Алистер Маклин - Red Alert

‘Enough to know that I wouldn’t trust the bastards an inch.’

‘I know them inside out. I should do after eight years. It was my idea in the first place to contact Pisani.’ Paluzzi held up his hand when Graham opened his mouth to speak. ‘Give me a chance and I’ll explain to you why I did it. We have a senior Brigatista on our payroll. A brigade chief, to be exact. He gets to attend all the executive committee meetings. He told us that Pisani called an emergency meeting yesterday. It turned out that the break-in hadn’t been sanctioned by the committee. In fact, the first Pisani knew about it was when he turned on his radio yesterday morning and heard that the Red Brigades had claimed responsibility for it. It was obvious that Zocchi was behind it–’

‘Why?’ Graham challenged.

‘Two reasons. Firstly, because Riccardo Ubrino was involved. He’s been Zocchi’s right-hand man for the last six years. They were inseparable.’

‘Couldn’t Ubrino have pulled it off by himself?’ Kolchinsky asked.

Paluzzi shook his head. ‘It was too well planned. Ubrino’s a hatchet man, he doesn’t have the brains to plan a raid like that. Zocchi did.’

‘And the second reason?’ Sabrina asked.

‘It’s a bit more complicated. Pisani found out at the beginning of the year that he had cancer. The doctors doubt he’ll see out the year. This has naturally sparked a bitter power struggle amongst the brigade chiefs to appoint his successor. It came down to two men: Zocchi and Tonino Calvieri, Milan’s brigade chief. Calvieri is a so-called “moderate”. He has the unanimous support of the other brigade chiefs. He’s been Pisani’s blue-eyed boy for years. But Zocchi had the money behind him. The Rome cell is wealthier than all the other cells put together. And that meant he had the backing of many of the rich irregulars.’

‘Irregulars?’ Kolchinsky asked.

‘It’s what the Brigatisti call sympathizers. They don’t have a say at committee level but they can easily make their presence felt by withholding donations if they don’t agree with committee policy. And if enough donations are withheld, it would cripple the organization financially.’

‘Was this happening?’ Kolchinsky asked.

‘It was being threatened. And that was something Pisani had to take into consideration when choosing his successor. Then Zocchi was arrested for his part in the attempted murder of a Rome judge. The other brigade chiefs were only too pleased to see the prison gates close behind him. They certainly wouldn’t have wanted to spring him. Which leaves Zocchi himself.’

‘I still don’t see why Pisani has agreed to co-operate with us,’ Sabrina said.

‘Because the vial could end up being used against him, and the committee, forcing them to concede power to the Rome cell.’ Paluzzi held out his hand towards Graham. ‘As you said, who knows what use they might find for it in the future.’

‘But Zocchi’s dead,’ Sabrina said.

‘But Ubrino isn’t, and the Rome cell regard him as Zocchi’s natural successor. That frightens Pisani and his brigade chiefs enough for them to agree to help us get the vial back.’

‘Surely they could negotiate with him themselves? Then, once they had the vial, they could kill him and install this Calvieri.’

‘Nice scenario, Mr. Graham, but you’re overlooking a couple of points. Firstly, they don’t know where Ubrino is, that much we do know from our mole. And secondly, by killing him, the donations from foreign irregulars could dry up. But if we were to kill him, or jail him, for that matter, they would have neatly sidestepped the responsibility. As far as they’re concerned, the vial’s a small price to pay if it means keeping the Red Brigades intact.’

Graham drank the remainder of his coffee and replaced the cup in the saucer. ‘I’ve got to hand it to you, Paluzzi, you know your business.’

‘That’s why I was assigned to help you. I know how their devious minds work. And Pisani’s sending us their most devious mind of all to help us find the vial. Calvieri.’

‘I thought you said he was a moderate?’

‘He is, Miss Carver, and that’s what makes him all the more dangerous. He and Zocchi were like chalk and cheese. Zocchi, the brash, arrogant radical who used violence against anyone opposing the cause. And Calvieri, the polite, mild-mannered intellectual. He speaks five languages fluently and has been in charge of their PR department for the past four years. At least with Zocchi you knew what to expect. But not with Calvieri. It’s impossible to know what’s going on in his mind. It’s no wonder he’s held in such high regard in the Brigades.’

‘When do we meet him?’ Kolchinsky asked.

‘Eight o’clock at the Quirinale.’

Kolchinsky finished his coffee. ‘Any news of the helicopter that was used by Zocchi’s killers?’

‘Still nothing. But we are certain it wasn’t a genuine police helicopter. The markings on the fuselage were false.’

‘What about the wounded terrorist?’ Kolchinsky asked.

‘Conte? He’s still in a critical condition in hospital. The doctors removed eight bullets from his body. It’s a miracle he’s still alive.’ Paluzzi took another sheet of paper from his pocket and handed it to Kolchinsky. ‘The ballistics report on the bullets taken from Conte and Nardi. They all came from the submachine-gun found next to Nardi’s body. It was clean, so we can only presume that Ubrino had instructions to kill his team once he had the vial in his possession.’

‘What can you tell us about Ubrino?’ Sabrina asked. ‘We don’t have much on him at the Command Centre.’

‘Grew up in the same slums as Zocchi. Believed passionately in the cause from an early age. Zocchi recruited him. He started out as Zocchi’s personal bodyguard but slowly worked his way up through the ranks to his present position of senior cell commander. That meant he was only answerable to Zocchi. We know he’s been personally responsible for at least four murders and countless kneecap-pings here in Rome but we’ve never had enough evidence to make it stick. He’s always had Zocchi to bail him out of trouble.’ Paluzzi glanced at his watch. ‘I think we should go if we’re going to make the Quirinale by eight.’

Kolchinsky was the first on his feet and he led the way out to the Peugeot.

A receptionist at the Quirinale Hotel told them that Calvieri had checked in less than half an hour earlier. She gave them his room number and they rode the lift to the third floor where Paluzzi rapped sharply on the bedroom door. Calvieri opened it and gestured for them to enter his room.

He was a handsome 41year-old with finely chiselled features, piercing blue eyes and a neatly trimmed brown moustache. His long dark brown hair was combed away from his forehead and secured in a ponytail behind his head.

He closed the door after them and stopped in front of Paluzzi. They each tried to stare the other out like two boxers before a big fight, both oblivious to those around them. Kolchinsky was about to speak but Graham put a hand on his arm to silence him. The movement broke Paluzzi’s concentration and he turned away sharply, furious with himself for allowing his feelings to surface so easily. He introduced them to Calvieri. Kolchinsky and Sabrina shook Calvieri’s extended hand. Graham refused.

‘What organization do you work for?’

‘That doesn’t concern you, Mr. Calvieri,’ Kolchinsky replied as he crossed to one of the armchairs and sat down. ‘Let’s just say we’re working with Major Paluzzi and leave it at that.’

‘Very well,’ Calvieri replied, the resentment obvious in his face.

Kolchinsky took a pack of cigarettes from his pocket and offered one to Paluzzi, who refused with a quick shake of his head. Calvieri took one. Kolchinsky lit it for him, then his own, and discarded the match in the ashtray beside him.