Chapter 22
FRIDAY MORNING
I drove back to the villa at just before eight-thirty next morning to find the car park still full of police vehicles, and a bleary-eyed Sergeant Dini standing by the door.
She gave me a little smile and a wave when she saw me, and Oscar galloped over to say hello.
I followed more slowly and could immediately tell from the expression on her face that the master plan had failed to trap the killer.
I glanced around, but there was nobody nearby.
‘No success?’
She shook her head and replied in little more than a whisper.
‘The commissario and the inspector hatched a plan with Vincent Archer, effectively using him as bait in order to encourage the killer to try again. The plan was that Archer would be sitting on his own on the terrace after dinner with half a dozen officers hidden around and about, and another half-dozen officers positioned close by the location where you found the pistol. Archer did well, staying out there until almost midnight, but no attempt was made on his life. He finally went to bed and we had people stationed all around his room, waiting for the killer to put in an appearance, but, no, nothing.’ She ran a weary hand across her eyes.
‘I don’t think any of us have had more than an hour or two of sleep all night, and all for nothing.
The spot where you found the weapon hasn’t been touched. ’
I gave her what I hoped might look like an encouraging smile.
‘Such is life. Do you still have officers guarding the location where Oscar found the gun?’ She nodded and I went on.
‘Then I would think the time has come to drop some dynamite into the pool and see which fish float to the surface.’ In answer to her questioning look, I pointed inside.
‘I think we should go and have a talk to Marco and Virgilio. Let’s see if they’ve come up with some bright ideas. ’
We went inside and both of us followed Oscar to the small lounge.
He knew his way around the villa by now.
In there, with half a dozen empty coffee cups on the table in front of them, were Virgilio and Marco.
The atmosphere was decidedly subdued. While Oscar set about trying to cheer the two men up, I sat down opposite them, with Diana Dini alongside me.
Virgilio looked across at me and gave me a weary wave.
‘Ciao, Dan. I’m afraid it didn’t work.’
I gave him a sympathetic smile in return. ‘Yes, Sergeant Dini has just been telling me. Any good news? Have Forensics got anything from the bag or the weapon?’
His expression became even gloomier. ‘Nothing whatsoever. The perpetrator had obviously been wearing gloves, even when loading the weapon. Everything was wiped clean.’
‘What about the tools in the greenhouse? Any joy there?’
‘They’re working on them now. We should hear pretty soon.’
‘Any word from Spain about Emilia Cortez, or from the security services about the Shabah character?’ They shook their heads, so I carried on. ‘So what’s your next move going to be?’
Neither man answered immediately and the sergeant spoke up. ‘Dan says he thinks it’s time to throw some dynamite into the pool to disturb the fish.’
Marco looked up with interest. ‘Care to elaborate, Dan?’
All the way here, I’d been thinking about this.
I’d felt quite sure that if the plan had worked and an arrest had been made, either he or Virgilio would have called me to pass on the good news.
Having heard nothing, I had assumed the worst and had been turning the remaining options over in my head – and there weren’t many of them.
‘Would I be right in thinking that unless you can make an arrest in the next few hours, you’re going to have to release the suspects and see most, if not all, of them leave the country?’ Both men nodded glumly, so I pressed on. ‘Then you don’t have much choice, really. All you can do is bluff.’
Marco was still looking interested. ‘Bluff? About what?’
‘About evidence. I have a suggestion, but that’s all it is.
This is your investigation, not mine, but here’s what I think.
Call everybody together – half of them are probably in the dining room having breakfast at this very moment – and announce that you’ve located the murder weapon, buried in the garden.
Tell them exactly where it was, so that the killer can be quite sure that you really have the weapon.
Then tell them that Forensics have taken it to the lab and they claim to have located traces of DNA.
Say that they’re working on this as you speak and explain carefully to everybody that this now means that one of them is definitely a killer, and his or her identity should be revealed within an hour or two.
In the meantime, tell the people here to all take care, make sure they avoid being alone with any one person, in case that might turn out to be the killer, and generally put the fear of God in them.
Hopefully, by doing this, the killer will think that the game is up and will be forced to make some kind of move. ’
Marco had been nodding along to my proposal and he looked keen. ‘What sort of move do you think the killer would make?’
‘I suppose it’s just possible – but unlikely – that now that the plastic gun is no longer available and the weapons cupboard has been cleared, the perpetrator will head for a knife or some other weapon and try to fight their way out, but, more probably, I imagine they’ll try to sneak away or make a break for it and escape.
I think I counted six or seven police vehicles outside.
Send three or four of them away so as to make the perpetrator think that escape might be a realistic prospect.
Keep a few officers in the villa – station one in the kitchen in case the killer comes looking for a knife – and tell the others to conceal themselves around the perimeter, particularly where there’s a building or a tree close to the wall that could allow somebody to climb up and over.
’ I looked across at the two of them. ‘It’s not perfect, but it’s just about all we’ve got. ’
Marco turned towards Virgilio. ‘What do you think, Commissario? Can you come up with a better plan?’
Virgilio sat immobile for a few moments before looking up and nodding.
‘Dan’s right. In the absence of any tangible evidence, trying to fool the perpetrator into taking action is all we can do.
’ He glanced at his watch. ‘It’s just gone eight-thirty.
Get hold of Eddie Smith and get him to collect everybody into the dining room at nine o’clock.
Tell him that I want to make an important announcement about a breakthrough in the inquiry.
In the meantime, send three of the cars away with just one officer in each.
That should leave us with eight officers still here – two to stay here inside the villa, while the others do their best to cover any potential escape routes over the wall or through the gate.
’ He looked across at me. ‘Thanks for the idea, Dan, let’s hope it works.
I’ve just had the questore himself on the phone, telling me in no uncertain terms to arrest somebody or to let the remaining suspects go. This is our last roll of the dice.’
I smiled back. ‘I hope it works, but, let’s face it, it relies on the murderer doing something stupid and, so far, whoever it is hasn’t put a foot out of place.’
While Marco and the sergeant went off to give orders, Rosina appeared with a tray to collect the empty coffee cups and to ask if we wanted more. We both accepted gratefully, although I had a feeling that what Virgilio really needed was a good night’s sleep rather than more caffeine in his system.
At nine o’clock, we went through to the dining room, and I counted eight heads around the table.
They were all here: Penelope, Emilia, Murray, O’Connell, Sinclair, Archer, Schneider and Eddie.
Most of them were looking understandably strained, and Eddie’s trademark grin was conspicuous by its absence. Virgilio didn’t waste any time.
‘Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. I’m pleased to report some positive news at long last.’
There was a distinct frisson of interest around the table, and Vincent Archer, in particular, allowed a glimmer of relief to appear on his face as Virgilio launched into our agreed charade.
‘My officers have managed to retrieve the murder weapon used to kill Tristan Angel in the duomo on Tuesday and for the attempted murder of Vincent Archer here yesterday afternoon. It’s the pistol missing from here and it was wrapped in a plastic bag and buried behind rosemary bushes at the top corner of the garden.
This has been taken to the forensic laboratory, where it’s currently undergoing tests, but I’ve just had a message from them to say that they have located some traces of DNA.
They are working on this now, so as to be able to compare the results with the DNA provided by you all that we have on file already.
From what they tell me, within an hour or so, they should be able to give me the name of the murderer in your midst.’
He laid extra emphasis on the last words of this sentence and paused to let the ramifications of his announcement sink in.
I was scanning the faces around the table very closely and it seemed to me that Liam O’Connell and Eddie Smith both looked not so much reassured as perturbed by the news.
Might this imply guilt? As for the others, it was hard to pick up any reaction.
I kept a careful eye on the two women but was unable to pin down any specific emotion on their faces, which, in fairness, were looking careworn already.
The only one to look enthusiastic at the news was Carl Sinclair.
A smile appeared on his face and he spoke up.
‘Hallelujah. Thank the Lord for that. What do you want us to do for the next hour until you get the results? Will we be able to leave as soon as you arrest whoever’s been doing these terrible things?’
Virgilio nodded. ‘You’re all free to do what you like for now, just don’t leave the villa or the grounds.
Yes, as soon as this affair is concluded and we’ve arrested the perpetrator, you will be free to leave.
I’m sorry you’ve had to be kept here, but it’s been a complicated investigation.
’ He turned towards me. ‘Have you anything to add, Dan?’
Keeping my expression serious, I ramped up the pressure a bit more.
‘Just a bit of advice, really. You must all realise by now that this means that somebody here is a brutal killer who has shown no hesitation about committing murder. Whoever it is has already killed twice and, but for some good fortune, Mr Archer would have been the third victim. My advice to you is, whatever you decide to do over this next hour or so, make sure you don’t allow yourself to end up in a one-to-one situation with anybody here.
Remember, there’s a murderer here and, with arrest looming, they could do something extreme.
Go to your room and lock yourself in or stay down here in a group of at least three or four people.
Don’t take any chances. The killer in your midst won’t hesitate to kill again. ’
This time, I read fear on several faces, most notably Penelope’s and Peter Schneider’s.
Liam O’Connell showed no reaction at all.
Alexander Murray had been sitting stony-faced, but now I thought I could spot emotion on his face as well.
It was hard for me to decide whether this was anxiety, guilt or something else, but at least it was a reaction.
Eddie was harder to read, studiously averting his eyes, while Emilia Cortez managed to produce a smile – not a broad smile, but a reasonable attempt.
‘Thank goodness we can soon go home. My nerves are destroyed, knowing that I’ve been living so close to a murderer.’ She shuddered. ‘All I want now is to get on an Air France plane and fly back to Paris.’
Virgilio acknowledged her intervention. ‘I’m sure you will all be pleased to leave… at least, all of you except the murderer.’