Page 75 (1/2)
Don Pietro (as translated by Tomaso) says, “You have delivered iven you the inforht in return Our transaction is complete”
“Yes, sir,” Rainy says “But I still have to get the inforet to Rome”
“We have ain that includes sheltering you Francisco”—he glances at his nepheith obvious distaste—“I am certain has also made no such promise As I said, our business is satisfactorily concluded”
Panic gnaws at the edge of Rainy’s mind This is Italy, enemy territory, a country overrun by various Fascist police forces and intelligence people, not to mention the German Gestapo She has a littlebut her orders—orders that direct her to contact a certain person at the neutral Swedish E that, to find so
I’m not the hero of this story, I’m the fool
“Don Pietro,” Rainy says in Italian now, hoping her use of his tongue willgetting Cisco here to where he is safe with you I had hoped—”
“Hope is for fools,” Don Pietro says with a very slight wave of his hand
“Is honor also for fools?” she dee to Don Pietro, a challenge to a ers and end her life
But Don Pietro doesn’t blink “Honor requires keeping to the deals we make This I have done”
She sees that he is ready to move on to a different topic If that happens, she’s very likely done for He won’t risk letting her fall into the hands of carabinieri or the Gestapo, she realizes in atrouble for hiht away, maybe not until he can pin it on someone else, but she will be killed—of that there is no doubt
For afor her life, not just herto say, Tomaso steps in
“Perhaps there is some other service she could perform”
Her first reaction is gratitude But then, despite the fear growing inside her, she realizes this is planned Don Pietro has made clear her likely fate: death; and Tomaso now offers a way out
“What other service?” she asks, dreading the reply
“The don grows tired,” Toh Don Pietro has shown no evidence of weariness, merely boredom “Let’s discuss this between ourselves”