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"Didit?Hm.Thendon'tworry,we'llsweepthroughthevillagelikethe sirocco."
"Askthechildren,"Isaid.
Helaughed."AndrewMachiavelliDouglas...everychild'smotherwouldpreventus."
"Pity."
Whenwe'dfinishedtalkingItelephonedtoPaoloCenci,whosaid"willingly"to thereward,andthenagaintoPucinellitoconfirmit.
"Iammakingaleafletforphotocopying,"hesaid."Therewardofferandallthe pictures.I'llcallyouifthereareanyresults."
"Callmeanyway."
"Yes,allright."
Hecalledmeagainonthefollowingday,Friday,intheevening,whileI happenedtobeondutyattheswitchboard.
"I'vebeenupinthatd.a.m.nedvillageallday,"hesaidexhaustedly."Those people...theyshuttheirdoorsandtheirfacesandtheirminds."
"Nothing?"Iaskedwithdisappointment.
"There'ssomething,"hesaid,"butIdon'tknowwhat.ThenameofViraltowasa shocktothekidnapperwhotalks,butheswearsitmeansnothingtohim.He swearsitonhisdeadmother'ssoul,buthesweatswhileheswears.Heis lying."Hepaused."ButinViralto...wefoundnothing.Wewentintothebakery.
Wethreatenedthebaker,whoalsokeepstheverysmallgrocerystore.Thereis nowherenearhisbakehousethatAlessiacouldhavebeenhidden,andwesearched everywhere.Hegaveuspermission.Hesaidhehadnothingtohide.Hesaidhe wouldhaveknownifAlessiahadbeenbroughttothevillage;hesaysheknows everything.Hesaysshewasneverthere."
"Didyoubelievehim?"Iasked.
"I'mafraidso.Weaskedateverysinglehouse.Wedidevenaskoneortwo children.Wefoundnothing;weheardnothing.But..."
"But...?"Iprompted.
"Ihavelookedatamap,"hesaid,yawning."Viraltoisupasideroadwhich goesnowhereelse.ButifwhenonegetstotheturntoViraltoonedrivespast it,straighton,thatroadgoesonupintothemountains,andalthoughitisnot agoodroaditcrossestheApenninesaltogetherandthendescendstowards Firenze.AboveViraltothereisaplacewhichusedtobeacastlebutisnowa hotel...Peoplegotheretowalkandenjoythemountains.PerhapstheSignorina didn'thearenough...perhapsitwasatleastanhourtoViralto,andlongerstill towherevertheyplannedtogo.Tomorrow,"hepaused,sighing,"tomorrowIam offduty.TomorrowIexpectIwillhoweverbeondutyafterall.I'llgoupto thehotelandblowthesiroccothroughthat."
"Sendsomeofyourmen,"Isuggested.
Afteradefinitepausehesaidlevelly,"Ihavegiveninstructionsthatnoone istoactagaininthiscaseinanywaywithoutmybeingthereinperson."
"Ah."
"SoIwilltelephoneagaintomorrow,ifyoulike."
"TomorrowI'llbeherefromfouruntilmidnight,"Isaidgratefully."After that,athome."
Inthemorning,Sat.u.r.day,PopsytelephonedwhileIwaspotteringroundmy apartmenttryingtoshutmyeyestoundonech.o.r.es.
"Somethingthematter?"Iasked,interpretingthetoneofherh.e.l.lo.
"Sortof.Iwantyourhelp.Canyoucome?"
"Thisinstant,orwilltomorrowdo?Ihavetobeintheoffice,really,by four."
"OnSat.u.r.dayafternoon?"shesoundedsurprised.
"'Fraidso."
Shehesitated."Alessiadidn'trideoutwiththestringyesterdaybecauseofa headache."
"Oh...andtoday?"
"Todayshedidn'tfeellikeit...Look,"shesaidabruptly,"I'dsaytheidea scaredher,buthowcanit,yousawhowsherode?"Thefaintexasperationinher voicecameoverclearly,accompanyingthegenuineconcern.WhenIdidn'tanswer immediatelyshedemanded,"Areyouthere?"
"Yes.Justthinking."Ipaused."Shewasn'tsearedofthehorsesorofriding, that'sforsure.Soperhapsshe'sscared...andIdon'tthinkthat'stheright word,but.i.t'lldofornow...ofbeingclosedin...ofbeingunabletoescape...of beinginthestring.Likeasortofclaustrophobia,eventhoughit'soutinthe openair.Perhapsthat'swhyshewouldn'tgointhestringbefore,butfeltall rightonherown,upontheDowns."
Shethought.i.tover,thensaid,"Perhapsyou'reright.Shecertainlywasn't happyyesterday...shespentmostofthedayinherroom,avoidingme."
"Popsy...don'tpressher.Sheneedsyouverybadly,butjusta.s.someonethere...
andundemanding.Tellhernottotrytogooutwiththestringuntilshecan't bearnotto.Sayit'sfinewithyou,you'regladtohaveher,shecandowhat shelikes.WouldthatbeO.K.?Couldyousaythat?AndI'llcomedowntomorrow morning."
"Yes,yes,andyes,"shesaidsighing."I'mveryfondofher.Cometolunchand waveyourwand."
Pucinellitelephonedlateintheeveningwiththenews:good,bad,and inconclusive.
"TheSignorinawasright,"hesaidfirst,soundingsatisfied."Shewastaken pastViralto,uptothehotel.Weconsultedthemanager.Hesaidheknew nothing,butwecouldsearchalltheoutbuildings,ofwhichthereareverymany, mostusedforstorage,butoncelivingquartersforservantsandcarriagehorses andfarmanimals.Inoneoftheoldanimalfeedloftswefoundatent!"Hebroke offfordramaticeffect,andIcongratulatedhim.
"Itwasfolded,"hesaid."Butwhenweopenedit,itwastherightsize.Green canvaswalls,grayfloor-covering,justa.s.shesaid.Theflooroftheloft itselfwasofwood,withhooksscrewedintoit,forthetentropes."Hepaused.
"Inthehouseinthesuburbs,wethinktheytiedthetentropestothe furniture."
"Mm,"Isaidencouragingly.
"Theloftisinadisusedstableyardwhichisasmalldistancebehindthehotel kitchens.Itisperhapspossibleshecouldsmellbaking...thehotelbakesitsown bread."
"Terrific,"Isaid.
"No,notterrific.Noonetheresawher.Nooneissayinganything.Thestores ofthehotelarekeptintheoutbuildingsandtherearegreatstocksof householditemsthere,alsocoldstoresforvegetablesandmeat,andahuge freezerroom...vansmakedeliveriestothesestoreroomseveryday.Ithinkthe Signorinacouldhavebeentakentothehotelinavan,andnoonewouldhave paidmuchattention.Therearesomanyoutbuildingsandcourtyardsattheback...
garages,gardenequipmentstores,furniturestoresforthingsnotinuse,barns fullofuselessobjectswhichusedtobeintheoldcastle,ancientcooking stoves,oldbaths,enoughrubbishtofillatowndump.Youcouldhidefora monththere.Noonewouldfindyou."
"Noluck,then,withthepicturesofthekidnappers?"Isaid.
"No.Nooneknewhim.Nooneknewthetwowehaveinjail.Nooneknew anything."Hesoundedtiredanddiscouraged.
"Allthesame,"Isaid,"youdohavethetent.Andit'sprettycertainthatone ofthekidnappersknewthehotelfairlywell,becausethatloftdoesn'tsound likeaplaceyou'dfindbyaccident."
"No."Hepaused."UnfortunatelytheVistaclarahasmanypeoplestayingthereand workingthere.Oneofthekidnappersmighthavestayedthere,orworkedthere, inthepast."
"Vistaclara...isthatthenameofthehotel?"Iasked.
"Yes.Inthepasttherewerehorsesinthestableyard,b.u.t.themanagersays theynolongerhavethem,notenoughpeoplewanttorideinthehills,they prefernowtoplaytennis."
Horses,Ithoughtvaguely.
"HowlongaG.o.didtheyhavehorses?"Iasked.
"Beforethemanagercame.Icouldaskhim,ifyoulike.Hesaidthestableyard wasemptywhenhestarted,aboutfiveyearsago.Ithasbeenemptyeversince.
Nothinghasbeenstoredthereincaseonedayitwouldagainbeprofitableto offerridingforholidays."
"Ponytrekking,"Isaid.
"What?"
"Ridingoverhillsonponies.VerypopularinsomepartsofBritain."
"Oh,"hesaidwithoutenthusiasm."Anyway,thereweregroomsonceandariding instructor,butnowtheyhaveatennisproinstead...andhedidn'tknowanyof thekidnappersinourpictures."
"It'sabighotel,then?"Isaid.
"Yes,quite.Peoplegothereinthesummer,itiscoolerthanontheplainsor onthecoast.Justnowtherearethirty-eightonthestaffbesidesthemanager, andthereareroomsforahundredguests.Alsoarestaurantwithviewsofthe mountains."
"Expensive?"Isuggested.
"Notforthepoor,"hesaid."Butalsonotforprinces.Forpeoplewhohave money,butnotforthejetset.Afewoftheguestslivetherealways...old people,mostly."Hesighed."Iaskedagreatmanyquestions,asyousee.Noone atall,howeverlongtheyhadlivedthere,orbeenemployedthere,showedany interestinourpictures."
Wetalkeditoverforawhilelongerbutwithoutreachinganyconclusionexcept thathewouldtry"Vistaclara"onthetalkativekidnapperthenextday:andon thatnextday,Sunday,IdrovedownagaintoLambourn.
Alessiahadbythattimebeenfreefornearlytwoweeksandhadprogressedto pinkvarnishonhernails.Aliftingofthespirits,Ithought.
"Didyoubuythevarnish?"Iasked.
"No...Popsydid."
"Haveyoubeenshoppingyetonyourown?"
Sheshookherhead.Imadenocomment,butshesaid,"IsupposeyouthinkI oughtto."
"No.Justwondered."
"Don'tpressme."
"No."
"You'reasbadasPopsy."Shewaslookingatmealmostwithantagonism, somethingwhollynew.
"Ithoughtthevarnishlookedpretty,"Isaidequably.
Sheturnedherheadawaywithafrown,andIdrankthecoffeePopsyhadpoured beforeshe'dwalkedoutroundheryard.
"DidPopsyaskyoutocome?"Alessiasaidsharply.
"Sheaskedmetolunch,yes."
"DidshecomplainthatI'vebeenactinglikeacow?"
"No,"Isaid."Haveyou?"
"Idon'tknow.Iexpectso.AllIknowisthatIwanttoscream.Tothrow things.Tohitsomeone."Shespokeindeedasifaheadofsteamwasbeingheld inbyslightlyprecariouswillpower.
"I'lldriveyouuptotheDowns."
"Why?"
"Toscream.Kickthetires.Soon."
Shestooduprestlessly,walkedaimlesslyroundthekitchenandthenwentoutof thedoor.IfollowedinamomentandfoundherstandinghalfwaytotheLand Rover,irresolute.
"Goon,then,"Isaid."Getin."ImadeaquestioninggesturetowherePopsy stood,pointingtotheLandRover,andfromthedistancecollectedanod.
Thekeyswereintheignition.Isatinthedriver'sseatandwaited,and Alessiapresentlyclimbedinbesideme.
"Thisisstupid,"shesaid.
Ishookmyhead,startedtheengine,anddrovethewaywe'dgonethreedays earlier,uptothesilenceandthewideskyandthecallingbirds.
WhenIbrakedtoastopandswitchedoff,Alessiasaiddefensively,"Nowwhat?I can'tjust...scream."
"Ifyoucaretowalkoffalongthereonyourownandseeifyouwantto,I'll waithere."
WithoutlookingatmedirectlyshedidexactlyasI'dsaid,slidingdownfrom theLandRoverandwalkingaway.Hernarrowfigurediminishedinthedistance butstayedinsight,andafterafairwhileshecameslowlyback.Shestopped withdryeyesattheopenwindowbesidemeandsaidcalmly,"Ican'tscream.
It'spointless."
IgotoutoftheLandRoverandstoodonthegra.s.snearher.Isaid,"Whatisit aboutridinginthestringwhichmakesyoufeeltrapped?"
"DidPopsysaythat?"
"No,shejustsaidyoudidn'twantto."
SheleanedagainstthefrontfenderoftheLandRover,notlookingatme.
"It'snonsense,"shesaid."Idon'tknowwhy.OnFridayIgotdressedtogo.I wantedtogo...butIfeltallchurnedup.Breathless.Worsethanbeforemyfirst bigrace...b.u.t.thesamesortoffeeling.Iwentdownstairs,anditgotmuch worse.Stifling.SoItoldPopsyIhadaheadache...whichwasnearlytrue...and yesterdayitwasjustthesame.Ididn'tevenG.o.downstairs...Ifeltsowretched, butIjustcouldn't...
Ipondered,thensaid,"Startfromgettingup.Thinkofridingclothes.Thinkof thehorses.Thinkofridingthroughthestreets.Thinkofeverythingseparately, onebyone,andthensayatwhatthoughtyoubegintofeel...churnedup."
Shelookedatmedubiously,butblinkedafewtimesa.s.shewentthroughthe processandthenshookherhead."Idon'tfeelchurnednow.Idon'tknowwhat.i.t is...I'vethoughtofeverything.It'stheboys."Thelastthreewordscameoutas ifimpelled;asifunpremeditatedandfromthedepths.
"Theboys?"
