The Chimera Sanction Read Online Free PDF Page B

of your solving of the Archbishops Salvador and Conti murder cases. Rather brilliantly, I might add. Cardinal Signorelli planned your—’
    Abduction, Dulac thought.
    ‘—trip. I must say that Secretary Signorelli’s resourcefulness never ceases to amaze me. When Mr Harris told us you were vacationing in Canada, Signorelli phoned Vasari, the Italian Minister of Defense. He in turn contacted the Canadians, who gave him instant clearance for the jet. They organized the helicopter pickup. Very simpatico, these Canadians.’
    ‘You’ll find some fresh clothes in there,’ said Harris, pointing to a suitcase at Dulac’s feet.
    ‘Thanks. Wouldn’t want to breach Vatican protocol.’
    ‘You can change in the antechamber of my office,’ said Legnano, his tone gruff.
    Just then, the papal limo reached the San Pietro entrance, was waved past by the on-duty Swiss Guards and came to a stop in front of the Basilica’s steps. The chauffeur opened the door and a balding priest with a gaunt face greeted them. They followed him down a long corridor, at the end of which the priest pulled Dulac aside and showed him to an antechamber, waiting outside while Dulac changed. Moments later, Dulac was shown into Legnano’s office, where the cardinal wasted no time in introducing Harris and Dulac to the other members of the Curia.
    ‘… and you remember Inspector Guadagni,’ said Legnano.
    ‘How could I forget? Seems you can’t do without me,’ said Dulac, looking at his colleague.
    ‘Always so humble,’ replied a somber-looking Guadagni.
    Dulac sat down next to Harris and absorbed the atmosphere, a mixture of collective guilt, embarrassment and anxiety.
    ‘Mr Harris, your preliminary thoughts on who could have done this?’ asked Cardinal Signorelli.
    Harris turned towards Dulac. ‘I will defer the answer to your question to Mr Dulac. After eight years as General Secretary, my investigative skills are a little rusty.’
    ‘Your Eminence,’ said Dulac, ‘the planning alone of this abduction tells us of their degree of sophistication. That narrows the field to, let’s say,’ – he looked up at the ceiling – ‘a couple of hundred crime organizations perhaps?’
    Signorelli’s face went as red as the fascia around his generous waist. ‘Mr Dulac, this is no time for facetiousness. I—’
    ‘I wasn’t being facetious, your Eminence. Simply pointing out the odds. Gentlemen, Cardinal Legnano has briefed me on today’s events. Inspector Guadagni, has your forensic team investigated any purchase of dobutamine or arbutamine in the last two months.’
    ‘Why only two months?’
    ‘I believe that’s their shelf life. Colonel Romer, what’s the Huey’s range?’
    ‘About 400 km. We’ve contacted all military air bases and airstrips within that radius. They’re combing the area now,’ answered the tall, rosy-complexioned Swiss.
    ‘Fine. What direction did the Rome control tower see the helicopter travel in?’
    ‘South-east,’ said Guadagni.
    ‘They may have headed for the coast,’ said Dulac.
    ‘Or Sicily,’ replied Guadagni, scratching his scalp.
    ‘In any case, they’ve abandoned the chopper, and perhaps destroyed it,’ replied Dulac. ‘Now, gentlemen, you must decide.’
    ‘Decide?’ said Legnano.
    ‘When do you go public with the Pope’s abduction?’
    The cardinals looked at each other warily, no one daring to speak first.
    Cardinal Legnano finally spoke. ‘Gentlemen, we’ve had a long, stressful day. We are all very tired. Let’s reconvene at 8:30 a.m. tomorrow morning in the Segnatura room.’
    Dulac gave Legnano an inquiring look.
    ‘We use it for video conferencing, Mr Dulac.’
    As the policemen and the five cardinals left Legnano’s office, Dulac imagined the collective outrage of a billion Catholics when hearing that their leader, pastor and beloved pontiff had been kidnapped.
    In the taxi back to the hotel, neither Dulac nor Harris spoke. Dulac felt himself occasionally nodding off, his