they have prepared a single hotwire transfer and been stupid enough to let us in on it? It’s not impossible, but it’s a bit unlikely, don’t you think?’
‘I’m not taking any chances. I’m putting two agents in every one of those banks. Once the money is in, we’ll freeze the bloody accounts. We’ll freeze the balls off those bankers.’
Dulac slumped into the seat, all the while exhaling circular, bluish puffs of Gitane smoke. He tried another tack. ‘If the kidnappers are behind this and get wind of our agents going in, they’ll call it off. Those bankers talk to each other,’ Dulac said. ‘There’s a good chance of a leak.’ Dulac paused and for an instant, thought he heard the sucking sound of Harris taking the bottle from his lips.
‘I’ll take that chance,’ said Harris.
‘You’ll have to pull units. That’ll weaken our already thin network. If the kidnappers have other plans—’
‘We can’t just sit and wait. We have to be sheen as reacting,’ said Harris.
He’s been hitting it hard.
‘Frankly, if this is related to the ransom, they’re obviously baiting us. Panama is bait. Bait and switch at the last minute.’
‘I can’t take the bloody risk. Risk they won’t use Panama. They
The Pope’s familiar outline came alive, as did the disquieting voice. ‘We are taking every precaution to keep your pontiff in good health.His remaining so depends on you. We must receive the sum of $310 USD million, hot wire transfer, by 5 p.m. Rome time Friday May 26 … If you do not pay, we will destroy the pontiff. We have access to worldwide TV coverage.’ Jesus, Today is Thursday. The Curia has a day to decide, thought Dulac. The idea of the Pope being murdered in cold blood chilled him to the marrow of his bones. The consequences were unthinkable. He replayed the video again.
‘We will destroy the pontiff….’
‘Merde!’ He jumped up from his desk and, grabbing his cellphone, walked quickly towards the window. He dialed Cardinal Legnano’s number. ‘Your Eminence, I want to meet the members of the Curia. Today.’
‘Mr Dulac, this is quite sudden. The members of the Curia and I will be attending meetings of the highest order.’
That could only mean with the President of Italy, Dulac thought. ‘We have to decide before tomorrow,’ said Legnano.
‘I know, but this is urgent, your Eminence. It might even have a bearing on your decision.’
‘I’ll see what I can do. What’s this all about?’ asked Legnano.
‘I’ll tell you when we meet.’
Dulac left his room and went to the lobby, waiting for Legnano’s call. What’s taking him so long? It’s about the Pope, damnit, Dulac thought as he lit a cigarette and reclined in the wraparound imitation leather seat. Suddenly, his encrypted cellphone rang. Dulac looked at the number appearing on its small screen: Harris.
‘We’ve got a lead,’ said Harris, excitement in his voice. ‘Bergson in Panama City says he’s been tipped off.’ Harris coughed. ‘Four banks are going to receive large deposits through a single hotwire transfer. It’s going down this week.’
‘What’s so unusual about that?’
‘They generally stagger hotwire deposits to avoid detection. They don’t bunch them up in one operation.’ said Harris.
‘Could be a coincidence.’
‘Four banks? That’s a hell of a coincidence.’
Dulac thought quickly. ‘If you’re right, it would mean that the Vatican already knows where to deposit the money, that the kidnappers havecontacted them and that Legnano and company are suddenly acting behind our backs. Plus, would they have prepared a single hotwire transfer and been stupid enough to let us in on it? It’s not impossible, but it’s a bit unlikely, don’t you think?’
‘I’m not taking any chances. I’m putting two agents in every one of those banks. Once the money is in, we’ll freeze the bloody accounts. We’ll freeze the balls off those bankers.’
Dulac slumped into the seat, all the while exhaling circular, bluish puffs of Gitane smoke. He tried another tack. ‘If the kidnappers are behind this and get wind of our agents going in, they’ll call it off. Those bankers talk to each other,’ Dulac said. ‘There’s a good chance of a leak.’ Dulac paused and for an instant, thought he heard the sucking sound of Harris taking the bottle from his lips.
‘I’ll take that chance,’ said Harris.
‘You’ll have to pull units. That’ll weaken our already thin network. If the kidnappers have other plans—’
‘We can’t just sit and wait. We have to be sheen as reacting,’ said Harris.
He’s been hitting it hard.
‘Frankly, if this is related to the ransom, they’re obviously baiting us. Panama is bait. Bait and switch at the last minute.’
‘I can’t take the bloody risk. Risk they won’t use Panama. They
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