The Danger. Part 13

"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?"