Алистер Маклин - Red Alert

‘So what’s stopping the coalition happening?’ Kolchinsky asked.

‘In a word, Bellini. He’s totally opposed to the idea.’

‘At least someone’s got some scruples.’

Paluzzi laughed and patted Graham on the shoulder.

‘You obviously don’t know about Enzo Bellini, Mike. He’d make a pact with the devil if he thought it would keep him in power. It’s not the coalition that bothers him. It’s the idea that he could lose the Prime Ministership and all the privileges that go with the job.’

‘Would he be deposed?’ Sabrina asked.

‘Undoubtedly. Along with most of his cabinet. Especially his senior ministers, who are all loyal to him. Although I don’t vote for the PCI, I have to admit that they do have several up and coming politicians who could work wonders for the country. They all back the coalition. And that’s why none of them have been given posts in the government.’

Kolchinsky turned away from the window, his eyebrows furrowed thoughtfully.

‘What if the vial was going to be used not only to free Zocchi but also to force Bellini to step down as Prime Minister so that these coalition talks could take place?’

Paluzzi shook his head.

‘Opposition to the coalition isn’t just confined to the PCI. The Red Brigades also have their dissenters. And Zocchi was the loudest of them. He was a militant who wouldn’t settle for anything less than the violent overthrow of the government in power. Negotiations between the PCI and the Red Brigades were out of the question as far as he was concerned. And that went for the Rome cell in general. The idea of the coalition was drafted by Pisani, Calvieri and Luigi Bettinga, Genoa’s brigade chief, the three so-called ‘moderates’ on the committee. Had any of them been involved in the theft of the vial I’d have said you had a valid point. But not with Zocchi and Ubrino.’

There was a knock at the door and Paluzzi answered it. He stepped aside to let the two waiters enter and Kolchinsky told them to leave the trays on the dressing-table. Sabrina signed the chit and they left the room.

‘There’s tea, coffee and sandwiches,’ Kolchinsky said, gesturing towards the trays. ‘Help yourselves.’

Paluzzi poured himself a coffee then used his teaspoon to lift the edges of the bread to see what the sandwiches contained.

‘I ordered you egg mayonnaise and cheese salad,’ Kolchinsky said behind him.

Paluzzi looked round in surprise.

‘How did you know I was a vegetarian?’

‘It’s in your file at UNACO,’ Kolchinsky said, helping himself to a couple.

‘You’ve got a file on me at UNACO ?’ Paluzzi exclaimed, looking from Kolchinsky to Sabrina.

Graham put a hand on Paluzzi’s shoulder as he reached over for a sandwich.

‘Thing is, Fabio, you just can’t be too careful when it comes to differentiating between friend and foe. One day friend, next day foe.’

‘Like Calvieri?’ Paluzzi said.

‘No, he’ll always be foe,’ Graham replied.

Sabrina took a cup of coffee to Kuhlmann who was seated by the window.

‘Did you come across anything in the helicopter?’

‘Nothing. I’ve got a team of forensic scientists going over it now but I can’t see them coming up with much.’

‘There wasn’t a single fingerprint on it,’ Paluzzi said, looking across at Sabrina. ‘Not one.’

‘What about Ubrino and Francia?’ Graham asked. ‘Surely the locals must have seen them?’

‘Someone gave two men fitting their descriptions a lift to the railway station,’ Kuhlmann said. ‘They seem to have disappeared into thin air after that.’

‘They must have bought tickets. Surely somebody must remember them?’

‘The staff at the station were questioned thoroughly, Mr. Graham. None could recall them.’

‘What if they never boarded the train but slipped back into town?’

‘We thought of that, Miss Carver,’ Kuhlmann said. ‘All accommodation centres have been checked. Nothing. I’ve also instigated the surveillance of all known terrorist sympathizers in Switzerland. If Ubrino or Francia are staying with any of them, we’ll know about it.’

‘There isn’t much else we can do, except wait,’ Paluzzi said, sitting down next to Graham.

‘Have you spoken to the Colonel, Sergei?’ Graham asked.

Kolchinsky nodded.

‘He’s flying out to Switzerland tonight. I’m picking him up at the airport tomorrow morning.’

‘What did he say about Wiseman?’

‘He’s gone to ground. His present whereabouts are unknown.’

‘And Alexander?’ Sabrina asked.

‘He was spotted at a tube station in London this morning. Scotland Yard are confident of picking him up within the next couple of days.’

‘The ambulances have arrived,’ Paluzzi said, peering down into the street.

‘What ambulances?’ Sabrina asked, craning her neck to look over Paluzzi’s shoulder.

‘To take away the bodies of Young and Escoletti,’ Paluzzi replied, then stood aside to give her a better view of what was happening in the street below them.

‘Escoletti?’ Graham said, crossing to the window.

‘Giancarlo Escoletti, the Red Brigades’ most senior hitman,’ Paluzzi told him. ‘Just the sort of person to be sent after Pisani’s killers.’

‘How do you know it was Escoletti?’ Sabrina asked. ‘Have you been over there?’

Paluzzi shook his head.

‘I knew who it was when Sergei mentioned the black doctor’s bag found beside the body. It was Escoletti’s trademark.’

‘C.W. won’t be implicated, will he?’ Graham asked, turning to Kolchinsky.

‘I cleared that with the Commissioner as soon as he arrived,’ Kolchinsky replied, indicating Kuhlmann. ‘It’ll be an open and shut case. Escoletti surprised Young, a fight ensued, and they killed each other. At least that’s the story that will appear in the morning papers.’

Graham put his empty cup on the tray.

‘Talking about the morning, hadn’t we better get on with the briefing?’

‘Quite right, Michael. Commissioner Kuhlmann and I will meet the Colonel’s plane at seven-thirty then the three of us all go directly to the Offenbach Centre for a meeting with representatives of those countries taking part in the summit.’

‘Have they already been briefed about the vial?’ Sabrina asked.

Kolchinsky nodded.

‘The Colonel told the sixteen Ambassadors at the United Nations as soon as we knew that Ubrino’s final destination was the Offenbach Centre. They’ve been kept up to date on all the latest developments.’

‘What about us?’ Graham asked. ‘What will we be doing?’

‘You three, plus Calvieri, will be in a car parked a few hundred yards away from the Offenbach Centre. You’ll be in constant radio contact with me.’

‘What use will we be there?’ Graham exclaimed in disbelief. ‘We know what Ubrino looks like. We should be working with the security guards, not sitting in some damn car.’

Kolchinsky studied the remaining sandwiches on the plate then selected one and turned back to Graham.

‘Ubrino also knows what you look like. All of you. And if he sees any of you at the Offenbach Centre he’s likely to smell a rat and take off. Then what? We wouldn’t know where to start looking for him. At least this way we can pin him down to one place. And as I told you earlier, an extra hundred policemen and women have been drafted in to help look for him.’

‘Chances are he’ll wear a disguise,’ Paluzzi said, looking at Kuhlmann. ‘And if he does, I guarantee that none of your people will recognize him. He’s a master of deception.’

‘I’ve heard about these disguises,’ Kuhlmann replied. ‘That’s why everyone entering the building will be subjected to a body search. We also have X-ray machines at all entrances to check bags and briefcases. He may be able to disguise himself, but he won’t be able to disguise the vial. He won’t get into the building undetected, of that I’m certain.’