Carlo waited until his mother and Pier were in the kitchen preparing lunch, then hurried into Pier’s room. He found the bracelet hidden under some lingerie in a dresser drawer. He swiftly pocketed it and was on his way out when his mother came out of the kitchen.
“Carlo, aren’t you staying for lunch?”
“No. I have an appointment, Mama. I’ll be back later.”
He got on his Vespa and headed toward the Quartiere Spagnolo. Maybe the bracelet is phony, he thought. It could be paste. I hope I don’t make a fool of myself with Lucca. He parked the motorbike in front of a small jewelry store that had a sign in front that read: Orologia. The owner, Gambino, was an elderly, wizened man, with an ill-fitting black wig and a mouthful of false teeth. He looked up as Carlo entered.
“Good morning, Carlo. You’re out early.”
“Yeah.”
“What have you got for me today?”
Carlo took out the bracelet and laid it on the counter. “This.”
Gambino picked it up. As he studied it, his eyes widened. “Where did you get this?”
“A rich aunt died and left it to me. Is it worth anything?”
“It could be,” Gambino said cautiously.
“Don’t fuck around with me.”
Gambino looked hurt. “Have I ever cheated you?”
“All the time.”
“You boys are always kidding around. I’ll tell you what I will do, Carlo. I’m not sure I can handle this by myself. It’s very valuable.”
Carlo’s heart skipped a beat. “Really?”
“I’ll have to see if I can lay it off somewhere. I’ll give you a call tonight.”
“Okay,” Carlo said. He snatched up the bracelet. “I’ll keep this until I hear from you.”
Carlo left the shop walking on air. So, he had been right! The sucker was rich, and he was also crazy. Why else would someone give an expensive bracelet to a whore?
In the store, Gambino watched Carlo leave. He thought, What the hell have those idiots gotten themselves into? From under the counter, he picked up a circular that had been sent to all pawn shops. It had a description of the bracelet he had just seen, but at the bottom, instead of the usual police number to call, there was a special notice: “Notify SIFAR immediately.” Gambino would have ignored an ordinary police circular, as he had hundreds of times in the past, but he knew enough about SIFAR to know that one never crossed them. He hated to lose the profit on the bracelet, but he did not intend to put his neck in a noose. Reluctantly, he picked up the telephone and dialed the number on the circular.
Chapter Forty-four
It was the season of fear, of swirling, deadly shadows. Years earlier Robert had been sent on a mission to Borneo and had gone into the deep jungle after a traitor. It had been in October, during musim takoot, the traditional head-hunting season, when the jungle natives lived in terror of Balli Salang, the spirit that sought out humans for their blood. It was a season of murders, and now for Robert, Naples had suddenly become the jungles of Borneo. Death was in the air. Do not go gentle into the fucking night, Robert thought. They’ll have to catch me first. How had they traced him here? Pier. They must have tracked him down through Pier. I have to get back to the house and warn her, Robert thought. But first I have to find a way out of here.
He drove toward the outskirts of the city, to where the autostrada began, hoping that by some miracle it might be clear. Five hundred yards before he reached the entrance, he saw the police roadblock. He turned around and headed back toward the center of the city.
Robert drove slowly, concentrating, putting himself into the minds of his pursuers. They would have all avenues of escape out of Italy blocked. Every ship leaving the country would be searched. A plan suddenly came to him. They would have no reason to search ships not leaving Italy. It’s a chance, Robert thought. He headed for the harbor again.
The little bell over the door of the jewelry shop rang, and Gambino looked up. Two men in dark suits walked in. They were not customers.