Fire and Earth by David West

Author:David West [West, David]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: David V.S. West
Published: 2021-12-06T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eight

Anthony, Hugh, Sergeant Hennard and Guardsman Pfyffer left the Quirinal Palace by the gatehouse at the south-eastern corner of the palace, onto the Via del Quirinale.

‘My suggestion, Hugh, is that we patrol the perimeter in opposite directions. I’ll take Sergeant Hennard, and you take Guardsman Pfyffer. That way we’ll cover more ground, and I’m sure either of us will recognise him.’

‘That makes sense to me, Anthony, so it does. What is it we do when we spot him?’

‘Follow him. We need evidence.’

‘What sort of evidence? If he’s driving a cart with bales of straw and a cask of brandy, is that enough?’

‘I daresay that would satisfy Cardinal Aldobrandini. He’d torture a confession out of him which would implicate Paolo Sarpi. How do you feel? I want more evidence before I have his blood on my conscience. We must catch him in the act.’

‘There we go now. That will be after dark, I imagine, if he carries on as he has so far. It would be safest for him. Will we recognise him in the dark?’

‘Probably not. We’ll have to hope that we spot him before it gets dark and then follow him. I suppose he’ll either go to where he will attack his next victim, or where he will prepare the murder scene.’

‘Anthony, if it’s Cardinal Bellarmine he’s after, he may be on his way to where he should be, in Capua, near Naples.’

‘Good point. If so, he’ll be on a fool’s errand. But if he’s going after Pope Paul, then he’ll try to pick a lock and get into the palace. With most of the palace guard still on the lookout for him to the north of Rome, there are several gates into the gardens that are unguarded. He may try one of those. Let’s start our patrols. Sergeant Hennard and I will head off north east up the Via del Quirinale, you and Pfyffer head north west and circle around on the Via del Giardini.’ They set off. After ten minutes, they met again at the north corner of the wall around the extensive gardens. ‘Did you see anything, Hugh?’

‘We didn’t. We gave each garden gate a rattle as we passed. They’re all securely locked.’

‘Let’s carry on then,’ said Anthony. He and Sergeant Hennard continued their patrol until they reached a junction with the Via della Panetteria. They were just about to turn left when they heard the rumbling of a cart’s wheels behind them. As it passed, Anthony looked at the driver. He let it pass, then grabbed Hennard’s sleeve. ‘I think that’s him,’ Anthony whispered.

‘Are you sure, sir?’

‘I think so. Let’s get after him.’ Anthony and Sergeant Hennard had to hurry to keep up with the cart. It continued past the junction with the Via del Giardini, at which point they would have turned left to continue their patrol. They had to break into a jog to keep it in sight, but after about two hundred yards, it slowed and turned left into a side street.

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