He sighed. There was no help for it.
‘Luke Cayman.’
For a moment Minnie didn’t move. She was frowning as though trying to understand something.
‘What did you say?’ she asked at last.
‘Luke Cayman.’
She drummed her fingers. ‘Is that a joke?’
‘Why would you think so?’ he fenced.
‘I thought maybe I’d heard the name before, but perhaps I was mistaken.’
‘No, I don’t think you were,’ he said deliberately.
They regarded each other, each with roughly the same mixture of exasperation and incredulity. Charlie looked blank, understanding nothing.
Suddenly his expression changed and he took a deep breath. In a flash Minnie was at the door, calling for Rico, who came running.
‘You’d better get him out quickly,’ she said.
Rico did so, guiding Charlie down the corridor to where he could be ill in peace.
‘Let’s get this settled,’ Minnie said. ‘I do not believe that you’re Luke Cayman.’
‘Why? Because I don’t fit your preconceived notion? You don’t fit mine, but I’m willing to be tolerant.’
‘You think this is very funny-’
‘Well, no, this isn’t how I’d have chosen to meet you. With a bit of conniving I dare say you could get me locked up for years. Look me in the eye and say you aren’t tempted.’
‘Well, I’m not,’ she snapped. ‘It’s the last thing I want.’
‘Very virtuous of you.’
‘Virtuous, nothing!’ she said, goaded into candour. ‘With you locked up, the Residenza would be in limbo, with no hope of getting anything done. You may be sure I’ll do my best to make you a free man.’
‘I see. If anyone’s going to give me grief, you’d prefer it to be you.’
‘Exactly.’
Charlie returned, looking pale but slightly better, and glanced back and forth between them, sensing strain in the air.
‘We were discussing strategy,’ Minnie said.
‘I’ve decided not to hire you,’ Luke told her. ‘I’d feel safer if you just leave me to my fate.’
‘No,’ Charlie burst out. ‘Minnie’s a good lawyer; she’ll get you out of trouble.’
‘Only because she’s got far more trouble planned for me,’ Luke said with a derisive grin.
‘Please, let’s not be melodramatic,’ Minnie said coolly. ‘I shall treat you exactly as I would any other client.’
‘You see?’ Charlie urged. ‘Honestly, Lucio, she’s the best. They call her the “giant slayer” because she’ll take on anyone and win. You should see the battle she’s preparing for the monster who owns our building.’
‘I can imagine,’ Luke murmured. ‘A monster, eh?’
‘Yes, but she’s says he’s going to die a horrible death,’ Charlie said with relish.
‘Literally, or only legally?’ Luke asked with interest.
‘Whichever seems necessary,’ Minnie said, meeting his eyes.
‘I gather you’ll make that decision at a later date.’
‘I like to keep my options open.’
‘When she’s finished he’ll wish he’d never been born,’ Charlie added.
‘Does this monster have a name?’ Luke asked with interest.
‘No, Minnie just calls him the “devil incarnate”.’
‘Stop talking nonsense, both of you,’ she said severely. ‘I’ve got to work out what we’re going to do. You’ll be in court in a few hours and you can’t go looking like that. Charlie, I’ll send someone down with clean clothes for you. Signor Cayman, you’ll need fresh clothes, too, and your ID card. How do I get them?’
‘I could call the hotel and ask them to arrange it,’ he said reluctantly. ‘But I don’t want them to know I’m here.’
‘You’re right. Can I get into your room?’
‘Yes, I brought the card with me.’ From his back pocket he drew the sliver of plastic that acted like a key at the Contini and handed it to her, giving her the code. ‘It’s on the third floor.’
‘I don’t believe I’m doing this,’ she said, half to him, half to herself.
‘Try to forget that I’m the devil incarnate,’ he said. ‘That should make it easier.’
Charlie looked from one to the other, baffled.
‘You can explain it when I’m gone,’ she told Luke.
Rico opened the door for her. At the last moment she turned to look back at Luke and said, ‘By the way, I didn’t call you the devil incarnate.’
‘Thank you.’
‘I called you “the creature from the black lagoon”. I’ll see you later.’
Heading north, she swung her car on to the Ponte Sisto, the bridge that would take her over the Tiber in the direction of the Contini Hotel. As she drove, she seethed.
She had been furiously angry for years. The man who’d owned the Residenza had been a reprobate who had resisted her attempts to make him spend money on the property. When she’d moved the law against him he’d always found a way to wriggle out.
And then, just when she’d thought she had him cornered, he’d pulled a final rabbit out of the hat, signing over the building to Luke Cayman, so that she had to start again. It was a moot point whether she were angrier with him or Luke Cayman.
And now, to find herself defending the enemy, was enough to make her explode.
A cool head would dictate placating him, saving him from the gallows-figuratively speaking-then turning on the charm. But she was too incensed to consider it.
By now dawn was breaking, covering the sleeping city with a soft white mist. In the distance she could see the Contini, a huge, luxurious building created from an ancient palazzo. She could hardly believe that the ruffian she had left in the cells was actually staying here.
Luckily the night receptionist was dozing and it was easy to slip past. On the third floor she found Luke’s room without trouble. It was large and lavishly appointed, with a balcony.
She went out and stood regarding the view as the light grew brighter. To her right lay the lush green lawns of the Borghese Gardens. To her left she could see the Vatican, the early sun just touching the dome of St Peter’s. Between them glided the River Tiber.
It was a marvellous scene, full of peace and beauty.
A rich man’s scene, she thought crossly. For only a rich man could afford to stand in this exact spot and see such wonders spread before him. And one particular rich man had thought it amusing to leave his wealth briefly behind and go out slumming it for fun.
He’d got more than he’d bargained for, but in the end he had only to send someone to his expensive hotel, to go through his expensive clothes and put everything expensively right for him. And all the while his tenants lived in a building that was falling apart.
For a moment she was so livid that she almost stormed out, leaving everything behind. Let him take his chances! See how funny he found that!
But her professionalism took over. She would do her job.
She surveyed the suits in his wardrobe until she found one of a dark charcoal colour. To go with it she chose a white shirt and a dark blue silk tie. Then she rummaged in the drawers for clean socks and underpants. As she had more than half expected, he wore boxer shorts.
Well, it wouldn’t be a satin thong, she mused with a faint smile. Not him.
She packed everything into a bag she found in the wardrobe, then opened the wall safe using the plastic card that had opened the door. Inside she found his wallet and checked it for the ID card. It was there, and so was something else-a photograph of one of the loveliest young women Minnie had ever seen.
She was wearing trousers and standing, leaning against a wall, her thumbs hooked into her belt, one foot up against the wall in a pose that emphasised her height and slender grace.
Like many beautiful women Minnie was fascinated by beauty of a different kind in others. Where she herself was fair, this was a brunette with marvellous dark hair streaming down to her waist, giving her an exotic, mysterious look.