"Mydear,mydear..."Helookedsurprisedattheverythought.Hedidn"tsee,asI did,theicebergtipoftheburdenofguilt,b.u.t.thenhehadn"tseenitso often.
"Icouldn"tthinkwhattheyweredoing,"shesaid."Thenallthecardoors openedatonce,andtherewerefourmen...allwearinghorridmasks...truly horrible...devilsandmonsters.Ithoughttheywantedtorobme.Ithrewmypurse atthem...andtriedtoreversetogetawaybackwards...andtheysortofleaped intomycar...justjumpedrightin..."Shestoppedwiththebeginningsof.a.gitation andPucinellimadesmalldamping-downmotionswithhishandstosettleher.
"Theyweresofast,"shesaid,hervoicefullofapology."Icouldn"tdo anything..."
"Signorina,"Pucinellisaidcalmly,"thereisnothingtobeashamedof.If kidnapperswishtokidnap,theykidnap.EvenallAldoMoro"sguardscouldn"t prevent.i.t.Andonegirlalone,inanopencar..."Heshruggedexpressively, finishingthesentencewithoutwords,andforthemomentatleastsheseemed comforted.
Amonthearlier,tomeinprivate,hehadsaidthatanyrichgirlwhodrove aroundinanopensportscarwasinvitingeverythingfrommuggingtorape."I"m notsayingtheywouldn"thavetakenheranyway,butshewa.s.stupid.Shemadeit easy."
"There"snotmuchfuninlifeifyou"retwenty-threeandsuccessfulandcan"t enjoyitbydrivinganopensportscaronasunnyday.Whatwouldyouadviseher todo,goaroundinamiddle-agedsaloonwiththedoorslocked?"
"Yes,"hesaid."Sowouldyou,ifyourfirmwereasked.That"sthesortof adviceyou"dbepaidfor."
"Trueenough."
Alessiasaid,"Theyputahoodofclothrightovermyhead...andthenitsmelled sweet..."
"Sweet?"Pucinellisaid.
"Youknow.Ether.Chloroform.Somethinglikethat.Isimplywenttosleep.I triedtostruggle...theyhadtheirhandsonmyarms...sortofliftingme...nothing else."
"Theyliftedyououtofthecar?"
"Ithinkso.Isupposeso.Theymusthavedone."
Pucinellinodded.Hercarhadbeenfoundabaremileaway,parkedonafarm track.
"Iwokeupinatent,"Alessiasaid.
"Atent?"echoedCenci,bewildered.
"Yes...well...itwasinsidearoom,butIdidn"trealizethatatfirst."
"Whatsortoftent?"Pucinelliasked."Pleasedescribeit."
"Oh..."Shemovedahandweakly."Icandescribeeveryst.i.tchofit.Greencanvas.
Abouttwoandahalfmeterssquare...abitless.Ithadwalls...Icouldstandup."
Aframetent.
"Ithadafloor.Verytoughfabric.Gray.Waterproof,Isuppose,thoughof coursethatdidn"tmatter..."
"Whenyouwokeup,"Pucinelliasked,"whathappened?"
"Oneofthemenwaskneelingonthefloorbesideme,slappingmyface.Quite hard.Hurryup,hewa.s.saying.Hurryup.WhenIopenedmyeyeshegruntedand saidImustjustrepeatafewwordsandIcouldgobacktosleep."
"Washewearingamask?"
"Yes...adevilface...orange...allwarts."
Weallknewwhatthefewwordshadbeen.We"dalllistenedtothem,overand over,onthefirstofthetapes.
"ThisisAlessia.Pleasedoastheysay.Theywillkillmeifyoudon"t."A voiceslurredwithdrugs,butalarminglyherown.
"IknewwhatIsaid,"shesaid."IknewwhenIwokeupproperly...butwhenIsaid them,everythingwasfuzzy.Icouldn"tseethemaskhalfthetime...Ikept switchingoff,thencomingback."
"Didyoueverseeanyofthemwithoutmasks?"Pucinelliasked.
Aflickerofasmilereachedthepalemouth."Ididn"tseeanyofthemagain, eveninmasks.Notatall.Noone.ThefirstpersonIsawsincethatfirstday wasAuntLuisa...sittingbymyownbed...sewinghertapestry,andIthought...Iwas dreaming."Tearsunexpectedlyappearedinhereyesandsheblinkedthemslowly away."Theysaid...ifIsawtheirfaces,theywouldkillme.Theytoldmenotto trytoseethem..."Sheswallowed."So...Ididn"t...try."
"Youbelievedthem?"
Apause.Thenshesaid"Yes"withaconvictionthatbroughtunderstandingof whatshe"dbeenthroughvividlytolife.Cenci,althoughhehadbelievedthe threatshimself,lookedshattered.Pucinelligravelya.s.suredherthathewas sureshehadbeenright:andso,thoughIdidn"tmentionit,wasI.
"Theysaid...Iwouldgohomesafely...ifIwasquiet...andifyouwouldpayformy release."Shewa.s.stilltryingnottocry."Papa..."
"Mydearest...Iwouldpayanything."Hewashimselfclosetotears.
"Yes,"Pucinellisaidmatter-of-factly."Yourfatherpaid."
Iglancedathim."Hepaid,"herepeated,lookingsteadilyatCenci."Howmuch, andwherehepaidit,onlyheknows.Innootherwaywouldyoubefree."
Cencisaiddefensively,"Iwasluckytogetthechance,afteryourmen..."
Pucinelliclearedhisthroathurriedlyandsaid,"Let"sgeton.Signorina, pleasedescribehowyouhavelivedforthepastsixweeks."
"Ididn"tknowhowlongitwas,untilAuntLuisatoldme.Ilostcount...there weresomanydays...Ihadnowayofcounting...andthenitdidn"tseemtomatter much.Iaskedwhyitwa.s.solong,b.u.t.theydidn"tanswer.Theyneveranswered anyquestions.Itwasn"tworthasking...butsometimesIdid,justtohearmyown voice."Shepaused."It"soddtotalkasmuchasthis.Iwentdayswithout sayinganythingatall."
"Theytalkedtoyou,though,Signorina?"
"Theygavemeorders."
"Whatorders?"
"Totakeinthefood.Toputoutthebucket..."Shestopped,thensaid,"Itsounds soawful,hereinthisroom."
Shelookedroundatthen.o.blebookcasesstretchingtothehighceiling,atthe silkbrocadedchairs,atthepaleChinesecarpetonthemarble-tiledfloor.
Everyroominthehousehadthesameunselfconsciousatmosphereofwealth,of antiquethingshavingstoodinthesameplacesfordecades,oftreasurestaken forgranted.Shemusthavebeeninmanyameagerroominherracingcareer,but shewa.s.seeingherroots,Iguessed,withfresheyes.
"Inthetent,"shesaidresignedly,"therewasapieceoffoamformetolieon, andanothersmallpieceforapillow.Therewasabucket...anordinarybucket, likeoutofastable.Therewasnothingelse."Shepaused,"Therewasazipto openonesideofthetent.Itwouldopenonlyaboutfiftycentimeters...itwas jammedabovethat.Theytoldmetounzipit,andIwouldfindfood..."
"Couldyouseeanythingoftheroomoutsidethetent?"Pucinelliasked.
Sheshookherhead."Beyondtheziptherewasjustmoretent...butfoldedabit, Ithink...Imean,notproperlyputuplikeanotherroom..."Shepaused."Theytold menottotrytogetintoit."Anotherpause."ThefoodwasalwayswhereIcould reachiteasily,justbythezip."
"Whatwasthefood?"Cenciasked,deeplyconcerned.
"Pasta."Apause."Sometimeswarm,sometimescold.Mixedwithsauce.Tinned,I think.Anyway..."shesaidtiredly,"itcametwiceaday...andthesecondlot usuallyhadsleepingpillsinit."
Cenciexclaimedinprotest,butAlessiasaid,"Ididn"tmind...Ijustateit...it wasbetterreallythanstayingawake."
Therewasasilence,thenPucinellisaid,"Wasthereanythingyoucouldhear, whichmighthelpustofindwhereyouwereheld?"
"Hear?"Sheglancedathimvaguely."Onlythemusic."
"Whatmusic?"
"Oh...tapes.Tapedmusic.Overandover,alwaysthesame."
"Whatsortofmusic?"
"Verdi.Orchestral,nosinging.Threequartersofthat,thenonequarterofpop music.Stillnosinging."
"Couldyouwritedownthetunesinorder?"
Shelookedmildlysurprisedbutsaid,"Yes,Ishouldthinkso.AllthatIknow thenamesof."
"Ifyoudothattoday,I"llsendamanforthelist."
"Allright."
"Isthereanythingelseatallyoucanthinkof?"
Shelookeddullyatthefloor,herthinfacetiredwiththementaleffortsof freedom.Thenshesaid,"Aboutfourtimestheygavemeafewsentencestoread aloud,andtheytoldmeeachtimetomentionsomethingthathadhappenedinmy childhood,whichonlymyfatherwouldknowabout,sothathecouldbesureIwas still...allright."
Pucinellinodded."Youwerereadingfromdailypapers."
Sheshookherhead."Theyweren"tnewspapers.Justsentencestypedonordinary paper."
"Didyoukeepthosepapers?"
"No,theytoldmetoputthemoutthroughthezip."Shepaused."Theonlytimes theyturnedthemusicoffwaswhenImadetherecordings."
"Didyouseeamicrophone?"
"No...ButIcouldhearthemtalkclearlythroughthetent...soIsupposethey recordedmefromoutside."
"Wouldyouremembertheirvoices?"
Aninvoluntaryshuddershookher."Twoofthem,yes.Theyspokemost...b.u.t.there wereothers.Theonewhomadetherecordings...I"drememberhim.Hewasjust...
cold.Theotheronewasbeastly...Heseemedtoenjoyit...buthewasworseatthe beginning...oratleastperhapsIgotusedtohimanddidn"tcare.Thentherewas onesometimeswhokeptapologizing..."SorrySignorina"...whenhetoldmethefood wasthere.Andanotherwhojustgrunted...Noneofthemeveranswered,ifI spoke."
"Signorina,"Pucinellisaid,"ifweplayyouoneofthetapesyourfather received,w.i.l.l.youtellusifyourecognizetheman"svoice?"
"Oh..."Sheswallowed."Yes,ofcourse."
Hehadbroughtasmallrecorderandcopiesofthetapeswithhim,andshe watchedapprehensivelywhileheinsertedaca.s.setteandpressedab.u.t.ton.Cenci putoutahandtograsponeofAlessia"s,almostasifhecouldshieldherfrom whatshewouldhear.
"Cenci,"HISvoicesaid."WehaveyourdaughterAlessia.Wewillreturnheron paymentofonehundredandfiftythousandmillionlire.Listentoyour daughter"svoice."Therewasaclick,andthenAlessia"sslurredwords.Then, "Believeher.Ifyoudonotpay,wewillkillher.Donotdelay.Donotinform thecarabinieri,oryourdaughterwillbebeaten.Shewillbebeateneveryday youdelay,andalso..."Pucinellipressedthes...o...b..u.t.tondecisively,abruptlyand mercifullyshuttingofftheworse,theb.e.s.t.i.a.lthreats.Alessiaanywaywas shakingandcouldhardlyspeak.Hernodsweresmallandemphatic."Mm...yes..."
"Youcouldsweartoit?"
"...Yes..."
Pucinellimethodicallyputawaytherecorder."Itisthesamemalevoiceonall thetapes.Wehavehadavoiceprintmade,tobesure."
Alessiaworkedsalivaintohermouth."Theydidn"tbeatme,"shesaid."They didn"teventhreatenit.Theysaidnothinglikethat."
Pucinellinodded."Thethreatswereforyourfather."
Shesaidwithintenseanxiety,"Papa,youdidn"tpaythatmuch?That"s everything...youcouldn"t."
Heshookhisheadrea.s.suringly."No,no,nothinglikethat.Don"tfret...don"t worry."
"Excuseme,"IsaidinEnglish.
Alltheheadsturnedinsurprise,asifthewallpaperhadspoken.
"Signorina,"Isaid,"wereyoumovedfromplacetoplaceatall?Wereyouin particularmovedfourorfivedaysago?"
Sheshookherhead."No."Hercertaintyhoweverbegantowaver,andwithafrown shesaid,"Iwasinthattentallthetime.But..."
"Butwhat?"
"Thelastfewdays,therewasasortofsmellofbreadbaking,sometimes,and thelightseemedbrighter...but.i.thoughttheyhaddrawnacurtainperhaps...
thoughIdidn"tthinkmuchatall.Imean,Isleptsomuch...itwasbetter..."
"Thelight,"Isaid,"itwasdaylight?"
Shenodded."Itwasquitediminthetent,butmyeyesweresousedtoit...They neverswitchedonanyelectriclights.Atnight.i.twasdark,Isuppose,butI sleptallnight,everynight."
"Doyouthinkyoucouldhavesleptthroughamove,ifthey"dtakenthetentfrom oneroominoneplaceanddrivenittoanotherplaceandset.i.tupagain?"
Thefrownreturnedwhileshethought.i.tover."TherewasonedaynotlongagoI hardlywokeupatall.WhenIdidwakeitwasalreadygettingdarkandIfelt sick...likeIdidwhenIwokehereyesterday...andoh,"sheexclaimedintensely, "I"msogladtobehere,sodesperatelygrateful...Ican"ttellyou..."Sheburied herfaceonherfather"sshoulderandhestrokedherhairwithreddeningeyes.
Pucinellirosetohisfeetandtookaformalleaveoffatheranddaughter, removinghimself,hisnote-taker,andmyselftothehall.
"Imayhavetocomeback,b.u.t.thatseemsenoughfornow."Hesighed."Sheknows solittle.Notmuchhelp.Thekidnappersweretoocareful.Ifyoulearnany more,Andrew,you"lltellme?"
Inodded.
"Howmuchwastheransom?"hesaid.
Ismiled."Thelistofthenotes"numberswillcomeheretoday.I"llletyou havethem.Also,doyouhavetheIdentikitsystem,likeinEngland?"