CHAPTER TWELVE
Peter Dennis sat on the steps of the ambulance while he had his scratches and small burns on his face and hands attended to. He watched in grim silence as firefighters removed bodies in black bags from the overturned coach. A paramedic was dabbing at his face and the cool cloth was soothing. The policeman whose gun he’d used to break the back window was nearby also receiving treatment for burns to his face and hands. The police cars that had crashed into the coach were burnt out shells, their occupants reduced to ash. The front half of the coach was completely destroyed. The stench from it overwhelming.
A black people carrier pulled up and Dennis smiled as Natalie and Hutchinson with De Luca climbed out. De Luca surveying the aftermath of the chase. Natalie resisted the urge to run to Dennis but the relief of seeing him was plainly clear on her face. He winced as antiseptic liquid was applied to a sponge and dabbed on scratches on his brow causing them to sting. He smiled up at Natalie again as she got to him.
“Hey,” was all he said quietly.
“Are you all right?”
“Yeah. Just a few scratches.”
“Is that a burn?”
“And a burn.”
De Luca was talking to the police officer in charge of the scene. He gave some instructions and then came over to the ambulance.
“Are you all right?”
“Yes,” Dennis replied, “Just superficial wounds.”
“I understand you saved some of the tourists from the coach. For that I thank you. Do you know how many are dead?”
“Firefighters have brought fifteen out so far and that includes the driver.”
Natalie put her hand up to her mouth.
“You’ve also lost seven of your men. Two of which were on motorcycles. You’ll find them back down the motorway.”
“Their bodies have already been recovered. Bauer’s too.”
Natalie took her hand away from her mouth.
“Bauer is dead?” she asked.
Dennis nodded.
“What happened at the church?” De Luca asked.
Dennis told him. When he finished De Luca said.
“They killed the priests?”
“Yes every last one of them.”
“May God have mercy on their souls.”
Dennis didn’t know if De Luca meant the gunmen or the priests. He didn’t bother to ask.
“I will need you to make a statement if you would please for police records.
Dennis nodded again.
“How does it end? The police report I mean.”
“They made it to Tarquinia airfield and made their escape by a Hercules transporter plane. By the time we managed to get the airforce to scramble jets it was too late. They turned out to sea almost immediately and dropped to an altitude low enough for radar to be unable to detect them. We had police on the ground but they were unable to stop them. The Hummers drove into the back of the plane and it took off.”
“I hate to say it,” Dennis said, “But I think we widely underestimated our enemy.”
“Yes.”
Then De Luca reached into his jacket pocket and took out his phone. He opened images and showed Dennis a grainy picture.
“What is it?” Dennis asked not able to make out the shapes. Natalie craned her neck to see.
“It’s the tail of the Hercules. A news helicopter caught it on camera earlier today. It has a very interesting mark on it. I wondered if you would be able to identify it.”
The image was blurred and was worse when Dennis used the touch screen to enlarge the pic.
“It looks like the SS death’s head emblem,” Natalie said.
“You think?” Dennis said turning the screen around for a better view.
“Yes. Look take the pic back to its original size. Now that looks like the same skull that was painted on the wavecrest!”
“I think you’re right.”
“What’s that?” De Luca asked.
“Three months ago we encountered Von Werner for the first time. He had a ship called the wave crest and that skull was painted on the side of it. It’s the death’s head symbol from Nazi Germany. It’s also his trademark.”
“So it was definitely him?”
“It would seem so.”
“In that case I think you’re right about our underestimating him,” De Luca said studying the burnt out coach again.
“Where does this leave us?” Dennis asked.
“What do you mean?”
“Well we came here to help you catch Von Werner. Bauer, some of your men and innocent people have died. What do you want us….” Dennis gestured at Natalie and Hutchinson, “To do now?”
“There’s nothing you can do. They’ve gone. We’re trying to find out where that plane was headed. The flight number was false. We have no leads. The items stolen will most likely not turn up for sale. They will go into a private collection no doubt or be disposed of once their worth is finished with. I don’t really think there is anything left for you to do. If you could give me that report as soon as possible and then I guess you’ll want to return to London.”
“So that’s it? Goodbye.”
“Pete,” Hutchinson said, ”Come on. You’re tired. We all are. We’ve had one hell of a day.”
“A hell of a day? You’re not wrong. A car bomb. I’ve been shot at, nearly killed many times. There must be something we can do.”
De Luca shook his head.
“We continue to appreciate everything that you’ve done for us but there is no need to risk yourselves any further. Listen Mr Hutchinson is right. It’s been a hell of a day as he put it. Why don’t you get yourselves back to your hotel, get cleaned up and go out for dinner. The report can wait until tomorrow.”
Dennis looked at Natalie.
“Why not,” she said.
Dennis looked at Hutchinson.
“Jim?”
“No. You kids run along. Have a nice night out. I’ve got computer work to do. It’ll be building up. I‘d better telephone my wife too.”
The paramedic finished her work and closed her medical bag. Dennis thanked her. De Luca clicked his fingers at a uniformed officer who rushed over to him. He quickly gave the policeman some instructions in Italian. Then he turned to the group.
“This officer will drive you back to your hotel. Enjoy your evening. I will see you tomorrow. Sonnenburg will also want to talk to you before you go back to your country.”
Dennis was the last to get into the people carrier. At the door he stopped.
“Cesare?”
De Luca, realising whatever Dennis wanted to say was obviously private, leaned in close to the journalist. Dennis quietly closed the car door so those inside wouldn’t overhear.
“If there was something more that could be done to catch these criminals!”
“The trail is cold. We have nothing more to go on. But surely you wouldn’t risk your friends any further. This has become an extremely dangerous situation. You wouldn’t want anything to happen to Mr Hutchinson or Natalie.”
“No of course not. But then theoretically I was referring only to myself.”
De Luca looked into Dennis’ eyes. He read what was behind them.
“You’re serious aren’t you?”
“Deadly.”
“We would welcome any help you can give.”
When Natalie came out of the bathroom of their hotel room she had a long towel round her body and knotted at her chest. She saw Dennis in his black dinner suit and wolf whistled at him. He was standing by the window with a large whiskey in his hand.
“Where did you get that?” she nodded at the glass.
“I went down to the bar for it.”
“Dressed like that?”
He looked down at himself and then back at her.
“Yes. Oh and I think the barmaid fancied me.”
“Well I’m not surprised with you looking like that.”
She went over to him and kissed him on the lips. She pulled away.