The Julian secret

CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR

Rome

St. Peter's Square

Twenty minutes later

This time Lang merged with an Italian boys choir he gathered were to perform at evensong at one of the Vatican's numerous chapels, perhaps for the Holy Father himself. Shepherded by two dour nuns and several priests, the noisy group passed by the Swiss Guard with little more than a cheery buona sera and a wave of credentials. Once again, Lang's Georgia driver's license passed muster. The shadows that were devouring the square by now provided ample cover for Lang to fall to the rear of the boisterous procession and, finally, drop off just before the door guarded by the television camera.

For a full five minutes he observed, making certain nothing had been altered. A change in timing of the camera, of the combination lock, anything, could mean his previous visit had been discovered and additional security measures taken, precautions of which he would be unaware.

Cars whizzed by, the sensation of speed increased by the narrow confines of the road between basilica and the colonnades, but fast enough to be dangerous to the unwary crossing the road. He stepped deeper into the shadows to avoid headlights. The timing of the surveillance cameras was identical. Minimizing exposure to both the light provided by streetlights and by passing motorists, he stepped in front of the door, risking playing the beam of his flashlight over the locking mechanism. It seemed the same. The doorframe bore no indications of the work necessary to install alarms.

He took a deep breath, as though about to dive into bottomless water, and punched in the series of numbers.