The Danger. - LightNovelsOnl.com
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"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.
InretrospectIfeltdistinctlys.h.i.+very.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 was.h.i.+srealchauffeur,awayonholiday.Igrabbedtheroadmapfromtheglove compartmentandspreaditonthepa.s.sengerseatbesideme,tryingunsuccessfully tofindMazarawhilepullinginanormalfas.h.i.+onoutofthecarpark.
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.
Thesunwas.h.i.+gh,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, driftedaboutinherusualwispyfas.h.i.+on,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.
