The Blue Ring (42 page)

Mario
Satta got her drift immediately. "You will conceal the weapon and the
transmitter in there."

She
gave him the kind of motherly look which conveyed the message, I hope one day
you'll grow up. Then smiled to take away the sting and said, "Mario, you
will give me two guns and two transmitters. I will conceal them in two
different locations, including the dressing-room. That gives Creasy's son two
chances. I'll phone you tomorrow night and tell you the locations."

Very
quietly Mario Satta said, "I'm grateful, Mama," and started to rise.

She
shook her head irritably. "Sit down and listen to me, Mario, and you too,
Giovanni. Do not give me this task and then forget me. What you learned from
the puta Gandolfo is only part of it. You see me as an old woman, but I hear
more and see more than you can imagine. When you go into that cess-pit it is
only the beginning. Powerful people will try to cover up everything. Use my
knowledge and my contacts. Which investigating judge will you use?" Mario
told her, and she nodded in satisfaction.

"He
is honest and determined. His father died in the hands of the Mafia, his
grandfather died at the hands of Mussolini. You chose well." She leaned
forward and her small bright eyes twinkled and she said, "There are some
things I command you to do."

Again
Mario glanced at his brother, who simply shrugged and smiled.

"What
are they?" Mario asked.

"When
all this is over, I wish to meet this friend of yours, Creasy. When you next
talk to him you must give him an order from me...When he enters that private
chapel he should leave at least one of the senior members of 'The Blue Ring'
very much alive...although perhaps wounded. That man will be the opener for you
and your judge to open the can of filth." Her voice hardened. "The
first thing Creasy or his son must do in that chapel is to kill the
Bishop."

"Why?"
Mario asked.

Her
voice carried an edge of exasperation. "Learn, my son. Whatever you do,
try to avoid embarrassing those you will need...The Vatican."

The
argument was heated, but there could only be one outcome.

The
team was moving out from the Pensione Splendide on its way to Rome. Maxie and
Frank were travelling in one car. Jens was going with The Owl in the BMW.
Creasy was following alone in the third car.

The
first two cars had left; all the men embracing Guido, Pietro and Juliet, and
giving them the ritualistic kiss. Guido had disappeared from the bar. Creasy
gave Pietro a big hug and the kiss and then turned to Juliet.

He told
her, "As soon as it's over, Pietro will take you back to Gozo, to Laura
and Paul. Michael and I will follow some days later."

She
clung on to him tightly and said, "Don't worry about me. I will not be
stupid again."

He
looked around for Guido, but when his friend appeared through the door,
Creasy's face darkened. Guido was wearing faded old denim jeans, a denim shirt
and a denim jacket. In his left hand he carried a large canvas bag. Creasy
recognised that bag. It was very worn. In years past, Guido had carried it
around from one war to another. Creasy firmly shook his head. "No, Guido...You
made a promise."

Guido
also shook his head.

"You
knew Julia and you know how she would feel now." He looked down at the bag
and said, "My old SMG is in there...Of course it's not the newest or even
the most fashionable, but there's no time to familiarise myself with new
weapons."

Again
Creasy said, "No, Guido. I already have a good team."

The
Italian shook his head.

"Good
but not perfect...Now you have the perfect team." He dropped the bag and
turned to Pietro and gave him a hug and the kiss. "Look after Juliet. You
know where the money is. Tomorrow night move into a suite on the top floor of
the Regina Hotel. It's already booked. Take your gun with you and do not move
from that suite until you hear from me." He hugged Juliet and gave her a
kiss, smiled and said, "Don't worry, little one. Guido will look after
your father and your brother."

Juliet
clung on to him. Over her head Guido looked at Creasy and said simply, "I
am an Italian."

They
all looked up expectantly as Creasy walked into the lounge of the safe house in
Rome. Their expressions changed to surprise as they saw Guido following him in,
carrying his canvas bag.

Creasy
said, "We have another active member on the team."

There
was a shocked silence. And then Maxie and Frank grinned broadly as they stood
up.

"Bloody
bonzer!" Frank said. "We were just going through the layout, and I
pointed out that some real insurance would be a machine-gunner on the small
hill to the east of the chapel."

He
turned to look at Maxie who said, "The best in the world. I just stopped
worrying about my back."

Satta
was looking at Guido. The look carried both a welcome and compassion. The look
also carried a query. Guido gave him the same answer as he had given Creasy.

"I
am an Italian."

Satta
moved forward, and the two Italians embraced.

It was
the final planning and briefing. Rene had slipped away from the luxury
apartment near the Spanish Steps with the news that Michael was completely
ready and in good form. With a smile he said, "Although slightly tired
from his recent exertions."

They
all sat at the round table and looked down at the scale drawing of the De Muro
villa and its grounds and private chapel.

The
Dane had a yellow, lined notebook in front of him, its pages covered in his
spidery handwriting. He set the scene: "I have crystallised all the
information we have, both from Gandolfo, other sources and, of course, from
Colonel Satta's intrepid mother." He consulted his notes. "First of all,
Colonel Satta informed me that the police pathologist's report on General
Gandolfo shows without doubt that he died from a heart attack...and so there is
no reason to think that 'The Blue Ring' suspects any danger to their black
mass.

Secondly,
Colonel Satta's mother has planted two pistols and two transmitters in the De
Muro villa." He pointed with his chin at the Belgian. "Rene has been
informed as to their exact location and will pass that information on to
Michael. They are, of course, only coded transmitters, and the signal from
Michael to attack will be three dots and a long beep. From Gandolfo we know
that there will be at least a dozen guards in and around the grounds. Colonel
Satta and his team will be three kilometres away and can expect to reach the
chapel within a few minutes after receiving our signal." He looked up at
Creasy, gestured expansively at the plan in front of him and said, "It's
all yours, Boss."

Creasy
stretched his frame and then sat down. He was finally in his element. Guido
pulled up a chair and sat beside him. For more than a minute Creasy studied the
detailed drawing. The villa was set in the hills about five kilometres from
lago di Bolsena. The grounds were heavily wooded and undulating.

He
said, "We have Trilux night-sights which the guards will not have. We will
split into two teams. One team will infiltrate the grounds first. That team
will comprise Maxie, Frank and Rene. They will identify the location of the
guards and relay that information back to the second team, which will comprise
myself, Guido and The Owl. It is necessary that we attack only after the mass
has started and when the participants are totally involved in it...in fact,
just before the sacrifice. Michael will send the signal, and as we arrive, he
will shoot the Bishop. My team will enter the chapel while Maxie's team stays
outside, mopping up the guards." He turned to look at Jens. "You will
be waiting a kilometre away in a twelve-seater mini-van. We will time your
arrival at the chapel about one minute before Colonel Satta arrives with his
team. We will position four cars a further three to four kilometres away from
the scene and transfer to them, leaving the mini-van at that place. We'll go in
with flares and stun grenades. I want a minimum of small-arms fire in the
chapel. What killing has to be done, apart from the Bishop, I'll do." He looked up at
Satta. "That will include Donati and Hussein. I'll wound Delors but keep
him alive for you. He's the one who'll do the talking."

Satta nodded in agreement, then asked, "What about the rest of the congregation?"

After a moment's thought, Creasy said, "I'll kill the Initiate. I'll leave the
rest for you to talk to."

Satta said, "That suits me fine."

The child Katrin was giggling. It was something she had been doing most of the
time, when not sleeping. It had nothing to do with natural happiness, but
everything to do with the pills her new foster parents had been giving her at
regular intervals. She saw the beautiful house and their smiling faces through
a happy haze. Perhaps, she thought, her mental state was similar to that of all
children of her age, who had escaped from a nightmare.

On the Sunday afternoon, when her new mother had told her they were going for a car
ride to visit some friends in the country, she giggled happily.

The
doorbell rang at nine-thirty in the evening. Rene answered it. Gina Forelli
swept into the room, handing him a long maroon cape, and saying, "One of
your wonderful bull-shots, please, Rene."

Michael
was watching a football match on television. He stood up and they embraced.

"I'm
feeling pleased with you," she announced.

"Why?"

"Because
you are the real thing," she answered brightly.

"What
are you talking about?"

She
moved to the TV and switched it off. She was wearing a dark blue woollen,
ankle-length skirt and a high-necked, blood-red cashmere sweater. He doubted
that she was wearing anything underneath. She turned to look at him, her head
slightly on one side, and then said huskily, "You have to understand,
Adnan. A lot of phoneys come to Rome. Some of them have money, and some only
have clever tricks to pretend that they have money. In order for me to take you
to this event tonight, it was necessary that some very important people checked
you out completely. Believe me, they are the kind of people who have the
connections and power to do that."

With a
tone of irritation, Michael said, "And you and they were surprised to
discover that I was genuine?"

"Not
surprised," she answered, "just gratified. Of course I had heard
rumours that you had transferred ten million dollars into your account here
with the Banco di Roma...I now know from which bank in the Middle East you
transferred the money. I even know the name of the bank manager who made the
transfer. I also know that a place is waiting for you at Harvard University
when you leave Rome. I even know the names of your future professors."

Michael
forced himself to look impressed. He said, "So maybe this little game
tonight is going to be serious. Maybe it's not just a load of bullshit to
separate me from fifty thousand dollars."

Very
seriously, she shook her head.

"It
is certainly no game, Adnan. What you see tonight...what you will be part of,
is something so rare that it will live in your brain forever...Perhaps you will
never be the same again."

Rene
appeared with her drink and looked enquiringly at Michael, who shook his head.
Rene left the room.

Gina
asked, "You are not drinking tonight, Adnan?"

"Not
yet...I will save it for later."

She
smiled. "Yes. There will be plenty later...There will be everything to
sate your body and your brain...Everything."

He
looked at his watch. "When do we leave?"

"In
about ten minutes," she answered. "But there are two things you have
to do first."

"Like
what?"

She put
down her glass and answered. "Give me half the fifty thousand
dollars...and then strip naked."

"What
the hell are you playing at?"

She
laughed and came close to him and kissed him almost chastely on the mouth.

"I
have to give you a thorough body search. It has to be like that...It will be
pleasant more than painful."

He
smiled wryly and said, "Of course I have no objection...As for the money:
I will give you the other half tomorrow after the event."

She
nodded seriously and said, "I trust you. That's a little dangerous for me,
because it might mean I'm falling in love with you."

He gave
her a doubtful look, reached into his inside pocket and pulled out an envelope.
He handed it to her saying, "There's twenty-five one thousand dollar
bills."

She did
not count the money. She folded the envelope, lifted her sweater and tucked it
into the waistband of her skirt.

"Strip,"
she said with a grin.

It was
the most careful search Michael could have imagined. She had obviously been
very well briefed by a professional. She examined every item of his clothes
meticulously, checking the seams and waistband of his trousers and even the
buttons of his jacket. She felt every inch of the fabric of his suit and shirt
and underwear. She checked his shoes from every angle, banging the heels
against a table and listening for an echo.

Michael
and Creasy had discussed the possibility of concealing a tiny transmitter on
some part of his body or clothes. He was relieved that they had decided not to
take the risk.

Next
she examined his body, first peering into his open mouth and checking there
were no new fillings. Then her fingers probed into his ears. Finally she asked
him to open his legs and bend over and touch his toes. He did so, knowing what
was coming. He felt her finger enter his anus and probe around. She kissed the
centre of his spine and said, "Adnan, you are clean in every way."