Dead Bishops Don't Lie, page 24
As the journalist rose to meet him, Karen appeared, walking briskly towards the table.
“This is Karen Dawson, professor of mythology at The Sorbonne. I’ve asked her to join us” said Dulac, as Karen and Vinet shook hands.
Dulac ordered a bottle of Perrier. “Jean,” said Dulac, his shoulders hunched towards the center of the table, leaning closer to Vinet, “I have something that, if made public, will probably bring down the government.”
“Thierry, what have you been smoking again?” said the compact bald man with a slightly slanted mouth.
“I’m not joking.”
Vinet looked at Karen, who wasn’t smiling. Turning to Dulac, “You are serious, my friend.”
“Deadly so. I’m talking to you off the record. Agreed?”
“I have no choice. Agreed.”
Dulac looked around. There was no one within earshot. “I was at the Quai d’Orsay, at the Elysée earlier this morning and asked for the Minister of State’s resignation by the end of the week,” said Dulac. “There’s probably an emergency cabinet meeting going on as we speak.”
The journalist leaned closer. “What the hell is all this about?
“If he resigns, I’ve promised not to go public. It’s up to you to find out from the Minister.”
“And if he doesn’t?”
“Come and see me. You’ll have the story of the decade.”
“Who else knows?”
“Don’t try, Jean.” Dulac looked around again at the surrounding tables. A couple of patrons sitting four tables away were too formally dressed to be journalists, he thought. Probably French Sureté. He knew he’d been followed, but hoped he’d acquired an insurance policy on his life by contacting Vinet. The journalist finished his coffee and left.
“I don’t have time to wait,” said Dulac to Karen. “I’m going to Rome. You should go to America, to your parents, anywhere. You’ll be safer than here. Wait until this blows over.”
“It’s going to get that messy?”
“Yes. This morning, Lescop has precleared a warrant with the Italian public prosecutor for the holding and questioning of Fiore and Volpe. Petrov sent a copy of Oleyev’s confession and Kurganski’s interrogation transcripts to the Rome magistrate, Paolo di Martino. The magistrate has waived the need for a rogatory commission in Russia until he hears what the prelates have to say. Petrov also sent him a copy of Vasiliev’s letter.”
“Wow,” exclaimed Karen.
Chapter 69
Dulac picked up Lescop at his apartment at six a.m. the next morning. They had agreed to meet the two Interpol officers, Delongchamps and Valdieu, at the airport. Their flight to Rome was scheduled for 7:15 a.m. Dulac didn’t want to be standing waiting at the airport, a sitting duck.
“We meet Inspector Guadagni at the Prefectura at ten,” said Lescop, as Dulac wove the Renault in and out of the heavy morning traffic towards the airport. “He has the warrants and the instructions. But something has been bothering me all night. What about the Vatican police? What if they interfere?”
“You mean the Vigilanza?” said Dulac.
“Exactly.”
“They don’t have any power. Since the Lateran Treaty of 1929, the Italian police are the real law enforcers in the Vatican. They provide the constabulary forces to arrest criminals on Vatican soil, try them in Italian courts, and imprison them. That way, the Vatican saves the expense of a costly justice and prison system. The Vigilanza and the Swiss Guards are purely symbolic.”
“Let’s hope they keep to that,” said Lescop.
It was a crisp sunny morning, as they flew over the Vatican. Below, Dulac could already see the disc of pollution forming over Saint Peter’s Basilica like a tarnished halo. How appropriate, he thought. He read the morning newspapers. No hint of what had occurred the previous day at the Elysée in either Le Monde or Le Figaro. Dulac shot a discreet side glance at his colleagues, sitting beside him. The expressionless faces of the Interpol agents gave him no comfort.
Thoughts of doubt kept creeping into his consciousness. What were the chances of arresting two high prelates of the most powerful mini-state in the world? Would the Rome Police find excuses, legal or other, to delay the procedure? Would the prelates have conveniently and discreetly been sent away on a ‘private and confidential’ mission?
Pictures of the dead archbishops flashed in his mind, giving him peace and resolve.
* * *
Their taxi reached the Roma Questura Centrale, Rome’s main precinct, and Guadagni met the four Interpol agents at the front desk.
“You have the instructions, I believe,” said Dulac to Guadagni.
“Yes. We are waiting for the confirmation of the Ministry of Justice.”
Dulac looked at his men, then back at Guadagni.” How long?”
Guadagni hunched his shoulders.
“Christ Guadagni, we didn’t come all the way here to—” said Lescop.
Dulac glared at Lescop, who stopped talking. Turning to Guadagni, Dulac said, “We’ll wait here.”
Two hours later, Dulac lit his seventh Gitane and paced nervously the narrow corridor at the entrance, as his men sat patiently in the waiting area next to the front desk. Bloody Italians, they’re going to screw this up royally, thought Dulac.
Just as he took a deep first drag, Guadagni walked in. “We have confirmation. Let’s go.”
Dulac felt huge relief as he, Lescop, and the two Interpol agents followed Guadagni downstairs. Outside, two Alfa Romeos sat with their motors humming, their chauffeurs waiting next to the open rear doors. Guadagni signaled Dulac to take the second car as Guadagni and four carabinieri entered the first and were off.
The Alfas stopped in front of Saint Anne’s gate, the business entrance of the Vatican. The men exited, and Guadagni showed the Swiss Guards his credentials.
“We wish to see His Excellency, Archbishop Paolo Fiore and His Eminence, Cardinal Eugenio Volpe. Police business,” said Guadagni, addressing the senior officer of the Swiss Guards.
Fifteen minutes later, Dulac saw Fiore, accompanied by four Swiss Guards, striding confidently towards the entrance. Suddenly, at the sight of Dulac and the policemen, Fiore froze. For a moment, he looked nervously around, as if seeking an escape route. Then, with a look of determination—or was it fatalism, Dulac didn’t know quite which—he walked slowly towards Dulac and smiled.
“Yes, Mr. Dulac?”
But Guadagni interrupted. “Archbishop Paolo Fiore?”
“Yes?”
“It is with the greatest regret that I must inform you that I have a warrant for holding you for questioning, in connection with the murders of Archbishops Salvador and Conti, and accessory to the murder of André Dessault. Other charges may follow.”
At that moment, Volpe appeared, accompanied by three Swiss Guards.
“What is the meaning of this?” he said, looking at Dulac. Before he could reply, Volpe turned to Guadagni. “What are you doing here, Inspector?”
Guadagni didn’t waiver. “ You Eminence, we have a warrant for holding you for questioning in relation to the murders of Archbishops Salvador and Conti, and accessory to murder of André Dessault and—”
“Absolutely ridiculous,” said Volpe, waving his right hand at Guadagni in a gesture of dismissal.
“Not really,” said Dulac. “We have confessions from Victor Oleyev and Andrei Kurganski. Also the Marchioness of Dorset has agreed to testify for the prosecution. We also have other testimony and evidence linking you to the Chimera Protocol.”
Volpe stepped back, paralyzed, speechless, staring at Dulac. His lower lip started to tremble uncontrollably. He grabbed Fiore’s shoulder with his right hand.
“You, you can’t arrest us. We are representatives of the Vatican. We have diplomatic immunity.”
Dulac had dreaded this. He knew that legally, Volpe and Fiore had the status of diplomats. Inside Vatican territory, they couldn’t be extradited unless diplomatic immunity was waived. Under international law, only one person could waive that immunity: the Head of State, the pope.
The seven Swiss Guards now moved up along Volpe and Fiore, closing ranks.
Their intentions were ominously clear. They would protect the prelates to the death. Facing them, Guadagni’s men, and to the side, Dulac and his Interpol agents. Dulac knew that there was no love lost between the Swiss Guards and the carabinieri. Their coexistence was at best tense, sometimes violent. As each faction’s men sized up their counterpart, the situation was getting explosive. Inspector Guadagni’s men started to reach for their side arms, and the Swiss Guards dropped their halberds and reached for their 9 mm pistols.
Guadagni waved his policemen back. “We’ll have none of this,” he said. Turning to Volpe, “Very well, you and Monsignor Fiore are under house arrest. You’ll not leave the Vatican until we resolve this.”
“We’ll see about that,” challenged Volpe.
“Your Eminence” said Guadagni, his tone patient yet forceful, “with all due respect, if you step outside the Vatican my men will arrest you immediately. I have no other choice.”
Dulac addressed the senior Swiss Guard, “I want to speak to Cardinal Legnano. Tell him it’s urgent.”
The officer addressed one of his men, who started quickly in the direction of the Apostolic Palace, while Volpe and Fiore turned and walked away slowly, haphazardly, seemingly lost, changing directions twice, bumping into each other, to finally disappear past the high columns of Saint Anne Church.
Chapter 70
Dulac’s cell phone rang.
“It’s me,” said Karen. “Did you see the news on TV?”
“No, I’m still at the Vatican. Volpe and Fiore are invoking diplomatic immunity. I’m waiting for Cardinal Legnano.”
“The Minister of State has resigned. He’s giving personal health problems as the reasons. The President has accepted his resignation.”
“Fantastic. Any mention of Chimera, or of a parliamentary investigation?”
“No.”
“Here comes Legnano. Talk to you later.” He hung up.
“Mr. Dulac? What is all this about?” said Legnano.
“Your Eminence, we have evidence that Cardinal Volpe and Archbishop Fiore are involved in the murders of Archbishops Salvador and Conti. We have warrants to hold them for questioning, but they have invoked diplomatic immunity.”
“Mannaggia la Miseria,” exclaimed Legnano, bringing his left hand to his mouth. “Come, let’s talk inside.” The cardinal took Dulac by the arm, waving the Swiss Guards aside.
A small group of photographers, ever-present around Saint Peter’s Square, had spotted the unusual formation of Swiss Guards in front of the carabinieris, and awaited the outcome of the confrontation.
As Dulac accompanied Legnano to his office, he felt invigorated by the news from Karen. The President of France is taking this seriously, Dulac thought. The last thing the President wants in his election year is a scandal the size of Gladio. They entered the large office, decorated in the colorful Venetian style, and Legnano closed the door. He stared at Dulac expectantly.
“Your Eminence, are you aware of Chimera?” said Dulac.
“What?”
“We believe it’s a successor to Gladio.”
“Gladio !” exclaimed Legnano. “Again?”
“Yes. We believe Volpe, Fiore, and de Ségur are behind the murders, which were ordered to protect Chimera. It’s the same pattern as Gladio. The letter from Salvador to Conti, the anonymous donations, the killing of the marchioness’s illuminator, the funding of Chimera through Miranda, the hiring of assassins through the Russian mafia. Everything is there. It all fits.”
Legnano sat down slowly, absorbing the news. After a moment, he said, “But what did Salvador and Conti do to deserve such a horrific fate?”
“We believe they got wind of the donations through their participation on the finance review committee, and worked their way upwards. They became aware of Chimera, maybe even got a copy of the Protocol.”
“Protocol?”
“The Chimera Protocol was signed by the representatives of the member states, including the Vatican. Volpe signed for the Vatican. I’ve met with the President of France, and, as you know, the French Minister of State resigned this morning. He had signed for France.”
Legnano looked away. “I think I know where you are going with this, Mr. Dulac.”
“I knew you would. Will you see the Holy Father? He alone can lift diplomatic immunity.”
“What do you propose?”
“The same conditions I proposed to the President: if you hand over Volpe and Fiore to the Italian authorities, to be properly judged in a court of law, I won’t reveal Chimera to the press. I can’t guarantee it won’t leak out somehow by other means, but it might give the Vatican enough time to sever itself from Chimera.”
“We don’t have much choice, then,” said Legnano.
“My men are waiting. We need an answer today. I can’t keep the lid on this forever. You saw the journalists.”
“I’ll speak to the Holy Father. Please wait here.”
Chapter 71
As Cardinal Legnano walked to the Holy Father’s secretary’s office, he realized the Holy Father already knew what he was about to tell him. Surely, Volpe and Fiore were the penitents the Holy Father had protected under the seal of confession. He had to be careful not to compromise the pope. Mannaggia la Miseria, what a mess, thought Legnano.
“Good morning, Monsignor,” Legnano said to the papal secretary, “I need to see His Holiness right away. It’s urgent.”
“I’m sorry, he’s already seeing someone.”
“Cardinal Volpe?”
“I, I’m not at liberty to say.”
“Yes, I know,” said Legnano with a hint of impatience. “How long will they be?”
“I have no idea. They’ve been in there for awhile.”
“I’ll wait.”
“But His Holiness has other appointments.”
“Believe me, they’ll wait.”
Cardinal Legnano trussed up his cassock and sat down. He could feel the inseparable couple of destiny and history weighing heavily, further bending his osteoporosis-stricken back. He felt but a spoke along the ride of a huge wheel, set in motion by those eternal human frailties: ambition and power. At the hub lay an organization that had inherited all of Gladio’s dreaded traits. At the perimeter, trampled in its path, lay dead citizens, dead archbishops, civil rights, democracy. He knew it was time to choose sides.
* * *
The door opened and the Holy Father, dressed in his plain white cassock, his expression severe, walked towards him. “My dear Legnano,” he said in a grave tone, as he showed the cardinal inside the library.“Please cancel my appointments for the day,” the pope instructed his secretary.“Volpe has told me everything,” said the pontiff, looking devastated.
“You didn’t know?” Before the pope could answer, Legnano quickly realized his indiscretion. “I’m sorry Your Holi—“
“Volpe has told me the authorities want to arrest Fiore and himself for the murders. He asked that I not waive diplomatic immunity. What is your opinion?”
“Holy Father, I have only learned of Chimera and the Vatican’s participation in it this morning.”
“How deeply are we involved? Are we simply sympathizers, as in Gladio?”
“I don’t know, but according to Dulac, we are signatories. Your Holiness, Interpol is at the door, waiting for your answer. They have threatened to go to the press if we don’t waive immunity.”
“We didn’t waive it in the sex cases,” said the pope.
“If you recall, I disagreed with that decision. Your Holiness, if the Church doesn’t waive immunity, we will be seen as protecting and harboring criminals. All the more so, since these men are so high in the organization. We’re also talking about murder.”
“Legnano, let’s not get ahead of ourselves. They haven’t been convicted yet. Volpe says he was coerced into accepting by the Venezuelan drug cartel, Vega is its name? He said he was merely their instrument.”
“With all due respect to Cardinal Volpe, I find that hard to believe, Your Holiness. If it were so, why would Vega not have acted directly, without the use of false flags, or for that matter, the Russian mafia? No, Volpe knew that Miranda, in which the Vatican has invested heavily, was under scrutiny by Salvador and Conti. He couldn’t risk it being disclosed to the public, not only as a money laundering operation, but more importantly, as a funder of Chimera, thereby disclosing Chimera’s existence. He also signed the document on behalf of the Vatican. Dulac says he has evidence Volpe hired the assassins.”
“I see,” said the pontiff, his voice cracking slightly. “We must immediately sever all ties with this Chimera.”
“And with Miranda, Your Holiness, but that doesn’t solve the current problem.”
“I suppose not. What about Monsignor Fiore?”
“He was probably acting under Volpe’s instructions. He’s very ambitious, and has ultimate faith in Volpe. I’ve seen it at meetings of the finance committee. Also, he is under pressure to perform. His investment choices have been disastrous.”
“Hence the temptation to use illicit funds,” said the pope.
“Exactly.”
The pontiff walked towards one of the stacks of books on the wall, his hands clasped behind his back. He turned to face Legnano. “Do you think he participated in the murders?”
The question surprised Legnano. If Fiore was one of the penitents, the pope already knew the answer. Was the pope baiting him, or had he been wrong in his judgment of Fiore? “I cannot say. But what concerns me is that Fiore was always interested in mythology. It was one of his favorite subjects at the seminar.”
“Good gracious…”
