by Steve Berry
He decided to anonymously donate the furniture to a local charity. The books and few personal belongings he'd keep as a remembrance of a man he'd loved. Against the far wall rested the wooden chest Clement had carried with him for years. Michener knew that it had been carved in Oberammergau, a Bavarian town at the base of the Alps famous for its wood craftsmen. It possessed the look and feel of a Riemenschneider, the exterior unstained and adorned with bold portrayals of the apostles, saints, and the Virgin.
In all their years together, he'd never known what Clement kept inside. Now the chest was his. He walked over and tried the lid. Locked. A brass receptacle allowed for a key. He hadn't seen one anywhere in the apartment, and he certainly did not want to inflict any damage prying the box open. So he decided to store the chest and worry about what was inside later.
He stepped back to the desk and finished cleaning out the remaining drawers. In the last one he found a single sheet of trifolded papal stationery. On it was a handwritten note.
I, Clement XV, on this day have elevated to the status of Cardinal Eminence the Reverend Father Colin Michener.
He could hardly believe what he read. Clement had exercised his ability to a appoint a cardinal in petto--in secret. Usually cardinals were informed of their elevation through a certificate from the reigning pontiff, openly published, then invested by the pope in an elaborate consistory. But secret appointments became common for cardinals in communist countries, or in places where oppressive regimes might endanger the nominee. The rules for in petto appointments made clear that seniority dated from the time of the appointment, not from the time the selection was made public, but there was one other rule that sank his heart. If the pope died before an in petto selection was made public, the appointment died, too.
He held the sheet in his hand. It was dated sixty days before.
He'd come so close to a scarlet biretta.
Alberto Valendrea could well be the next occupant of the apartments surrounding him. Little chance existed that an in petto appointment of Clement XV's would be affirmed. But a part of him didn't mind. With all that had happened over the past eighteen hours, he hadn't even thought of Father Tibor, but now he considered the old priest. Maybe he'd return to Zlatna and the orphanage and finish what the Bulgarian had started. Something told him that was the thing for him to do. If the Church didn't approve, he'd tell them all to go to hell, beginning with Alberto Valendrea.
You want to be a cardinal? To achieve that, you must grasp the measure of that responsibility. How can you expect me to elevate you when you fail to see what is so clear?
Clement's words from Turin last Thursday. He'd wondered about their harshness. Now knowing that his mentor had already chosen him, he wondered even more. How can you expect me to elevate you when you fail to see what is so clear?
See what?
He stuffed the paper into his pocket with the will.
No one would ever know what Clement had done. It didn't matter anymore. All that mattered was that his friend had thought him worthy, and that was enough for him.
THIRTY-THREE
8:30 P.M.
Michener finished packing everything in the five boxes provided by the Swiss guards. The armoire, dresser, and nightstands were now empty. The furniture was being carted out by workmen to be stored in a basement warehouse until he could make arrangements for its donation.
He stood in the corridor as the doors were closed a final time and a lead seal stamped in place. In all likelihood he would never enter the papal apartments again. Few ever made it that far within the Church, and even fewer made a return trip. Ambrosi was right. His time was over. The rooms themselves would not be opened until a new pope stood before the doors and the seals were broken. He shuddered at the thought of Alberto Valendrea being that new occupant.
The cardinals were still assembled in St. Peter's and a requiem funeral Mass was being said before the body of Clement XV, one of many to be offered over the next nine days. While that was happening, there was one task left for him to perform before his official duties ended.
He descended to the third floor.
As with Clement's apartment, there was little in Michener's office that would not stay. All of the furnishings were Vatican requisition. The paintings on the wall, including a portrait of Clement, belonged to the Holy See. Everything he owned would fit into one box, and consisted of a few desk accessories, a Bavarian anniversary clock, and three pictures of his parents. All his postings with Clement had provided whatever tangible things he'd ever needed. Beyond some clothes and a laptop, he owned nothing. He'd managed through the years to save a large portion of his salary and, after taking advantage of some savvy investment tips, a few hundred thousand dollars was on deposit in Geneva--his retirement money--since the Church provided miserably for priests. Reforming the pension fund had been discussed at length, and Clement had been in favor of doing something, but that endeavor would now have to await the next pontificate.
He sat at the desk and switched on his computer for a final time. He needed to check any e-mail messages and prepare instructions for his successor. Over the past week his deputies had handled everything, and he saw that most of his messages could wait until after the conclave. Depending on who was elected pope, he might be needed for a week or so after the conclave to ease the transition. But if Valendrea secured the throne, Paolo Ambrosi would almost certainly be the next papal secretary and Michener's Vatican credentials would be immediately revoked, his services no longer required. Which would be fine by him. He would do nothing to help Ambrosi.
He continued to scroll down the list of e-mails, checking each one, then deleting. A few he saved, tagging a short note for the staff. Three were condolences from bishops who were friends, and he sent back a short reply. Maybe one of them could use an aide? But he dismissed the thought. He wasn't going to do that again. What had Katerina said in Bucharest? Is your life to be in the service of others? Perhaps if he devoted himself to something like the cause Father Tibor had deemed important, Clement XV's soul might be granted salvation. His sacrifice could be penance for his friend's shortcoming.
And that thought made him feel better.
The pope's upcoming Christmas schedule appeared on the screen. The itinerary had been transmitted to Castle Gandolfo for review and bore Clement's initials, signifying approval. It called for the pope to celebrate the traditional Christmas Eve Mass in St. Peter's, then deliver his yuletide message the following day from the balcony. Michener noted the time of the return e-mail from Castle Gandolfo. Ten fifteen A.M., Saturday. That was about when he'd arrived back in Rome from Bucharest, long before he and Clement first talked. And even longer before Clement learned of Father Tibor's murder. Strange that a suicidal pontiff had taken the time to review a schedule he had no intention of keeping.
Michener scrolled down to the last e-mail message and noticed no identification tag. Occasionally he received anonymous messages from people who somehow managed to learn his Web address. Most were harmless devotions from folks who wanted their pope to know they cared.
He double-clicked on the entry and saw that the transmission emanated from Castle Gandolfo, dated last evening. Time received, eleven fifty-six P.M.
By now, Colin, you're aware of what I have done. I don't expect you to understand. Just know that the Virgin returned and told me my time had come. Father Tibor was with Her. I waited for Her to take me, but She said I must end my life through my own hand. Father Tibor said it was my duty, the penance for disobedience, and that all would be clear later. I wondered about my soul, but was told the Lord was waiting. I have for too long ignored heaven. I will not this time. You have asked me repeatedly what is wrong. I will tell you. In 1978 Valendrea removed from the Riserva part of the Virgin's third message from Fatima. Only five people know what was originally in that box. Four of them--Sister Lucia, John XXIII, Paul VI, and Father Tibor--are gone. Only Valendrea remains. Of course, he will deny everything and the words you are reading will be de
emed the ramblings of a man who took his own life. But know that when John Paul read the third secret and released it to the world, he was not privy to the entire message. It is for you to set things right. Go to Medjugorje. It is vital. Not only for me, but for the Church. Consider it a last request from a friend.
I am sure the Church is preparing for my funeral. Ngovi will do his duty well. Please, do with my body as you please. Pomp and ceremony do not make the pious. For me, though, I would prefer the sanctity of Bamberg, that lovely city by the river, and the cathedral I so loved. My only regret is that I did not see its beauty one last time. Perhaps, though, my legacy could still be there. But I shall leave that conclusion to others. God stay with you, Colin, and know that I loved you dearly, as a father loves his son.
A suicide note, plain and simple, written by a troubled man who was apparently delusional. The supreme pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church was saying that the Virgin Mary told him to kill himself. But the part about Valendrea and the third secret was interesting. Could he give the information credence? He wondered if Ngovi should be apprised, but concluded that the fewer who knew about this message, the better. Clement's body was now embalmed, his fluids consigned to flames, and the cause of death would never be known. The words glaring back at him from the screen were nothing but confirmation that perhaps the late pontiff had been mentally ill.
Not to mention obsessed.
Clement again had urged him to go to Bosnia. He'd not planned on following through with that request. What was the point? He still carried the letter signed by Clement addressed to a seer, but the authority sanctioning that order now emanated from the camerlengo and the Sacred College. There was no way Alberto Valendrea was going to allow him a jaunt through Bosnia looking for Marian secrets. That would be an appeasement to a pope he openly despised. Not to mention official permission for any trip would require the cardinals being collectively informed about Father Tibor, papal apparitions, and Clement's obsession with the third secret of Fatima. The number of questions generated by those revelations would be staggering. Clement's reputation was too precious to risk. Bad enough four men knew of a papal suicide. He certainly wasn't going to be the one who actually impugned the memory of a great man. Yet Ngovi might still need to read Clement's last words. He recalled what Clement had urged at Turin. Maurice Ngovi is the closest thing to me you will ever have. Remember that in the days ahead.
He printed a hard copy.
Then erased the file and switched off the machine.
THIRTY-FOUR
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 27
11:00 A.M.
Michener entered the Vatican through St. Peter's Square, following a throng of visitors who'd just streamed off buses. He'd vacated his apartment in the Apostolic Palace ten days ago, just before Clement XV's funeral. He was still credentialed with a security pass but, after tending to this last administrative matter, his duties to the Holy See would officially end.
Cardinal Ngovi had asked him to stay in Rome until the conclave convened. He'd even suggested that he join his staff at the Congregation for Catholic Education, but could not promise a position past the conclave. Ngovi's Vatican assignment ended with Clement's death as well, and the camerlengo had already said that if Valendrea achieved the papacy he would return to Africa.
Clement's funeral had been a simple affair, held outdoors in front of the restored exterior of St. Peter's Basilica. A million people had crowded the piazza, the flame of a single candle beside the coffin battered by a steady breeze. Michener had not sat with the princes of the Church, where he might have been if things had developed differently. Instead he took his place among the staff who had served their pope faithfully for thirty-four months. More than a hundred heads of state had attended, the entire ceremony transmitted live by television and radio around the world.
Ngovi did not preside. Instead, he delegated the speaking assignments to other cardinals. A shrewd move, actually, one that would surely endear the chosen men to the camerlengo. Maybe not enough to guarantee a conclave vote, but certainly enough to cultivate a willing listener.
Not surprisingly, none of the assignments went to Valendrea, and justifying that omission was easy. The secretary of state focused on the Holy See's foreign relations during the interregnum. All his attention was on external matters, the task of praising Clement and bidding the pontiff farewell traditionally left to others. Valendrea had taken his duty to heart and been a fixture in the press over the past two weeks, interviewed by every major news organization in the world, the Tuscan's words sparse and carefully chosen.
When the ceremony ended, twelve pallbearers bore the coffin through the Door of Death and down into the grotto. The sarcophagus, hastily readied by stonemasons, bore an image of Clement II, the eleventh-century German pope Jakob Volkner had so admired, along with Clement XV's papal emblem. The grave site was near John XXIII's, something else Clement would have liked. There he was entombed with 148 of his brethren.
"Colin."
His name being called out caught his attention and he stopped. Katerina was making her way across the piazza. He'd not seen her since Bucharest, nearly three weeks ago.
"You're back in Rome?" he asked.
She was dressed in a different style. Chinos, chocolate-brown lamb-suede shirt, and houndstooth jacket. A bit more trendy than he recalled her tastes, but attractive.
"I never left."
"You came here from Bucharest?"
She nodded. Her ebony hair was worked by the wind and she brushed the strands from her face. "I was on my way to leave when I learned about Clement. So I stayed on."
"What have you been doing?"
"Grabbed a couple of freelance jobs to cover the funeral."
"I saw Kealy on CNN." The priest had been a regular the past week, offering slanted insights into the coming conclave.
"I did, too. But I haven't seen Tom since the day after Clement died. You were right. I can do better."
"You did the right thing. I've been listening to that fool on television. He's got an opinion on everything, and most of them are wrong."
"Maybe CNN should have hired you?"
He chuckled. "Just what I need."
"What are you going to do, Colin?"
"I'm here to tell Cardinal Ngovi that I'm headed back to Romania."
"To see Father Tibor again?"
"You don't know?"
A puzzled look came to her face. He told her about Tibor's murder.
"That poor man. He didn't deserve that. And those children. He was all they had."
"Exactly why I'm going. You were right. It's time I do something."
"You seem happy about the decision."
He glanced around the square at a place he'd once strolled with the impunity of the papal secretary. Now he felt like a stranger. "It's time to move on."
"No more ivory towers?"
"Not in my future. That orphanage in Zlatna is going to be home for a while."
She shifted on her feet. "We've come a long way. No arguments. No anger. Finally, friends."
"Just don't make the same mistakes twice. That's all any of us can hope for." And he saw that she agreed. He was glad they'd run into each other again. But Ngovi was waiting. "Take care, Kate."
"You, too, Colin."
And he walked away, fighting hard the urge to glance back one last time.
He found Ngovi in his office at the Congregation for Catholic Education. The outer warren of rooms bustled with activity. With the conclave starting tomorrow, there seemed a push to get everything finished.
"I actually believe we're ready," Ngovi told him.
The door was closed and the staff had been instructed not to disturb them. Michener was expecting another job pitch, since Ngovi was the one who'd called for the meeting.
"I waited until now to speak with you, Colin. Tomorrow I'll be locked away in the Sistine." Ngovi straightened in the chair. "I want you to go to Bosnia."
The request surprised him. "For what? You and I
both agreed the whole thing was ridiculous."
"The matter disturbs me. Clement was intent on something, and I want to carry out his wishes. That's the duty of any camerlengo. He wanted to learn the tenth secret. So do I."
He hadn't mentioned to Ngovi Clement's final e-mail message. So he reached into his pocket and found the copy. "You need to read this."
The cardinal slipped on a pair of spectacles and studied the message.
"He sent that just before midnight on that Sunday. Maurice, he was delusional. If I go traipsing around Bosnia, we're going to do nothing but draw attention. Why don't we let it lie?"
Ngovi removed his glasses. "I want you to go now more than ever."
"You sound like Jakob. What's gotten into you?"
"I don't know. I just know that this was important to him, and we should finish what he wanted. This new information about Valendrea removing part of the third secret makes it vital that we investigate."
He remained unconvinced. "So far, Maurice, there's been no issue raised over Clement's death. You want to take that chance?"
"I've considered that. But I doubt the press will be interested in what you're doing. The conclave will consume their attention. So I want you to go. You still have his letter to the seer?"
He nodded.
"I'll give you one with my signature. That should be enough."
He told Ngovi what he intended to do in Romania. "Can't somebody else handle this?"
Ngovi shook his head. "You know the answer to that."
He could tell that Ngovi was more apprehensive than usual.
"There's something else you need to know, Colin." Ngovi motioned to the e-mail. "It bears on this. You told me that Valendrea went into the Riserva with the pope. I checked. The records confirm their visit on the Friday night before Clement died. What you don't know is that Valendrea left the Vatican Saturday evening. The trip was unscheduled. In fact, he canceled all appointments to make the time. He was gone till early Sunday morning."