The Doomsday Conspiracy (30 page)

"No. You either agree to pay me what I want now or-" Pier looked up and saw Robert approaching the office.

"Hurry! Yes or no?"

"Very well, signora. Yes. We agree to pay you...." Robert came through the door, moving toward her. Pier said into the telephone, "We should be there in time for dinner, Mama. You will like him. He is very nice. Good. We will see you later. Ciao." Pier replaced the receiver and turned to Robert. Page 186

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"Mother is dying to meet you."

* At Interpol headquarters, the senior official said, "Did you trace the call?"

"Yes. It came from a filling station on the Autostrada del Sole. It looks like they're on their way to Naples." Colonel Francesco Cesar and Colonel Frank Johnson were studying a map on the wall of Cesar's office.

"Naples is a big city," Colonel Cesar was saying.

"There are a thousand places for him to hide there."

"What about the woman?"

"We have no idea who she is."

"Why don't we find out?"

Johnson asked. Cesar looked at him, puzzled.

"How?"

"If Bellamy needed a woman companion in a hurry, as a cover, what would he do?"

"He would probably pick up a whore."

"Right. Where do we start?"

"Tor di Ounto."

They drove down the Passeggiata Archeologica and watched the streetwalkers peddling their wares. In the car with Colonel Cesar and Colonel Johnson was Captain Bellini, the police supervisor of the district.

"This is not going to be easy," Bellini said.

"They're all in competition with one another, but when it comes to the police, they're like blood sisters. They won't talk."

"We'll see," Colonel Johnson said.

Bellini ordered the driver to pull over to the curb, and the three men got out of the car. The prostitutes were eyeing them warily. Bellini walked up to one of the women.

"Good afternoon, Maria.

How's business?"

"It will be better when you leave."

"We're not planning to stay. I just want to ask you a question. We're looking for an American who picked up one of the girls last night. We think they are traveling together. We want to know who she is. Can you help us?"

He showed her a photograph of Robert. Several other prostitutes had gathered around to listen to the conversation.

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"I can't help you," Maria said, "but I know someone who can." Bellini nodded approvingly.

"Good. Who?"

Maria pointed to a storefront across the street. A sign in the window read: Fortune-teller-Palm Reader.

"Madam Lucia might help you."

The girls laughed appreciatively.

Captain Bellini looked at them and said, "So you like jokes, do you?

Well, we're going to play a little joke I think you're going to love. These two gentlemen are very eager to have the name of the girl who went off with the American. If you don't know who she is, I suggest you talk to your friends, find someone who does know, and when you have the answer, give me a call."

"Why should we?"

one of them asked defiantly.

"You'll find out."

One hour later, the prostitutes of Rome found themselves under siege. Patrol wagons swept the city, picking up all the women working the streets and their pimps. There were screams of protest.

"You can't do this.... I pay police protection."

"This has been my beat for five years. ..."

"I've been giving it to you and your friends for free. Where's your gratitude?..."

"What do I pay you protection for?..." By the following day, the streets were virtually empty of prostitutes, and the jails were full. Cesar and Colonel Johnson were sitting in Captain Bellini's office.

"It's going to be difficult to keep them in jail," Captain Bellini warned.

"I might also add that this is very bad for tourism."

"Don't worry," Colonel Johnson said, "someone will talk. Just keep the pressure on."

Their break came late in the afternoon. Captain Bellini's secretary said, ~~~~~~~~5 a Mr. Lorenzo to see you."

"Send him in."

Mr. Lorenzo was dressed in a very expensive suit and wore diamond rings on three fingers. Mr. Lorenzo was a pimp.

"What can I do for you?"

Bellini asked. Lorenzo smiled.

"It's what I can do for you, gentlemen. Some of my associates inform me Page 188

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that you are looking for a particular working girl who left town with an American, and since we are always eager to cooperate with the authorities, I thought I would give you her name." Colonel Johnson said, "Who is she?"

Lorenzo ignored the question.

"Naturally, I'm sure you would want to express your appreciation by releasing my associates and their f:friends." Colonel Cesar said, "We are not interested in any of your whores. All we want is the name of the girl."

"That is very gratifying news, sir. It's always a pleasure to deal with reasonable men. I know that-"

"Her name, Lorenzo."

"Yes, of course. Her name is Pier. Pier Valli. The American spent the night with her at the L'Incrocio Hotel, and the next morning they took off. She is not one of my girls. If I may say so-" Bellini was already on the telephone.

"Bring up the records on a Pier Valli. Subito!"

"I hope you gentlemen are going to show your gratitude by-" Bellini looked up, and then said into the phone, "And cancel Operation Puttana." Lorenzo beamed.

"Grazie."

Pier Valli's records were on Bellini's desk five minutes later.

"She started streetwalking when she was fifteen. She has been arrested a dozen times since then. She-"

"Where does she come from?"

Colonel Johnson interrupted.

"Naples." The two men looked at each other.

"She has a mother and brother living there."

"Can you find out where?"

"I can check it out."

"Do that. Now."

They were approaching the suburbs of Naples. Old apartment houses lined the narrow streets, with laundry hanging out of almost every window, making the buildings look like concrete mountains flying colorful flags. Pier asked, "Have you ever been to Naples?"

"Once." Robert's voice was tight. Susan was sitting beside him, giggling. I heard Naples is a wicked city. Can we do a lot of wicked things here, darling?

We're going to invent some new things, Robert promised. Page 189

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Pier was watching him.

"Are you all right?"

Robert brought his mind back to the present.

"I'm fine."

They were driving along bay harbor, formed by the Castel dell'Ovo, the old abandoned castle near the water.

When they arrived at Via Toledo, Pier said, excitedly, "Turn here." They were approaching Spaccanapoli, the old section of Naples. Pier said, "It's just up ahead. Turn left onto Via Benedetto Croce." Robert made the turn. The traffic here was heavier, and the noise of horns deafening. He had forgotten how noisy Naples could be. He slowed the car down to avoid hitting the pedestrians and dogs that ran in front of the car as if they were blessed with some kind of immortality.

"Turn right here," Pier directed, "into Piazza del Plebiscito." The traffic was even worse here, and the neighborhood more run down.

"Stop!" Pier cried out.

Robert pulled over to the curb. They had stopped in front of a row of seedy shops.

Robert glanced around.

"This is where your mother lives?"

"No," Pier said.

"Of course not." She leaned over and pressed the horn. A moment later, a young woman came out of one of the shops. Pier got out of the car and raced to greet her. They hugged each other.

"You look wonderful!" the woman exclaimed.

"You must be doing very well."

"I am." Pier held out her wrist.

"Look at my new bracelet!"

"Are those real emeralds?"

"Of course they are real."

The woman yelled at someone inside the store.

"Anna! Come on out.

Look who is here!"

Robert was watching the scene, unbelievingly.

"Pier-"

"In a minute, darling," she said.

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"I have to say hello to my friends."

Within minutes half a dozen women were clustered around Pier, admiring her bracelet, while Robert sat there helplessly, gritting his teeth.

"He is crazy about me," Pier announced. She turned to Robert.

"Aren't you, caro?"

Robert wanted to strangle her, but there was nothing he could do.

"Yes," he said.

"Can we go now, Pier?"

"In a minute."

"Now!" Robert said.

"Oh, very well." Pier turned to the women.

"We must leave now.

We have an important appointment. Ciao!"

"Ciao!"

Pier got into the car beside Robert, and the women stood there watching them drive away.

Pier said happily, "They are all old friends."

"Wonderful. Where's your mother's house?"

"Oh, she ~~~5~~~ live in the ~~~y~)) "What?"

"She lives outside of town in a little farmhouse, half an hour from here."

The farmhouse was on the southern outskirts of Naples, an old stone building set off fi:from the road.

"There it is!" Pier exclaimed. 'isn't it beautiful?"

"Yes." Robert liked the fact that the house was away from the center of town. There would be no reason for anyone to come looking for him here. Pier was right. It's a perfect safe house.

They walked up to the flont door, and before they reached it, the door flew open and Pier's mother stood there smiling at them. She was an older version of her daughter, thin and gray-haired, with a lined, careworn face.

"Pier, cara! Mi sei mancata!"

"I've missed you too, Mama. This is the friend I telephoned you about that I was bringing home."

Mama did not miss a beat.

"Ah? Si, you are welcome Mr.-?"

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"Jones," Robert said.

"Come in, come in."

They entered the living room. It was a large room comfortable and homey, crammed with furniture.

A boy in his early twenties entered the room. He was short and dark, with a thin, sullen face and brooding brown eyes. He wore jeans and a jacket with the name Diavoli Rossi sewn on it. His face lit up when he saw his sister.

"Pier!"

"Hello, Carlo." They hugged.

"What are you doing here?"

"We came to visit for a few days." She turned to Robert.

"This is my brother, Carlo. Carlo, this is Mr. Jones."

"Hello, Carlo."

Carlo was sizing Robert up.

"Hello." Mama said, "I will fix a nice bedroom for you two lovebirds in the back."

Robert said, "If you don't mind-that is, if you have an extra bedroom, I'd prefer a room to myself."

There was an awkward pause. The three of them were staring at Robert. Mama turned to Pier.

"Omosessuale?"

Pier shrugged. I don't know.

But she was sure he was not a homosexual. Mama looked at Robert.

"As you wish." She hugged Pier again.

"I'm so happy to see you. Come into the kitchen. I will make some coffee for us."

In the kitchen, Mama exclaimed, "Benissimo! How did you meet him? He looks very rich. And that bracelet you are wearing. It must have cost a fortune. My goodness!

Tonight I will cook a big dinner. I will invite all the neighbors so they can meet your-"

"No, Mama. You must not do that."

"But cara, why should we not spread the news of your good luck?

All our friends will be so pleased."

"Mama, Mr. Jones just wants to rest for a few days. No party. No neighbors." Mama sighed.

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"All right. Whatever you wish." I'll arrange for him to be picked up away from the house, so Mama will not be disturbed. Carlo had noticed the bracelet, too.

"That bracelet. Those are real emeralds, huh? Did you buy that for my sister?"

There was an attitude about the boy that Robert did not like.

"Ask her." Pier and Mama came out of the kitchen. Mama looked at Robert.

"You are sure you do not want to sleep with Pier?" Robert was embarrassed.

"Thank you. No." Pier said, "I'll show you your bedroom." She led him toward the back of the house to a large, comfortable bedroom with a double bed in the middle of the room.

"Robert, are you afraid of what Mama might think if we slept together?

She knows what I do."

"It's not that," Robert said.

"It's-" There was no way he could explain.

"I'm sorry, I-" Pier's voice was cold.

"Never mind." She felt unreasonably offended. Twice now he had refused to sleep with her. It serves him right that I am turning him over to the police, she thought. And yet she felt a small, nagging sense of guilt. He was really very nice. But fifty thousand dollars was fifty thousand dollars.

* * * At dinner Mama was talkative, but Pier and Robert and Carlo were silent and preoccupied. Robert was busily working out his plan of escape. Tomorrow, he thought, I'll go down to the docks and find a ship out of here. Pier was thinking about the phone call she was planning to make. I'll call from town, so the police cannot trace it here. Carlo was studying the stranger his sister had brought to the house. He should be an easy make.

When dinner was over, the two women went into the kitchen. Robert was alone with Carlo.

"You're the first man my sister has ever brought here," Carlo said.

"She must like you a lot."

"I like her a lot."

"Do you? Are you going to take care of her?"

"I think your sister can take care of herself." Carlo smirked.

"Yeah. I know." The stranger seated across from him was well dressed and obviously rich. Why was he staying here when he could have stayed at some fancy hotel? The only reason Carlo could think of was that the man was in hiding. And that brought up an interesting point. When a Page 193