Chapter 69
CHAPTER 69
S TEFANO WALKED WITH A SCOLANI OUT OF THE MONASTERY’S MAIN gate. The car that had just left was one moment speeding down the road, its headlights leading the way, and the next skidding out of control, then disappearing into the trees.
He heard bangs.
Headlights extinguished and darkness resumed control.
“We need to get down there,” he said.
“First, I want to know what happened here.”
“People could be hurt.”
“Father Giumenta, I have the situation under control.”
Which meant there were others here. He caught an edge in the voice. He’d pushed too far. “My apologies, Eminence.”
“Quite all right. Now let’s find the prior.”
They headed back through the gate and into the office.
“Wait out in the cloister for me,” Ascolani said.
Stefano exited, but managed a quick look back through one of the windows. Ascolani was tapping on his phone. He finished, pocketed the unit, and headed his way.
The klaxon had stopped and there were now more brothers up and about, moving in and out of the doors, the cloister alive with light. Ascolani led the way and they were told the prior was inside the church. There they found him with five other men, including a lay brother in a white cowl, along with a woman whom Stefano assumed to be Camilla Baines.
“It seems that one of our documents has been stolen,” the prior said.
“From the sixteenth century?” Ascolani asked. “Signed by Pope Julius II?”
The prior nodded. “Its significance?”
Ascolani shrugged. “We will have to ask the thieves that.”
“Apparently one of them was Cardinal Jason Richter,” the prior said. “What would he be doing here, stealing?”
“As I mentioned earlier,” Ascolani said, “this is Entity business.”
“That is not good enough, Eminence.” And no respect laced the use of the title. “This facility is under my control and I want answers. As I just made clear to my lay brother, this breach is extremely serious.”
“I have told you all I know.”
“Then I will report this to our prior-general in France, and he can speak with Rome.”
“As you wish. But please know that all of those inquiries will end up with me.”
“Then give me some answers. One of my brothers has been shot. He’s bleeding.”
Ascolani shrugged. “I am sorry for that. The document that was stolen. Was it protected?”
The prior nodded. “Inside a stiff plastic sleeve.”
“How did all these people gain access?” Stefano asked.
“Apparently, one of the lay brothers is close friends with Signora Baines here.”
“Excuse me.”
And Ascolani stepped away, toward the far side of the church, focused again on his phone.
T HOMAS STOOD FROM THE ROADWAY.
He’d taken out the car and sent it over the side. Its headlights had reached him, so the occupants could be aware of his shots. His phone vibrated and he read the text message that just arrived.
Retrieve a document that was inside that car. Protected by a plastic sleeve. Advise if it was destroyed or you have it.
He hustled to where the car had been last seen. A total cloaking darkness dominated. He heard hissing from below. He propped the rifle against a tree and used the light from his phone to make his way down the embankment. The car had flipped over. Battered from the fall, it was now lying at an angle against the trunk of a thick cypress.
Vapor seeped upward.
No movement from inside the vehicle and no sign of the occupants outside the car. He made his way closer and caught the thick waft of gasoline. He found Malone and Cardinal Richter inside the car, both not moving. Dead? Didn’t really matter. He raked the light from his phone across the destroyed interior. Both men were still strapped into their seats. Richter’s right arm was bent at a sharp angle, a deep gash in the forehead, blood caked to his hair. He aimed the light across the interior and caught a reflection.
A plastic sleeve.
Lying at Richter’s feet.
That had to be it.
He rounded the car’s smashed front end and climbed up where he could reach down, past the cardinal, and retrieve the sleeve.
The gasoline odor seemed to be escalating.
He doubted, though, it would catch fire.
Without some help.
S TEFANO’S PATIENCE WAS REACHING ITS LIMIT BUT HE REALIZED HE was not in charge. Far from it. He was apparently only along for the ride.
“Signora Baines,” the prior said. “You are a trespasser.”
“I was invited here.”
“The lay brother will be severely disciplined for extending that invitation. It is contrary to our rule. You both conspired to steal a document from our protection. I could have you arrested, but I will be satisfied with you leaving here and never returning.”
“I will also take my donations and generosity with me.”
The prior shrugged. “Do that. We will survive. As we have for centuries. Without you.”
The woman clearly did not appreciate the rebuke. “Might I remind you that I own all of the lands surrounding this monastery. Lands you currently farm.”
“We will learn to live without them. And by the way, you are not the only person who is generous to this order.”
Baines turned and motioned.
She and the other men left.
The prior seemed agitated. How could he not be? The entire essence of the order had been violated. And especially so here, where precious records were kept and maintained. The treachery of the lay brother was particularly disturbing. That man might well be expelled.
“I assume, Eminence,” the prior said, “that you are not going to tell me the significance of the stolen document.”
“I do wish that I could but—”
“I know. I know. It is Entity business.”
“I will say that every effort will be made to locate it.”
“That is appreciated.”
“Now we must take our leave.”
Ascolani motioned.
And they both headed for the church doors.
T HOMAS INFORMED A SCOLANI BY TEXT THAT THE DOCUMENT HAD been retrieved and was intact. He’d then asked what to do next and the instruction was clear.
Make sure they are not found alive.
The easiest way to do that seemed to be to take advantage of the situation itself. A car had gone over the bank, rolled, then crashed into a tree. The gas tank had ruptured and the inevitable had occurred.
A fire.
Only this one needed a little help.
He retrieved the rifle and aimed for the car’s rear end, which he centered in the nightscope. He fired one round.
Then a second.
And the car ignited in flames.