The Secret Cardinal

39

Donoher and Grin found Archbishop Sikora in the Redemptoris Mater Chapel. He was seated near the late Pope’s empty chair, deep in thought. A digital video camera mounted on a tripod stood aimed at the papal throne.

‘Archbishop, thank you for meeting with us,’ Donoher said warmly, announcing their arrival.

Sikora rose and moved to greet them. It seemed to Donoher that the man had aged since Pope Leo’s death.

‘Your Eminence,’ Sikora said respectfully.

‘This is my associate, Mister Grinelli.’

Grin extended his hand, ‘Your Excellency.’

‘A pleasure.’ Sikora took Grin’s hand in both of his own and greeted him warmly.

‘I’ve asked Mister Grinelli to join us as he is assisting me in the matter I wish to discuss. I see you’ve brought the camera.’

‘Yes, though I was curious why. Is our conversation to be recorded?’

‘No,’ Donoher replied. ‘We simply wished to see the device.’

Grin stepped to the camera and began studying it. Donoher walked slowly past the Pope’s empty chair, recalling the last time he was here. He motioned for Sikora to resume his place and moved a chair in front of him.

‘How are you, Michal?’ Donoher asked.

‘All right, I suppose. I am greatly relieved the Pope’s suffering is finally over. The past few years were most difficult for His Holiness.’

‘For someone who was so physically active, his illness was particularly cruel,’ Donoher agreed. ‘Thankfully it spared his mind. But what of you? Any thoughts on what you will do?’

‘I have no idea. I served His Holiness ever since I was newly ordained and he was the Archbishop of Krakow.’

‘More than once he admitted to me he would have been lost without you,’ Donoher offered kindly.

‘He was a man of vision,’ Sikora demurred. ‘I just kept track of the details. And now I am just one of those details, something to be attended to once the new Pope is elected. What does one do with an old Archbishop with no diocese?’

‘I have always fantasized about finding a small parish somewhere in need of a priest — an old country church where you know the entire congregation by name. A small flock to tend in my waning years.’

‘That would be nice,’ Sikora agreed.

‘All will be revealed in God’s time, but now to the matter at hand. The disk you gave me before the opening session — it was made with this camera?’

‘Yes.’

‘And you were present when His Holiness recorded his message to the cardinals?’

‘No, the Pope was alone.’

‘Alone? Who operated the camera?’

‘His Holiness, with a remote control.’

Donoher glanced at Grin.

‘Remotes are standard equipment,’ Grin confirmed. ‘It lets dad be in the picture with the rest of the family.’

‘The Pope’s instructions to me were quite clear. His message was for the cardinal electors only. I set up the camera, made certain everything was ready, and handed the Pope the remote control. Then I left. He used this camera many times to send birthday messages and such to close friends and relatives. He knew how to switch it on and off. He called for me when he was finished.’

‘And what happened then?’

‘I removed the disk from the camera and placed it in a plastic case.’

‘There was only one clip on the disk you gave me,’ Donoher said. ‘Me, I require several attempts to record even a brief message on my answering machine. Did you edit the footage the Pope recorded, trimming it down to show only the best version?’

‘No, the disk I gave you was the one from the camera. His Holiness rarely required more than one attempt to deliver a message.’

Donoher nodded, conceding that fact.

‘What is the reason for these questions?’ Sikora asked. ‘Was there a problem with the disk?’

‘Someone revealed the contents of the Pope’s message to an audience His Holiness did not intend,’ Donoher replied. ‘What happened after the disk was recorded?’

‘The Pope signed an amendment to the Apostolic Constitution in the presence of Cardinal Cain and me. The document and the disk were placed in a large envelope, which the Pope then sealed.’

‘And all this took place here, in the chapel?’

‘Yes. Cardinal Cain was with me outside the chapel when the Pope recorded his message. After the Pope sealed the envelope, Cardinal Cain and I placed it in a secure box at the IOR.’

The Istituto per le opere di Religione — the Institute for Religious Works more commonly known as the Vatican Bank — held as many secrets in its vaults as notes and securities. As the head of Vatican Intelligence, Donoher knew both were valuable forms of currency. That the Pope would place this secret in one of the bank’s vaults made perfect sense.

‘What were the Pope’s instructions regarding the envelope?’ Donoher asked.

‘The IOR could release it only to the Pope himself, or, in the event of his death, to the Cardinal Camerlengo on the morning of the opening session of the conclave. My instructions were to bring you to the IOR to retrieve it. If I was unable to perform this duty, the IOR was to notify the Cardinal Camerlengo directly.’

Sikora spoke easily, without a hint of nervousness. Donoher also noted that he maintained eye contact as he spoke.

‘So, from the time you removed the disk from the camera until you placed it in the vault,’ Donoher posited, ‘the disk was never out of your sight?’

‘That is correct,’ Sikora replied.

‘And you were never alone with it?’

‘Never. Cardinal Cain and I delivered the envelope to the IOR together.’

‘Do you have any questions for the Archbishop?’ Donoher asked Grin.

‘Just one. Did you program the camcorder to put a time and date stamp on the DVD?’

‘I always do that, for posterity.’

Grin nodded to Donoher that he was finished.

‘Thank you, Michal. That’s all the questions we have for now.’

Donoher led Grin out of the Apostolic Palace and along the broad path that ran behind the basilica. Above them, the basilica’s dome glowed in an aura of artificial light that obscured the stars above.

‘What do you think?’ Donoher asked.

‘He was being straight with you. You going to double-check his story with Cardinal Cain?’

‘Of course, but I’m sure I’ll get the same answers.’

‘Did you think Sikora was the leak?’

‘Not really. I thought perhaps there was a time when the disk was left unattended, or maybe the files were copied onto a hard drive. I hoped we’d find an opportunity when someone could have seen the Pope’s message beforehand.’

‘In the legal thrillers my lady likes to read, it’s called the chain of evidence, and the chain here looks pretty solid. I suppose Sikora and Cain could have sneaked a look at the disk, but that depends on how much time elapsed between the recording of the DVD and when they dropped it off at the bank. The IOR should have a record of the deposit, and the camera burned the file data onto the disk.’

‘Even if opportunity and curiosity somehow led a pair of churchmen to conspiracy, you’re forgetting the seal. If they opened the envelope, they would have broken the Pope’s seal. Closing it again would have required a new seal, and to make one of those you need the Pope’s ring.’

‘Did he ever take it off?’

‘Not to the best of my knowledge,’ Donoher said. ‘And when I received the envelope at the IOR, the seal was still intact.’

‘Barnett told us Beijing received word from their embassy in Rome around four in the morning — eight o’clock last night, our time. If Sikora and Cain are the leak, they sat on what they knew until after the conclave started, which begs the question, Why? If it’s not them, we’re back to either someone eavesdropping on the Sistine Chapel or a cardinal has broken his oath.’

‘I don’t find either possibility to my liking,’ Donoher admitted, ‘but I pray it’s not the latter.’