The Rome Prophecy

98

The thin man in a long black trench coat smiles at Valentina. ‘Are you waiting for someone?’

He’s as charming as dozens of other deluded guys who’ve tried to chat her up over the years.

‘Yes, my boss.’ She shrugs at the rain. ‘I hope she hurries up.’

Trench Coat comes up close and from inside his pocket presses a gun against her left hip. ‘Don’t move and don’t scream.’ He’s lost his charm now. ‘If you do, then this church will have another martyr.’ He looks into her eyes, and when he sees the fear and compliance he’s looking for, he adds, ‘Where’s Anna?’

Valentina feigns panic. ‘Oh God, don’t hurt me, please don’t hurt me.’

‘I don’t want to.’ He jabs the gun deeper into her side. ‘Where’s Anna? You’re supposed to have her with you.’

Valentina lifts her hand shakily and points through the archway at the end of the courtyard. ‘I took her back to the car because of the rain. She’s sick. Where’s Doctor Verdetti?’

Trench Coat ignores her and glances around.

‘ Please don’t hurt me, I’ve done nothing wrong.’

The gun stays pressed into her left hip. ‘Keep your voice down! What kind of car is it and where did you park?’

Valentina stares at the ground as though she’s too frightened to look at him. ‘Fiat. It’s a blue Punto. It’s not far… er… just outside in the piazza, right opposite here.’ She keeps her eyes fixed on the floor. Two sets of male feet stop just off to the right of her.

‘Go get her,’ says Trench Coat. ‘Be quick!’

The feet disappear.

Valentina feels another push in her side.

‘We’re going inside the church to wait for a little while.’ He slides his body across hers so he’s face to face with her. ‘I’d hate you to get all cold and wet.’

She feels his hand move inside her jacket, slide beneath her jumper and grab her by the waist.

His touch revolts her.

She has to fight an impulse to drive her right knee so far into his testicles they’ll come out of his mouth.

Being closer allows him to pull the gun out of his right pocket and hold it flat against Valentina’s abdomen, barrel digging into her diaphragm.

He puts his face close to hers. From a distance they could be mistaken for lovers about to kiss. ‘My little friend here is itching to get inside you,’ he whispers in her ear as he moves the cold tip of the barrel against her warm skin. ‘I don’t blame him. It must be really nice inside you.’

Valentina takes a deep breath.

He mistakes it for fear. ‘Don’t be scared. If you do exactly as I tell you, then in less than twenty minutes all this will just be an awful memory.’