AfterawhileIwentafterhim.
"Let"splaybackgammon,"Isaid.
"Ican"tconcentrate."
"Try."Igotouttheboardandsetupthepieces,b.u.t.themoveshemadewere mechanicalandwithoutheart.Hedidnothingtocapitalizeonmyshortcomings, andafterawhilesimplyfelltostaringintos.p.a.ce,ashe"ddoneforhourafter hoursincewe"dleftthemoney.
Atabouteleventhetelephoneathiselbowbroughthimoutofit,but sluggishly.
"h.e.l.lo?...Yes,Cencispeaking..."Helistenedbrieflyandthenlookedatthe receiverwithanapatheticfrownbeforeputtingitbackinitscradle.
"Whatwasit?"Isaid.
"Idon"tknow.Nothingmuch.Somethingaboutmygoodsbeingready,andto collectthem.Idon"tknowwhatgoods...herangoffbeforeIcouldask."
Ibreatheddeeply."Yourtelephone"sstilltapped,"Isaid.
"Yes,butwhat"sthat..."Hisvoicediedashiseyeswidened."Doyouthink...?Do youreally?"
"Wecouldsee,"Isaid."Don"tbankonanythingyet.Whatdidhesoundlike?"
"Agruffvoice."Hewasuncertain."Nottheusualone."
"Well...Let"stry,anyway.Betterthansittinghere."
"Butwhere?Hedidn"tsaywhere."
"Perhaps...wherewelefttheransom.Logicalplace."
Hopebeganswellingfastinhis.e.xpressionandIsaidhastily,"Don"texpect anything.Don"tbelieve.You"llneverbeabletostandit,ifsheisn"tthere.
Hemaymeansomewhereelse...but.i.thinkweshouldtrytherefirst."
Hetriedtotakeagriponthingsbutwa.s.stillhecticallyoptimistic.Heran throughthehousetowherethecarstoodwaitingnearthebackdoor,whereI"d parkedit.PuttingonmycapIfollowedhimatawalk,tofindhimbeckoning franticallyandtellingmetohurry.Iclimbedbehindthewheelstolidlyand thoughtthatsomeonehadknownCenciwasathomewhenhewasnormallyinthe office.Perhapshisofficehadsaidso...orperhapstherewa.s.stillawatcher.In anycase,IreckonedthatuntilAlessiawa.s.safelyhome,achauffeurinall thingswaswhatIneededtobe.
"Dohurry,"Cencisaid.Idroveoutofthegateswithoutrush."ForG.o.d"ssake, man..."
"We"llgetthere.Don"thope..."
"Ican"thelpit."
Idrovefastertha.n.u.sual,but.i.tseemedaneternitytohim;andwhenwepulled upbytheshrinetherewasnosignofhisdaughter.
"Oh,no...Oh,no."Hisvoicewascracking."Ican"t...Ican"t..."
Ilookedathimanxiously,but.i.twasnormalcrushinggrief,notaheartattack, notafit.
"Wait,"Isaid,gettingoutofthecar."I"llmakesure."
Iwalkedroundtothebackoftheshrine,tothespotwherewe"dleftthe ransom,andfoundherthere,unconscious,curledlikeafetus,wrappedinagray plasticraincoat.
Fathersareodd.TheparamountemotionfillingPaoloCenci"smindfortherest ofthatdaywasnotjoythathisbeloveddaughterwasalive,safe,andemerging unharmedfromadruggedsleep,butfearthatthepresswouldfindoutshehad beenmoreorlessnaked.
"Promiseyouwon"tsay,Andrew.Nottoanyone.Notatall."
"Ipromise."
Hemademepromiseatleastsevenseparatetimes,thoughinanycaseitwasn"t necessary.Ifanyonetold,itwouldbeAlessiaherself.
Herlackofclotheshaddisturbedhimgreatly,especiallyasheandIhad discoveredwhenwetriedtopickherupthatherarmsweren"tthroughthe sleevesoftheraincoat,andtheb.u.t.tonsweren"tb.u.t.toned.Thethingray coveringhadslidrightoff.
Shehadthebodyofachild,Ithought.Smoothskin,slenderlimbs,b.r.e.a.s.t.slike buds.Cencihadstrangelybeentooembarra.s.sedtotouchher,andithadbeenI, theall-purposeadvisor,who"dsteeredherarmsthroughtheplasticandfastened hermorediscreetlyinsidethefolds.Shehadbeenlighttocarrytothecar, andI"dlainheronhersideontherea.r.s.eat,herkneesbent,hercurlyhead restingonmyrolled-up-jacket.
Cencisatbesidemeinfront:anditwasthenthathe"dstartedexactingthe promise.Whenwereachedthevillahehurriedinsidetoreappearwithablanket, andIcarriedheruptoherhalf-acrebedroominwoollydecency.
IlariaandLuisawerenowheretobefound.Cencidiscardedthecookastoo talkativeandfinallyaskedinastutterifIwouldmindverymuchsubst.i.tuting clothesfortheraincoatwhilehecalledthedoctor.AsI"dseenheralready once,hesaid.AsIwa.s.sensible.AstonishedbutobligingIuneartheda shiftlikedressandmadetheexchange,Alessiasleepingpeacefullythroughout.
Shewasmoreawkwardthananythingelse.Ipulledtheblueknittedfabricover herhead,fedherhandsthroughthearmholes,tuggedthehemdowntoherknees andconcentratedmoderatelysuccessfullyonmyownnonarousal.ThenIlaidher ontopofthebedclothesandcoveredherfromthewaistdownwiththeblanket.
Herpulseremainedstrongandregular,herskincool,herbreathingeasy: sleepingpills,probably,Ithought;nothingworse.
Herthinfacewascalm,withoutstrain,longlasheslyinginhalf-moonfringes ontautcheeks.Strongeyebrows,palelips,hollowsalongthejaw.Hairtousled, clearlydirty.Lethersleep,Ithought:she"dhavelittlepeacewhenshewoke up.
IwentdownstairsandfoundCenciagaindrinkingbrandy,standingup.
"Issheallright?"hesaid.
"Fine.Justfine."
"It"samiracle."
"Mm."
Heputdownthegla.s.sandbegantoweep."Sorry.Can"thelpit,"hesaid.
"It"snatural."
Hetookoutahandkerchiefandblewhisnose."Doallparentsweep?"
"Yes."
Heputinsomemoreworkwiththehandkerchief,sniffedabit,andsaid,"You leadaveryoddlife,don"tyou?"
"Notreally."
"Don"tsayshehadnoclotheson.Promiseme,Andrew."
"Ipromise."
IsaidI"dhavetotellPucinellishewa.s.safe,and,immediatelyalarmed,he beggedforthepromiseagain.Igaveitwithoutimpatience,becausestresscould comeoutinweirdwaysandthereturnofthevictimwasnevertheendofit.
Pucinelliwasfortunatelyondutyintheambulance,thoughpresumablyIcould havespreadthenewsdirectlyviathewire-tappers.
"She"shome,"Isaidlaconically."I"minthevilla.She"supstairs."
"Alessia?"Disbelief,relief,ashadingofsuspicion.
"Herself.Druggedbutunharmed.Don"thurry,she"llprobablysleepforhours.
How"sthesiegegoing?"
"Andrew!"Thebeginningsofexasperation."What"sbeengoingon?"
"w.i.l.l.youbecominghereyourself?"
Ashortpausecamedowntheline.He"dtoldmeoncethatIalwaysput suggestionsintotheformofquestions,andIsupposedthat.i.twastruethatI did.Implantthethought,seekthedecision.Heknewthetapwasonthe telephone,he"dorderedithimself,witheverywordrecorded.Hewouldguess therewerethingsImighttellhimprivately.
"Yes,"hesaid."I"llbecoming."
"Andofcourseyou"llhaveagreatlevernowwiththosetwokidnappersinthe flat,won"tyou?And...um...w.i.l.l.youbringtheransommoneystraightherewhenyou layyourhandsonit?ItdoesofcoursebelongtoSignorCenci."
"Ofcourse,"hesaiddryly."But.i.tmaynotbemydecision."
"Mm.Well...Iphotographedallthenotes,ofcourse."
Apause."You"rewicked,youknowthat?"
"Thingshavedisappearedoutofpolicecustodybeforenow."
"Youinsultthecarabinieri!"Hesoundedtrulyaffronted,loyallyangry.
"Certainlynot.Policestationsarenotbanks.Iamsurethecarabinieriwould bepleasedtoberelievedoftheresponsibilityofguardingsomuchmoney."
"Itisevidence."
"Therestofthekidnappers,ofcourse,arestillfree,andnodoubtstill greedy.Themoneycouldbeheldsafefromthemunderanofficialsealinabank ofSignorCenci"schoosing."
Apause."It"spossiblethatImayarrangeit,"hesaidstiffly,notquite forgiving."NodoubtIwillseeyouatthevilla."
Iputthetelephonedownwitharuefulsmile.PucinellihimselfItrusted,but notalllaw-enforcersautomatically.InSouthAmericancountriesparticularly, whereIhadworkedseveraltimes,kidnappersregularlybribedorthreatened policementolookthewrongway,acustomscarcelyunknownelsewhere.Kidnappers hadnoscruplesandseldomanymercy,andmanyapolicemanhadhadtochoose betweenhisdutyandthesafetyofwifeandchildren.
WithintenminutesPucinelliwasbackontheline.
"Justtotellyou...thingsaremovinghere.Comeifyouwant.Comeintothe streetfromthewest,onthisside.I"llmakesureyougetthrough."
"Thanks."
Thepartnerswouldn"thaveapproved,butIwent.I"dstudiedmanycasehistories ofsiegesandbeentolecturesbypeopleinvolvedinsomeofthem,butI"dnever beenonthes...o...b..foreatfirsthand:toogoodachancetomiss.Ichangedfrom Spanishchauffeurtonondescriptonlooker,borrowedthefamily"srunabout,and waswalkingalongtheBolognastreetinrecordtime.
Pucinellihadbeenasgoodashisword:apa.s.sawaitingmeatthefirstbarrier sawmeeasilythroughtothestill-parkedambulance.IwentintoitasI"dleft, throughthenearsidepa.s.sengerdoor,andfoundPucinellitherewithhisengineer andthreemenincitysuits.
"Youcame,"hesaid.
"You"rekind."
Hegavemeasmallsmileandbrieflyintroducedmetothecivilians:negotiator, psychiatrist,psychiatrist.
"Thesetwomedicalgentlemenhavebeenadvisingusaboutthechangingmental stateofthekidnappers."Pucinellispokeformally;theynoddedgravelyback.
"Mostlytheirmentalstatehasbeenconcernedwiththebaby,"Pucinellisaid.
"Thebabyhascriedalot.Apparentlythemilkwesentinupset.i.tsstomacheven worse."
Asifoncuethebugontheapartmentproducedtheacceleratingwailofthe infantgettingnewlyintoitsstride,andfromthefacesofthefivemenin frontofmeitwasn"tonlythekidnapperswhowerefindingthesoundafrazzle.
"Fortyminutesago,"Pucinellisaid,turningdownthebaby"svolume,"the deep-voicedkidnappertelephonedhereandsaidtheywouldcomeoutifcertain conditionsweremet.Noairplane...they"veabandonedthat.Theywantonlytobe suretheyaren"tshot.Inabouttwentyminutes...that"sonehourfromwhenthey telephoned...theysaythemotherwillleavewiththebaby.Thenoneofthe kidnapperswillcomeout.Therearetobenocarabinierianywhereinthe apartments.Thestairsmustbeclear,alsothefrontdoorandthepavement outside.Themotherandbabywillcomeoutintotheroad,followedbythefirst kidnapper.Hewillhavenogun.Ifheistakenpeacefully,oneofthechildren willleave,andafteraninterval,thefather.Ifthesecondkidnapperisthen surehewillbesafe,hewillcomeoutwiththesecondchildinhisarms.No gun.Wearetoarresthimquietly."
Ilookedathim."Didtheydiscussallthisbetweenthemselves?Didyouhear themplanit,onthebug?"
Heshookhishead."Nothing."
"TheytelephonedyouverysoonafterAlessiawashome."
"Suspiciouslysoon."
"You"lllookfortheradio?"Isaid.
"Yes."Hesighed."Wehavebeenmonitoringradiofrequenciesthesepastfew days.We"vehadnoresults,butIhavethoughtonceortwicebeforethisthat thekidnapperswerebeinginstructed."
Instructed,Ithought,byaverycoolandboldintelligence.Apitysuchabrain wascriminal.
"Whatdotheyplantodowiththemoney?"Iasked.
"Leaveitintheapartment."
Iglancedatthescreenwhichhadshownthewhereaboutsofthehomerinthe ransomsuitcase,but.i.twasdark.Ileanedoverandflickedtheon-offswitch, andthetraceobliginglyappeared,efficientandsteady.Thesuitcase,atleast, wa.s.stillthere.
Isaid,"I"dliketogoupthere,a.s.signorCenci"srepresentative,toseethat it"ssafelytakencareof."
Withsuppressedirritationhesaid,"Verywell."
"It"sagreatdealofmoney,"Isaidreasonably.
"Yes...yes,Isupposeitis."Hespokegrudgingly,partly,Iguessed,becausehe washimselfhonest,partlybecausehewasacommunist.Somuchwealthinone man"shandsoffendedhim,andhewouldn"tcareifCencilost.i.t.
Acrossthestreettheapartment"swindowswerestillclosed.Allthewindowsof alltheapartmentswereclosed,althoughthedaywashot.
"Don"ttheyeveropenthem?"Iasked.