The Rome Prophecy

69

Things have gone wrong.

Horribly wrong.

The meeting hasn’t even started, but Valentina knows it from the tense, grey look on Federico’s face as he approaches her.

The briefing room is filling with people, ready for the case update. Tom sits quietly at the back, his eyes seldom leaving Valentina.

Federico beckons her to one side. He’s keen to make sure they’re not overheard as he breaks the bad news. ‘Angelis is back on the street.’

‘So quickly?’

‘After Anna supported his story about inviting him into her apartment, we had no grounds to hold him on the charge of breaking and entering. He asked again for a brief while I was out, and the duty solicitor sprang him.’

‘Caesario sanctioned this?’

He shrugs. ‘In fairness, he couldn’t stop it. Without the illegal entry charge there was no way we could justify the assault charge.’

Valentina feels her temper rise. ‘I got thrown all over the apartment and almost killed, and the law doesn’t call that assault?’

‘Self-defence. He says he thought you were an intruder.’

‘Bullshit. I banged on the door. I rang the bell and screamed out that I was Carabinieri. I made so much noise that people on the two floors above knew who I was.’

Federico shrugs again.

She slaps a hand on the wall.

He tries to placate her. ‘It could be worse.’

She glares at him. ‘And how?’

‘He could have complained. Started an action for assault.’

The anger shows on her face.

‘Ridiculous, I know, but it would still have caused problems.’

Valentina knows he’s right. Caesario would have beaten her with a complaint as surely as if it were a riot baton.

She determines not to let the setback throw her. ‘Okay, let’s get over it and get this meeting started. Anything else?’

‘I searched Angelis’s apartment before we turned him loose. The place was a pigsty. He had a stack of bible pages in the bottom of his wardrobe. Looked similar to the stuff on Anna’s bedroom wall.’

‘It doesn’t take us very far. He’s admitted knowing her, being in her apartment.’

‘It shows that maybe he shares the same fears as she does.’

‘That’s interesting. Still not enough to re-arrest him, though.’

‘I know.’

She pats his shoulder. ‘I appreciate you going the extra mile and searching his place.’

She walks to the front of the room and settles down at the main table, pleased that Federico put himself out. It’s clear he’s trying to build bridges.

She’s about to silence the pre-meeting chatter when Caesario sticks his head around the door.

‘Morassi!’

She can feel everyone’s eyes on her as she gets up and follows him outside. She guesses Angelis has made that complaint after all.

Damn!

No doubt there’s going to be a full internal inquiry, maybe even suspension while it’s carried out.

‘Sir?’

‘I apologise for interrupting your briefing, Captain, but I’m afraid it’s necessary.’

She notices him looking down at her hands, nervous that she might be recording him.

‘An official complaint has been lodged against you.’

Valentina doesn’t react. She’ll hear him out. She simply defended herself, did nothing to be ashamed of, certainly nothing that she wouldn’t do all over again if she had to.

Caesario continues, but he almost looks apologetic rather than triumphant. ‘Sylvio Valducci, the administrator at the Policlinico, has obtained a court order protecting Anna Fratelli and restraining you – or us – from seeing her or contacting her in any way. That includes telephone calls or anything else you could dream up.’

Valentina is stunned. It’s not Angelis after all.

‘The hospital claims that you and Lieutenant Assante personally put the mental health of their patient at risk. They say you did this on several different occasions, and in spite of warnings and pleas from the head of their psychiatric unit.’

She knows what’s coming next.

Suspension.

What a weasel. Caesario is even prepared to take down his lap dog Federico if that’s what it takes to get at her.

‘With respect, sir, all interviews with the prisoner have been carried out under medical supervision, and whenever we were asked to back off, we did. Straight away. No hesitation.’

‘Do you have any evidence – forensic or circumstantial – that proves she is involved in any criminal activity?’

Valentina thinks twice about trying to explain rationally how Anna manifested dissociated personalities from centuries ago who seemingly had knowledge of current crime scenes. ‘No, sir.’

‘A lot of work, money and time, and you’ve really made no progress?’

‘Sir…’

He halts her with his hand. ‘Don’t try to defend it, Captain. This woman patient is now out of bounds to you and your inquiry team. She’s off limits, do you understand?’

‘Yes, sir.’

He turns his head towards the briefing room, well aware that it’s full of officers awaiting her return. ‘Where are we on the rest of this case?’

She hesitates.

‘Aside from this lunatic woman, are you close to giving me any clear explanation for why we have a dead, ball-less man under a bridge on the Tiber and a severed hand in a church in Cosmedin?’

The look on her face says she isn’t. ‘No, sir. It’s extremely complicated.’

‘Then let me simplify things. Have we identified the murder victim?’

Valentina looks pained. ‘We lifted prints from the corpse, but they don’t give us anything.’

‘And the dismembered hand?’

‘The same.’

‘So nothing?’

‘I wouldn’t go as far-’

He cuts her off again. ‘No identities on the dead or injured. No suspect to interrogate. No forensic evidence to land a charge on anyone, and as far as I can see, not even a hint of a motive. How much closer to nothing can you get than that?’

Valentina can’t help but colour a little. ‘We have leads and theories, sir. Given time, we-’

‘May well get someone else killed?’

She bites her tongue.

Major and captain just stand and stare at each other.

He says nothing.

She says nothing.

The conversation’s over. Now is the moment when he’s going to suspend her.

Caesario smiles.

He’s going to let her stew in her own juice. Marinate in her anticipation of his next action. ‘Do you know what I’m going to say to you now, Captain?’

She swallows hard.

‘I’m sure you do.’ Another smile. ‘As of this moment, you are suspended from duty. You will receive written confirmation of your suspension before you leave this building. This suspension implies no guilt or pre-judgement; it is merely necessary to remove you from the process that will now unfold. On receipt of the suspension notice, you will surrender your firearm, any Carabinieri equipment, identification and authorisation. You will not instigate, nor receive, any contact from colleagues, at either this workplace or any other within the force. You will be notified in due course of any charges brought against you. You are entitled to representation at any future hearing should one be convened. Do you understand what I’ve told you?’

She stays strong. ‘Yes, sir.’

‘Good. Do you have any questions about the process I’ve just outlined to you?’

‘No, sir.’

‘Then please go and wait outside my office while the appropriate documentation is prepared and where you will be formally relieved of your command.’

Valentina starts to turn away.

He puts a hand on her arm and whispers in her ear, ‘You really should have taken up my offer, Morassi.’