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.
‘As from tomorrow,’ Philpott told him. ‘Naturally I still want your individual case reports on my desk as soon as possible.’
‘Naturally,’ Graham muttered.
‘I won’t count those few days you had off last week. You’ll get a full three weeks’ leave this time.’
‘Thank you, sir.’
Philpott wasn’t sure whether he had heard a hint of sarcasm in Graham’s voice. He let it pass.
‘I’ve provisionally booked five seats on a flight back to JFK tonight. I presume the three of you will be flying back with us?’
‘I’m certainly looking forward to going home,’ Whitlock said, automatically thinking of Carmen.
Sabrina shot Graham a sly glance, then turned back to Philpott.
‘We thought we’d stay on here for a few days. Do a bit of skiing, take in the sights, that sort of thing. Is that all right, sir?’
‘I can cancel the bookings if that’s what you mean.’ Philpott lit his pipe and exhaled the smoke up towards the ceiling.
‘Sergei, C.W., the shuttle leaves for Zürich at seven-thirty. Our flight to JFK leaves Zürich at ten. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got a mound of paperwork to get through in the next couple of hours.’
They made for the door.
‘Oh, Mike, Sabrina?’ Philpott called out after them. He waited until Kolchinsky and Whitlock had left before taking a folder from his attaché case. ‘You’ve got a thirty-six-hour clearance with the local police to find Tommaso Francia. And if you haven’t managed to find him in that time, you’re to pull out. I mean it. The first flight back to New York. Disregard my orders and you’ll both be suspended. Do I make myself understood?’
They nodded.
‘How did you know we were going after him, sir?’ Sabrina asked.
‘Instinct. And because he’s after you.’ Philpott took a sheet of paper from the folder and handed it to Sabrina. ‘Those are his last known movements. He was staying in an apartment lent to him by an associate about half a mile from here but he managed to give our man the slip last night. You can be sure he’s still in Berne, though. He wants you badly, that much is obvious.’
‘If you knew he was on to me, sir, why didn’t you tell me earlier?’
‘I haven’t had the chance. Our intelligence reports only came through yesterday morning.’
‘Thank you, sir,’ Sabrina said, holding up the sheet of paper.
‘Thirty-six hours,’ Philpott reminded them, then turned his attention to the folder in his lap. ‘That’s all,’ he said without looking up.
Graham and Sabrina exchanged glances then left the room.