The assistant director debated a moment looking over Garry’s torn sleeve. “No, I think that’s not necessary. Come into the administrative wing. You can wait in my office. I will bring for you caffè.”

Now the tears came. And came in earnest.

Chapter 54

The team had assembled in the situation room near the lab on the ground floor of the Questura.

Sachs and Flying Squad officer Daniela Canton had brought the evidence collected at the farmhouse near the organic fertilizer farm, and Beatrice Renza was completing her analysis. The evidence was here too from the factory in Naples, which had been dubbed by Daniela’s partner, Giovanni Schiller, Il Casa dei Ratti.

Spiro stood in the corner of the room, arms crossed. “Where is Ercole?”

Sachs explained that she’d sent him on another assignment; he would be back soon.

Rossi was on the telephone and when he disconnected, he explained that he had located the owner of the farmhouse, who’d rented the place to the Composer. He lived in Rome and had driven to Naples to meet an American, who had given his name as Tim Smith, from Florida. The owner confirmed he resembled the composite picture of the kidnapper. He’d paid cash for two months plus a bonus.

“A bonus,” Rossi said with a wink in his voice, “for riservatezza. Discretion, you would say. That’s not what the landlord said but it was what I understood. He supposed the man wanted a place for his mistress. He didn’t suspect a crime, he insisted. Of course he did but he hardly cared.”

The landlord had told Rossi he had none of the cash left—hence, no fingerprint possibility—but he did have a thought about the make of the man’s car. Though the renter had parked out of sight, the landlord had coincidentally driven off the main road to get to a restaurant outside town and gotten a look at an old dark-blue Mercedes. A quick search confirmed that the Michelin tire size was compatible with older Mercedes. Rossi put the notice out to all law enforcement agencies to look for such a sedan.

Farmhouse Outside of Caiazzo

• —Dell Inspiron computer.
  • —Passcode-protected, sent to Postal Police.
• —Western Digital, 1 TB drive.
  • —Passcode-protected, sent to Postal Police.
• —Browning AB3 rifle, caliber: Winchester .270.
  • —Serial number indicates stolen three years ago, private residence in Bari, probably sold on the underground market.
  • —Box of 23 Winchester .270 cartridges, two empty brass shells.
  • —Ballistics indicate same weapons used to fire at American detective Amelia Sachs and Officer Ercole Benelli at Capodichino refugee camp.
• —Six E-note bass strings, one tied in a noose.
• —Drives an older-model, dark-blue Mercedes.
• —Four tire treads in driveway.
  • —Michelin 205/55R16 91H (same as earlier scene), probably from the Mercedes.
  • —Pirelli model 6000 185/70R15.
  • —Pirelli P4 P215/60R15.
  • —Continental 195/65R15.
• —Various items of clothing, some suspect’s, some from victims (see inventory).
  • —Unable to trace purchase.
• —Various items of toiletries (see inventory).
  • —Unable to trace purchase.
• —Food (see inventory).
  • —Unable to trace purchase.
• —Fodor’s guide to Italy.
  • —Unable to trace purchase.
• —Berlitz Italian phrase book.
  • —Unable to trace purchase.
• —List of victims, personal details, locations where they were to be held for videoing. (printout).
  • —Ali Maziq.
  • —Malek Dadi.
  • —Khaled Jabril.
• —Additional traces of olanzapine and amobarbital.
• —Friction ridges:
  • —Only the victims’.
    • —Ali Maziq.
    • —Khaled Jabril.
  • —Areas in house seem to have been swept, alcohol used.
  • —Latex glove marks revealed throughout.
• —Two dozen footprints, not matching any earlier.
  • —Size 7½ (m)/9 (f)/40 (European), leather sole.
  • —Size 10½ (m)/13 (f)/45 (European), unknown running shoe, well worn.
  • —Size 9 (m)/10½ (f)/43 (European), unknown style, probably hiking boot or running shoe.
  • —Converse Cons, as before—The Composer’s.
  • —Three others of indistinct size, two plain leather soles, one Rocky Lakeland hiking boot.