Hesmiledbriefly,aglimmerintheeyes."Threesons,twodaughters,one...
expected."Hepaused."Andyou?"
Ishookmyhead."Notyet.Notmarried."
"Yourloss.Yourgain."
Ilaughed.Hebreatheddeprecatinglydownhisnoseasiftodisclaimthe disparagementofhislady."Girlsgrowintomamas,"hesaid.Heshrugged."It happens."
Wisdom,Ithought,showedupinthemostunexpectedplaces.Hefinishedhiseggs asoneatpeacewithhimself,anddrankhiscoffee."Cigarette?"heasked, edgingapacketoutofhisshutpocket."No.Iforgot.Youdon"t."Heflicked hislighterandinhaledthefirstlungfulwiththedeepreliefofadedicated smoker.Eachtohisownrelease:CenciandIhadfoundthesamethinginbrandy.
"Duringthenight,"Isaid."Didthekidnapperstalktoanyoneelse?"
"Howdoyoumean?"
"Byradio."
Heliftedhisthinfacesharply,thefamilymanretreating."No.Theyspokeonly toeachother,tothehostagefamily,andtous.Doyouthinktheyhavearadio?
Whydoyouthinkthat?"
"IwonderediftheywereintouchwiththeircolleaguesguardingAlessia."
Heconsidereditwithconcentrationandindecisivelyshookhishead."Thetwo kidnappersspokeofwhatwashappening,fromtimetotime,butonlyasifthey weretalkingtoeachother.Iftheywerealsotransmittingonaradioanddidn"t wantustoknow,theyareveryclever.Theywouldhavetoguesswearealready listeningtoeverywordtheysay."Hethought.i.toverabitlongerandfinally shookhisheadwithmorecertainty."Theyarenotclever.I"velistenedtothem allnight.Theyareviolent,frightened,and..."hesearchedforawordIwould understand"...ordinary."
"Averageintelligence?"
"Yes.Average."
"Allthesame,whenyoufinallygetthemout,w.i.l.l.youlookaroundforaradio?"
"Youpersonallywanttoknow?"
"Yes."
Helookedatmea.s.sessinglywithagooddealofprofessionaldispa.s.sion."What areyounottellingme?"hesaid.
IwasnottellinghimwhatCenc.i.p.a.s.sionatelywishedtokeepprivate,anditwas Cenciwhowaspayingme.Imightadvisefullconsultationwiththelocallaw, butonlythat.Goingagainstthecustomer"s.e.xpressedwisheswasatthevery leastbadforfuturebusiness.
"Isimplywonder,"Isaidmildly,"ifthepeopleguardingAlessiaknowexactly what"sgoingon."
Helookedasifsomesixthsensewasbusydoubtingme,sototakehismindoff itIsaid,"Idaresayyou"vethoughtofstungrenadesasalastresort."
"Stun?"Hedidn"tknowtheword."What"sstun?"
"Grenadeswhichmoreorlessknockpeopleoutforashortwhile.Theyproduce noiseandshockwaves,butdonopermanentdamage.Whileeveryoneis semiconscious,youwalkintotheflatandapplyhandcuffswherethey"reneeded."
"Thearmyhasthem,Ithink."
Inodded."Youarepartofthearmy."
"Specialunitshavethem.Wedon"t."Heconsidered."Wouldtheyhurtthe children?"
Ididn"tknow.Icouldseehimdiscardingstungrenadesrapidly."We"llwait,"
hesaid."Thekidnapperscannotlivethereforever.Intheend,theymustcome out."
Cencistaredmoroselyatalargecardboardcartonstandingonthedeskinhis office.Thecartonborestick-onlabelssayingFragileinwhitelettersonred, b.u.t.thecontentswouldhavesurvivedanydrop.Anydrop,thatis,exceptoneto kidnappers.
"Fifteenhundredmillionlire,"hesaid."Thebanksarrangedforittocomefrom Milan.Theybrought.i.tstraighttothisoffice,withsecurityguards."
"Inthatbox?"Iasked,surprised.
"No.Theywantedtheircasesback...andthisboxwashere."Hisvoicesounded deathlytired."Therestcomestomorrow.They"vebeenunderstandingandquick, b.u.t.theinterestthey"redemandingwillcrippleme."
Imadeamutegestureofsympathy,asnowordsseemedappropriate.ThenI changedintomychauffeur"suniform,carriedtheheavycartontothecar,stowed itinthetrunk,andpresentlydroveCencihome.
Weatedinnerlateinthathouse,thoughmealswereoftenleftunfinished accordingtotheanxietyleveloftheday.Cenciwouldpushhisplateawayin revulsion,andIsometimesthoughtmythinnessresultedfromneverbeingableto eatheartilyinthefaceofgrief.MysuggestionsthatCencimightprefermynot livingasfamilyhadbeenmetwithemphaticnegatives.Heneededcompany,he said,ifheweretostaysane.Iwouldpleasebewithhimasmuchaspossible.
Onthatevening,however,heunderstoodthatIcouldn"tbe.Icarriedthe Fragileboxupstairstomyroom,closedthecurtains,andstartedthelengthy taskofphotographingeverynote,flatteningtheminaframeofnonreflecting gla.s.s,fouratatimeofthesamedenomination.Evenwiththecameraona tripod,withbulkfilm,withcablereleaseandwithmotordrive,thejobalways tookages.ItwasonethatIdidactuallyprefernottoleavetobanksorthe police,butevenafterallthepracticeI"dhadIcouldshiftonlyaboutfifteen hundrednotesanhour.Largeransomshadmeshufflingbanknotesinmydreams.
ItwasLibertyMarketroutinetosendtheundevelopedfilmsbyexpresscourier totheLondonoffice,wherewehadsimpledevelopingandprintingequipmentin thebas.e.m.e.nt.Thenumbersofthenoteswerethentypedintoacomputer,which sortedthemintonumericalorderforeachdenominationandthenprintedoutthe lists.Thelistswerereturned,againbycourier,totheadvisorinthefield, who,afterthevictimhadbeenfreed,gavethemtothepolicetocirculateto allthecountry"sbanks,withapromisethatanytellerspottingoneofthe ransomnoteswouldberewarded.
Itwasasystemwhichseemedtousbest,princ.i.p.allybecausephotographyleftno traceonthenotes.Theproblemwithphysicallymarkingthemwasthatanything thebankscoulddetect,socouldthekidnappers.Bankshadnomonopoly,for instance,inscanstorevealfluorescence.Geigercountersforradioactivepin dotsweren"thardtocomeby.Minuteperforationscouldbeseenaseasilybyany eyesagainstabrightlight,andextralinesandmarkscouldbespottedby anyone"smagnification.Thebanks,throughsimplepressureoftime,hadtobe abletospottracerseasily,whichputchemicalinvisibleinksoutofcourt.
Kidnappers,farmorethoroughandwithfearalwaysattheirelbows,couldtest obsessivelyforeverything.
Kidnapperswhofoundtracersontheransomhadtobeconsideredlethal.In LibertyMarket,therefore,themarkingsweputonnotesweresodifficultto findthatwesometimeslostthemourselves,andtheywerecertainlyunspottable bybanks.Theyconsistedoftransparentmicrodots(thesizeofthefullstopsto whichweappliedthem)whichwhenseparatedandputunderamicroscoperevealed ashadowyblacklogoofLandM,b.u.t.throughordinarymagnifyinggla.s.ses appearedsimplyblack.Weusedthemonlyonlargerdenominationnotes,andthen onlyasaback-upincasethereshouldbeanyargumentaboutthephotographed numbers.Todatewehadneverhadtorevealtheirexistence,astateofaffairs wehopedtomaintain.
Bymorning,fairlydroppingfromfatigue,I"dphotographedbarelyhalf,the bankshavingtakenthe"smalldenomination"instructionalltooliterally.
LockingallthatmoneyintoawardrobecupboardIshoweredandthoughtofbed, butafterbreakfastdroveCencitotheofficeasusual.ThreenightsIcouldgo withoutsleep.Afterthat,zonk.
"Ifthekidnappersgetintouchwithyou,"Isaid,ontheway,"youmighttell themyoucan"tdrive.Sayyouneedyourchauffeur.Say...um...you"veabadheart, somethinglikethat.Thenatleastyou"dhavehelp,ifyouneededit."
Therewa.s.suchanintensesilencefromthebackseatthatatfirst.i.thoughthe hadn"theard,buteventuallyhesaid,"Isupposeyoudon"tknow,then."
"Knowwhat?"
"WhyIhaveachauffeur."
"Generalwealth,andallthat,"Isaid.
"No.Ihavenolicense."
Ihadseenhimdrivingroundtheprivateroadsonhisestateinajeepononeor twooccasions,thoughnot,Irecalled,withmuchfervor.Afterawhilehesaid, "Ichoosenottohavealicense,becauseIhaveepilepsy.I"vehaditmostofmy life.Itisofcoursekeptcompletelyundercontrolwithpills,butIprefernot todriveonpublicroads."
"I"msorry,"Isaid.
"Forget.i.t.Ido.It"saninconveniencemerely."Hesoundedasifthesubject boredhim,andIthoughtthatregardingirregularbrainpatternsasnomorethan anuisancewastypicalofwhatI"dgleanedofhisnormalbusinessmethods: routinefastandfirst,planningslowandthorough.I"dgatheredfromthingshis secretaryhadsaidinmyhearingthathe"dmadefewdecisionslately,andtrade wasbeginningtosuffer.
WhenwereachedtheoutskirtsofBolognahesaid,"Ihavetogobacktothose telephonesatthehighwayrestauranttomorrowmorningateight.Ihavetotake themoneyinmycar.Ihavetowaitforhim...forhisinstructions.He"llbe angryifIhaveachauffeur."
"Explain.He"llknowyoualwayshaveachauffeur.Tellhimwhy."
"Ican"triskit."Hisvoiceshook.
"SignorCenci,hewantsthemoney.Makehimbelieveyoucan"tdrivesafely.The lastthinghewantsisyoucrashingtheransomintoalamppost."
"Well...I"lltry."
"AndremembertoaskforproofthatAlessiaisaliveandunharmed."
"Yes."
IdroppedhimattheofficeanddrovebacktotheVillaFrancese,andbecauseit waswhattheCencichauffeuralwaysdidwhenhewasn"tneededduringthe morning,Iwashedthecar.I"dwashedthed.a.m.ncarsooftenIkneweveryinch intimately,butonecouldn"ttrustkidnappersnottobewatching;andthevilla anditshillside,withitsgloriousviews,couldbeobservedcloselyby telescopefromamileawayinmostdirections.Changesofroutinefrombeforeto afterakidnapwereofpowerfulsignificancetokidnappers,whowereoften betterdetectivesthandetectives,andbetterspiesthanspies.Thepeoplewho"d taughtmemyjobhadbeendetectivesandspiesandmorebesides,sowhenIwasa chauffeur,Iwashedcars.
ThatdoneIwentupstairsandsleptforacoupleofhoursandthensettoagain onthephotography,stoppingonlytogoandfetchCenciattheusualhour.
ReportingtohisofficeIfoundanotherboxonthedesk,thistimeannouncingit hadbeenpa.s.sedbycustomsatGenoa.
"ShallIcarryitout?"Iasked.
Henoddeddully."Itisallthere.Fivehundredmillionlire."
Wedrovehomemoreorlessinsilence,andIspenttheeveningandnightas before,methodicallyclickinguntilIfeltlikeazombie.Bymorningitwas done,withthemicrodotsappliedtoafewofthefifty-thousand-lirenotes,but notmany,throughlackoftime.Ipackedalltherubber-bandedbundlesintothe FragileboxandhumpeditdowntothehalltofindCencialreadypacingupand downinthediningroom,whitewithstrain.
"Thereyouare!"heexclaimed."Iwasjustcomingtowakeyou.It"sgetting late.Seveno"clock."
"Haveyouhadbreakfast?"Iasked.
"Ican"teat."Helookedathiswatchcompulsively,somethingIguessedhe"d beendoingforhours."We"dbettergo.Supposewewereheldupontheway.
Supposetherewasanaccidentblockingtheroad."Hisbreathingwa.s.shallowand agitated,andIsaiddiffidently,"SignorCenci,forgivemeforasking,butin theanxietyofthismorning...haveyourememberedyourpills?"
Helookedatmeblankly."Yes.Yesofcourse.Alwayswithme."
"I"msorry..."
Hebrusheditaway."Let"sgo.Wemustgo."
Thetrafficontheroadwasnormal:noaccidents.Wereachedtherendezvoushalf anhourearly,butCencisprangoutofthecara.s.soonasIswitchedoffthe engine.FromwhereI"dparkedIhadaviewoftheentranceacrossadoublerow ofcars,thedoorwaylikethemouthofabeehivewithpeoplegoinginandout continually.
Cenciwalkedwithstifflegstobelostamongthem,andinthewayofchauffeurs Isloucheddowninmyseatandtippedmycapforwardovermynose.IfIwasn"t careful,Ithought,I"dgotosleep...
Someonerappedonthewindowbesideme.Iopenedmyeyes,squintedsideways,and sawayoungishmaninawhiteopen-neckedshirtwithagoldchainroundhisneck makinggesturesformetoopenthewindow.
Thecarratherirritatinglyhadelectricwindows:Iswitchedontheignitionand pressedtherelevantb.u.t.ton,sittingupslightlywhileIdidit.
"Wh.o.a.reyouwaitingfor?"hesaid.
"SignorCenci."
"NotCountRieti?"
"No.Sorry."
"Haveyouseenanotherchauffeurhere?"
"Sorry,no."
Hewascarryingamagazinerolledintoacylinderandfastenedbyarubberband.
IthoughtfleetinglyofoneofthepartnersinLibertyMarketwhobelievedone shouldnevertrustastrangercarryingapapercylinderbecauseitwa.s.sucha handyplacetostowaknife...andIwondered,butnotmuch.
"You"renot.i.talian?"themansaid.
"No.FromSpain."
"Oh."Hisgazewandered,asifseekingCountRieti"schauffeur.Thenhesaid absentlyinSpanish."You"realongwayfromhome."
"Yes,"Isaid.
"Wheredoyoucomefrom?"
"Andalusia."
"Veryhot,atthistimeofyear."
"Yes."
IhadspentcountlessschoolholidaysinAndalusia,stayingwithmydivorced half-Spanishfather,whoranahotelthere.Spanishwasmysecondtongue, learnedonalllevelsfromkitchentopenthouse:anytimeIdidn"twantto appearEnglish,IbecameaSpaniard.
"Isyouremployerhavingbreakfast?"heasked.
"Idon"tknow."Ishrugged."Hesaidwait,soIwait."
HisSpanishhadaclumsyaccentandhissentencesweregrammaticallysimple,as carefulasmineinItalian.
Iyawned.
Hecouldbeacoincidence,Ithought.Kidnapperswerenormallymuchtooshyfor suchadirectapproach,keepingtheirfaceshiddenatallcosts.Thismancould bejustwhatheseemed,awell-meaningcitizencarryingamagazine,lookingfor CountRieti"schauffeurandwithtimetosparefortalking.
Couldbe.Ifnot,Iwouldtellhimwhathewantedtoknow:ifheasked.
"DoyoudrivealwaysforSignor...Cenci?"hesaidcasually.
"Sure,"Isaid."It"sagoodjob.Goodpay.He"sconsiderate.Neverdrives himself,ofcourse."