The Venice conspiracy

CHAPTER 37

Present Day Carabinieri HQ, Venice Tom Shaman has never felt more nervous.

Looking through the small wired windows, he can see that the main hall is already packed with journalists jabbering bullet-train Italian at each other.

Steel-poled TV camera lights line the walls and bleach the room supernaturally white. A forest of radio microphones has been planted in front of the two desks that the press officer has butted together on a raised platform.

Major Carvalho pats Tom's shoulder. 'It'll be fine. Trust me.' He turns to the force's twenty-eight-year-old translator, Orsetta Cristofaninni, and asks her in Italian if she is clear about what Tom is going to say.

'Si. He is going to tell them he deeply regrets that Signorina Ricci chose to make their private relationship public. And he will say that, in the interests of this enquiry, he doesn't plan to comment any further.'

'Va bene. Let's hope he doesn't.' Vito doubts Tom will get off so lightly. He glances around. 'Where's Lieutenant Morassi?'

The translator shrugs. 'In the hall already?'

Vito doesn't have time to check. The Carabinieri press officer, Bella Lamboni, opens the door. 'We need to start, Major. We are ten minutes late already and they are restless.'

He knows the importance of not letting the press grow hostile. 'Let's do it.'

Tom feels his nerves twang as he follows everyone into the hall and up on to the stage.

Lamboni, a forty-year-old media veteran, kicks things off by explaining what's going to happen. She finishes by announcing that written press statements will be made available on the way out. Finally, she introduces Vito.

The major squints into the hot, bright lights. 'You have brought summer into our normally cold hall, so for that I thank you.' The journos smile a little. 'And I thank you also for your attendance today.' He does his best to look solemn. 'I need your help, my friends. We are investigating the savage murder of a fifteen-year-old girl. Some of you have already written important articles about this.' Behind him, while he speaks, Lamboni unveils a giant picture of a young girl. 'This is Monica Vidic. She should be back at home in Croatia now. Instead, she is in our morgue. Her mutilated body was recovered beneath a bridge at Rio di San Giacomo Dell'Orio by a local man and by Tom Shaman, a former priest visiting us from Los Angeles.' He points towards Tom and smiles his most political of smiles. 'Signor Shaman is already well known to many of you. He made world headlines when he risked his life to save a young woman back in America. And recently, he has been helping us. Why has he been assisting us? First, because he was at the scene when the body was found, and second because his days in California have given him some specialist experience that we wish to draw on.'

Vito hopes to leave the matter there, but a bearded TV reporter shouts a question. 'Is he an exorcist? We've heard he's a demon hunter and that you're on the trail of Satanic serial killers.'

Carvalho mockingly puts his hand to his ear and leans forward. 'Scusi? Did I hear you right? Satanists – exorcists – serial killers? I think you have the wrong press conference, signor. Tonight I want to use your help to focus attention on the case of Monica Vidic.' Vito picks up a black and white head shot. 'Ask your readers and viewers if they recognise this girl. If they saw her with anyone, anywhere at any time in Venice. No piece of information is too trivial. Someone, somewhere may well have seen her with her killer.'

A woman radio reporter in her late thirties stands. 'With respect, Major, you never really answered the question about Signor Shaman. What exactly is he doing to help you?' She turns sideways so she's looking at Tom; everyone can see the glint in her eye. 'And are the steamy stories about his lovemaking really true?'

The last remark prompts raucous laughter, and even some clapping from the journalists.

Tom feels himself turning vermilion as Orsetta translates for him.

Carvalho raises a hand. 'I'm not going to dignify your last remark with a response. On the former question, we asked for Tom's help in relation to some religious aspects that may – or may not – be connected to Monica's murder. Now, that's it. I'm not going to expand on that statement, so please don't waste your breath asking me.'

A young male reporter in the front row catches his eye. 'We know several bodies were recently recovered from the laguna. Have you identified those people, and are they connected to the murder of Monica Vidic?'

Vito answers calmly. 'Two male bodies were recovered. We have not as yet been able to identify either of them, but we're working hard to do so. Until their families have been informed, I think it wrong to comment further. Next question, please.' As he looks for raised hands, Valentina Morassi walks through the back doors of the main hall.

'Fine. If there are no more questions then I think this is the appropriate moment for Signor Shaman to say a few words. His Italian is even worse than my English – and no doubt the English of some of you as well, so we have provided a translator for him.'

Vito steps down from the stage and Valentina is at his side within a second. She cups a hand to his ear. 'A human liver has been found nailed to the high altar of the Salute.'

Vito covers his face with a hand. 'Dear God.'