God's Spy by Juan Gómez-Jurado Read Free Book Online

suspect there’s something that links the victims together, more than just their hats. Basically, we’re not going to get very far unless we can talk to a real source – someone who speaks with authority. It’s Dante’s job to open doors for us, so he needs to give us access to someone high up in the Curia. And when I say high up, I mean very high up.’
‘Won’t be easy.’
‘We’ll see. But for now, let’s focus on what we know. For starters, Robayra didn’t die in the church.’
‘There wasn’t much blood, so he must have been killed somewhere else.’
‘Clearly the killer had the cardinal in his power for quite a while, in a secluded place that no one else knew about, somewhere he could take his time interacting with the body. We know that he had to gain his victim’s trust somehow, so that the victim would go with him of his own free will. From there, he moved the body to Santa Maria in Traspontina, obviously for a reason.’
‘What about the church?’
‘I spoke with the parish priest. It was locked up tight when he went to sleep. Remember, he had to open it for the police when they arrived. But there’s a second door, a tiny one, that leads out on to the Via dei Corridori. That’s probably how the murderer got in. Have we checked it out?’
‘The lock was intact; it was new and wouldn’t give. But even if the door was swinging on its hinges, I don’t see how the killer could have got in.’
‘Because . . .?’
‘Do you have any idea how many people were standing by the main door, on Via della Conciliazione? And on the street behind, even more. Jesus! The whole place is crammed with people here for the funeral. They’re in every street, blocking the traffic. Don’t tell me that our killer walked in with a body in his arms in full view of the entire world.’
Paola thought for a few seconds. Even if the tide of humanity had served as wonderful camouflage for the killer, how would he have entered the church without forcing the door?
‘Pontiero, let’s make it a priority to find out how he got into the building. Tomorrow we’ll talk to the friar. What was his name?’
‘Francesco Toma, a Carmelite.’
Pontiero nodded slowly as he jotted down notes.
‘Yes, him. Then, we have all the macabre details: the message on the floor, the severed hands resting on the canvas . . . and these bags here. Go ahead.’
Pontiero started reading the list while Inspector Dicanti filled out the evidence report with a ballpoint pen. An ultramodern office, yet they were still using relics from the twentieth century like these antiquated forms.
‘Item number one: a priest’s stole. Embroidered cloth, rectangular, worn by Catholic priests during the sacrament of confession. Found hanging from the dead man’s mouth, soaked in blood. Blood type is the same as that of the victim. DNA analysis in progress.’
This was the brownish object they hadn’t been able to make out in the half-light of the church. The DNA analysis would take at least two days, even though the UACV had one of the world’s most advanced laboratories at its disposal. Dicanti always creased up with laughter whenever she watched the American show CSI on television. If only evidence could be processed that quickly.
‘Item number two. White canvas. Origin unknown. Material, cotton. Presence of blood, minimal. The severed hands of the victim were found sitting on top of it. The blood type is that of the victim. DNA analysis in progress.’
‘One thing: Robayra is written with “ay”, not an “i”?’ Dicanti hesitated.
‘With “ay”, I’m fairly sure.‘
‘Good. Keep going, Maurizio.‘
‘Item number three: a crumpled piece of paper, approximately one and a quarter inches square. Found in the left eye socket of the victim. The type of paper, its composition, weight, and percentage of chlorine are all being investigated. Written on the paper, by hand, using a ballpoint pen, are the letters:

    ‘MT 6,’ Dicanti said. ‘An