Day Of Confession

75

Harry watched the police and the crowd across the street I moment longer, then turned from his hotel room window to look back to the television. Adrianna in her L. L. Bean field jacket and baseball cap stood in a pouring rain outside the Geneva headquarters of the World Health Organization. A major story was coming, piecemeal, from mainland China. Unofficial reports from the city of Hefei in eastern China indicated that a major incident had taken place concerning the area's public water supply – thousands of people were rumored to have been poisoned and more than six thousand were already dead. Both Xinhua, the New China News Agency, and the Chinese Central Broadcasting Bureau dismissed the reports as unfounded.

Abruptly Harry hit the mute button and Adrianna was silenced. What the hell was she doing in Geneva reporting on an 'unfounded' incident?

Unsettled, he glanced back out the window. Then at the bedside clock.

8:20 a.m.

No calls. Nothing. What had happened to Edward Mooi? Had he not reread the fax? And now Adrianna was in Geneva when she should have been in Bellagio. Crazily, he felt abandoned. Left in a tiny hotel room while the world went on.

He turned back to the window. As he did, a police car pulled up directly across the street. The doors opened, and three men in plainclothes got out and headed for the boat landing. Harry's heart stopped. The man walking first, leading the others, was Roscani.

'Jesus.' Instinctively he twisted back from the window. At almost the same instant there was a knock at the door. Every nerve stiffened. The knock came again.

Quickly he went to the bed, opened the suitcase, and took out the sheet of paper with Edward Mooi's telephone number. Ripping it in pieces he went into the bathroom and flushed it down the toilet.

The knock came once more. Softer this time. Not the authoritative strike of the police. Eaton – of course. Harry relaxed, then walked to the door and opened it.

A young nun stood there.

'Father Roe?'

Harry hesitated. 'Yes…'

'I am nursing sister Elena Voso…' Her English was accented with Italian but clear nonetheless.

Harry stared, unsure.

'I would like to come in.'

He looked past her to the hallway. He saw no one.

'Yes, of course…'

Stepping back, Harry watched her turn and close the door behind her.

'You phoned Edward Mooi,' Elena said, carefully.

Harry nodded.

'I've come to take you to your brother…'

Harry stared. 'I don't understand…'

'It's all right…' She could feel his caution, see his uncertainty. 'I'm not with the police…'

'I'm sorry, I don't know what you're talking about.'

'If you are not sure… follow me out. I will be waiting on the steps leading up to the village. Your brother is ill… Please… Mr Addison.'