Wewaitedalongtime,notspeakingmuch.WewaitedsolongthatIbegantofear eitherthatnocallwouldcometoCenciatall,thatthemessagehadbeena retributivepieceofcruelty,orevenworse,that.i.thadbeenarusetolurehim awayfromhishousewhilesomethingdreadfultookplaceinit.Myheartthumped uncomfortably.Alessia"seldersister,Ilaria,andPaoloCenci"ssister,Luisa, werebothupstairsinthevilla,asleep.
PerhapsIshouldhavestayedthere...butCencihadbeeninnostatetodrive.
PerhapsIshouldhaveawokenhisgardenerinthevillage,whodrovesometimeson thechauffeur"sdaysoff...Perhaps,perhaps.
Theskywasalreadylighteningtodawnwhenhereturned,theshakinessshowing inhiswalk,hisfacerigidashereachedthecar.Istretchedoverandopened thedoorforhimfromtheinside,andhesubsidedheavilyintothepa.s.senger seat.
"Herangtwice."HespokeinItalian,automatically."Thefirsttime,hesaid wait.Iwaited..."Hestoppedandswallowed.Clearedhisthroat.Startedagain withabetterattemptatfirmness."Iwaitedalongtime.Anhour.More.
Finally,hetelephoned.HesaysAlessiaisstillaliveb.u.t.thepricehasgone up.HesaysImustpaytwothousandmillionlireintwodays."
Hisvoicestopped,thedespairsoundinginitclearly.Twothousandmillionlire wasapproachingamillionpounds.
"Whatelsedidhesay?"Iasked.
"Hesaidthatifanyonetoldthecarabinieriofthenewdemand,Alessiawould dieatonce."HeseemedsuddenlytorememberthatRicardowasinthecar,and turnedtohiminalarm."Don"tspeakofthismeeting,nottoanyone.Promiseme, Ricardo.Onyoursoul."
Ricardo,lookingserious,promised.Healsosaidhewouldgonowtothe hospital,tojoinhisparentsandgetnewsofLorenzo,andwithafurther pa.s.sionatea.s.suranceofdiscretionhewentovertohisscooterandputt-putted away.
Istartedthecaranddroveoutofthecarpark.
Cencisaiddully,"Ican"traisethatmuch.Notagain."
"Well,"Isaid,"youshouldeventuallygetbackthemoneyinthesuitcase.With luck.Thatmeansthattherealextrais...um...sevenhundredmillionlire."
Threehundredthousandpounds.Saidquickly,itsoundedless.
"Butintwodays..."
"Thebankswilllendit.Youhavethea.s.sets."
Hedidn"tanswer.Socloseontheothercollectionofrandomusednotes,this wouldbetechnicallymoredifficult.Moremoney,muchfaster.Thebanks, however,wouldreadthemorningpapers...andraisingaransomwashardlya processunknowntothem.
"Whatareyoutodo,whenyou"vecollectedit?"Iasked.
Cencishookhishead."Hetoldme...b.u.t.thistimeIcan"ttellyou.ThistimeI takethemoneymyself...alone."
"It"sunwise."
"Imustdoit."
Hesoundedbothdespairinganddetermined,andIdidn"targue.Isaidmerely, "Willwehavetimetophotographthenotesandputtracersonthem?"
Heshookhisheadimpatiently."Whatdoesitmatternow?ItisAlessiaonlythat isimportant.I"vebeengivenasecondchance...ThistimeIdowhathesays.This timeIactalone."
OnceAlessiawa.s.safe-ifsheweresolucky-hewouldregrethe"dpa.s.sedupthe bestchanceofrecoveringatleastpartoftheransomandofcatchingthe kidnappers.Emotion,a.s.soofteninkidnapsituations,wa.s.stampedingcommon sense.Butonecouldn"t,Isupposed,blamehim.
PicturesofAlessiaCenci,thegirlIhadnevermet,adornedmostroomsinthe VillaFrancese.
AlessiaCencionhorses,ridinginracesroundtheworld.Alessiatherichgirl withthehandsofsilkandatemperamentlikethesun(afancifulnewspaper reporthadsaid),bright,warm,andoccasionallyscorching.
Iknewlittleaboutracing,butI"dheardofher,theglamourgirlofthe Europeantrackswhoneverthelesscouldreallyride:onewouldhavetohave avertedone"seyesfromnewspapersprettythoroughlynotto.Thereseemedtobe somethingaboutherthatcaptivatedthedailyscribblers,particularlyin England,wheresheracedoften;andinItalyIheardgenuineaffectioninevery voicethatspokeofher.Ineveryvoice,thatistosay,exceptforthatofher sister,Ilaria,whosereactiontothekidnaphadbeencomplexandrevealing.
Alessiainclose-upphotographswasn"tparticularlybeautiful:thin, small-featured,dark-eyed,withshorthead-huggingcurls.Itwashersister,by hersideinsilverframes,wholookedmorefeminine,morefriendly,andmore pretty.Ilariainlife,however,wasnotparticularlyanyofthosethings,at leastnotinthepresenthorrificfamilycirc.u.mstances.Onecouldn"ttellwhat happinessmightdo.
SheandherauntLuisastillsleptwhenCenciandIreturnedtothevilla.All wasquietthere,allsafe.Cenciwalkedstraightintothelibraryandpoureda largeamountofbrandyintoatumbler,indicatingthatIshouldhelpmyselfto thesame.Ijoinedhim,reflectingthatseveninthemorningwasasgoodatime asanytogetdrunk.
"I"msorry,"hesaid."Iknowit"snotyourfault.Thecarabinieri...dowhatthey want."
Igatheredhewasreferringtotheangerhe"dpouredonmethelasttimewe"d satinthosesametwochairs.Imadeavaguedon"t-think-about-itgestureand letthebrandysearapathtomystomach,ashaftofvividfeelinggoingdown throughmychest.Itmightnothavebeenwise,b.u.t.theoldesttranquilizerwas stillthemosteffective.
"Doyouthinkwe"llgetherback?"Cenciasked."Doyoureallythinkso?"
"Yes."Inodded."Theywouldn"tbestartingagainmoreorlessfromscratchif theymeanttokillher.Theydon"twanttoharmher,asI"vetoldyouallalong.
Theyonlywantyoutobelievetheywill...andyes,Idothinkit"sagoodsign theystillhavethenervetobargain,withtwooftheirnumberbesiegedbythe carabinieri."
Cencilookedblank."I"dforgottenaboutthose."
Ihadn"t;b.u.t.thentheambushandthesiegewereimprintedinmymindas memories,notreports.Ihadwondered,throughmostofthenight,whetherthe twocollectorshadbeencarryingwalkie-talkieradios,andwhetherHEhadknown ofthedebacleatalmostthemoment.i.thappened,notsimplywhenneitherhis colleaguesnorthemoneyturnedup.
IthoughtthatifIwereHIMI"dbehighlyworriedaboutthosetwomen,not necessarilyfortheirownsakes,butforwhattheyknew.Theymightknowwhere Alessiawas.Theymightknowwhohadplannedtheoperation.Theyhadtoknow wherethey"dbeenexpectedtotakethemoney.Theymightbehiredhands...but trustedenoughtobecollectors.Theymightbefullequalpartners,butI doubtedit.Kidnapgangstendedtohavehierarchies,likeeveryother organization.
Onewayoranotherthosetwoweregoingtofallintothegraspofthe carabinieri,eithertalkingorshot.Theythemselveshadpromisedthatifthey didn"tgofree,Alessiawoulddie,butapparentlyHEhadsaidnothinglikethat toCenci.DidthatmeanthatHISprioritywasmoney,thathewa.s.seton extortingonlywhathealmostcertainlycould,moneyfromCenci,andnotwhathe almostascertainlycouldn"t,thereturnofhisfriends?Ordiditmeanthathe didn"thaveradiocontactwithhiscolleagues,whohadmadethethreatinfaith morethanpromise...ordiditmeanthatbyradiohehadpersuadedthecolleagues tobarricadethemselvesinandmakethefiercestthreatscontinually,staying outofthecarabinieri"sclutcheslongenoughforHIMtospiritAlessiaawayto anewhideout,sothat.i.twouldn"tmatterifthecolleaguesfinallydidtalk, theywouldn"tknowtheonethingworthtelling...?
"Whatareyouthinking?"Cenciasked.
"Ofhope,"Isaid;andthoughtthatthekidnappersintheapartmentprobably didn"thavecontactbyradioafterall,becausetheyhadn"tmadeanyreference toitduringthehourI"dlistenedtothemviathebug.b.u.t.thenHEmightguess aboutbugs...ifHEwasthatclever...andhavetoldthemtoswitchoffafterhis firstburstofinstructions.
IfI"dbeenHIM,I"dhavebeenintouchwiththosecollectorsfromthemoment theysetout...b.u.t.thenthereweren"tsomanyradiofrequenciesasallthat,and thepossibilityofbeingoverheardwashigh.b.u.t.therewerecodesand prearrangedphrases...Andhowdidyouprearrangeamessagewhichsaidthe carabinierihaveswarmedalloverusandwe"veshotthemanwhobroughtthe ransom?
Iftheyhadn"ttakentheransomwithitshomingtransmitter,theywouldprobably haveescaped.Iftheyhadn"tbeenfanaticalabouttakingtheransom,they wouldn"thaveshotthedrivertoget.i.t.
Ifthecarabinierihadactedstupidly,sohadthekidnappers,andonlyaslong asHEdidn"tdecideafteralltocuthislosseswasthereanypositivehope.I stillthoughtthathopetobefrail.Onedidn"t,however,admit.i.ttothe victim"sdad.
Cencianywayhadtearsatlastrunningdownhischeeks,released,Iguessed,by thebrandy.Hemadenosound,nortriedtobrushthemawayorhidethem.Manya manwouldhavecometothatstagesooner,andinmyownexperience,most victims"parentsdid.Throughoutrage,anger,anxiety,andgrief,throughguilt andhopeandpain,thestepstheytrodwerethesame.I"dseensomanypeoplein despairthatsometimesalaughingfacewouldjoltme.
ThePaoloCenciIknewwasthemansittingopposite,whohadn"tsmiledoncein mysight.Hehadattemptedatfirsttoputupacivilizedfront,b.u.t.themask hadsooncrumbledashegotusedtomypresence,anditwastherawmanwhose feelingsandstrengthsandblindnessesIknew.Theurbanesuccessful man-of-the-worldlookingoutwithgenialwisdomfromtheportraitinthedrawing room,hewasthestranger.
Forhispart,afterhisfirstblinkatmynotbeinginhisownagegroup,hehad seemedtofindmecompatibleonallcounts.Hiscryforhelphadreachedour officewithinadayofAlessia"sdisappearance,andIhadbeenonhis back-doorstepthenext;butforty-eighthourscouldseemalifetimeinthatsort ofnightmareandhisreliefatmyarrivalhadbeenundemanding.Hewouldvery likelyhaveacceptedafour-armeddwarfwithblueskin,notjustafive-tenthin framewithordinarydarkhairandwashed-outgrayeyes:buthewas,afterall, payingformyhelp,andifhereallyhadn"tlikedmehehadaneasywayout.
Hisoriginalcalltoourofficehadbeenbriefanddirect."Mydaughterhasbeen kidnapped.ItelephonedToma.s.soLinardi,oftheMilanFineLeatherCompany,for advice.Hegavemeyourname...hesaysitwasyourfirmwhichgothimsafelyhome andhelpedthepolicetracethekidnappers.Ineedyourhelpnowmyself.Please come."
Toma.s.soLinardi,owneroftheMilanFineLeatherCompany,hadhimselfbeenheld forransomtwoyea.r.s.earlier,anditwasn"tsurprisingthatPaoloCencishould haveknownhim,asCencitoowasintheleatherbusiness,headingacorporation withworldwidetrade.HalftheItalianshoesimportedintoEngland,hehadtold me,hadpa.s.sedintheuncutleatherstagethroughhisfirm.
Thetwomenincidentallyhadprovedtohaveasecondandmoretenuousfactorin common,aninterestinhorses;CenciofcoursebecauseofAlessia"sjockeyship, andLinardibecausehehadownedamajorityshareinaracetrack.Thisholding inafashionableprofit-makingpieceofflatlandhadbeenoneofthethings soldtoraisehisransom,muchtohissorrowwhenonhisreleasehefoundit out.Inhiscase,althoughsomeofthekidnappershadbeenarrestedamonth later,onlyasmallpartofthemillion-poundransomhadbeenrecovered.The sevenmillionwhichhadatfirstbeenstronglydemandedwouldhavemeantlosing hisbusinessaswell,soonthewholehehadbeenrelieved,resigned,and obviouslycontentenoughwithLibertyMarkettorecommendustothenextguyin trouble.
IhadsharedtheLinardia.s.signmentwithanotherpartner.We"dfoundLinardi"s wifelessthandistraughtaboutherhusbandandfuriousaboutthecostof gettinghimback.Hismistresshadweptbuckets,hissonhadusurpedhisoffice chair,hiscookhadhadhysterics,hissistershadsquabbledandhisdoghad pined.Thewholethinghadbeenconductedwithoperatichistrionicsfortissimo, leavingmefinallyfeelingI"dbeenswampedbyatidalwave.
IntheVillaFrancese,amuchquieterhouse,PaoloCenciandIsatforafurther halfhour,lettingthebrandysettleandthinkingofthisandthat.Atlength, histearslongdried,hesigheddeeplyandsaidthatasthedayhadtobefaced hewouldchangehisclothes,havebreakfast,andgotohisoffice.Iwoulddrive himnodoubt,asusual.AndIcouldphotographthenewransommoney,asbefore.
Hehadbeenthinking,andofcourseIwasright,itwasthebestchanceof gettinganyofitback.
Breakfastinthatformalhouseholdwaseateninthediningroom:coffee,fruit, andhotbreadsagainstmuralsofshepherdessesalaMarieAntoinette.
Ilariajoinedusthere,silentlyasusual,a.s.semblingherownpreferencesonto herplate.Hersilenceswereaformof.a.ggression;apositiverefusal,for instance,tosaygoodmorningtoherfatherevenoutofgoodmanners.Heseemed tobeusedtoit,butIfounditextraordinary,especiallyinthecirc.u.mstances, andespeciallyasitseemedtherewasnoanimosityordiscordbetweenthem.
Ilarialivedaprivilegedlifewhichincludednogainfuloccupation:mostly travel,tennis,singinglessons,shopping,andlunches,thankstoherfather"s money.Hegave,shereceived.Iwonderedsometimesifitwasresentmentatthis dependencythatmadehersoinsistentlyrefusetoacknowledgeiteventothe extentofbehavingsweetly,butshehadapparentlyneverwantedorsoughtajob.
HerAuntLuisahadtoldmeso,withapproval.
Ilariawasafresh-lookingtwenty-four,curved,notskinny,withbrownwavyhair superblycutandfrequentlyshampooed.Shehadahabitofraisinghereyebrows andlookingdownhernose,a.s.shewasnowdoingathercoffeecup,which probablyreflectedherwholeviewoflifeandwouldundoubtedlysetintocreases beforeforty.
Shedidn"taskiftherewasanynewsofAlessia:sheneverdid.Sheseemedif anythingtobeangrywithhersisterforbeingkidnapped,thoughshehadn"t exactlysaidso.Herreaction,however,tomysuggestionthatsheshouldnotgo soregularlyatsettimestothetenniscourtandinfactshouldgoaway altogetherandstaywithfriends,becausekidnappersiffeelingfrustratedby delayshadbeenknowntotakeasecondspeeding-upbiteatthesamefamily,had beennotonlynegativebutacid."Therewouldn"tbethesameagonizedfussover me."
Herfatherhadlookedaghastatherbitterness,butbothsheandIsawinhis facethatwhatshe"dsaidwastrue,evenifhehadneveradmittedittohimself.
ItwouldinfacthavebeenverymucheasiertoabductIlaria,butevenasa victimshehadbeenpa.s.sedoverinfavorofherfamouslittlesister,her father"sfavorite.Shehadcontinued,withthesamedefianceasinhersilences, togoatthesametimestothesameplaces,anopeninvitationtotrouble.Cenci hadbeggedhernotto,tonoavail.
Iwonderedifsheevenpositivelywantedtobetaken,sothatherfatherwould havetoprovehisloveforher,asforAlessia,bysellingpreciousthingsto getherback.
Becauseshehadn"tasked,wehadn"ttoldhertheeveningbeforethatthatwas thenightforpayingtheransom.Lethersleep,Cencihadsaid,contemplating hisownwakefulordealandwishingtospareher."PerhapsAlessiawillbehome forbreakfast,"he"dsaid.
HelookedatIlarianowandwithgreatwearinesstoldherthatthehandoverhad gonewrong,andthatanotherandbiggerransomhadtobecollectedforAlessia.
"Another..."Shestaredathimindisbelief,cupstoppinghalfwaytohermouth.
"Andrewthinkswemaygetthefirstonebackagain,butmeanwhile..."Hemadean almostbeseechinggesturewithhishand."Mydear,wearegoingtobepoorer.
Notjusttemporarily,butalways.This.e.xtrademandisagravesetback...Ihave decidedtosellthehouseonMikonos,buteventhatwillnotbeenough.Your mother"sjewelsmustgo,alsothecollectionofsnuffboxes.TherestImust raiseontheworthofthishouseandthisestate,andifwedonotrecoverthe firstransomIwillbepayinginterestontheloanoutofthereceiptsfromthe olives,whichwillleavenothingover.ThelandIsoldinBolognatoraisethe firstransomwillnotnowbeprovidinguswithanyrevenue,andwehavetolive onwhatImakeinthebusiness."Heshruggedslightly."We"llnotstarve.We"ll continuetolivehere.b.u.t.therearethepensionsforourretiredservants,and theallowancesformyuncles"widows,whichtheyliveon...Itisgoingtobea struggle,mydear,andIthinkyoushouldknow,andbeprepared."
Shelookedathimwithabsoluteshock,andIthoughtthatuntilthatmomentshe hadn"trealizedthatpayingaransomwasaverycruelbusiness.
Chapterthree.
IDROVECENCItohisofficeandlefthimtheretohistelephoneandhisgrim taskwiththebanks.Then,changingfromchauffeur"suniformintonondescript trousersandsweater,Iwentbybusandfoottothestreetwherethesiegemight stillbetakingplace.
Nothing,itseemed,hadchangedthere.Thedark-windowedambulancestillstood againstthecurbonthefarsideoftheroadfromtheapartments,the carabinieri"scarswerestillparkedhelter-skelterinthesamepositionswith fawnuniformscrouchingaroundthem,thetelevisionvanstillsproutedwiresand aerials,andacommentatorwa.s.stilltalkingintoacamera.
Daylighthadsubtracteddrama.Familiarityhaddonethesametourgency.The scenenowlookednotfrighteningbutpeaceful,withfiguresmovingatwalking pace,notinscurryinglittleruns.Awatchingcrowdstoodandstaredbovinely, growingbored.
Thewindowsonthethirdfloorwereshut.
Ihoveredattheedgeofthings,handsinpockets,hairtousled,localpaper underarm,looking,Ihoped,nottooEnglish.SomeofthepartnersinLiberty Marketwerestunningatdisguises,butI"dalwaysfoundaslouchandvacant expressionmybestbetfornotbeingnoticed.
AfterawhileduringwhichnothingmuchhappenedIwanderedoffinsearchofa telephone,andrangthenumberoftheswitchboardinsidetheambulance.
"IsEnricoPucinellithere?"Iasked.
"Wait."Somemumblingwentoninthebackground,andthenPucinellihimself spoke,soundingexhausted.
"Andrew?Isityou?"
"Yes.How"sitgoing?"
"Nothinghasaltered.Iamoffdutyatteno"clockforanhour."
Ilookedatmywatch.Ninethirty-eight."Whereareyoueating?"Isaid.
"Gino"s."
"O.K.,"Isaid,anddisconnected.
Iwaitedforhiminthebrightlylitgla.s.s-and-tile-linedrestaurantthattomy knowledgeservedfreshpastaatthreeinthemorningwithgoodgrace.Ateleven itwasalreadybusywithearlylunchers,andIheldatablefortwobyordering loadsoffettucinethatIdidn"twant.Pucinelli,whenhearrived,pushedaway hiscoolingplatefulwithhorrorandorderedeggs.
Hehadcome,asIknewhewould,incivilianclothes,andthetirednessshowed inblacksmudgesunderhiseyesandinthedroopofhisshoulders.
"Ihopeyousleptwell,"hesaidsarcastically.
Imovedmyheadslightly,meaningneitheryesnorno.
"Ihavehadtwoofthetopbra.s.sonmyneckintheva.n.a.llnight,"hesaid.
"Theycan"tmakeuptheirfatmindsabouttheairplane.Theyaretalkingto Rome.Someoneinthegovernmentmustdecide,theysay,andnooneinthe governmentwantedtodisturbhissleeptothinkabout.i.t.Youwouldhavegone quitecrazy,myfriend.Talk,talk,talk,andnotenoughactiontos.h.i.t."
Iputonasympatheticfaceandthoughtthatthelongerthesiegelasted,the safernowforAlessia.Let.i.tlast,Ithought,untilshewasfree.LetHIMbea realisttotheend.
"Whatarethekidnapperssaying?"Iasked.
"Thesamethreats.Thegirlwilldieiftheyandtheransommoneydon"tgetaway safely."
"Nothingnew?"
Heshookhishead.Hiseggscamewithrollsandcoffee,andheatewithout hurry."Thebabycriedhalfthenight,"hesaidwithhismouthfull."The deep-voicedkidnapperkeepstellingthemotherhe"llstrangleitifitdoesn"t shutup.Itgetsonhisnerves."Heliftedhiseyestomyface."Youalwaystell metheythreatenmorethantheydo.Ihopeyou"reright."
Ihopedsotoo.Acryingbabycoulddriveevenatemperatemantofury."Can"t theyfeedit?"Isaid.
"Ithascolic."
Hespokewiththefamiliarityofexperience,andIwonderedvaguelyabouthis privatelife.Allourdealingshadbeenessentiallyimpersonal,anditwasonly inflashes,asnow,thatIheardthemanbehindthepoliceman.
"Youhavechildren?"Iasked.