TheDanger.
d.i.c.kFrancis.
KIDNAPPINGisafactoflife.Alwayshasbeen,alwayswillbe.Extortinga ransomisanage-oldpastime,lessriskyandmorelucrativethanrobbingbanks.
Kidnapping,twentieth-centurystyle,hasmeanttrainloadsandplaneloadsof hostages,athleteskilledincompanyatMunich,menofsubstancedyinglonely deaths.Allkidnappersareunstable,b.u.t.thepoliticalvariety,hungryforpower andpublicityasmuchasmoney,makequicksandlooklikerock.
Givemethestraightforwardcriminalanyday,thevillainwhoseizesandsays payuporelse.Onedoesmoreorlessknowwhereoneis,withthose.
Kidnapping,yousee,ismybusiness.
Myjob,thatistosay,asapartnerinthefirmofLibertyMarketLtd.,isboth toadvisepeopleatriskhowbestnottobekidnappedandalsotohelpnegotiate withthekidnappersonceagrabhastakenplace:togetthevictimbackalive fortheleastpossiblecost.
Everyformofcrimegeneratesanopposingforce,andtofraud,drugs,andmurder onecouldaddtheKidnapSquad,exceptthatthekidnapsquadisunofficialand highlydiscreet...andisoftenus.
ITALY.
Chapterone.
THEREWASaG.o.d-awfulscrew-upinBologna.
Istooda.s.stillaspossiblewhilewavesofcoldrageandfieryanxietyjerked atmylimbsandwouldhavehadmepacing.
Stoodstill...whilealifewhichmightdependonmewasrecklesslyriskedby others.Stoodstillamongtheruinsofasuccessnearlyachieved,afreedom nearlywon,safetywithingrasp.
Themostdangerous,delicatestageofanykidnapistheactualhandingoverof theransom,becauseitisthen,atthemomentofcollection,thatsomeone, somehow,muststepoutoftheshadows...andakidnappercomestohiswaterhole withmorecautionthananybeastinthejungle.
Onesuspicion,onesightorglintofawatcherisenoughtosendhimscuttling away;anditisafterwards,seethingwithfrightandinaturmoilofvengeful anger,thathecanmosteasilykill.Tobunglethedropistoescalatethe threattothevictimahundredfold.
AlessiaCenci,twenty-threeyearsold,hadbythattimebeeninthehandsof kidnappersforfiveweeks,threedays,tenhours,andherlifehadneverbeen closertoforfeit.
EnricoPucinelliclimbedgrim-facedthroughthereardooroftheambulancein whichIstood:avan,moreaccurately,whichlookedlikeanambulancefromthe outsidebutwhosedarklytintedwindowsconcealedabench,achair,andama.s.s ofelectronicequipmentwithin.
"Iwasoffduty,"hesaid."Ididnotgivethoseorders."
HespokeinItalian,butslowly,formysake.Asmen,wegotonverywell.As linguists,speakingalittleofeachother"slanguagesbutunderstandingmore, wehadtotaketime.Wespoketoeachothercarefully,eachinourowntongue, andlistenedwithattention,askingforrepet.i.tionwhenevernecessary.
Hewasacarabinieriofficerwhohadbeenleadingtheofficialinvestigations.
Hehadagreedthroughoutontheneedforextremecareandfortheminimumof visibleinvolvement.Noemblazonedcarswithbusilyflashinglightshaddriven toorfromtheVillaFrancese,wherePaoloCenciwaitedwithwhitefacefornews ofhisdaughter.Nouniformedmenhadbeeninevidenceinanyplacewhere hostileeyescouldwatch.NotwhilePucinellihimselfhadbeenabletoprevent it.
Hehadagreedwithmethatthefirstprioritywasthegirl"ssafety,andonly thesecondprioritythecatchingofthekidnappers.Noteverypolicemanbyany meanssawthingsthatwayround,thehuntinginstinctsoflawenforcers everywherebeingsatisfiedsolelybythecaptureoftheirprey.
Pucinelli"scolleague-on-dutyonthatdevastatingevening,suddenlylearning thathecouldpouncewithfaireaseonthekidnappersatthemomenttheypicked uptheransom,hadseennoreasontoholdback.Intothepregnantsummer darkness,intothecarefullynegotiated,patientlydamped-downmomentofmaximum quiet,hehadsentaburstofmenwithbatonswaving,lightsblazing,guns risingominouslyagainstthenightsky,voicesshouting,carsracing,sirens wailing,uniformsrunning...allthemoralaggressionofarighteousarmyinfull pursuit.
FromthedarkstationaryambulancealongwaydownthestreetIhadwatchedit happenwithsickdisbeliefandimpotentfury.Mydriver,cursingsteadily,had startedtheengineandcrawledforwardtowardsthemelee,andwehadbothquite clearlyheardtheshots.
"Itisregretted,"Pucinellisaidwithformality,watchingme.
Icouldbet.i.twas.Therehadbeensomanycarabinierionthemoveinthepoorly litbackstreetthat,unsurewheretolookprecisely,theyhadmissedtheir targetaltogether.Twodark-cladmen,carryingthesuitcaseswhichcontainedthe equivalentofsixhundredandfiftythousandpounds,hadsucceededinreachinga hiddencar,instartingitanddrivingoffbeforethelawmennoticed;and certainlytheirattentionhadbeenmoreclearlyfocused,aswasmyown,onthe sightoftheyoungmanspillingheadfirstfromthecarwhichallalonghadbeen plainlyineveryone"sview,thecarinwhichtheransomhadbeencarriedtothis blown-openrendezvous.
Theyoungman,sonofalawyer,hadbeenshot.Icouldseethecrimsonflashon hisshirtandtheweakflutterofhishand,andIthoughtofhim,alertand confident,aswe"dtalkedbeforehesetoff.Yes,he"dsaid,heunderstoodthe risk,andyes,hewouldfollowtheirinstructionsabsolutely,andyes,hewould keepmeinformedbyradiodirectfromthecartotheambulance.Togetherwehad activatedthetinytransmittersewnintothehandleofthesuitcasecontaining theransommoneyandhadcheckedthat.i.twasworkingproperlyasahomer, sendingthemessagesbacktotheradarintheambulance.
Insidetheambulancethatsameradartrackerwa.s.showingunmistakablythatthe suitcasewasonthemoveandgoingrapidlyaway.Iwouldwithoutdoubthavelet thekidnappersescape,becausethatwa.s.safestforAlessia,butoneofthe carabinieri,pa.s.singandcatchingsightoftheblip,ranurgentlytowardsthe bull-likemanwhowithblowingwhistleappearedtobechieflyincharge, shoutingtohimabovetheclamorandpointingastabbingfingertowardsthevan.
Withwildandfearfuldoubttheofficerlookedagonizedlyaroundhimandthen shambledtowardsmeatarun.Withhisbigheadthroughthewindowofthecabhe staredmutelyattheradarscreen,wherehereadthebadnewsunerringlywitha pallidoutbreakofsweat.
"Follow,"hesaidhoa.r.s.elytomydriver,andbrushedawaymyattemptattelling himinItalianwhyheshoulddonosuchthing.
Thedrivershruggedresignedlyandwewereonourwaywithajerk,accompanied, itseemedtome,byaveritableposseofwailingcarsscreamingthroughthe emptystreetsoftheindustrialquarter,thefactoryworkerslongagogonehome.
"Sincemidnight,"Pucinellisaid,"Iamonduty.Iamagainincharge."
Ilookedathimbleakly.Theambulancestoodnowinawiderstreet,itsengine stilled,thetrackershowingasteadytrace,locatingthesuitcaseinsidea modernlower-incomeblockofapartments.Infrontofthebuilding,atanangle tothecurb,stoodanondescriptblackcar,itsoverheatedengineslowly cooling.Aroundit,likeahaphazardbarrier,thepolicecarswereparkedat randomangles,theirdoorsopen,headlightsblazing,occupantsintheirfawn uniformsduckingintocoverwithreadypistols.
"Asyousee,thekidnappersareinthefrontapartmentonthethirdfloor,"
Pucinellisaid."Theysaytheyhavetakenhostagethepeoplewholivethere,and willkillthem,andalsotheysayAlessiaCenciwillsurelydie,ifwedonot givethemsafepa.s.sage."
Ihadheardthemshoutingfromtheopenwindow,andhadhardlyneededthe repet.i.tion.
"Inashorttimethelisteningbugwillbeinposition,"Pucinellisaid, glancinguneasilyatmyrigidface."Andsoonwewillhaveataponthe telephone.Wehavemenonthestaircaseoutside.Theyarefixingthem."
Isaidnothing.
"Mymensayyouwouldhaveletthekidnappersgetaway...takingthemoneywith them."
"Ofcourse."
Welookedateachotherunsmilingly,almostfoeswhererecentlywe"dbeen allies.Hewasthinandaboutforty,giveortake.Darkandintenseand energetic.Acommunistinacommunistcity,disapprovingofthecapitalistwhose daughterwasatrisk.
"Theyhadshottheboywhodrovethecar,"hesaid."Wecouldnotpossiblylet themescape."
"Theboytookhischances.Thegirlmuststillbesaved."
"YouEnglish,"hesaid."Socold."
Theangerinsidemewouldhavescorchedasbestos.Ifhismenhadn"ttriedtheir abortiveambush,theboywouldnothavebeenshot.Hewouldhavewalkedaway unharmedandlefttheransominthecar,ashe"dbeeninstructed.
Pucinelliturnedhisattentiontothebenchfulofbolted-downradioreceivers, turningafewk.n.o.bsandpressingswitches."Iamsendingamaninhereto receivemessages,"hesaid."Iwillbeherealso.Youcanstay,ifyouwish."
Inodded.Itwastoolatetodoanythingelse.
Ithadbeenabsolutelyagainstmyinstinctsandmytrainingtobeanywherenear thedroppingpointoftheransom,yetPucinellihaddemandedmypresencethere inreturnforapromiseofhisforce"sabsence.
"Youcangoinourvan,"hehadsaid."Ourradiovan.Likeanambulance.Very discreet.Yougo.I"llsendyouadriver.Whenthekidnapperstakethesuitcase, youfollowit.Youcantelluswherethey"rehiding.Then,whenthegirlis free,we"llarrestthem.O.K.?"
"Whenthegirlisfree,Iwilltellyouwheretheytookthemoney."
Hehadnarrowedhiseyesslightly,buthadclappedmeontheshoulderandagreed toit,nodding."Thegirlfirst."
Notknowing,asoneneverdoes,preciselywhenthekidnapperswouldsetthe handing-overprocedurerolling,Pucinellihadstationedthevanpermanentlyin thegarageattheVillaFrancese,withthedriverlivinginthehouse.Fourdays afterwe"dsignaledtothekidnappersthattheagreedmoneyhadbeencollected andwasreadyforthem,theyhadsenttheirdeliveryinstructions:andas promisedbetweenPucinelliandmyself,Ihadtelephonedhisofficetotellhim thedropwasabouttostart.
Pucinellihadnotbeenthere,butwehadplannedforthatcontingency.
InbasicItalianIhadsaid,"IamAndrewDouglas.TellEnricoPucinelli immediatelythattheambulanceismoving."
Thevoiceattheotherendhadsaiditunderstood.
InowwishedwithallmyheartthatIhadnotkeptmypromisetogivePucinelli thatmessage;butcooperationwiththelocalpolicewasoneofthefirm"smost basicpolicies.
Pucinelli"sowntrustinme,itnowturnedout,hadnotbeensoverygreat.
PerhapshehadknownIwouldratherhavelosttrackofthesuitcasethangive awaymypresencenearthedrop.Inanycase,boththesuitcase"shomer,anda furtherhomerinthevan,hadbeentrackablefromPucinelli"sownofficialcar.
Thecolleague-on-duty,receivingmymessage,hadnotconsultedPucinellibuthad simplysetoutwithamaximumtaskforce,takingPucinelli"sstaffcarand chasingpersonalglory.Stupid,swollen-headed,lethalhumanfailing.
HowinG.o.d"snamewasIgoingtotellPaoloCenci?Andwhowasgoingtobreakit tothelawyerthathisbrightstudentsonhadbeenshot?
"Theboywhowasdriving,"IsaidtoPucinelli."Ishealive?"
"He"sgonetohospital.Hewasalivewhentheytookhim.Beyondthat,Idon"t know."
"Hisfathermustbetold."
Pucinellisaidgrimly,"It"sbeingdone.I"vesentaman."
Thismess,Ithought,wasgoingtodonothingatallforthefirm"sreputation.
Itwaspositivelymyjobtohelptoresolveakidnapinthequietestway possiblewiththelowestofprofilesandminimumaction.Myjobtocalm,to plan,tojudgehowlittleonecouldgetakidnappertoaccept,toseethat negotiationswerekeptonthecoolest,mostbusinesslikefooting,tobargain withoutangering,togetthetimingright.Mybrief,aboveall,tobringthe victimhome.
Ihadbythattimebeentheadvisor-on-the-spotinfifteenkidnaps,somelasting days,someweeks,someseveralmonths.Chieflybecausekidnappersusuallydo releasetheirvictimsunharmedoncetheransomisintheirhands,Ihadn"tso farbeenpartofadisaster;butAlessiaCenci,reportedlyoneofthebestwoman jockeysintheworld,lookedsettobemyfirst.
"Enrico,"Isaid,"don"ttalktothesekidnappersyourself.Getsomeoneelse, whohastorefertoyoufordecisions."
"Why?"hesaid.
"Itcalmsthingsdown.Takestime.Thelongertheygoontalkingthelesslikely theyaretokillthosepeopleintheflat."
Heconsideredmebriefly."Verywell.Adviseme.It"syourjob."
WewerealoneinthevanandIguessedhewa.s.sorelyashamedofhisforce"s calamity,otherwisehewouldneverhaveadmittedsuchatacitlossofface.I hadrealizedfromshortlyaftermyfirstarrivalatthevillathatas officer-in-chargehehadneverbeforehadtodealwitharealkidnap,thoughhe hadcarefullyinformedmethatallcarabinieriwereinstructedinthetheoryof kidnapresponse,owingtotheregrettablefrequencyofthatcrimeinItaly.
Betweenus,untilthatnight,histheoryandmyexperiencehaddonewellenough, anditseemedthathedidstillwanttheententetogoon.
Isaid,"Telephonethatflatdirectfromhere.Tellthekidnappersyouare arrangingnegotiations.Tellthemtheymustwaitforawhile.Tellthemthatif theytireofthewaitingtheymaytelephonetoyou.Givethemanumber...youhave alineinthisvan?"
Henodded."It"sbeingconnected."
"Oncetheirpulsessettleitwillbesafer,butiftheyarepressedtoohardto startwiththeymayshootagain."
"Andmymenwouldfire..."Heblinkedrapidlyandwentoutside,andIcouldhear himspeakingtohisforcesthroughamegaphone."Donotreturnfire.Irepeat, donotshoot.Awaitordersbeforefiring."
Hereturnedshortly,accompaniedbyamanunrollingawire,andsaidbriefly, "Engineer."
Theengineerattachedthewiretooneoftheswitchboxesandpa.s.sedPucinelli aninstrumentwhichlookedacrossbetweenamicrophoneandahandset.It appearedtoleadadirectlinetotheapartment"stelephonebecauseaftera pausePucinelliwasclearlyconversingwithoneofthekidnappers.Theengineer, asamatterofcourse,wasrecordingeveryword.
TheItalianwastooidiomaticformyears,butIunderstoodatleastthetone.
Thenear-hystericalshoutingfromthekidnapperslowlyabatedinresponseto Pucinelli"sdeterminedcalmnessandendedinamoremanageableagitation.Toa finalforcefulquestionPucinelli,afterapause,answeredslowlyand distinctly,"Idon"thavethatauthority.Ihavetoconsultmysuperiors.Please waitfortheirreply."
Theresultwasamenacing,grumblingagreementandadisconnectingclick.
Pucinelliwipedhishandoverhisfaceandgavemethetiniestflickerofa smile.Sieges,asIsupposedheknew,couldgoonfordays,butatleasthehad establishedcommunication,takingthefirstvitalstep.
HeglancedattheengineerandIguessedhewaswantingtoaskmewhatnext,but couldn"tbecauseoftheengineerandhisrecordings.
Isaid,"Ofcourseyouwillbeaimingsearchlightsatthosewindowssoonsothat thekidnapperswillfeelexposed."
"Ofcourse."
"Andiftheydon"tsurrenderinanhourortwo,naturallyyou"dbringsomeone herewho"susedtobargaining,totalktothem.Someonefromatradesunion, perhaps.Andafterthatapsychiatristtojudgethekidnappers"stateofmind andtellyouwhenhethinksisthebesttimetoapplymostpressure,tomake themcomeout."Ishruggeddeprecatingly."Naturallyyouknowthatthesemethods haveproducedgoodresultsinotherhostagesituations."
"Naturally."
"AndofcourseyoucouldtellthemthatifAlessiaCencidies,theywillnever getoutofprison."
"Thedriver...they"llknowtheyhithim..."
"Iftheyask,Iamsureyouwouldtellthemheisalive...Evenifhedies,you wouldofcoursetellthemheisstillalive.Onewouldn"twantthemtothink theyhadnothingtolose."
Avoicesplutteredsuddenlyfromoneofthesofarsilentreceivers,makingboth theengineerandPucinelliwhirltolisten.Itwasawoman"svoice,gabbling, weeping,tomemostlyunintelligiblebutingistagainplainenough.
Thekidnapper"sroughvoiceslicedinoverhers,fartooangryforsafety,and then,inarisingwail,cameachild"svoice,crying,thenanother,calling Mama,Papa,Mama.
"G.o.d,"Pucinellisaid,"children!Therearechildren,too,inthatapartment."
Thethoughtappalledhim.Inoneinstanthecaredmoreforthemthanhehadin fiveweeksforthegirl,andforthefirsttimeIsawrealconcerninhisolive face.Helistenedintentlytothenowjumbledloudvoicescrowdingthroughfrom thebugontheflat,ajumblefinallyresolvingintoakidnapperyellingatthe womantogivethechildrensomebiscuitstoshutthemuporhepersonallywould throwthemoutofthewindow.