God's Spy
Page 31
RATZINGER IS CHOSEN NEW POPE, ALMOST WITHOUT OPPOSITION
by Andrea Otero (special correspondent)
ROME.—The conclave, which gathered to choose Pope John Paul II’s successor, came to a close yesterday with the selection of the longtime prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Joseph Ratzinger. Despite having sworn on the Bible to maintain secrecy, under penalty of excommunication, regarding election of the pope, the first reports from conclave members have already begun to slip out. It appears that the German cardinal was chosen with 105 votes out of 115 possible, many more than the necessary 77. Vatican sources state that the overwhelming support Ratzinger enjoyed was unprecedented, and even more so in light of the fact that the conclave took only two days to make its decision.
Experts attributed the unprecendented and swift election to the lack of opposition to a candidate who was, in the early going, very far behind in the race. Sources close to the Vatican indicated that Ratzinger’s principal rivals (Portini, Robayra, and Cardoso) never managed the necessary votes at any time. These same sources further commented that those cardinals seemed “a little out of it” during the election of Benedict XVI.
EPILOGUE
OFFICE OF POPE BENEDICT XVI
Palazzo del Governatorato
Wednesday, April 20, 2005, 11:23 A.M.
The man in white robes was the sixth person to greet Paola. Two weeks earlier and one floor below, Paola had waited in a similar hallway, a bundle of nerves, ignorant of the fact that at that very moment her friend was slowly dying. Two weeks later, her anxiety about behaving properly was long gone, and her friend avenged. An enormous number of things had taken place in those ten days, not the least important of which were in Paola’s soul.
The criminologist stood in front of the door adorned with red ribbons and wax seals that had been hung there to protect the office between the death of John Paul II and the election of the new pope. The supreme pontiff gestured toward the door.
“I have asked them to remain there for a while. They’ll serve to remind me that this post is only temporary,” he said in a weary voice, as Paola kissed his ring.
“Your Holiness.”
“Ispettore Dicanti, welcome. I asked you to come so I can personally thank you for the brave things you did.”
“Thank you, Your Holiness. I only did what my job required.”
“No, Ispettore, you went far beyond what your job required. Sit down, please,” he said, gesturing toward one of the throne-like chairs in a corner of the office. A gorgeous Tintoretto hung overhead.
“Actually I was hoping to meet Padre Fowler here, Your Holiness,” Paola said, without disguising the urgency in her voice. “It has been ten days since I have seen him.”
The pope took her hand and smiled in a comforting manner. “Padre Fowler is resting in a safe place out of harm’s way. I took the opportunity to visit him last night. He asked me to send you his greetings and gave me this message: ‘Now is the time for both of us, you and I, to let go of the sadness we feel for those left behind.’ ”
Those words were enough to provoke an intense emotional catharsis inside Paola, and she was no longer able to hold back her tears. She spent another half hour in the presence of the Holy Father, but whatever conversation may have taken place in his office is known only to the two of them.
A short while later Paola went out for a walk in Saint Peter’s Square. It was a little past midday and the sun was a brilliant ball of light. She took out Pontiero’s pack of cigarettes and lighted up the last one. Her face lifted toward the open sky, and she let the cigarette smoke escape from between her lips.
“We got him, Maurizio. You were right. And now get a move on, go into the fucking light and leave me in peace. And hey, say hello to my father for me.”
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The author wishes to express his thanks to Antonia Kerrigan and Tom Colchie, the best agents an author could hope for. At Dutton, to Mitch Hoffman, editor of this novel (and even if she isn’t going to read it until thirty-five, this book is for baby Ella too!) and Erika Kahn (now Mrs. Imranyi). And I can’t forget to thank my mano James Graham, author of a classic New York novel and translator of the one hundred thousand words you just read. The efforts of these four people went far beyond what their jobs required.
Various people played key roles in the research for God’s Spy: Julie Meridian y Alice Nakagawa in New York, and Dobbie y Mike Nelson in Maryland (thanks for letting me sleep on your sofa); masterly psychiatrists Carlos Álvarez and Thomas Hurt, who helped me to make detailed profiles of Victor, Paola, and Anthony; and Sor Fermina in Vatican City. To you, and to those who helped and who asked not to be mentioned, many thanks.
And, of course, to Katu and Andrea. For your aid throughout and your unconditional love.
AUTHOR’S FINAL NOTE
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
And after the inevitable disclaimer . . . For all of you who constantly ask me about a real-life version of Saint Matthew’s Institute, or want to know more about the real facts behind the book involving the Santa Alianza, you can visit the website www.godspynovel.com, where you can learn more about these subjects, or even e-mail me your praises (or, eventually, imaginative insults, which are as good as praises).
Madrid, January 2003
Santiago de Compostela, February 2006