Алистер Маклин - Red Alert

‘ Posso parl are con Tony Calvieri? ’ Kolchinsky asked.

‘ Resti in linea ,’ came the reply, and Kolchinsky heard the receiver being placed on a hard surface, probably a table.

It was picked up moments later.

‘ Pronto, sono Tony Calvieri .’

‘It’s Kolchinsky. Conte’s regained consciousness. We’re meeting Paluzzi at the hospital in thirty minutes.’

‘I’ll be there as soon as I can.’

‘Any luck with the investigation?’

Calvieri sighed. ‘Not really, I’m afraid. I’ll fill you in when I see you. Thanks for letting me know about Conte.’

Kolchinsky met up with Graham and Sabrina ten minutes later outside the hotel and they drove to the Santo Spirito Hospital in the heart of the city. Paluzzi was waiting for them in the foyer.

‘Have you spoken to Conte?’ Kolchinsky asked.

‘I haven’t had a chance. I’ve only just got here myself.’ Paluzzi waited until a nurse had passed out of earshot then asked, ‘Where’s Calvieri?’

‘He was still at Pisani’s house when I called. He said he would be here as soon as he could.’

‘That suits me fine,’ Paluzzi said, leading them to the lift. ‘I don’t want him around until we’ve finished questioning Conte.’

‘Why?’ Sabrina asked.

Paluzzi got into the lift last and pressed the button for the third floor.

‘It’s psychological. Ubrino tried to kill him. We have to play on that if we’re going to get him into our confidence. If we’re seen to be working with the Red Brigades it could undermine our position. We can’t afford to take that chance.’

They got out on the third floor. Paluzzi indicated the two uniformed carabinieri sitting outside the private ward at the end of the corridor. They approached the two men and Paluzzi identified himself.

‘Who are the others?’ one of the policemen asked.

‘They’re with me, that’s all you need to know. Is Conte still conscious?’

‘Yes, sir,’ the policeman answered.

Paluzzi took Graham to one side.

‘I’m sending these two for an early breakfast. I’d like you to wait out here for Calvieri. Whatever you do, don’t let him come in.’

‘Got you,’ Graham replied.

Paluzzi spoke to the two policemen and they headed off for a welcome bite to eat. He opened the door and a third policeman, sitting beside the door, immediately got to his feet and challenged him. Paluzzi showed him his ID and asked him to join his colleagues in the cafeteria.

The policeman left the room. Kolchinsky and Sabrina went inside and she closed the door silently behind her.

Conte lay motionless on the bed. His face was sallow, his bloodshot eyes watching their every move. He tried to speak, but his throat was dry. Sabrina poured some water from the jug on the bedside table into a tumbler and tilted his head forward so he could take a drink. He coughed as the water ran down his throat.

‘ Grazie ,’ he said in a barely audible whisper.

‘ Prego ,’ she replied, putting the tumbler back on the table.

She was amazed at how young he looked. The UNACO dossier had given his age as twenty-two. He looked more like a schoolboy. Sixteen, seventeen at most. What had motivated him to join the Red Brigades when he had his whole life ahead of him? It seemed such a waste. Why couldn’t he see that? Perhaps now he would realize the futility of it all. The dream had become a nightmare.

Graham peered around the door.

‘Fabio, you’d better get out here.’

Paluzzi crossed to the door.

‘What is it? Has Calvieri arrived?’

‘Calvieri I can handle.’ Graham stabbed a thumb over his shoulder. ‘There’s a doctor out there who’s pretty pissed off with you. He says you were supposed to call him when you got here. Know anything about it?’

Paluzzi nodded and stepped out into the corridor. The man was in his thirties with black hair and a neatly trimmed black beard.

‘Doctor Marchetta?’ Paluzzi asked.

‘ Si ,’ came the curt response.

Paluzzi introduced himself in English and held up his ID card.

‘And who is he?’ Marchetta gestured to Graham. ‘I take offence to being bullied by some foreigner.’

‘He’s a security consultant with Neo-Chem Industries. He was sent over here from the United States to help with the investigation.’

Marchetta glared at Graham, then turned back to Paluzzi.

‘We agreed over the phone that you would contact me when you arrived at the hospital,’ he said, switching to Italian to exclude Graham from the conversation.

‘I tried to contact you but you were unavailable at the time.’

‘Then you should have waited until I was available!’ Marchetta snapped angrily.

‘I’m conducting a serious criminal investigation, Doctor. I don’t have time to wait about for you or anybody else. Surely you have an assistant? Why couldn’t you have sent him to meet me?’

‘The reason why I wanted to speak to you personally was to tell you about Conte’s condition. He’s very weak right now. It’s only to be expected after being in a coma for the past forty-eight hours. I can’t let you talk to him for more than five minutes. You’ll be able to question him further this afternoon, depending of course on his condition.’

‘I don’t have time to question him in installments,’ Paluzzi said sharply. ‘I need answers now.’

‘It’s out of the question. He’s in no condition to be interrogated. Five minutes, that’s all.’

‘I’m not asking you, Doctor, I’m telling you. I’m not leaving here until I have the answers I want.’

‘Major, your jurisdiction’s out there,’ Marchetta said, gesturing towards the window with a sweep of his arm. ‘But your authority ended when you entered the hospital. This is my jurisdiction. And what I say goes.’

‘Four guards were killed during the break-in.’ Paluzzi pointed to the door. ‘He is one of the men responsible–’

‘I hate the Red Brigades just as much as the next man, Major, but I’d be failing in my duty as a doctor if I didn’t do everything in my power to nurse him back to health. Then he can stand trial and I hope he spends the rest of his life in jail for what he’s done. But in this hospital he’s a patient, not a terrorist. And he’ll be treated as such.’

‘Ten minutes,’ Paluzzi said. ‘And before you launch into another speech, spare a thought for the victims’ families.’

‘I can’t risk it, Major. Not at this stage. The matron will be up in exactly five minutes’ time to administer his medication.’ Marchetta spun on his heels and strode to the lift.

‘What was all that about?’ Graham asked.

‘I was buying some time for Sergei and Sabrina. I only hope they used it.’

Graham frowned, then took his seat again opposite the door.

Paluzzi went back into the ward. Kolchinsky, standing by the window, immediately put a finger to his lips and motioned to him to remain at the door. Paluzzi nodded then looked at Sabrina who was sitting by the bed, her back to him, a micro-cassette player in her hand. Kolchinsky tiptoed across to Paluzzi and indicated that they should leave the room.

‘What’s wrong?’ Graham asked as they emerged into the corridor.

‘Nothing,’ Kolchinsky said, easing himself on to the chair beside Graham. ‘Sabrina’s managed to get him talking. I don’t want them interrupted until she’s finished.’

‘She’s got about four minutes left,’ Paluzzi said, and recounted his conversation with Marchetta.

‘And what if she’s not through by the time the matron arrives?’ Graham asked.

‘Then we come back later,’ Paluzzi answered.

‘What?’ Graham stared at Paluzzi in disbelief. ‘This could be the breakthrough and you talk about coming back later? The deadline’s tomorrow morning, in case you’ve forgotten.’