Алистер Маклин: Red Alert

Wiseman’s first bullet took Calvieri high in the shoulder, knocking him back against the open door. Paluzzi was still sprinting towards the van when the second bullet hit Calvieri full in the chest, punching him backwards into the van. The policemen scrambled for cover, shouting at each other in confusion as they scanned the rooftops for any sign of the gunman. A captain was quick to take charge and led a team of four men out into the street.

Whitlock hurried over to where Paluzzi was crouched beside Calvieri.

‘The ambulance is on its way.’

‘There’s no rush,’ Paluzzi said, and closed Calvieri’s sightless eyes.

Whitlock punched the side of the van angrily.

Paluzzi stood up. ‘Call Philpott, tell him what’s happened I’m going to see if they’ve found anything out there.’

Whitlock disappeared into the courthouse to phone Philpott at the hotel.

The gate was unlocked again and Paluzzi slipped out into the street. All the activity was centred around the hotel. The two policemen there, one at the main door and the other at the entrance to the alley, were being questioned by the ever-increasing crowd of onlookers who were gathering in front of the hotel, jostling with each other in an attempt to satisfy their curiosity. Neither policeman was saying anything. A police car pulled up outside the courthouse and Paluzzi ordered the two policemen to clear the onlookers, who were already beginning to spill out on to the road. They scrambled from the car and began to disperse the crowd.

Paluzzi showed his ID card to the policeman guarding the alley and was allowed to pass. He was told that the captain was on the roof. He climbed the fire escape to the flat roof and found the captain kneeling beside a discarded rifle.

The captain noticed Paluzzi behind him and got to his feet.

‘The gunman got away,’ he muttered through clenched teeth.

Paluzzi examined the rifle, then looked across to the courthouse yard at Calvieri’s body, which had been covered with a grey blanket. He shook his head.

‘I said there should be more security. But nobody listened. It wasn’t my jurisdiction. It’s certainly going to look good on Kuhlmann’s record. Calvieri gunned down at a courthouse because he failed to sanction the proper security measures. The man’s still living in the Middle Ages. The sooner he goes the better it will be for this country.’

‘Commissioner Kuhlmann’s a fine man,’ the captain snapped. ‘He did what he thought best under the circumstances.’

‘And look at the result.’ Paluzzi walked away then looked back at the captain as he reached the top of the stairs. ‘I wonder if you’ll still be singing his praises when the bombs start exploding in your cities. The Red Brigades won’t take this lying down, you can be sure of that.’

Paluzzi descended the fire escape and emerged into the street, where he paused to look at the approaching ambulance.

Calvieri’s death meant the Red Brigades would have to appoint a new leader. There was only one real candidate. Luigi Bettinga. The NOCS mole.

Paluzzi dug his hands into his pockets and walked back slowly to the courthouse.

Kolchinsky, Graham and Sabrina arrived back in Berne at two-thirty that afternoon. It was three o’clock before they reached the hotel. Philpott immediately called a meeting in his room. Whitlock recounted the morning’s events to them.

‘Where is Fabio?’ Sabrina asked, once Whitlock had finished speaking.

‘Packing,’ Philpott answered. ‘He’s been recalled to Rome. It seems they want some answers as well.’

Graham poured himself a second cup of coffee, then looked across at Philpott who was seated by the window.

‘What’s going to happen to Wiseman? C.W. seems certain he was the phantom gunman at the courthouse this morning.’

‘Nothing,’ Philpott replied, then took a sip of coffee and dabbed his mouth with a paper napkin.

‘Nothing?’ Sabrina repeated incredulously.

‘We know he was in Berne this morning but he does have an alibi for the time of the shooting.’

‘A prostitute he’s paid to say she was with him,’ she snorted.

‘That may well be, but it’s still an alibi. And we still don’t have a single witness who could place him at the hotel this morning. Then there’s the matter of the gun. We know he could have pulled the trigger with his middle finger, but try and explain that to a jury of housewives and accountants. They wouldn’t buy it. The whole case would rest on circumstantial evidence. He’d never be convicted.’

‘But C.W. can finger him as Young’s paymaster,’ Graham said. ‘That’s an accessory to murder charge at the very least.’

Philpott shook his head.

‘And have it come out that we conspired with Scotland Yard’s anti-terrorist squad to kidnap, and that’s what it was, a prisoner on his way to court? We’d both be crucified. And you can be sure they’d never agree to work with us again. We can’t risk that kind of hostility. They’re our main ally in the UK.’

Graham gave a resigned shrug. Philpott was right.

‘They’ve got enough trouble as it is with Alexander still on the run. They don’t need us to add to it, especially as it was our plan in the first place to swop C.W. for him. No, the whole messy business is best left well alone as far as I’m concerned.’

‘What about Conte and the Rietler woman?’ Graham asked. ‘What’s going to happen to them?’

‘Conte will stand trial for his part in the break-in at the plant,’ Philpott replied. ‘He’ll be put away for a long stretch, the authorities will see to that. I’ve spoken to Commissioner Kuhlmann about Ute Rietler. He’s agreed not to press charges.’

There was a knock at the door. Kolchinsky answered it.

Paluzzi smiled at him. ‘I’ve just come to say goodbye.’

‘Come in,’ Kolchinsky said, stepping aside.

‘Are you off to face the music?’ Whitlock said, looking up at him.

‘Something like that. My plane leaves for Rome in an hour. I just came to say ciao .’

Philpott got to his feet and shook Paluzzi’s hand.

‘Thanks for all your help. We couldn’t have done it without you and your men.’

‘And we couldn’t have done it without UNACO,’ Paluzzi replied with a wry smile.

He shook hands with Kolchinsky and Whitlock, then turned to Graham and Sabrina and, putting his arms around their shoulders, led them to the door.

‘You got a lift to the airport?’ Graham asked.

‘I’ve got the Audi. I have to leave it there anyway.’ Paluzzi kissed Sabrina lightly on the cheek. ‘ Ciao, bella ,’

She hugged him. ‘ Ciao , not addio .’

‘That goes without saying.’

‘What’s the difference?’ Graham asked.

‘ Addio is a final goodbye,’ Paluzzi explained. ‘ Ciao is more like a farewell.’

‘Then ciao ,’ Graham said, shaking Paluzzi’s hand. ‘You look me up next time you’re in New York. I’ll take you to a game. You’ll never be the same again.’

‘You’re on,’ Paluzzi replied, then took a small gift-wrapped parcel from his jacket pocket and handed it to Graham.

‘What’s this?’ Graham asked in disbelief.

‘You can open it after I’ve gone. Ciao ,’ Paluzzi said, then waved at the others and left the room.

‘Open it,’ Sabrina said excitedly.

Graham tore off the paper. Sabrina burst out laughing.

‘What is it?’ Whitlock asked.

Graham smiled. ‘An Italian phrase book.’

‘I hope you take the hint,’ Philpott said, jabbing the stem of his pipe at Graham. ‘It’ll be something for you to do while you’re on leave.’

‘We’re back on leave?’ Graham said.