"I can't understand why you would have told Dov where the document is hidden after all these years of silence."
"I suppose you'd have to be a Jew to understand."
Jack blinked several times. "I don't grasp your answer."
"The Jewish people have suffered such persecution that they have a right to have a break now and then. I believed Dov Sharon to be such a person, and I knew he would handle the information well."
"But he told me," Jack said. "Wouldn't that validate your passing the same information on to me?"
"I can't answer you today," Donnello said. "I will have to give this considerable thought. I suppose I must measure your intentions carefully."
"I understand. Just remember that Dov considered me to be his brother."
46
The afternoon sun drifted through the locked front window and the lacy curtains, throwing light across the Townsends' living room. Detective Alfredo Pino paced nervously back and forth across their living room. Father Don Blake sat passively in a chair across from Michelle. Pino's constant fidgeting and sighing made her nervous, but she tried not to overreact.
"Really, detective," Michelle said. "My husband will be home shortly. He only had to make a trip to the Vatican Library. We don't have any problems to fret over today."
"No problems!" Pino exclaimed. "For people who've been nearly blown to Sicily, you have no problems? If so, I don't know what a problem is!"
"Come now, Alfredo," the priest said. "There's no need to go into orbit."
"But she said he'd be back thirty minutes ago," the detective protested and pointed at Michelle. "I don't see him."
"That was a figure of speech," Michelle said. "If nothing else, the traffic can slow anybody down."
"Our friend detective Pino tends to get a little nervous on occasion," Father Blake said. "Personally, I don't think any of us are in a great hurry."
"Oh, really?" Pino barked. "I have important business elsewhere. Let's be frank. I'm going to have to get on my way if Dr. Townsend doesn't show up quickly."
"He's coming any moment," Michelle protested. "I know he's interested in talking with you."
A knock sounded from the front door.
"Let me see who's here," Michelle said and walked toward the door. She peered through the peephole. "My goodness, it's Guido Valentino." She swung the door open.
"Buonasera," Guido said. "I see you have company."
"Come in. We're waiting for Jack to return. He should be here any moment."
Guido walked in. "Ah, Father Blake. How are you?
"Fine. Yes, I'm fine. I believe you know Detective Pino?"
Guido bowed politely. "We've met several times while walking around the wreckage of the old offices after the bombing. Yes, good to see you sir."
Pino nodded politely with a hint of being put upon.
The back door of the apartment burst open. "I'm home," Jack called out through the kitchen.
"Here he is," Michelle said. "I knew Jack would be here any second."
Jack walked into the living room. "Well, to what do I owe the honor of a visit from my American chaplain and the Italian champion of justice both at the same moment?"
"We have matters to discuss," Detective Pino responded icily. "Perhaps, we should retire to a more secluded room?"
"Guido is privy to everything we're about," Jack said. "He was driving the car when the chase began that sent us running for cover in the ancient Roman ruins. Signor Pino, you can talk freely in front of Guido."
Pino looked as if he didn't appreciate the situation, but would have to accept it. Looking "put upon" seemed to be his forte.
"Jack, I can leave," Father Blake said.
"Heavens no!" Michelle said. "You were the one who got me to the hospital and have been with us all the way. You're fine, Father. Stay put."
Pino pulled out his small notebook and began writing. "OK, I am noting that we are talking with a larger group in a conversation that has been approved by the Townsends." He made quick flourishes across the page. "Please everyone sit down."
Michelle watched the men take a seat in the crowded small living room. Probably this conversation would only be routine, but she hoped Pino had come up with something new.
"We are still attempting to make sense out of the bombing and the two attempts that have been made on your lives," Pino said. "We have two strong suspects. Dr. Albert Stein is one. Then, we have the terrorist group called The Scorpion." He paused and looked at Jack. "I hate to mention it, but you suggested that the Vatican might have some involvement."
"I'm late because I've been exploring the possibilities in that accusation," Jack said. "I've been checking out the possibilities, and this morning I made inquiries. In my opinion, you can cross the Vatican off of your list.
For the first time, Alfredo Pino looked relieved. "Excellent! You are not a detective, Dr. Townsend, but I am going to accept your word on this matter. Running down that alley could have turned into a riot. Don't worry. I'm dropping the Vatican from my list immediately." He made a quick notation.
"As I was saying," Pino continued. "We've got this strange fellow named Albert Stein. Problem is he's disappeared, and we don't know where he's hiding. I say hiding because he appears to have simply vanished and that isn't natural. I'm sure he's somewhere around Rome slithering around among our 3 million people. We simply haven't been able to nail down where the man is holed up."
"Stein is one troubling entity," Jack said. "He's been on my back for a long time. Of course, he's got the financial resources to cover his tracks because his family owns the Stein Motor Company in the outskirts of Berlin."
"Stein Motors?" Pino stiffened. "You didn't tell me that earlier."
"I guess I overlooked that detail. My mind's been somewhat wobbly since the explosion." Jack massaged his forehead. "Afraid I'm still trying to get everything back in order. Since the concussion I forget things."
Pino kept scribbling. "Stein Motors should make it much easier. We'll check out that angle."
"What's your next issue?" Father Blake ask.
"We still think the terrorist group that hit the subways and the Ciampino Airport could be behind your problems," Pino continued. "As strange as it sounds, they seem to hate Americans enough to blow up your offices. If they're instigators in this chaos, they probably won't quit until they've hit you hard again. Trouble is that we're still running down their identity."
Father Blake gave Jack a telling glance.
"Exactly what does that mean, Signor Pino?" Michelle asked.
"You're far from off the hook," the detective said. "We keep your apartment and the church under surveillance and will continue to do so. However, that doesn't mean these people have retreated one inch. They are a vicious group of hatchet men. We don't how large their group is, but they could be many men."
"I think we've got that picture," Jack said. "We still have the weapons that Father Blake gave us, and the guns offer some assurance."
"They're also fine Christian people," the priest quickly added. "The Townsends depend on the hand of Almighty Providence to hover above them. God is the true source of their strength, but a little help on the side doesn't hurt anything."
Alfredo Pino didn't say anything, but gave them an askance look.
"I can assure you that we've done nothing to attract these attacks," Michelle said. "We're keeping our heads down for sure."
"We've been over this before," Pino said. "My strongest advice remains to continue on that secluded path. You have my card. If anything comes up pertaining to these attacks or attackers, please call me at once."
"We will," Michelle said.
"I'll be going now." The detective closed his notebook. "My best to all. I can let myself out." With a slam of the door, he was gone.
"Alfredo is interesting," Father Blake said. "But I think he watched one too many American detective movies. When he gets nervous, it generally is a sign that he's not sure where the train is going. I think this latest attack at the airpo
rt really flipped Pino and his men. Everybody from the army to the prime minister is in a tizzy over that one." He picked up his hat. "I'll be going too. Don't worry, my friends. Everybody's hard at work on this situation."
Michelle opened the front door. "Thanks for coming. Keep us in your prayers."
"Keep those guns close at hand." Don Blake smiled, nodded, and was gone.
Michelle listened to his footsteps disappearing down the stairs and then shut the door.
"Everyone seems to be interested in us this morning," Jack said. "Not exactly the notoriety that I was hoping for. I liked that first article by Mario Corsini in the Il Messaggero much better. I think the reason for Pino's visit was to pick up any clues he might have missed earlier. Apparently, my tidbit about Stein Motors pressed one of his button. We'll see."
Michelle sat down. "Guys, what's our next step?"
"I came this morning because I strongly believe we must keep moving," Guido said. "Matters are coming to a head. If anybody has been getting inside information on your work, they already know of my involvement. I believe we must move and act quickly. I would suggest that we finish the job tonight."
"Tonight?" Michelle exclaimed. "You're serious?"
"I am. Jack's clarified where the Vatican is so we can discount men in clerical collars with machine guns. That's important because of where I want to take you. In my opinion, I believe we ought to move immediately."
Jack grinned. "I can't possibly tell you how ready I am to go, but we've got the problem of police surrounding this building. They'll see us coming out."
"That's why I think we need to move at night," Guido said. "Once the cover of darkness falls, we'll be able to travel easier and shake off surveillance. This time I won't pull up in the alley. We're going to take a different route."
47
Michelle pushed their apartment door open with her foot. Backing in, she laid the large shopping bag on the couch. After removing her coat, she kicked off her shoes.
"Is that you?" Jack called from the bedroom.
"I'm home," Michelle said. "I think I got everything we need."
"Great." Jack strolled in. "You found two black overcoats in our sizes?"
"I did. Found them in a used clothing store over on Via della Navicella. Both look worn and on the dirty side. I think that's what Guido would go for." She dumped the plastic bag on the table. "What do you think?"
Jack held up the shabby overcoat. "Looks straight out of the costume department for The Grapes of Wrath. Yeah, they'll work."
"Shadows are beginning to fall," Michelle said. "I think we need to get ready to move as soon as it is dark."
Jack looked at his watch. "The afternoon is gone. Our evening rendezvous with Guido will come up quickly."
"He wanted me to put on pants and pull my hair up so we'd look like two guys walking down the street. I'll get ready."
Jack followed her into the bedroom. "Do you think the police followed you?"
"No question about it. These cops are about as clever as a truckload of snails. I spotted the first cop immediately after I left the front door. The second one hopped on the subway, and I saw him hiding behind a column as well as tailing me in the department store. I know they were trying to offer protection, but any crook chasing me would have seen the surveillance if he had half an eye."
"Those are the people we have to shake tonight," Jack said. "Guido's instructions surprised me, but I see the wisdom in his idea. They won't be looking for two men." Jack shrugged. "I still struggle to believe Guido's real name is Jonas De Lateran. After all this time of research and investigation, our answer was sitting right here waiting to fall in our lap."
Michelle shook her head. "Truly amazing. And the fact is that Jonas is such a good person. I am left with nothing but astonishment. My prayer is that tonight we'll make the big breakthrough." She paused. "Getting a little stuffy in here? I'm feeling warm. Could you open the window and let a little fresh air in?"
"Sure." Jack swung the bedroom window wide open and gentle coolness drifted in. "It's a little brisk. After all, November in the United States would be quite cold today."
"Could be here," Michelle said. "But remember a nice wind from the Mediterranean Sea keeps Rome much warmer."
"Sure can."
She nodded. "Once I get my hair pulled up on top of my head, I'll be ready to start the transformation into looking like a guy. Thankfully it's only wearing a pair of pants under the overcoat."
Jack sat down on the bed. "This entire scenario from the moment Father Raffello was found dead in the grass has been as bad as it gets. We've been running down tunnels and through church crypts ever since. I am tired of the nonsense."
"Exactly," Michelle said. "If we didn't have such a significant project, I'd be packing it up and moving back to the USA." She slipped on a pair of black slacks and put her feet into a pair of Nike walking shoes. "OK. What's our plan of attack tonight?"
"We'll go out the back door of our apartment building wearing these overcoats and men's hats. Guido suggested we walk toward the opposite end of the alley as we never go that way. Often there's not even one cop at the front end of the alley. If we walk in the shadows, we should be able to get out the opposite end without the police noticing."
Michelle pulled her hair up behind her head and began pinning it in place. "I suppose Guido will wait for us if we run into any delays."
"Sure. But if something happens that we get separated, don't stop and wait for me. Keep moving and get on the subway. We're heading for Piazza di San Giovanni station and the church outside. Understand?"
Michelle shrugged. "Certainly, but I'm not worried about separation. We'll both walk into that metro station together."
"I trust so." Jack put on the black topcoat. "Doesn't smell too great, does it?"
"Hey, this is used bargain-basement stuff. It doesn't come with any guarantees." She reached into the sack and took out a narrow-brimmed men's hat. "Do I look like Kid Rock? Same kind of hat, you know."
Jack snickered. "Doesn't exactly propel you into a men's dress review, but it will do."
"Should we put the shoulder hostlers on? I'm not crazy about wearing a gun, but of course, it saved my life when we were attacked in the church. I keep on struggling with ambivalence."
"I think we better," Jack said. "Father Blake's big on weapons. If a man of the cloth keeps encouraging us, I think we should."
"Doesn't make sense that a clergyman would be urging us to be armed," Michelle said. "Usually they oppose all forms of violence."
Jack shrugged. "The Catholic Church encouraged the Crusades, which were about as brutal as you get. Blake might be from that school of thought."
Michelle picked up the shoulder holster. "OK, I'll put it on just in case." She slipped her arms through the straps. "OK, I'm ready."
Jack took her hand. "Out the back door will do just fine." He led her across the living room toward the kitchen. "We're on our way." Jack pulled her closer. " If there was anything I could do to change this situation, I'd do it. I know you're afraid to walk down that dark alley. Fear always remains a highly personal matter for you."
Michelle took a deep breath. "You're right about how personal the journey is. I suppose one of the values of this entire frightening experience has been the growth it has instilled in me. I never thought of myself as being weak, but struggle has made me much stronger. I'm grateful for the progress."
"Score one for our team," Jack said.
"Sometimes I wonder why we're jumping through all these flaming hoops that could devour us when we only want to translate old Bible manuscripts. Got to be a better way to earn a living. Why are we on such a difficult path?"
"It all started back at Tübingen when we were in graduate school. Remember? We dedicated ourselves to help sort out the confusion that permeated the lives of so many students. We wanted to be part of a work that made a permanent difference in the world. We committed ourselves to pursuing the highest purposes that God had for the w
orld. That's what started us down a path that has ended up with this hunt for the authentic ending to Mark's Gospel."
"I guess so," Michelle said.
Jack squeezed her hand. "But it's always that way, my dear. In this world, we have nothing but turmoil. The mere fact that we are doing something worthwhile makes us a target for evil."
"How is it that working on a project that was nothing but good would have lent itself to so much bad? The harder we work at accomplishing a positive result, the more of a struggle we encounter."
Jack kissed her. "But it's always that way, my dear. In this world, we have nothing but tribulation. Remember that little verse in John 16, promising struggle. The mere fact that we are doing something worthwhile makes us a target for evil. When the job is monumental, like biblical work always is, we're only a larger target to shoot at. I think so many terrible things have happened because we're pursuing a goal of supreme value. The bill has been terribly costly because evil repays the value of the good deed with an equal amount of pain."
"The cost has exceeded anything that I could have ever imagined," Michelle said. "Never would I have anticipated such a price. You're sneaking out for artichokes at Dar Poeta without telling me turns out to be absolutely and totally nothing."
"You know that I love watching people walk by because it reminds me that we are all in the same boat. Occasionally I imagine what the strollers must be confronting because none of us is exempt from strife. Often the struggle is registered on the person's face walking by. You can see conflict in the lines around their eyes, their drooping mouths, or foreheads creased with deep wrinkles. I watch them emotionally limp by and know that there are splinters driven into their feet. They've all been stung and have to keep on trudging, not unlike Dov and his family once did. We're all in the same war together. Some of us are trying to climb the mountain; others attempt to push the climbers off the mountain. The truth is that being righteous doesn't exempt us from battles with detractors. In our case, the adversaries are deadly."
Michelle sighed. "Deadly indeed."
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