The Babylon Plot by David Leadbeater

Author:David Leadbeater [Leadbeater, David]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Published: 2023-08-01T12:00:00+00:00

Chapter 26

The call came in shortly before they left Zürich.

‘It’s Premo Conte,’ Sally said tersely.

Mason understood her abruptness. The Inspector General of the Gendarmes of Vatican City, leader of the Cavalieré, was essentially their boss, a boss they hadn’t been keeping apprised of their progress. Conte was highly capable and had earned their respect a dozen times over during their last encounter with Marduk, but he wasn’t exactly a patient man.

‘Answer the phone.’ Mason shrugged. ‘He deserves to know.’

Cardinal Vallini had been Conte’s friend, too.

‘What have you got?’ Conte’s words blasted out of the speakerphone.

Mason was currently driving them to the airport. He thought about treating Conte with kid gloves, maybe trying to brush him off, but then caught Roxy staring at him in the rear-view mirror. The last time they’d tried to fob their boss off – Patricia Wilde – it hadn’t ended too well. They’d both been sacked from their jobs.

‘We tracked Bellaire to his shop in Paris, made him talk. He supposedly gave us Cassadaga. We were to meet through an office in Zürich.’ Mason took a deep breath and then told Conte the rest of it, finishing with their promising lead in Monte Carlo.

‘You’re no nearer to catching up with Marduk than you were a few days ago,’ Conte said.

Mason sighed. ‘Conte,’ he said. ‘We’re in the middle of a fluid investigation. You know how it goes, setback after setback, until you find what you’re looking for. We’re making progress here.’

‘Did Bellaire or this Curry guy give you any sign of what the Vatican is up against?’

Mason thought about the so-called Faithful and the infiltrators. ‘None,’ he said.

Conte took a deep breath. Mason imagined the tall man in his tailored suit leaning forward. ‘You wouldn’t be hiding anything from me now, would you?’

‘Have you heard anything from your side?’ Mason asked, changing the subject.

‘I’m calling you back to Vatican City,’ Conte said. ‘I think a face-to-face is long overdue and we can talk more openly here.’

Mason let out a long sigh. ‘Conte,’ he said. ‘That won’t accomplish anything.’ He knew Conte liked to throw his weight around, liked to impress on everyone who was in charge. The guy could be insufferable, but he was also extremely useful. Mason felt exasperated by the man.

‘We’re on our way to Monaco,’ Roxy said from the back seat. ‘You can’t make us turn around now.’

‘It’s time-sensitive,’ Quaid put in.

‘Everything is time-sensitive,’ Conte said. ‘Even my lunch is time-sensitive. To be honest, I’d rather see you back here. Get a better feel for what you know.’

Mason pulled into the airport parking area and found a space. He sat there with the car engine running. ‘All right,’ he said. ‘You win. Listen, we’re headed for Monaco right now. We’re sitting at the airport, and we can’t let Marduk jump any more steps ahead of us. We’re close – we know where he is. That’s our investigative skills at work. But as for what we know—’ He bit his bottom lip and thought about what he wanted to say, and then he told Conte all about the Faithful and the infiltrators.

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