"Whynot?"
Ishrugged."Don"tknow.Hehasn"talicense.Hehastohavesomeonetodrive himalways."
Iwasn"tquitesurehehadfollowedthat,thoughI"dspokenprettyslowlyand withahintofdrowsiness.Iyawnedagainandthoughtthatonewayoranother he"dhadhisrationofchat.Iwouldmemorizehisface,justincase,but.i.twas unlikely...
Heturnedawayasifhetoohadfoundtheconversationfinished,andIlookedat theshapeofhisroundsmoothheadfromtheside,andfeltmostunwelcome tinglesripplealldownmyspine.I"dseenhimbefore...I"dseenhimoutsidethe ambulance,throughthetintedgla.s.s,withcamera.s.slungfromhisneckandgold bucklesonthecuffsofhisjacket.Icouldrememberhimclearly.He"dappeared atthesiege...andhewashereatthedrop,askingquestions.
Nocoincidence.
ItwasthefirsttimeI"deverknowinglybeenphysicallynearoneoftheshadowy brotherhood,thosefoesIopposedbyproxy,whosetrialsIneverattended,whose earsneverheardofmyexistence.Isloucheddownagaininmyseatandtippedmy capovermynoseandthoughtthatmypartnersinLondonwouldemphatically disapproveofmybeinginthatplaceatthattime.Thelowprofilewasdownthe drain.
IfI"dseenhim,he"dseenme.
Itmightnotmatter:notifhebelievedintheSpanishchauffeurwhowasbored withwaiting.IfhebelievedintheboredSpanishchauffeur,he"dforgetme.If hehadn"tbelievedintheboredSpanishchauffeurIwouldquitelikelybe sittingtherenowwithaknifethroughmyribs,growingcold.
InretrospectIfeltdistinctlyshivery.Ihadnotremotelyexpectedsuchan encounter,andatfirst.i.thadonlybeenhabitandinstinct,reinforcedbytrue tiredness,thathadmademeanswerhimasIhad.Ifounditdefinitelyscaryto thinkthatAlessia"slifemighthavehungonayawn.
Timepa.s.sed.Eighto"clockcameandwent.Iwaitedasifasleep.Nooneelse cametomystill-openwindowtoaskmeanythingatall.
ItwasafterninebeforeCencicameback,halfrunning,stumbling,sweating.I wasoutofthecara.s.soonasIsawhim,politelyopeningareardoorand helpinghiminasachauffeurshould.
"Oh,myG.o.d,"hesaid."Ithoughthewouldn"ttelephone...It"sbeensolong."
"IsAlessiaallright?"
"Yes...yes..."
"Whereto,then?"
"Oh..."HedrewinsomecalmingbreathswhileIgotbackbehindthewheeland startedtheengine."WehavetogotoMazara,abouttwentykilometerssouth.
Anotherrestaurant...anothertelephone.Intwentyminutes."
"Um..."Isaid."Whichwayfromhere?"
Hesaidvaguely,"Umbertoknows,"whichwasn"tespeciallyhelpful,asUmberto washisrealchauffeur,awayonholiday.Igrabbedtheroadmapfromtheglove compartmentandspreaditonthepa.s.sengerseatbesideme,tryingunsuccessfully tofindMazarawhilepullinginanormalfashionoutofthecarpark.
Theroadwewereonranwesttoeast.Itookthefirstmajor-lookingturn towardsthesouth,anda.s.soonaswewereoutofsightofthehighwaydrewinto thesideandpausedforanupdateongeography.Onemoreturn,Ithought,and therewouldbesignposts:andinfactwemadeittoMazara,whichprovedtobe littlemorethanacrossroads,withbreathingtimetospare.
OnthewayCencisaid,"Alessiawasreadingfromtoday"spaper...ontape,itmust havebeen,becauseshejustwentonreadingwhenIspoketoher...b.u.t.tohearher voice..."
"You"resureitwasher?"
"Oh,yes.Shestartedasusualwithoneofthosememoriesofherchildhoodthat yousuggested...itwasAlessiaherself...mydarling,darlingdaughter."
Well,Ithought.Sofar,sogood.
"Hesaid..."Cencigulpedaudibly."Hesaidiftherearehomersthistimeinthe ransomhe"llkillher.Hesaysiftherearemarksonthenotes,he"llkillher.
Hesaysifwearefollowed...ifwedon"tdoexactlyashesays...ifanything...
anything...goeswrong,he"llkillher."
Inodded.Ibelievedit.Asecondchancewasapartialmiracle.We"dnevergeta third.
"Youpromise,"hesaid,"thathe"llfindnothingonthenotes."
"Ipromise,"Isaid.
AtMazaraCencirantothetelephone,butagainhewasagonizinglykeptwaiting.
Isatasbeforeinthecar,stolidlypatient,asiftheanticsofmyemployer wereoflittleinterest,andsurrept.i.tiouslyreadthemap.
Therestaurantatthisplacewa.s.simplyacafenexttoagarage,astopfor coffeeandgas.Peoplecameandwent,butnotmany.Thedaywarmedupunderthe summersun,andasagoodchauffeurshouldIstartedthepurringengineand switchedontheair-conditioning.
Hereturnedwithhisjacketoverhisarmandfloppedgratefullyintothecool.
"Casteloro,"hesaid."Whyishedoingthis?"
"Standardprocedure,tomakesurewe"renotfollowed.He"llbedoublycareful becauseoflasttime.Wemightbechasingaboutallmorning."
"Ican"tstandit,"hesaid;buthecould,ofcourse,afterthelastsixweeks.
IfoundthewaytoCasteloroanddrovethere:thirty-twokilometers,mostlyof narrow,straight,exposedcountryroads.Openfieldsonbothsides.Anycar followinguswouldhaveshownuplikearash.
"Hemadenotroubleaboutyou,"Cencisaid."IsaidstraightawaythatI"d broughtmychauffeurbecauseIhaveepilepsy,that.i.twasimpossibleformeto drive,tocomealone.Hejustsaidtogiveyouinstructionsandnotexplain anything."
"Good,"Isaid,andthoughtthatifHEweremehe"dcheckupwithAlessiaabout theepilepsy,andberea.s.sured.
AtCasteloro,asmalloldtownwithacobbledcentralsquarefullofpigeons, thetelephoneCencisoughtwasinacafe,andthistimetherewasnodelay.
"ReturntoMazara,"Cencisaidwithexhaustion.
Ireversedthecarandheadedbackthewaywehadcome,andCencisaid,"He askedmewhatIhadbroughtthemoneyin.Idescribedthebox."
"Whatdidhesay?"
"Nothing.JusttofollowinstructionsorAlessiawouldbekilled.Hesaidthey wouldkillher...horribly."Hisvoicechokedandcameoutasasob.
"Listen,"Isaid,"theydon"twanttokillher.Notnow,notwhenthey"reso close.Anddidtheysaywhat"horribly"meant?Werethey...specific?"
Onanothersobhesaid,"No."
"They"refrighteningyou,"Isaid."Usingthreatstomakesureyou"deludethe carabinieri,evenifuptonowyou"dbeenlettingthemfollowyou."
"ButIhaven"t!"heprotested.
"Theyhavetobeconvinced.Kidnappersareverynervous."
Itwasrea.s.suringthough,Ithought,thattheywerestillmakingthreats, becauseitindicatedtheywereseriousaboutdealing.Thiswasnocrueldummy run:thiswastheactualdrop.
BackattheMazaracrossroadstherewasanotherlengthywait.Cencisatinthe cafe,visiblethroughthewindow,tremblingoveranundrunkcupofcoffee.Igot outofthecar,stretched,ambledupanddownabit,gotbackin,andyawned.
Threeunexceptionalcarsfilledwithgasandthegarageattendantscratchedhis armpits.
Thesunwashigh,blazingoutofthebluesky.Anoldwomaninblackcycledup tothecrossroads,turnedleft,cycledaway.Summerduststirredandsettledin thewakeofpa.s.singvans,andIthoughtofLorenzoTraventi,whohaddriventhe lastlotofransomandnowclungtolifeonmachines.
InsidethecafeCencisprangtohisfeet,andafterawhilecamebacktothecar inn.o.betterstatethanbefore.Iopenedthereardoorforhimasusualand helpedhiminside.
"Hesays..."Hetookadeepbreath."Hesaysthereisasortofshrinebythe roadsidebetweenhereandCasteloro.Hesayswe"vepa.s.sedittwicealready...but Ididn"tnotice..."
Inodded."Isawit."Iclosedhisdoorandresumedmyownseat.
"Well,there,"Cencisaid."Hesaystoputtheboxbehindtheshrine,anddrive away."
"Good,"Isaidwithrelief."That"sit,then."
"ButAlessia..."hewailed."Iaskedhim,whenwillAlessiabefree,andhedidn"t answer,hejustputthetelephonedown..."
IstartedthecaranddroveagaintowardsCasteloro.
"Bepatient,"Isaidgently."They"llhavetocountthemoney.Toexamineitfor tracers.Maybe,afterlasttime,toleaveitforawhileinaplacetheycan observe,tomakesurenooneistrackingitbyahomer.Theywon"tfreeAlessia untilthey"recertainthey"resafe,soI"mafraiditmeanswaiting.Itmeans patience."
Hegroanedonalongbreath."b.u.t.they"lllethergo...whenI"vepaid...they"ll lethergo,won"tthey?"
Hewasaskingdesperatelyforrea.s.surance,andIsaid"Yes,"robustly:andthey wouldlethergo,Ithought,iftheyweresatisfied,iftheyweresane,if somethingunforeseendidn"thappen,andifAlessiahadn"tseentheirfaces.
Abouttenmilesfromthecrossroads,byacornfield,stoodasimplestone waysideshrine,asinglepieceofwallaboutfivefeethighbythreeacross, withaweatherbeatenfoot-highstonemadonnaofferingblessingsfromanichein front.Rainhadwashedawaymostofthebluepaintofhermantle,andtimeor vandalshadrelievedherofthetipofhernose,butposiesofwiltingflowers layonthegroundbeforeher,andsomeonehadleftsomesweetsbesideherfeet.
Theroadwewereonseemeddeserted,runningstraightineachdirection.There werenowoods,nocover,noobstructions.Wecouldprobablybeseenformiles.
CencistoodwatchingwhileIopenedthetrunk,luggedoutthebox,andcarried ittothebackoftheshrine.Theboxhadjustaboutbeenbigenoughtocontain thewholeransom,andthereitstoodonthedustyearth,foursquare,brownand ordinary,tiedaboutwiththickstringtomakecarryingeasier,andcheerfully labeledwithred.Almostamillionpounds.ThehouseonMikonos,thesnuffbox collection,hisdeadwife"sjewelry,therevenueforeverfromtheolives.
Cencistaredat.i.tblindlyforafewmoments,thenwebothreturnedtothecar andIreversedanddroveaway.
Chapterfour.
FORTHERESTofthatday,Sat.u.r.day,andallSunday,Cenciwalkedslowlyround hisestate,cameheavilyhome,dranktoomuchbrandyandlostvisibleweight.
Ilaria,silentlydefiant,wenttothetennisclubasusual.Luisa,heraunt, driftedaboutinherusualwispyfashion,touchingthingsasiftomakesure theywerestillthere.
IdrovetoBologna,sentoffthefilms,washedthecar.Lorenzostillbreathed precariouslyonhismachinesandinthemeagersuburbanstreetthetwo kidnappersremainedbarricadedinthethird-floorapartment,withtalkgoingon frombothsides,butnoaction,exceptadeliveryofmilkforthebabyandbread andsausagefortheothers.
OntheSundayeveningIlariacameintothelibrarywhereIwaswatchingthenews ontelevision.Thesceneinthestreetlookedalmostexactlythesame,except thattherewasnocrowd,longdiscouragedfromlackofexcitement,andperhaps fewerfawnuniforms.Thetelevisioncoveragehadbecomeperfunctory:repet.i.tive as-you-weresentencesonly.
"Doyouthinkthey"llreleaseher?"Ilariasaid,asthescreenswitchedawayto politicians.
"Yes,Ithinkso."
"When?"
"Can"ttell."
"Supposethey"vetoldthecarabinierithey"llkeepheruntilthos.e.m.e.ninthe flatgofree.Supposetheransomisn"tenough."
Iglancedather.She"dspokennotwithdreadbutasifthequestiondidn"t concernherbeyondacertainmorbidinterest.Herfacewasunstudiedlycalm.She appearedreallynottocare.
"ItalkedtoEnricoPucinellithismorning,"Isaid."Bythentheyhadn"tsaid anythinglikethat."
Shemadeasmallnoncommittalpuffingnoisethroughhernoseandchangedthe televisionchanneltoatennismatch,settlingtowatchwithconcentration.
"I"mnotab.i.t.c.h,youknow,"shesaidsuddenly."Ican"thelpitifIdon"tfall downandkissthegroundshewalkson,likeeveryoneelse."
"Andsixweeksisalongtimetokeepupthehair-tearing?"
"G.o.d,"shesaid,"you"reontheball.Anddon"tthinkI"mnotgladyou"rehere.
Otherwisehewouldhaveleanedonmeforeverythinghegetsfromyou,andI"d haveendedupdespisinghim."
"No,"Isaid.
"Yes."
Hereyeshadbeenonthetennisthroughout.
"Howwouldyoubehave,"Isaid,"ifyouhadason,andhewaskidnapped?"
Theeyescameroundtomyface."You"rearighteoussod,"shesaid.
Ismiledfaintly.Shewentresolutelybacktothetennis,butwhereherthoughts were,Icouldn"ttell.
IlariaspokeperfectidiomaticEnglish,asI"dbeentoldAlessiadidalso, thankstotheBritishwidowwhohadmanagedtheCencihouseholdformanyyears afterthemother"sdeath.Luisa,Ilaria,andAlessiaranthingsbetweenthem nowadays,andthecookinexasperationhadcomplainedtomethatnothinggot doneproperlysincedearMrs.Blacketthadretiredtolivewithherbrotherin Eastbourne,England.
Thenextmorning,duringthedrivetotheoffice,Cencisaid,"Turnround, Andrew.Takemehome.It"snogood,Ican"twork.I"llsittherestaringatthe walls.IhearpeopletalkbutIdon"tlistentowhattheysay.Takemehome."
Isaidneutrally,"Itmightbeworseathome."
"No.Turnround.Ican"tfaceanewweekintheoffice.Nottoday."
Iturnedthecaranddrovebacktothevilla,wherehetelephonedtohis secretarynottoexpecthim.
"Ican"tthink,"hesaidtome,"exceptofAlessia.Ithinkofhera.s.shewasas alittlegirl,andatschool,andlearningtoride.Shewasalwayssoneat,so small,sofulloflife..."Heswallowed,turnedawayandwalkedintothelibrary, andinafewsecondsIheardbottleclinkagainstgla.s.s.