The Diva Crusade (John McRae Book 1)

by Phoenix Ford

  Sylvia found John waiting with another spumante and a mineral water just outside the hallway. She said "Let's leave these on that table and get out of here as fast as possible. I narrowly missed an encounter with someone coming up the stairs when I was leaving. I imagine it was the contessa. I had to wait behind some drapes when I heard a second person coming up the stairs."

  "Yes, you are right, Sylvia. First I saw Eleanora enter the hallway, and then some man dressed like Casanova wearing a period costume, white wig and black mask also entered the hallway. I already called Colin to bring the car as close as possible to the villa for a fast getaway. I was getting really worried about you and was about to go upstairs myself. We need to leave right now." He walked over to the table to leave their drinks, and together they exited the villa.

  "Keep smiling, and walk normally without rushing," Sylvia commented. "We must not draw attention to ourselves. They walked through the open front entrance and continued down the walkway to the street side entrance. There they found Colin waiting in their hired vintage Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud with the engine running. John opened the door for Sylvia and then slipped into the car himself.

  "Quick," said Sylvia to Colin. "We need to get away from here immediately. Let's take an evasive route to make sure we are not being followed."

  As Sylvia and John drove away with Colin at the wheel Eleanora was still talking with Angelo in her living room. "Angelo, even though everything seems to be in order something about this doesn't feel right. I definitely smelled a fragrance. It was different from the fragrance I am wearing, something light, perhaps an Hermes scent. The paintings up here are secure, and my jewelry is in a safe nobody could ever find. But I am concerned this could be related to the matter in Paris."

  "Let's go back downstairs to ask one of my men near the hallway whether he has seen anyone leaving during the last few minutes," Angelo replied in Italian. Together they left the apartment and descended the staircase. At the bottom they found Paulo, one of Angelo's men dressed in green livery.

  "Paulo, have you noticed whether anyone has entered or left the hallway during the past ten minutes or so?," asked Angelo.

  "Well, I saw a lady going down the hall and entering the ladies' room a few minutes ago. Then I saw a different lady coming out of the ladies room wearing a burgundy gown. She was met by a man in a black period costume. I think they were the couple dressed as Isabella and Ferdinand."

  "Do you think you could find them now?" asked Angelo.

  "Probably not," replied Paulo. "They left the villa together after the lady returned from the restroom. I stepped outdoors and saw them getting into an old Rolls Royce, maybe a Silver Cloud."

  "Call two of our men and tell them to give chase on motor bikes. Those people got a head start, but with any luck they will be stopped by a traffic light somewhere. Tell our guys that if they catch up with the Rolls not to stop them. Instead they should follow at a safe distance and then call me when those people stop somewhere." Angelo looked back at Eleanora and said "We have a list of all attendees by costume with their ticket numbers. We can also check the security camera footage. As you know we had one camera directly focused on the platform where each couple was announced. I imagine those people are gone by now, but we can check the names used when they bought the tickets in case you discover something missing."

  "Very well, Angelo. I appreciate your assistance. Probably that lady was just curious about the house. We sometimes have visitors during the hours we are open to the public try to venture beyond the part of the villa they are allowed to visit, but for some reason this feels different," replied Eleanora. "I will return to the Monsignor now, but please call me if anything turns up."

  CHAPTER 30

  Sylvia and John sat in the back of the Rolls as Colin drove through the streets of Rome. He had worked undercover in Rome for the past three years as a cultural attaché and knew the streets very well. He had planned several escape routes from the villa prior to the costume ball. This particular route took them through the maneuvers of two switchbacks through the Prati district and then past the Vatican and through a long stretch almost parallel to the river until they crossed it not far from the Trastevere district and were heading towards the Piazza Navona.

  "Colin, I don't think we should return to our hotel. Please call the Italian secret service and tell them John and I are moving to the safe house near Piazza Navona. After you drop us off at Piazza Navona please collect our things at the hotel and bring them to us tonight using a taxi or different car," Sylvia said as she leaned closer to the front seat of the Rolls. She and John were already getting out of their costumes and putting on the casual clothes they had stashed in a backseat compartment before the costume ball.

  "Thank God I can take off these torture devices!" John exclaimed, taking off the shoes that were part of his costume. "This collar isn't exactly comfortable either."

  Sylvia laughed. "I'm wearing padding to disguise my appearance, but can you imagine the corsets ladies had to wear long ago?" She was out of her gown and slipping into a pair of corduroy jeans. John had jeans he was about to put on too as soon as he got the costume shoes, breeches and hose off. The windows of the Rolls were tinted fairly dark so no one could see them changing clothes in the car.

  When they were about two blocks from Piazza Navona Colin stopped the Rolls close to the curb of a sidewalk. He looked over his shoulder at Sylvia and said "I think this is a pretty discreet spot for you to get out. I don't think we were followed. I took extra precautions and never saw a tail."

  "Thanks so much, Colin," Sylvia smiled at him. "We'll see you at the safe house as soon as you bring our things to us."

  John put on loafers, a leather jacket and Italian woolen cap and opened the door. After he got out he held out his hand to Sylvia as she stepped out too. She picked up a valise which held her laptop, passports, multiple currencies and emergency tooth brushes and toiletries in case Colin didn't return tonight or in case they had to make sudden change of plans. In undercover work she always had to have contingency plans."

  The Rolls drove away as John took Sylvia's hand to walk towards Piazza Navona. It was only 11 PM, and the piazza was especially festive with many people wearing Halloween costumes or masks. The crowded ovular-shaped piazza had been the old Roman Hippodrome in ancient times. This was where the Romans used to have their chariot races.

  "Let's walk towards the fountain and then veer off to the right. We'll head towards a street exit which will take us through a confusing maze of streets to a small neighborhood found by few tourists. The safe house is really an apartment in a centuries old building. You will probably like it better than the hotel."

  "Sounds good to me," replied John as they continued walking, dodging a group of drunken revelers. When they reached the apartment building he said "You weren't joking. I've explored the area around Piazza Navona many times, starting years ago when I was a student on a summer vacation. I had no idea this little neighborhood was tucked away back here." Sylvia pulled a couple of keys out of a side pocket of the valise. With one she opened the front door to the building. As soon as the door opened a motion detector automatically turned on the dim lights in the foyer and stairway going up.

  "Follow me. We're going to the second floor which you Yanks would call the third floor," said Sylvia. There was no elevator.

  "I'm from Texas. I'm no Yankee!" John laughed.

  Sylvia smiled at him as they continued up stairs. Reaching the door to the safe house apartment she opened it with another key, locking the door with both the door lock and a dead bolt. They entered a small entrance hall where a door led to a darkened room. Sylvia switched on the lights which revealed a spacious room with comfortable-looking contemporary furniture. A doorway to the right led down a darkened hall.

  "I've got to dash to the bathroom," said John.

  "Of course," said Sylvia. "It's just down that hallway before you pass the two bedrooms. There's a light switch somewhere near the entrance to the h
all.

  When John returned to the living room he found Sylvia sitting on the sofa looking at her laptop on the coffee table in front of her.

  "What's up?" he asked.

  "This is the program that monitors any conversations picked up by the bug I planted in the contessa's apartment," she replied.

  "Does this mean you must look at it continuously until she has the telephone conversation

  we're hoping to hear?"

  "No, of course not. The program records all conversations and indicates an "event" every time there is a conversation. I can listen during or any time after an event, and our people at the Embassy will be monitoring the same program."

  "Great, that makes it much easier. I wonder if there's anything to eat here. I didn't get a chance to eat much at the ball," John said.

  "The refrigerator should be fully stocked. MI6 set up everything here in advance, knowing the likelihood that we would need to come here. I'm hungry too, so check it out."

  "Okay. I'll be right back."

  "Assuming there's wine would you please bring me a glass?"

  John returned five minutes later with a large plate laden with pieces of cold grilled chicken, sliced cheeses, crackers and stuffed olives in one hand and a bottle of Frascati, one wine glass and a small bottle of Pellegrino mineral water in the other. He set everything on the coffee table next to Sylvia's laptop and sat on the sofa next to her. He poured the wine and handed Sylvia a glass. He was going to drink the mineral water. "Here's to the most beautiful woman in Rome," he toasted Sylvia with his bottle of mineral water.

  "And here's to my brave companion," she smiled, raising her glass and clinking it against John's.

  After they ate their food John asked "So what's the plan going forward?"

  "Well, let me ask you something. Do you need to return to Industria Strozzi?"

  "Our preliminary due diligence is well underway, so I really don't have to hang around much longer," John replied.

  "Good," said Sylvia, "because we may need to suddenly leave Rome, depending on what we hear on the contessa's telephone line."

  "All I must do is go to Industria Strozzi tomorrow morning, confirm that our little preliminary due diligence team has all they need to complete their review and to then thank the management of that company for their cooperation. Also, I really need to attend a 12-step English-speaking meeting at noon. It will only last one hour, and I know of one group that meets in a church basement not far from Industria Strozzi. Then I will be free to do whatever for a few days provided Professor Arnold will call my employers to be certain they agree. It is very important to me that I do a good job for them. Some day maybe I will tell you about it, but some years ago I had some personal problems following the death of my wife. Some people went out on a limb for me so that I could reestablish my career. I must not disappoint them."

  "You need not say another word about it, John, because I already know," said Sylvia with an understanding smile.

  "What?" John looked at her in disbelief.

  "They don't call MI6 the secret service for nothing!" she replied. "Of course we checked you out through the CIA before you and I ventured very far into this assignment. I'm sure that Professor Arnold will be only too happy to call them. And by the way, I have full confidence in your abilities. We are all human beings; none of us is perfect." She leaned over and gave him a kiss on the cheek with a smile. "I have a skeleton in my closet too."

  "What?" asked John. "You had a drinking problem too?" he asked in disbelief.

  "No, nothing like that," she replied. "I was blamed for a job that didn't turn out well."

  "Well, that doesn't sound so bad," he said, wrapping his arms around her and giving her a passionate kiss which she returned. With no conversation they kissed more and then started pulling off their clothes. They went to the bedroom for the night. Colin had a key to the apartment too and would leave their things in the living room when he returned.

  CHAPTER 31

  Meanwhile, back at Villa Ravasini Eleanora and Angelo sat in opposite chairs while he talked with one of his men on his mobile phone.

  "Did you try to follow them when they got out of the Rolls?" Angelo asked. He listened for a while and then said "Tomorrow morning I want one of our men on every street that runs into Piazza Navona." He listened again before replying "Yes, that's a good idea if you catch sight of either of them. As soon as I have photos from the security cameras tonight I will bring them to you. In addition to their photos in costume we should be able to find something on the security camera in the ticket office from the day they bought the tickets."

  "So what did he tell you?" asked Eleanora after Angelo ended his telephone discussion.

  "Miraculously one of my men on a motor bike caught a glimpse of the Rolls as it crossed the river from Trastevere. Unfortunately the Rolls was too far ahead for him to catch up, but when the Rolls stopped near the Piazza Navona far ahead he caught a glimpse of the couple get out of the car and walk into the crowd of Piazza Navona. They were no longer wearing costumes."

  "That doesn't sound good. Did your man manage to follow them from there?" asked Eleanora.

  "He tried, but by the time he parked his motorbike he was unable to spot them again. He said the piazza was jam-packed with people in Halloween costumes."

  "So where does that leave us?" asked Eleanora with a frown.

  "Chances are great that they must be staying somewhere near Piazza Navona. If either of them walk across the piazza tomorrow we will catch them."

  "I don't like the sound of this," Eleanora commented with a serious look. "It appears they were aware they might be followed and took evasive measures. That can only mean they were at the ball tonight with an ulterior motive. I'm afraid this is all related the matter in Paris! If only you hadn't completely bungled what you were supposed to do there!"

  "Don't worry, cousin. We will catch them," replied Angelo.

  At approximately 8:30 the next morning John walked towards the Piazza Navona to catch a taxi. It was a bit chilly in his light brown sports coat with darker brown slacks, but he didn't want to be carrying an overcoat over his arm when the day warmed up in a couple of hours. Even at this relatively early hour there were quite a few people on the streets. When he got within a block of the piazza he felt a slight prick on the back of his upper arm. Reflexively he rubbed it and then looked behind him. There were two older men dressed in suits, cashmere overcoats and felt hats carrying briefcases. They looked like they might be lawyers, neither of them giving any notice to John. His arm did not hurt so he thought it must have been something in the lining of his sports jacket that pricked his skin. He continued walking, very suddenly feeling woozy. Then everything turned pitch black as he lost consciousness.

  Eleanora did not wake up until almost 11:00 the next morning. She had to stay up quite late last night until after the caterers had taken away all their equipment and the extra staff had cleaned up everything. Another crew would be cleaning the grounds around the villa this morning. Invariably some people dropped napkins, dropped cigarette butts or left glasses outdoors after these big events. She slipped into a pair of house shoes and put on a warm housecoat. It was chilly this first morning of November, All Saints Day. She would be attending a mass late this afternoon, probably at a nearby church.

  She went to the library of her private apartment in the villa where Lucia, her housekeeper, had left a breakfast tray. There was a thermos of dark Italian coffee, a small pitcher of warm milk, a cornetto, the Italian version of the croissant, orange juice and a small bowl of yoghurt together with a copy of today's Corriere della Sera, Italy's largest newspaper. She poured a cup of coffee and added some milk. After nibbling at the cornetto, eating the yoghurt and finishing her first cup of coffee she picked up the telephone to call the Monsignor.

  "Pronto," Monsignor Polombo answered his phone.

  "Buon giorno, Monsignor. This is Eleanora calling. I hope I'm not waking you."

  "No, of course not. What a f
un time I had at the ball last night."

  "I will be a bit vague because we're talking by phone, but do you think you could meet me for coffee or lunch the day after tomorrow, November 3rd, to bring what we previously discussed?"

  "You're talking with respect to Cyprus, yes?" he asked.

  "Exactly. I haven't booked a flight yet, but I will likely fly to the airport closest to Kyrenia on November 4th so as to make the deal before November 7th," Eleanora replied.

  "Yes, of course I can meet you. The person I need to see is here in Rome right now, and I'm sure it will be no problem for him even on short notice. Why don't you call me tomorrow in the late afternoon or early morning to confirm where we will meet."

  "Excellent, Monsignor. I will call tomorrow."

  "I shall look forward to it," replied the monsignor."

  Almost immediately as Eleanora put down the receiver the telephone rang. It was Angelo. "Good news," he said. "We picked up the man this morning."

  "Have you questioned him?" she immediately asked.

  "Not yet. We knocked him out with a syringe on the street and took him to safe place. It will be at least another hour or two before he's awake."

  "Are you certain he's the man who dressed as King Ferdinand last night?" she asked.

  "Yes, of that we are certain. He was carrying a U.S. passport under the name Thomas Oliphint, the same name used to purchase the couple's ticket to the ball. What was the name of the American in Paris?" asked Angelo.

  "John McRae," replied Eleanora.

  "Well, the passport looks genuine. It's extremely difficult to forge passports now with all the enhanced security features," replied Angelo.

  "Yes, I know what you mean, but if he is working with some kind of undercover American operation they would give him a real passport with a fake name. Question him severely when he's awake."

  "Of course, we will do exactly that. Don't worry. We can make him talk," Angelo replied confidently.