The Brotherhood Of The Holy Shroud (25 page)

Sofia's attempt didn't fare much better. "Marco, what you want to do is only possible if the Ministry of Culture, working with the Turin Archaeological Council, puts a team of archaeologists and technicians at your disposal to excavate more tunnels. But you can't expect to just walk in and hammer away wherever you have a hunch there might be a hidden tunnel. I mean, it's not going to happen. You're not being logical."

"If we don't try we'll never know whether there's something there or not," he fumed.

"So talk to the minister and-"

"One of these days the minister is going to tell me where to stuff my hunches. He's getting a little tired of me
and
the shroud case."

"Well, I've got some news that might cheer you up," Sofia ventured. "The cardinal has invited us to a reception day after tomorrow."

'A reception? And who's 'us'?"

"Us is you and me. Padre Yves called me. That committee of scientists in charge of keeping the shroud in good shape is in Turin, and the cardinal always has a reception for them. Every important figure in the city associated with the cathedral will be there. Apparently you showed some interest in meeting these scientists, so he's invited you."

"I'm really not in the mood for parties. I'd rather talk to them under other circumstances-like, I don't know, in the cathedral, while they're examining the shroud. We never got anywhere running down the names and organizations on the lists the cardinal supplied. But this is what there is, eh? So we'll go. I'll send my suit out to be ironed. And you, Giuseppe, what've you got?"

"The chief here hasn't got enough men-or any men, really-for the team we need. He said he'd do what he can when the time comes. I spoke to Europol like you told me, and they should be able to help us out with two or three men. So you'll have to talk to Rome for the others."

"I don't want men from Rome. I'd rather keep it within the team. Which of ours can come?"

"The department is snowed under, boss," Giuseppe said. "There's just nobody available, unless somebody stops what they're doing, if they can, and you bring them in when the operation gets going."

"That's what I'd rather do. I'd feel better with our own people on the tail. We'll take what the carabinieri here can give us, and then the rest of us will play cop for a while."

"I thought that's what we were," Giuseppe said sarcastically.

"You and I are, but Sofia's not, or Antonino, or Minerva."

"You mean
they're
going to tail the guy?"

"We're all going to do whatever it takes, is that clear?"

"Clear as a bell, chief, clear as a bell. So, if that's it, I'm supposed to have dinner with a friend of mine in the carabinieri, a good guy who's willing to help us out He'll be here in like half an hour. Maybe you guys could have a drink with us before we leave?"

"Sure, count me in," said Sofia.

"All right," said Marco, "I'll go up and shower and be back down. What're your plans, dottoressa?"

"I don't have any-if you want, you and I can have dinner around here."

"Great. Maybe that'll improve my mood."

SOFIA HADN'T BROUGHT ANYTHING SUITABLE for a reception, so she looked in the shops on Via Roma until she came to Armani, where, in addition to a black silk dress for herself, she bought a tie for Marco.

"You'll be the prettiest girl there," Giuseppe told her, as she and Marco left for the cardinal's residence.

"Definitely," Marco seconded.

"I'm going to start a fan club with you two," Sofia said, laughing.

Padre Yves greeted them at the door. His collar and priestly wardrobe were nowhere in evidence. Instead, he wore a midnight blue suit and an Armani tie exactly like the one Sofia had given Marco.

"Dottoressa… Signor Valoni… come in, come in. His Eminence will be so glad to see you."

Marco looked at Padre Yves's tie out of the corner of his eye, and Padre Yves gave him a slight smile.

"You have excellent taste in ties, Signor Valoni."

"The good taste is Dottoressa Galloni's. It was a gift from her."

"That's what I thought!" laughed the priest.

They made their way over to the cardinal, and he introduced them to Monsignor Aubry, a tall, lean Frenchman with an elegant bearing and a kindly manner. He was somewhere around fifty and he looked like what he was-a seasoned and skillful diplomat. And he was keenly interested in the course of the investigation into the shroud, as he wasted no time in letting Marco and Sofia know.

They had been chatting for several minutes with the monsignor when they noticed that all eyes had turned to two new guests arriving.

His Eminence Cardinal Visier and Umberto D'Alaqua had just come in. The cardinal and Monsignor Aubry excused themselves and went over to greet them.

Sofia could feel her pulse beginning to race, despite herself. She had told herself that she wouldn't be seeing D'Alaqua again. Would he be coolly courteous or ignore her entirely?

"Sofia, you're red as a beet," Marco whispered.

"Me? I'm just surprised."

"There was every possibility that D'Alaqua would be here."

"It hadn't occurred to me. I just never thought."

"He's one of the Church's benefactors, a 'man of trust,' as they call these people. Some of the Vatican's finances pass discreetly through his hands. And remember that, according to Minerva's report, he's the one who pays for the scientific committee that's here tonight. But take it easy, you look spectacular-if D'Alaqua likes women, there's no way he won't be falling at your feet."

They were interrupted by Padre Yves, who had the mayor and two elderly gentlemen in tow.

"I want you to meet Sofia Galloni and Marco Valoni, who is the head of the Art Crimes Department," he said to his charges. "The mayor, Dr. Bolard, and Dottore Castiglia…"

They began an animated conversation on the shroud, although Sofia's mind was elsewhere and she heard only half of it.

She jumped when Umberto D'Alaqua stepped before her. He was accompanied by Cardinal Visier.

After the usual round of greetings, D'Alaqua took Sofia by the arm and, to everyone's surprise, drew her away from the group.

"How is your investigation getting on?"

"I can't say that we've made much progress, frankly. It's a question of time."

"I didn't expect to see you here."

"The cardinal invited us; he knew we wanted to meet the members of the committee, and I hope we can spend some time with them before they go."

"So you've come to Turin for this reception…"

"No, not exactly."

' "In any case, I'm glad to see you. How long will you be here?"

"I'm not certain yet-"

"Sofia!" A shrill male voice interrupted the moment. Sofia smiled wanly when she saw an old professor of hers from the university approaching-her medieval art professor, a famous scholar with a number of books to his credit, a star in European academic circles.

"My best student! I'm so, so glad to see you! What are you doing these days?"

"Professore Bonomi! I'm glad to see you."

"Umberto, I didn't know you knew Sofia. Although I'm not surprised: She's one of the most outstanding specialists in art in Italy. It's a shame she didn't want to stay in academia. I offered to make her my assistant, but my pleas fell on deaf ears, I fear."

"Please, professore!"

"No, I tell you, I never had a student as intelligent and capable as you, Sofia."

"Yes," D'Alaqua interrupted, "I know that Dottoressa Galloni is quite competent."

"Competent, no-brilliant, Umberto, and with a wonderfully speculative mind. Forgive my indiscretion, but what are you doing here, Sofia?"

"I work for the Art Crimes Department," Sofia said uncomfortably, "and I'm just in Turin for a few days."

'Ah! The Art Crimes Department. I somehow hadn't seen you working as an investigator."

"My work is more scientific. I don't really do investigative work per se."

"Come, Sofia, I'll introduce you to some colleagues I'd like you to meet."

D'Alaqua took her arm and held her in place, preventing Professore Bonomi from taking her away.

"Wait, Guido. I was about to introduce the dottoressa to His Eminence."

"Oh, well, uh… Are you coming to the Pavarotti concert tomorrow night, Umberto? And the dinner I'm giving for Cardinal Visier?"

"Yes, of course."

"Why don't you bring Sofia? I'd love you to come, my dear, if you have no other plans."

"Well, I-"

"I'd be delighted to accompany Dottoressa Galloni if she has no other plans. Now, if you'll excuse us, the cardinal is waiting… We'll talk later, Guido."

D'Alaqua led Sofia back to the group standing with Cardinal Visier. The cardinal looked Sofia over with curiosity, as though evaluating her; he seemed amiable but as cold as ice. He did appear to have a close relationship with D'Alaqua; they treated each other familiarly, as though they were joined by some subtle thread.

For a while they talked about art, then politics, and then about the shroud.

It was a little past nine when the guests began to disperse. D'Alaqua was preparing to leave with Aubry and the two cardinals, plus Dr. Bolard and two other scientists, but first he sought out Sofia, who at the moment was with Marco and her former professor.

"Good night, dottoressa, Guido, Signor Valoni…"

"Where are you having dinner, Umberto?" asked Bonomi.

'At the residence of His Eminence the cardinal of Turin."

'Ah. Well, I hope to see you tomorrow night with Sofia."

Sofia could feel herself blushing.

"Yes, of course. I'll be in touch, Dottoressa Galloni. Good night."

Sofia and Marco said their good-byes to the cardinal and Padre Yves. The cardinal confirmed that they had set a meeting with Dr. Bolard and then suggested that Yves take Sofia and Marco to dinner. And despite the protestations of the two, they all left together for La Vecchia Lanterna, one of the best restaurants in the city.

It was after midnight when Padre Yves dropped Sofia and Marco at the door of their hotel. It had been a convivial evening. They had talked about all sorts of things and dined splendidly, as was only to be expected at a restaurant as celebrated as La Vecchia Lanterna.

"This social life is killing me!" Marco laughed as he and Sofia walked toward the hotel bar for a nightcap and a postmortem on the evening.

"But we had a good time."

"You're a princess, so you were in your element. I'm a cop, and I was working."

"Marco, you're a lot more than a cop. You've got a degree in history, and you've taught all of us more about art than we ever learned at the university."

"Oh, come on… Now-what can you tell me about D'Alaqua?"

"I don't know
what
to tell you. Padre Yves and he are a lot alike, I think: They're both intelligent, correct, 'nice,' good-looking, and totally inaccessible."

"It didn't look to me like D'Alaqua was so inaccessible to
you;
besides, he's not a priest."

"No, he's not, but there's something about him that makes him seem like he's… like he's not of this world, if you know what I mean, as though he were kind of floating above all of us mortals down here… I don't know, it's a strange feeling, I can't quite explain it."

"He seemed to hang on your every word."

"But no more than on anybody else's. I'd like to think he was interested in me, but he's not, Marco, and I'm not going to delude myself. I'm old enough to know when a man's interested in me."

"What did he say to you?"

"The short time we were alone, he asked me about the investigation. I avoided telling him what we were doing here, except that you wanted to meet the committee that deals with the shroud."

"What did you think about Bolard?"

"It's odd, but he's the same kind of man as D'Alaqua and Padre Yves. Now we know that they know one another-I guess
that
was predictable, huh?"

"You know what? I've thought the same thing- there's something really striking and unusual about them. I'm not sure exacdy what it is. It's got me a little spooked. I'm used to studying people-it's part of my nature-but there's something different going on here. These men are incredibly imposing, almost otherworldly, as you say. Maybe it's their physical presence, their elegance, their self-assurance. They're accustomed to giving orders. Our talkative Professore Bonomi told me that Bolard is entirely dedicated to science, which is why he's never married."

"Why do you think he's so devoted to the shroud, when carbon-fourteen dates it only from the Middle Ages?"

"I don't know. But when he talked about it tonight there was no doubt he considers it his life's work. We'll see how my meeting with him goes tomorrow. I want you to come. What's happening with dinner at Bonomi's?"

"He insisted that D'Alaqua take me to the opera and then to his house, to the dinner he's giving for Cardinal Visier. D'Alaqua had no choice but to agree. But I don't know whether I should go."

"Oh, you're definitely going. And you're going to keep your eyes and ears open. It's a mission, and you accept; all those respectable, powerful men have skeletons in their closets, and one of them may know something about our case."

"Marco, please! It's absurd to think that those men have anything in the world to do with any of this-"

"No, it's not absurd, dottoressa. Now it's the cop talking to you. I don't trust the high and mighty. To get where they've gotten they've had to wade through a lot of shit and step on a lot of toes. You'll recall, too, that every time we dismantle some team of art thieves we find the receiver of the artwork is some eccentric millionaire who just has to have objects that belong to all of humanity in his own private gallery.