Page 106 of The Medici Return

He then handed over the document.

Ascolani took a moment and admired it. “What happened with the car?”

“It was burning when I left. Malone and the cardinal were inside, unconscious.”

“There is one more thing we must do,” Ascolani said. “Before your mission is complete.” The cardinal drew close. “There is a man. Eric Casaburi. He is the secretary for Italy’s National Freedom Party, a member of our parliament. His photograph will be easy to find. I want him eliminated.”

He nodded.

“Of course, additional payment will be promptly deposited to your account,” Ascolani went on, “for this added service.”

“How do I find him?”

“That will be the easy part. Head to Florence. I will get him there. Bring your toy. I will be in touch.”

And the cardinal walked off.

STEFANO WAS FILLED WITH CONFUSION.

Ascolani’s conversation was short and ended with the other man handing over what had to be the Pledge of Christ taken from Santa Maria di Castello. It was similar in size and shape to what he’d seen outside the church being held by either Malone or Richter. Ascolani accepted the document and headed off, exiting the campo by way of one of the many streets. The other man lingered a moment then walked off too, not coming anywhere near where Stefano was concealed. He should follow. But caution urged him against that.

He could not risk detection.

He was still waiting on Daniele’s contacts within the Siena police to report on any identification from the pictures he’d taken. He checked his phone one more time. No message on that subject yet. He had to do something. But what? Since he could not turn to anyone within the Curia, he decided that it was time to find someone outside that arena. Someone he could trust without question. Someone who was no friend of Ascolani’s. Only one name came to mind. The man who’d originally recruited him.

Charles Cardinal Stamm.

Ascolani’s grip within the Curia was massive, reaching into every department and all the way to the pope. No way for anyone to know friends from enemies. All of them, like good spies, would be acting, trying their best to play their parts to perfection, no one wanting to make Ascolani an enemy.

But Stamm?

He had a multitude of friends and enemies too. Number one enemy on the list? Ascolani. So he decided to follow the order given to him earlier and return to Rome.

And find Stamm.

CHAPTER 72

STEFANO HAD RETURNED TOROME.

But not to his rooms inside the rectory for the Archbasilica of the Most Holy Savior at the Lateran. Instead, he’d driven straight to Cardinal Stamm’s apartment, but found no one there. He had to be careful and not attract attention. Eyes and ears were everywhere, and he could not afford to alert Ascolani. He needed to get in contact with Stamm, but the number he’d once called was no longer functioning, and had not been since Stamm’s termination. Surely Entity headquarters had contact information, but he could not ask. Too risky. So he retreated to street level and called Entity headquarters to inform them that he was back in Rome and available.

Standard procedure.

He thought about the next step and decided to call a member of his rapid response team. The priest was not only a subordinate but also a friend who thought highly of Cardinal Stamm. Perhaps he might have contact information?

“Is there trouble?” he was asked.

“Not at all. I just need some institutional knowledge the cardinal should have. We were always encouraged to use that source, if need be.”

That explanation worked and he was given a cell phone number that was, to his subordinate’s knowledge, still current. He stared at the number on the screen. He was about to defy a direct order from his director. But there was no turning back now. Yet he was chilled by something Cardinal Stamm himself once told him, and few other recruits, the day they were all sworn into service.

“There once was a convent that existed in northern Italy. Up in the Dolomites. A beautiful place. But that region has always been dangerous, vulnerable, all of the villages intentionally built on easily defended hilltops. Sadly for the nuns, their convent sat on low ground. So they placed their safety in the hands of God, but they were not foolish. If raiders came they would ring an alarm bell that summoned armed men from the nearby village to come to their aid. One night the nuns decided to find out how much they could depend on the locals to protect them. So they rang the bell. The men up on the hill, safe inside the village walls, leaped from their beds, snatched up weapons, and scrambled down the slopes to battle nonexistent raiders. The nuns were pleased with the test. Their would-be rescuers not so much, having lost much-needed sleep. Three nights later raiders came for real. The nuns woke and rang the bell. The men of the village heard the clang but went back to sleep, tired of being tested. The raiders slaughtered the older nuns, then dragged away the others to sell as slaves. The lesson? Don’t ring the bell unless it’s for real.”

He typed a text.

Eminence, this is Father Stefano Giumenta. I am ringing the bell and sounding the alarm, like the nuns in the Dolomites. Below is a picture of a man. Do you know him?

He decided to keep the first contact simple, reminding Stamm of the story, sending the picture, and hoping for the best. Three minutes later a reply came.

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