Petroni felt his pulse quicken but he said nothing. An earlier scheme had come perilously close to landing Petroni in gaol, but after the death of Pope John Paul I, Felici and Petroni had resurrected the scheme. Petroni had retained control of the Vatican Bank, and he had not been able to resist the thrill of millions of dollars pouring into the Papal coffers through a subsidiary bank that was jointly owned by Felici and the Vatican. Thousands of false and artificially low invoices from Felici’s trading companies were sent to the Tax Office through the Bank of Italy. The false invoices attracted much less tax and the difference on the real invoices would be paid in cash by the receiving companies overseas and channelled back to Felici and the Vatican Bank. For the scheme to succeed the necessary bribes were being paid to government officials, but the Vatican Bank also had to be watertight.
‘I have told Monsignor Garibaldi he is to continue his investigation, and that I am very keen for the Vatican Bank to overcome its earlier, shall we say, difficulties and that he is to report directly to me. I have bought us some time, but he will need to be dealt with quickly.’ Giorgio’s smile was humourless.
‘You can leave that problem with me,’ Petroni said, irritated by the Sicilian’s superior manner. ‘In the meantime, there is a more pressing issue. Professor Antonio Rosselli is planning to give a lecture next week on the Omega Scroll. I have an advance copy of the text.’
‘Not provided by him,’ Felici observed with a touch of sarcasm.
‘You are not the only one who is well connected in Milano, Georgio,’ Petroni replied. ‘It is not only his lecture. I have received word that Rosselli has been in contact with an Israeli mathematician and as a result, Rosselli’s investigation into the Omega Scroll is gathering pace. Rosselli has to be stopped.’
‘That will attract a lot of heat, Lorenzo,’ Felici said. ‘It’s likely to focus attention back on the Vatican and the death of Pope John Paul I, and that might be awkward.’
‘These things are always temporary, Giorgio, and as Secretary of State I will be well positioned to handle any upstarts from the media. Rosselli’s theories are one thing, but connecting them with the Omega Scroll is quite another. The Holy Church must be protected, and I suggest you leave the theology to me. You do your job, and I’ll do mine.’
Felici smiled.
‘It will be expensive,’ he said, not caring too much about the reasons behind Petroni’s burning desire to rid himself of the troublesome Professor at Ca’ Granda. Felici’s voice held a faint hint of admiration for a cold-blooded ruthlessness that matched his own.
The same day that Lorenzo Petroni took up his appointment as Cardinal Secretary of State, Giorgio Felici dressed in a pair of dirty overalls and a paint-spattered cap and headed for the University of Milano. The students and faculty at Ca’ Granda took no notice as he walked into the grounds through the rear car park and up some narrow steps that led past the Faculty of Philosophy towards the main quadrangles. Felici had memorised the map of the university grounds and he made his way unerringly down the corridor that housed the offices of Professor Rosselli and Dr Bassetti. Satisfied, he made his way across to the faculty theatre where Bassetti’s and Rosselli’s lectures were scheduled to be held. Given the choice he decided on the theatre. The office block was too confined whereas the external fire escape from the mezzanine floor that housed the theatre projection facilities provided direct access to the car park below. The locks on the doors to the projector room were standard and Giorgio’s third key fitted perfectly.
Roma
The Holy Father’s first meeting with his new Secretary of State had gone well until Petroni was surprised and annoyed over a trivial matter exercising the Holy Father’s mind.
‘I understand that Father Donelli is presently serving in the Middle East, Lorenzo.’
‘A most promising priest, Holiness. He was sent there to broaden his experience.’
‘How long has he been there?’ the Pope asked.
Lorenzo Petroni was on guard, but not quickly enough, and he instantly regretted the tactical slip of acknowledging the ability of the dangerously competent Donelli.
‘I’m not sure, Holiness,’ Petroni lied easily. ‘Perhaps eighteen months.’
‘I think you will find it is longer than that, if my sources are accurate.’
Inwardly Cardinal Petroni was fuming; outwardly he maintained his practised calm and said nothing, waiting for the old Pope’s next move. The first Vatican Council might have agreed in 1870 that the Holy Father was infallible but the new Cardinal Secretary of State was determined to curb the Holy Father’s power if it wasn’t being used correctly. When it suited Petroni there could be a degree of fallibility in the infallible.
‘More than five years, in fact,’ the old Pope said. ‘I’m not sure why we sent him to the Middle East for such a long period but I understand he’s been serving in a small village that is part Christian and part Muslim. We may be able to use, as you put it, his “broader experience” here in the Vatican.’
‘What did you have in mind, Holiness?’ Petroni asked warily.
‘The rise of Islam is an interesting phenomenon,’ the Pope replied enigmatically. ‘A very real threat to the true Faith. Perhaps it is time we had a closer look as to what our response to it might be, and to the other faiths, especially Judaism. It would seem that a man of Father Donelli’s talent and experience might be an excellent choice for such a task. Do you think you could find a position for him? As a bishop?’ His Holiness asked.
Petroni suppressed his anger. ‘I will look into it, Holiness. There are probably no positions immediately vacant but I’m sure a suitable appointment can be found over time.’ Lorenzo Petroni was far too adroit to make an outright refusal of the old Pope’s request. Far better to accede and give the impression that the request would be actioned.
The Pope had also been around Vatican politics for a long time and he was not about to be put off by his most senior bureaucrat.
‘We had hoped that we could do it more quickly than that. We are desirous of bringing the best available talent into the Vatican where it can be most effective. Islam is a very real threat and, as you pointed out at the beginning of our conversation, Father Donelli is a most promising priest. One day, Lorenzo, you and I will need to be replaced.’
Yes, Petroni thought, you have been Pope for a long time. Too long.
‘Of course, Holiness, but promotion?’ Petroni persisted. ‘There are many others with longer experience and greater claims? Such an early promotion might cause resentment, but more importantly I would be concerned that it might actually jeopardise Father Donelli’s career if we put too much responsibility on him before he is ready.’ Petroni maintained a look of polite concern. In the face of the stubborn old Pope’s pointed resort to the royal ‘we’, his mind went into tactical overdrive. He needed to appeal to the Pope’s sense of fairness and get him to change direction rather than appear to be resisting.
‘I have met Father Donelli and I’m sure he will handle an important policy area like inter-faith dialogue very well, and I would hardly term it an early promotion,’ the Pope added meaningfully.
‘Of course, Holiness.’
Comprehensively outmanoeuvred, the Secretary of State stormed back to his office, his lips compressed into a thin line of fury. Bishop Donelli would now need very careful watching.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Milano
A llegra felt a surge of excitement as she accompanied Professor Rosselli to her first major public lecture. The theatre seated over four hundred and as she and her mentor walked to the stage she realised that it was overflowing. Students, lecturers and members of the public were still filing in and sitting in the aisles.