DON ANTONIO Russo WAS SEVENTY YEARS OF age and of ample proportions, his loose cream linen suit accentuating his bulk. His hair was long and gray, swept back from his fleshy, arrogant face. A man who had always been used to having his own way. He got up, leaning on his cane as So!lazo entered the sumptuous living room of the Trump Tower apartment.
“Marco, good to see you.” They embraced- “A glass of champagne?’ Don Antonio snapped his fingers at a manservant. “Oh, by the way, there are some faxes for you. Can’t your office give you a night off?” “Son’y, Uncle, this is important. May I?” “Of course.” Sollazo went into the office, found tim faxes, and read them quickly. He returned to the living room, accepted his glass of champgne, and sat opposit Russo.
“Can we talk business?” “Always,” “Good,” So[lazo mid him in detail of his conversation with $alam.,.
When he was finished, the Don said. “More than interesting. And tim faxes?” “They confirm the mention in ti/ew but in more detail. Naturally, as usual with newspapn, the accounts differ, but broadly speaking they agree as to general details. A truck carrying fifty million pounds in gold bullion was knocked off on a country road in the English Lake Dislrict. A young boy told the police he’d been chased away from a ferry called the lrh Rose at an old.disused jetty no far from the scene of the action. He also said he’d seen a truck of the right description mm off the main road. toward the ferry later in the day.”
“Obviously the bullion track put to sea on the ferry.” “And what happened?”.
“End of story. Over next few days a smashed-up ship’s boat, !ifebelts, and so on, all bearing the name Irish Rose, were washed up on the coast of County Down.” “I see.” Don Antonio sat there frowning. “And Salamone said that in a fever, this man Kelly spoke of being the only one who knew where the boat went down?” “That’s right.” “And you said bullion of the order of fifty million pounds?” “Yes, but tha-t–was ten years ago. Gold prices have greatly increased, I’d say at least one hundred million pounds in present terms.” “Now that kind of nuhey is always interesting.” “I was thinking,” Sollazo sd, “with the right kind of salvage boat these recovery jobs are quite easy these days, as long as you know where the ship is, which the authorities don’t.” “So they tell me.” Don ntonio sat there thinking about it. Finally he nodded. “I wonder who this man Kelly was working for. Was it just business or the IRA or something like that?” “It’s a thought,” Sollazo said.
“You know, a few years ago I had dealings with ,. the IRA. We used to provide arms through a Sicilian connection. Their Chief of Staff was a man called Barry–Jack Barry.”
Sollazo said, “It’s all. peace talk with the IRA these days. Gerry Adams at the White House speaking for their Sinn Fein party.”
“So what?” the Don said. “Barry is an old foxl If anyone will know anything of this affair, it will be him. His private number in Dublin will be in my special address book in the top right-hand drawer of my desk. See if you can get him.” IN DUBLIN JACK Bt.RY WAS SITTING BY THE FIRE, bored out of his mind and reading a newspaper, rain
brushing the window, when the phone rang.
“Bar-y here.”
“Mr. Jack Barry? Is that you? An old friend, I hope. Don Antonio Russo.”
“Dear God,” Barry said. ‘And what can I do for you?”
“More what can we do for each other, Mr. Barry.
I’m talking serious business here. Does the name Irish Rose mean anything to you?”
Barry swallowed hard. “Should it?”
“What would you say if I told you that I know the whereabouts of a man who calls himself Kelly, but in a fever speaks of being the onl5 one who knows .where the ship has gone down, the only one who knows where the gold is?’
“I’d be more than interested.”
“Fine. It seems to me we might have a mutual interest here that could profit both of us. My nephew, Marco Sollazo, who is also my lawyer, will be with you tomorrow.” “I look forward to meeting him.” Don Antonio put the phone down. “We have a good source at Green Rapids Detention Center?” “An excellent one.” “Phone now. We need a copy of Kelly’s photo as quickly as possible, then get in touch with the airport and tell them to have the Gulfstream ready to go.