Chapter 7
The Present
ALL THAT WAS eighteen years ago, but Kessel could recall the private meeting with Canon Levi in Saint Peter's Basilica, and Rüdi's impatience with the time the negotiations were taking.
Rüdi had argued angrily with Canon Levi. Then he saw himself leap forward and stick the knife in the man's stomach, while Rüdi held the Canon in an arm lock. It had been a horrific day, and they had not even got sight of the relic, let alone had an opportunity to take it. At least the money was safe. That was when he finally left Rome, moving permanently to Düsseldorf to be near Rüdi Bretz.
The Italian accent slowly disappeared under intensive speech therapy from an expert in Günther Strasse. He enjoyed his friendship with Rüdi for seven more years. Then his friend died from a brain tumor, leaving an unattractive wife Helga. The skinhead lout of a son Karl was then almost fourteen, a fanatical supporter of Achtzehn Deutschland Reinigung.
One incident by Rüdi's hospital bed had affected him deeply. Rüdi had pointed at him, shouting that he could see the new Savior of Germany. He turned just to be sure he was the intended recipient of the prophecy, and noticed that Rüdi's stupid son had entered the ward. But surely Rüdi had not meant young Karl. Unfortunately Rüdi Bretz's mind was not lucid enough to confirm the point. Within six hours he was dead.
He could remember Karl spending the first few days following his father's death remodeling a slim wartime dagger used by the family as a paperknife. He recalled the objectionable boy pushing it towards his face, claiming it was an exact replica of a Göring dagger. It certainly had the ornate Nazi wings on an ivory handle.
Karl boasted several times how mounting the blade in the new handle required great patience and skill, but he reckoned he had come up with a real weapon -- strong enough for defense, and attack.
Kessel's thoughts came back to the present. Their problems had only just begun. The boy had brought that same knife to Rome, bragging that he was ready to use it for the ADR. More likely he was ready to use it for his own amusement. Maybe it was time to cut their losses and return to Düsseldorf -- to unpleasant questions about their unauthorized visit to Rome that would surely be asked by Phönix
The Vatican
"HOLINESS?"
The thin man repeated his tap at the door. As private secretary he could easily enter unbidden, but it was almost midnight and the Holy Father might be resting after studying confidential files all evening. It would be undiplomatic to disturb the Successor to Saint Peter in an unguarded moment of sleep.
"Holiness?"
"Please come in, Vittorio." The Pope slowly replaced a red folder on the wide table. "I find the Levi file rather sad," he said as Vittorio entered. He motioned to the papers from the file that had occupied his attention for the past hour. "Canon Angelo Levi's actions in attempting to sell the relic in the nineteen eighties are perhaps not excusable, but they are certainly understandable. He was always thinking of the poor. It must have been a privilege to know the man."
"Quite so, Holiness." The private secretary stood hesitantly. "Father Josef Reinhardt is outside."
"You can show him in, Vittorio." The Holy Father made no attempt to conceal the files. "I have finished my homework for tonight."
"Yes, Holiness."
Reinhardt had been watching through the half open door. Now he entered the small private room. From the high window he caught sight of the red roof tiles on the Vatican quarters lit by security floodlights. No windows overlooked this room, allowing meetings to be conducted in the utmost privacy.
As Reinhardt stepped forward he lowered his head momentarily. At the same time the secretary withdrew. Although a frequent visitor, Reinhardt's customary bow was more than a formality: it was a conscious act of submission to the Holy Father.
"Lovely to see you again, Josef. The relic is such a loss -- to the world as well as the Church. I think we will both be burning some midnight oil over this one."
Reinhardt nodded. "I thought at first that the civilian security forces had let us down badly this evening at TV Roma, but none of us was expecting such a violent attack. To give them their credit, the GIS reacted quickly once the alarm was raised."
"I certainly have no complaints, Josef, although I regret the destruction of the relic. But you have news to tell me, I believe."
Reinhardt felt excited. "The television interview with Sartini has been a blessing, Holiness. With a little help from me, our young priest has become a high profile figure. His concern for the disadvantaged will have made a big impression. He feels strongly that we do not always use our relics in the most unselfish way."
"So it seems."
"We have our rabbit. Now we will try for a wolf." Reinhardt noticed the red file with Canon Angelo Levi's name on the cover. "Unfortunately Cardinal Amendola is convening a panel of inquiry into Sartini's behavior. He relishes an opportunity to discipline a young priest."
"And you think the Cardinal will hinder your work?"
"He would definitely not be the man of my choice to head this panel, Holiness. I have insisted I am present at the interview with Sartini. I cannot allow anyone on the panel to wreck my plan with their petty hang-ups."
The Holy Father shook his head. "I know that you and Luigi Amendola you have not always seen eye to eye, but for once you must put your differences aside. There is something very wrong in the world, Josef. Were the fascists really trying to use the Son of God to achieve their evil ends this evening?"
"The note they left after the raid is proof enough." Reinhardt reached forwards and took Angelo Levi's file from the table. He turned slowly through the contents. "Amendola is facing a certain problem with his loyalties."
The Pope nodded. "Allow me to guess. Cardinal Amendola wishes to discover the truth about the relic, the Head of Eusebius, yet he is embarrassed by the possible outcome?"
Reinhardt smiled openly. "You also use the name."
The Pontiff returned the smile. "The Head of Eusebius? Quite so, Josef. The name has been little used until recently. And here we are, saying it as though the relic was definitely genuine. Yet Augusto Giorgio is convinced..."
"It gets worse," interrupted Reinhardt. "Monsignor Augusto Giorgio will be on the panel with Amendola."
The Pope stared in astonishment. "Augusto Giorgio will certainly not be keen to dwell on the Jewish ancestry of our Savior in public." His face suddenly lightened. "Do our two clerics have a copy of the neo-Nazi note?"
"They do."
The Holy Father walked to the window and stared at the floodlit rooftops, his quick eyes darting from tile to tile. "And you are confident that Marco Sartini is the right man for this work?"
"Absolutely, Holiness. Sartini talked himself into the job when he volunteered to be interviewed on TV Roma."
The Pope raised his eyebrows. "And he talked at such length. So much time to get noticed."
Reinhardt smiled. "My contact within the television company ensured that the full, unedited interview has been repeated more than once already today."
The Pope frowned. "I have to accept that your duties involve subterfuge, Josef, however distasteful it may seem to some members of my staff. That is not a criticism," he added hurriedly. "I have every confidence in your abilities."
"Thank you, Holiness." Reinhardt looked grim. "But I still have to motivate the rabbit."
"I will not entertain the waste of an innocent life. I trust I make myself clear?"
Reinhardt shook his head slowly. "I cannot..."
The Holy Father sighed. "Then let me put it more plainly. Sartini must be warned of the neo-Nazi involvement. If he is to work for you, Josef, I insist that you show him a copy of the note that was left in the studio."
Reinhardt paused before nodding cautiously, unwillingly. "I will do as you say."
"And you can assure me that you will prepare the young man for an approach by the forces of darkness?"
Reinhardt side-stepped the question. "I am satisfied that Sartini will
act correctly."
"I pray that you are right, Josef. Are you confident this panel of Amendola's will not hinder God's work?"
"Amendola has selected his panel to provide an abrasive mix of views -- to help in the search for truth, Holiness."
"Truth. Yes, Josef, we must never be afraid of truth. You have served our Lord well over the years. I hear you are seventy-nine."
Reinhardt smiled broadly. "At the end of the year, Holiness. I am a young seventy-eight at the moment."
The Pope laughed. "Then there's plenty of time to make a pope of you! I know you have not exercised your ordination of the priesthood since you entered the Vatican Security Services. I find myself wondering if you are wise to use the unassuming title of priest at this moment."
"Being seen as a priest has always provided cover in my work."
"Father Josef Reinhardt, the humble priest?"
Reinhardt smiled wryly. "Some have not always called me humble."
"Amendola is a man who gets his own way. If you ever have any doubts..."
"Doubts, Holiness?"
"About the direction being taken by the panel of inquiry. Any doubts at all, and you are to contact me immediately. You have always operated with a low profile. Will Sartini also work like this?"
Reinhardt joined the Holy Father at the small window. "Remember why we are using the rabbit, Holiness. Wolves never come near the farm if they hear the guard dogs. It is essential for us to keep in the shadows."
The Pope pointed to the night sky. "Look out there and what do you see, Josef? I see only blackness. But beyond the blackness you and I know that there is light. If we stand here in the morning, the sun will rise over those rooftops and sweep the darkness away."
The Holy Father put his hands on the elderly priest's head. "Josef Reinhardt, I charge you with the responsibility of conducting the battle against the forces of darkness. Together we must commit this matter in prayer to our Heavenly Father."
Reinhardt had no hesitation in accepting the offer. He stayed with his head bowed. "Thank you, Holiness."
Shout in the Dark Page 11