TheDanger.

d.i.c.kFrancis.

KIDNAPPINGisafactoflife.Alwayshasbeen,alwayswillbe.Extortinga ransomisanage-oldpastime,lessriskyandmorelucrativethanrobbingbanks.

Kidnapping,twentieth-centurystyle,hasmeanttrainloadsandplaneloadsof hostages,athleteskilledincompanyatMunich,menofsubstancedyinglonely deaths.Allkidnappersareunstable,b.u.t.thepoliticalvariety,hungryforpower andpublicityasmuchasmoney,makequicksandlooklikerock.

Givemethestraightforwardcriminalanyday,thevillainwhoseizesandsays payuporelse.Onedoesmoreorlessknowwhereoneis,withthose.

Kidnapping,yousee,ismybusiness.

Myjob,thatistosay,asapartnerinthefirmofLibertyMarketLtd.,isboth toadvisepeopleatriskhowbestnottobekidnappedandalsotohelpnegotiate withthekidnappersonceagrabhastakenplace:togetthevictimbackalive fortheleastpossiblecost.

Everyformofcrimegeneratesanopposingforce,andtofraud,drugs,andmurder onecouldaddtheKidnapSquad,exceptthatthekidnapsquadisunofficialand highlydiscreet...andisoftenus.

ITALY.

Chapterone.

THEREWASaG.o.d-awfulscrew-upinBologna.

Istooda.s.stillaspossiblewhilewavesofcoldrageandfieryanxietyjerked atmylimbsandwouldhavehadmepacing.

Stoodstill...whilealifewhichmightdependonmewasrecklesslyriskedby others.Stoodstillamongtheruinsofasuccessnearlyachieved,afreedom nearlywon,safetywithingrasp.

Themostdangerous,delicatestageofanykidnapistheactualhandingoverof theransom,becauseitisthen,atthemomentofcollection,thatsomeone, somehow,muststepoutoftheshadows...andakidnappercomestohiswaterhole withmorecautionthananybeastinthejungle.

Onesuspicion,onesightorglintofawatcherisenoughtosendhimscuttling away;anditisafterwards,seethingwithfrightandinaturmoilofvengeful anger,thathecanmosteasilykill.Tobunglethedropistoescalatethe threattothevictimahundredfold.

AlessiaCenci,twenty-threeyearsold,hadbythattimebeeninthehandsof kidnappersforfiveweeks,threedays,tenhours,andherlifehadneverbeen closertoforfeit.

EnricoPucinelliclimbedgrim-facedthroughthereardooroftheambulancein whichIstood:avan,moreaccurately,whichlookedlikeanambulancefromthe outsidebutwhosedarklytintedwindowsconcealedabench,achair,andama.s.s ofelectronicequipmentwithin.

"Iwasoffduty,"hesaid."Ididnotgivethoseorders."

HespokeinItalian,butslowly,formysake.Asmen,wegotonverywell.As linguists,speakingalittleofeachother'slanguagesbutunderstandingmore, wehadtotaketime.Wespoketoeachothercarefully,eachinourowntongue, andlistenedwithattention,askingforrepet.i.tionwhenevernecessary.

Hewasacarabinieriofficerwhohadbeenleadingtheofficialinvestigations.

Hehadagreedthroughoutontheneedforextremecareandfortheminimumof visibleinvolvement.Noemblazonedcarswithbusilyflashinglightshaddriven toorfromtheVillaFrancese,wherePaoloCenciwaitedwithwhitefacefornews ofhisdaughter.Nouniformedmenhadbeeninevidenceinanyplacewhere hostileeyescouldwatch.NotwhilePucinellihimselfhadbeenabletoprevent it.

Hehadagreedwithmethatthefirstprioritywasthegirl'ssafety,andonly thesecondprioritythecatchingofthekidnappers.Noteverypolicemanbyany meanssawthingsthatwayround,thehuntinginstinctsoflawenforcers everywherebeingsatisfiedsolelybythecaptureoftheirprey.

Pucinelli'scolleague-on-dutyonthatdevastatingevening,suddenlylearning thathecouldpouncewithfaireaseonthekidnappersatthemomenttheypicked uptheransom,hadseennoreasontoholdback.Intothepregnantsummer darkness,intothecarefullynegotiated,patientlydamped-downmomentofmaximum quiet,hehadsentaburstofmenwithbatonswaving,lightsblazing,guns risingominouslyagainstthenightsky,voicesshouting,carsracing,sirens wailing,uniformsrunning...allthemoralaggressionofarighteousarmyinfull pursuit.

FromthedarkstationaryambulancealongwaydownthestreetIhadwatchedit happenwithsickdisbeliefandimpotentfury.Mydriver,cursingsteadily,had startedtheengineandcrawledforwardtowardsthemelee,andwehadbothquite clearlyheardtheshots.

"Itisregretted,"Pucinellisaidwithformality,watchingme.

Icouldbet.i.twas.Therehadbeensomanycarabinierionthemoveinthepoorly litbackstreetthat,unsurewheretolookprecisely,theyhadmissedtheir targetaltogether.Twodark-cladmen,carryingthesuitcaseswhichcontainedthe equivalentofsixhundredandfiftythousandpounds,hadsucceededinreachinga hiddencar,instartingitanddrivingoffbeforethelawmennoticed;and certainlytheirattentionhadbeenmoreclearlyfocused,aswasmyown,onthe sightoftheyoungmanspillingheadfirstfromthecarwhichallalonghadbeen plainlyineveryone'sview,thecarinwhichtheransomhadbeencarriedtothis blown-openrendezvous.

Theyoungman,sonofalawyer,hadbeenshot.Icouldseethecrimsonflashon hisshirtandtheweakflutterofhishand,andIthoughtofhim,alertand confident,aswe'dtalkedbeforehesetoff.Yes,he'dsaid,heunderstoodthe risk,andyes,hewouldfollowtheirinstructionsabsolutely,andyes,hewould keepmeinformedbyradiodirectfromthecartotheambulance.Togetherwehad activatedthetinytransmittersewnintothehandleofthesuitcasecontaining theransommoneyandhadcheckedthat.i.twasworkingproperlyasahomer, sendingthemessagesbacktotheradarintheambulance.

Insidetheambulancethatsameradartrackerwa.s.showingunmistakablythatthe suitcasewasonthemoveandgoingrapidlyaway.Iwouldwithoutdoubthavelet thekidnappersescape,becausethatwa.s.safestforAlessia,butoneofthe carabinieri,pa.s.singandcatchingsightoftheblip,ranurgentlytowardsthe bull-likemanwhowithblowingwhistleappearedtobechieflyincharge, shoutingtohimabovetheclamorandpointingastabbingfingertowardsthevan.

Withwildandfearfuldoubttheofficerlookedagonizedlyaroundhimandthen shambledtowardsmeatarun.Withhisbigheadthroughthewindowofthecabhe staredmutelyattheradarscreen,wherehereadthebadnewsunerringlywitha pallidoutbreakofsweat.

"Follow,"hesaidhoa.r.s.elytomydriver,andbrushedawaymyattemptattelling himinItalianwhyheshoulddonosuchthing.

Thedrivershruggedresignedlyandwewereonourwaywithajerk,accompanied, itseemedtome,byaveritableposseofwailingcarsscreamingthroughthe emptystreetsoftheindustrialquarter,thefactoryworkerslongagogonehome.

"Sincemidnight,"Pucinellisaid,"Iamonduty.Iamagainincharge."

Ilookedathimbleakly.Theambulancestoodnowinawiderstreet,itsengine stilled,thetrackershowingasteadytrace,locatingthesuitcaseinsidea modernlower-incomeblockofapartments.Infrontofthebuilding,atanangle tothecurb,stoodanondescriptblackcar,itsoverheatedengineslowly cooling.Aroundit,likeahaphazardbarrier,thepolicecarswereparkedat randomangles,theirdoorsopen,headlightsblazing,occupantsintheirfawn uniformsduckingintocoverwithreadypistols.

"Asyousee,thekidnappersareinthefrontapartmentonthethirdfloor,"

Pucinellisaid."Theysaytheyhavetakenhostagethepeoplewholivethere,and willkillthem,andalsotheysayAlessiaCenciwillsurelydie,ifwedonot givethemsafepa.s.sage."

Ihadheardthemshoutingfromtheopenwindow,andhadhardlyneededthe repet.i.tion.

"Inashorttimethelisteningbugwillbeinposition,"Pucinellisaid, glancinguneasilyatmyrigidface."Andsoonwewillhaveataponthe telephone.Wehavemenonthestaircaseoutside.Theyarefixingthem."

Isaidnothing.

"Mymensayyouwouldhaveletthekidnappersgetaway...takingthemoneywith them."

"Ofcourse."

Welookedateachotherunsmilingly,almostfoeswhererecentlywe'dbeen allies.Hewasthinandaboutforty,giveortake.Darkandintenseand energetic.Acommunistinacommunistcity,disapprovingofthecapitalistwhose daughterwasatrisk.

"Theyhadshottheboywhodrovethecar,"hesaid."Wecouldnotpossiblylet themescape."

"Theboytookhischances.Thegirlmuststillbesaved."

"YouEnglish,"hesaid."Socold."

Theangerinsidemewouldhavescorchedasbestos.Ifhismenhadn'ttriedtheir abortiveambush,theboywouldnothavebeenshot.Hewouldhavewalkedaway unharmedandlefttheransominthecar,ashe'dbeeninstructed.

Pucinelliturnedhisattentiontothebenchfulofbolted-downradioreceivers, turningafewk.n.o.bsandpressingswitches."Iamsendingamaninhereto receivemessages,"hesaid."Iwillbeherealso.Youcanstay,ifyouwish."

Inodded.Itwastoolatetodoanythingelse.

Ithadbeenabsolutelyagainstmyinstinctsandmytrainingtobeanywherenear thedroppingpointoftheransom,yetPucinellihaddemandedmypresencethere inreturnforapromiseofhisforce'sabsence.

"Youcangoinourvan,"hehadsaid."Ourradiovan.Likeanambulance.Very discreet.Yougo.I'llsendyouadriver.Whenthekidnapperstakethesuitcase, youfollowit.Youcantelluswherethey'rehiding.Then,whenthegirlis free,we'llarrestthem.O.K.?"

"Whenthegirlisfree,Iwilltellyouwheretheytookthemoney."

Hehadnarrowedhiseyesslightly,buthadclappedmeontheshoulderandagreed toit,nodding."Thegirlfirst."

Notknowing,asoneneverdoes,preciselywhenthekidnapperswouldsetthe handing-overprocedurerolling,Pucinellihadstationedthevanpermanentlyin thegarageattheVillaFrancese,withthedriverlivinginthehouse.Fourdays afterwe'dsignaledtothekidnappersthattheagreedmoneyhadbeencollected andwasreadyforthem,theyhadsenttheirdeliveryinstructions:andas promisedbetweenPucinelliandmyself,Ihadtelephonedhisofficetotellhim thedropwasabouttostart.

Pucinellihadnotbeenthere,butwehadplannedforthatcontingency.

InbasicItalianIhadsaid,"IamAndrewDouglas.TellEnricoPucinelli immediatelythattheambulanceismoving."

Thevoiceattheotherendhadsaiditunderstood.

InowwishedwithallmyheartthatIhadnotkeptmypromisetogivePucinelli thatmessage;butcooperationwiththelocalpolicewasoneofthefirm'smost basicpolicies.

Pucinelli'sowntrustinme,itnowturnedout,hadnotbeensoverygreat.

PerhapshehadknownIwouldratherhavelosttrackofthesuitcasethangive awaymypresencenearthedrop.Inanycase,boththesuitcase'shomer,anda furtherhomerinthevan,hadbeentrackablefromPucinelli'sownofficialcar.

Thecolleague-on-duty,receivingmymessage,hadnotconsultedPucinellibuthad simplysetoutwithamaximumtaskforce,takingPucinelli'sstaffcarand chasingpersonalglory.Stupid,swollen-headed,lethalhumanfailing.

HowinG.o.d'snamewasIgoingtotellPaoloCenci?Andwhowasgoingtobreakit tothelawyerthathisbrightstudentsonhadbeenshot?

"Theboywhowasdriving,"IsaidtoPucinelli."Ishealive?"

"He'sgonetohospital.Hewasalivewhentheytookhim.Beyondthat,Idon't know."

"Hisfathermustbetold."

Pucinellisaidgrimly,"It'sbeingdone.I'vesentaman."

Thismess,Ithought,wasgoingtodonothingatallforthefirm'sreputation.

Itwaspositivelymyjobtohelptoresolveakidnapinthequietestway possiblewiththelowestofprofilesandminimumaction.Myjobtocalm,to plan,tojudgehowlittleonecouldgetakidnappertoaccept,toseethat negotiationswerekeptonthecoolest,mostbusinesslikefooting,tobargain withoutangering,togetthetimingright.Mybrief,aboveall,tobringthe victimhome.

Ihadbythattimebeentheadvisor-on-the-spotinfifteenkidnaps,somelasting days,someweeks,someseveralmonths.Chieflybecausekidnappersusuallydo releasetheirvictimsunharmedoncetheransomisintheirhands,Ihadn'tso farbeenpartofadisaster;butAlessiaCenci,reportedlyoneofthebestwoman jockeysintheworld,lookedsettobemyfirst.

"Enrico,"Isaid,"don'ttalktothesekidnappersyourself.Getsomeoneelse, whohastorefertoyoufordecisions."

"Why?"hesaid.

"Itcalmsthingsdown.Takestime.Thelongertheygoontalkingthelesslikely theyaretokillthosepeopleintheflat."

Heconsideredmebriefly."Verywell.Adviseme.It'syourjob."

WewerealoneinthevanandIguessedhewa.s.sorelyashamedofhisforce's calamity,otherwisehewouldneverhaveadmittedsuchatacitlossofface.I hadrealizedfromshortlyaftermyfirstarrivalatthevillathatas officer-in-chargehehadneverbeforehadtodealwitharealkidnap,thoughhe hadcarefullyinformedmethatallcarabinieriwereinstructedinthetheoryof kidnapresponse,owingtotheregrettablefrequencyofthatcrimeinItaly.

Betweenus,untilthatnight,histheoryandmyexperiencehaddonewellenough, anditseemedthathedidstillwanttheententetogoon.

Isaid,"Telephonethatflatdirectfromhere.Tellthekidnappersyouare arrangingnegotiations.Tellthemtheymustwaitforawhile.Tellthemthatif theytireofthewaitingtheymaytelephonetoyou.Givethemanumber...youhave alineinthisvan?"

Henodded."It'sbeingconnected."

"Oncetheirpulsessettleitwillbesafer,butiftheyarepressedtoohardto startwiththeymayshootagain."

"Andmymenwouldfire..."Heblinkedrapidlyandwentoutside,andIcouldhear himspeakingtohisforcesthroughamegaphone."Donotreturnfire.Irepeat, donotshoot.Awaitordersbeforefiring."

Hereturnedshortly,accompaniedbyamanunrollingawire,andsaidbriefly, "Engineer."

Theengineerattachedthewiretooneoftheswitchboxesandpa.s.sedPucinelli aninstrumentwhichlookedacrossbetweenamicrophoneandahandset.It appearedtoleadadirectlinetotheapartment'stelephonebecauseaftera pausePucinelliwasclearlyconversingwithoneofthekidnappers.Theengineer, asamatterofcourse,wasrecordingeveryword.

TheItalianwastooidiomaticformyears,butIunderstoodatleastthetone.

Thenear-hystericalshoutingfromthekidnapperslowlyabatedinresponseto Pucinelli'sdeterminedcalmnessandendedinamoremanageableagitation.Toa finalforcefulquestionPucinelli,afterapause,answeredslowlyand distinctly,"Idon'thavethatauthority.Ihavetoconsultmysuperiors.Please waitfortheirreply."

Theresultwasamenacing,grumblingagreementandadisconnectingclick.

Pucinelliwipedhishandoverhisfaceandgavemethetiniestflickerofa smile.Sieges,asIsupposedheknew,couldgoonfordays,butatleasthehad establishedcommunication,takingthefirstvitalstep.

HeglancedattheengineerandIguessedhewaswantingtoaskmewhatnext,but couldn'tbecauseoftheengineerandhisrecordings.

Isaid,"Ofcourseyouwillbeaimingsearchlightsatthosewindowssoonsothat thekidnapperswillfeelexposed."

"Ofcourse."

"Andiftheydon'tsurrenderinanhourortwo,naturallyyou'dbringsomeone herewho'susedtobargaining,totalktothem.Someonefromatradesunion, perhaps.Andafterthatapsychiatristtojudgethekidnappers'stateofmind andtellyouwhenhethinksisthebesttimetoapplymostpressure,tomake themcomeout."Ishruggeddeprecatingly."Naturallyyouknowthatthesemethods haveproducedgoodresultsinotherhostagesituations."

"Naturally."

"AndofcourseyoucouldtellthemthatifAlessiaCencidies,theywillnever getoutofprison."

"Thedriver...they'llknowtheyhithim..."

"Iftheyask,Iamsureyouwouldtellthemheisalive...Evenifhedies,you wouldofcoursetellthemheisstillalive.Onewouldn'twantthemtothink theyhadnothingtolose."

Avoicesplutteredsuddenlyfromoneofthesofarsilentreceivers,makingboth theengineerandPucinelliwhirltolisten.Itwasawoman'svoice,gabbling, weeping,tomemostlyunintelligiblebutingistagainplainenough.

Thekidnapper'sroughvoiceslicedinoverhers,fartooangryforsafety,and then,inarisingwail,cameachild'svoice,crying,thenanother,calling Mama,Papa,Mama.

"G.o.d,"Pucinellisaid,"children!Therearechildren,too,inthatapartment."

Thethoughtappalledhim.Inoneinstanthecaredmoreforthemthanhehadin fiveweeksforthegirl,andforthefirsttimeIsawrealconcerninhisolive face.Helistenedintentlytothenowjumbledloudvoicescrowdingthroughfrom thebugontheflat,ajumblefinallyresolvingintoakidnapperyellingatthe womantogivethechildrensomebiscuitstoshutthemuporhepersonallywould throwthemoutofthewindow.