The Rome Prophecy

96

Valentina knows the line is still open.

The voice that followed Louisa’s is too muffled for her to understand, but she can make out that it’s a man.

There’s also no trace of echo.

That means that it’s more likely that Louisa is in a car, rather than in the church as she said.

Valentina glances ahead. Rain is falling hard again and the man in her sights near the fountain has paused and is getting soaked as he answers a call on his own phone. Normally, someone would just let it ring and call back when they got somewhere dry, so he’s pretty much blown his cover. She listens to Louisa’s open line, and it’s now obvious that whoever is with her is talking to the guy standing by the fountain.

Valentina starts to piece the puzzle together.

If Louisa is in a car and not in the church, then she can’t be far away. Logically, if the vehicle is close by, it’s most likely to be in one of the official bays in Via di San Michele, off to one side of the piazza. Kidnap gangs never park illegally; they don’t want to risk drawing any kind of attention to themselves.

Valentina pauses under the main gated archway and reception block at the entrance to the courtyard.

She has to act fast.

Lightning fast.

The man by the fountain finishes his call and looks towards her.

She stops and kills the open line to Louisa.

Casually she calls Tom. ‘Louisa’s in a car. Probably in a bay by the right-hand side of the courtyard when you come out. I’m almost with the targets.’

She rings off and walks towards the fountain.

Despite the rain, the courtyard is still busy with people coming and going. Multicoloured umbrellas sprout up around the flower beds like fast-growing exotic blooms.

Valentina’s nerves jangle as Tom comes within ten metres of her.

He doesn’t even glance her way.

As far as she can tell, there’s no panic in his movement. He’s walking briskly, but not so fast that the rainfall doesn’t easily explains his haste.

She allows herself a small smile.

He’d make a good cop.

The tall, wiry man in the courtyard is now barely three metres away.

He’s in her peripheral vision but she’s avoiding eye contact.

To her surprise, he walks straight past her.

Then he stops and turns.

Only now does Valentina realise he’s not alone.