Il Pane Della Vita (14 page)

“Not until my son was born. He had a serious illness, Sister. When the Lord spared him, I made a deal with God that I would give the rest of my life to His work. I suppose he got this job for me,” he said squirming in the small chair. “It’s a common story, I suppose, but it makes me feel better that I’m using what I learned to make sure God’s servants are able to do what they’re called to do.”

“Were you ever in trouble before you came here?”

He straightened up. “What do you mean? I had difficulties, yes. I suppose you could say I was a proud man. I loved my job with the businessman. He was rich and successful. He let me use his houses and boats. But he wasn’t as honest as I thought he was. Circumstances with my son made me admit to myself that maybe my values weren’t exemplary. I think I’m happier here.”

The nun returned to Santo Velo
to see if the chief detective had replied to her email, but he had not. After dinner, she interviewed the two night cooks, Brother Alonzo and Brother Enrico as soon as the dinner crowd began to disperse.

Brother Alonzo was placing pots and pans in
the sink as Sister Angela entered the kitchen.

“Hello, Brother. I know you’re busy, but I need to speak with you. Can you spare me ten minutes?”

“I’m cleaning up so we can make bread. Can’t this wait?”

“Please. If this gets too long, I’ll let you go. Come sit on the stool next to me.”

Brother Alonzo hesitated but finally sat down beside her.

“You saw the explosion that night.
It was late. Do you normally work that late? The head chef usually works during the day.”

“No. I wasn’t the day chef a few weeks ago. Brother Gior
gio was the day chef while I trained Brother Enrico. Brother Giorgio moved back to his monastery when I was ready to take over the day shift again.”

“How well did you know Brother Giorgio?”

“You mean, could he have been involved in the disappearance of Brother Pietro?” asked Alonzo, chuckling. “Brother Giorgio is close to eighty, Sister. I rather doubt he could make it up the hill. He’s been a monk and chef for over sixty of those years.”

“Then back
to the night you saw the explosion. What were your first thoughts?”

“I figured it had to be the
eremo
or close by it.”

“Please describe what you saw.”

“The three of us were taking a break… I’m sure Brother Salvatore has already told you the whole story.”

“Yes. He told me what
he
saw.”

“We were mostly facing the mountain. We had cigarettes
, and the smoke doesn’t escape as fast if you face the mountain. That’s probably a wives’ tale, but it was comforting to be able to watch the smoke disappear in the cool air. I saw the flash and automatically glanced in that direction. The flash faded, but then something else flew into the air like a firework— you know, the kind that is shot up and then explodes into a glittering ball.”

“Is that what it did? Did it explode into a ball?”

“Not really. It got a bit bigger and then it got smaller and disappeared.”

“Did you think it just fizzled?”

“No. I figured it just kept traveling away and got smaller because of the distance.”

“How long did it take for the whole episode to happen?”

“About six to ten seconds.”

“What about the sound?”

“The boom hit us a few seconds after the firework. The event itself made no sound, until the boom hit our ears.”

“Did you see the flames?”

“No. Were there flames?”

“What about smoke?”

“I guess there was smoke but only in wisps, not what you would expect from a big fire.”

“What did you think happened? Why the firework?”

Brother Alonzo looked down at his hands. “I thought someone had been hurt and that he launched the firework into the air.” He looked at her. “I know it probably doesn’t happen, but when I heard it was Brother Pietro, I really thought it was a miracle.”

“So you still think that.”

“Yes. I’m almost certain.”

Brother Enrico entered
the room, and Brother Alonzo stood up and grabbed his apron.

“Sorry I’m late. What do you want me to do, Brother?”

“I’ll start cleaning up. Sister Angela needs to talk to you. Why don’t you and she talk at one of the tables in the hall? If Brother Salvatore doesn’t wake up, maybe you can start setting the tables after your talk.”

The nun led Brother Enrico to a table. “Did you witness the explosion that night?”

Brother Enrico rose and found some coffee in a carafe. He poured a cup for each of them. “It’s still hot. I need this tonight.” He sat down again and warmed his hands on his cup. “I was not facing the mountain. I actually saw the flash in Brother Alonzo’s eyes. I looked up the mountain and saw a string or ribbon fly up from the spot. There was something on the end of it.”

“Did the object come down again?”

“No. Nor did the ribbon become taut. It just kept going up and away from the spot where we saw the flash. It went so far that it disappeared.”

“Did you talk to either Brother Alonzo or Brother Salvatore about what you each saw?”

“Not really. I think Brother Alonzo described it differently when the abbot and others joined us because of the sound of the explosion, but I just figured he was mistaken—that he really didn’t see what I did.”

“Did you hear anything?”

“Not until the boom of the explosion. It was like watching a silent film—then boom. I came out of my trance, I guess.”

“What do you think the object was at the end of the ribbon?”

“I have to admit that I thought it was a person from the very beginning, but I didn’t know who it was. I guess the whole thing reminded me of the moonwalks astronauts do at the space station. So I ascertained that it was a man tied to the end or it.”

“But by what you describe, the man never returned to earth.”

“That’s right.”

“When did you find out about Brother
Pietro?”

“The next day we found out that the house belonged to Brother Pietro. Then soon after we heard that his body was not there. I really feel it was Brother Pietro’s body I saw.”

“But where did he go?”

“He must have gone to heaven.”

Sister Angela just wanted to check her email one more time. Surely Father Sergio had gone to the bishop to find out more about Father Teo. Why did he not send her the bishop’s answer? Would he reveal something he did not want her to know—something in the hermit’s past that might disqualify him from sainthood? She jumped up whe
n she heard the clear voice of a well-known Italian tenor. Her ringtone. Where had she put it? Was it under the bedcovers? Then she remembered that she might have left the red cell phone in the pocket of her skirt and rummaged around until she had it.

“Hello?”

“Sister Angela. I hope I didn’t wake you.”

“Chief D
etective Morena. No, I was just awaiting a reply from my diocese to a request for instruction.”

“I hope you don’t have plans for tomorrow. I thought yo
u might like to join Draco and me when we interview the security gentlemen from the
eremo
.”

“Security gentlemen?”

“Yes the day and night doormen. When I requested their presence, I asked them when they had met you, but they evidently weren’t included in the investigation. We have asked them to provide us with all the surveillance records they had on the case. To make sure we understood the data’s significance, I asked them here to explain it. Did you ever plan to meet with the guards?”

“No. I was
aware there was at least one doorman, but I didn’t know how he might fit in. Strange that Mr. Neri didn’t have them on the list.”

“Perhaps they were
n’t on the list because they don’t work for Neri or the
eremo
. They contract with a security company here in Avalle.”

“I didn’t realize Avalle would have such a company.”

“Technology has provided us with small industries that have grown up because of it. I would thank them for opening new jobs for the citizens of Avalle, but the technology has also made it possible to have industries that only need to hire a few people. In this case, the company has three employees, one CEO and two vice presidents, all hailing from Milano.”

“I would love to meet them and see the data too, but…”

“I’ll send Draco to pick you up. Is eight o’clock all right? I would like to start the interviews by eight-thirty.”

After breakfast, Brother Salvatore ran to catch the nun before she left. “Do you want me to come too?”

“I’m sorry, Brother, but I don’t have permission to take you out today. I have to go to Avalle. I’ll probably be busy the next few days. I believe the abbot would like to see you excelling in your vocation for a bit.”

“I didn’t help you enough?”

The nun stopped in her tracks. “You did fine. I should be back this afternoon. Maybe after dinner we can discuss where we are. I need you to keep up with the case even if I can’t take you with me.” She exited onto the portico. Police Detective Draco Loria sat in his police car, and when he saw her, he got out, opening the passenger side door for her.

“What
fun? I’m usually not invited to sit in the front seat. It’ll make it easier to talk. I brought you a cup of espresso as a gift. I have cream and sugar in my purse.”

Loria
smiled for the first time. “The men from Patrouillen Europaweit are coming in at nine so we have to drive to Avalle now.

“Do t
hey seem cooperative?”

“I don’t know. I haven’t spoken to
either man. You were asking for a list of visitors. These men would probably have that list.”

The car meandered down the mountain and then crossed a short valley and over the
autostrada
before entering the town. The police station was in the middle of the busy shopping area. Loria guided the car into a small parking lot and both climbed the steps to the rear entrance. Once inside, Loria led the nun to a back conference room.

“Good morning, Sister,” said Morena. “
The two guards are up front waiting for us. They arrived about five minutes ago. Hopefully we can learn something new, if not something incriminating.” He escorted two men to the conference room.

Loria was hooking up a recorder, and the nun stood when the
y all entered.

“This is
not an interrogation, gentlemen,” said Morena. “We only want to learn what you do and what you know about the incident at the
eremo
last week. Sister Angela, Detective Draco Loria, this is Giulio Costa, Markus Bauer, and I’m sorry, sir, I wasn’t expecting a third person.”

“I’
m Renzo Mancini. I represent Mr. Costa and Mr. Bauer. I was hired by Mr. Klug, their chairman at PEur.”

“As I said, t
his isn’t an interrogation. We only need some information concerning the incident.”

“I also represent the
eremo
in this case, chief detective. We don’t want to indict the Church for something that was beyond their control.”

“Of course, Mr. Mancini,” said the nun.
“I represent the bishop and finding out what happened to the hermit in that cottage is very important to the diocese.”

“Well, shall we get started then?” interrupted Morena.
“Mr. Costa, could you please introduce yourself and tell our guests what you do for the
eremo
? Then we can have Mr. Bauer do the same.”

“My name is Giulio Costa. I’m what they call the daytime doorman at the
eremo
. I have worked there for three years, having been a security guard for another company previously. Do you want me to go more into that, chief detective?”

“No. Who hired you?”

“The diocese hired PEur, and I was hired by Steffen, the CEO.”

“
Had you worked on other projects with PEur before this assignment?”

“No. This was our first project.”

“Please describe your responsibilities at the
eremo
.”

“I open the chapel first thing in the morning. When people come to visit, I open the door to the courtyard for them.”

“How do you know they are there?”

“I have a camera that scans the parking lot, and I can see them on the screen.
They can buzz me if I’m not in the office.”

The nun interrupted. “Have you ever refused
to allow entry into the hermitage of someone you didn’t recognize?”

“No. I have a list of people who are expected
, and I recognize regulars.”

“No one then has come alon
g that you weren’t prepared for?”

“That’s right. We do get groups of tourists. I don’
t usually recognize them. They’re only allowed to enter at certain times. I open the door for them and supervise them as they look around the courtyard. There’s a sample cottage just beyond the kitchen building. They’re allowed to go inside that building and in the church. There are cameras inside those buildings. When they leave the courtyard, I go into the office to watch in those places. It’s more discreet with the cameras.”

“
Have you ever seen them get in that gate or try to climb the wrought-iron fence?”

“Never.”

“As far as you know, is there any other place around the perimeter where someone else could get in?”

“Yes. There’
s a gate at the back of the cottages. Of course, one can climb the wrought-iron fence at the back more easily than the tall stucco walls. We have a camera on that. I watch from all directions, even the back door to the office building. Of course the outside door to the offices give someone access to the courtyard, but not the cottages.”

“But what if you have to open the door at the time someone is climbing the fence? You wouldn’t be there to see the breakin on the camera.”

“When I return to my office, I always rewind the video and watch it again. I would know if someone had been at the back fence. But as I understand it, this happened at night, Sister. I did not see the explosion because I was at home.”

“Please introduce yourself Mr. Bauer,” said Mancini.

“I’m Markus Bauer from Germany. I was hired by Steffen Klug five years ago. We were colleagues. I had just got out of my military service and could use my training as a security officer. I was a security guard for a bank in Germany before Steffen decided to expand the company here.”

“Why did you want to leave the bank, Mr. Bauer?”
asked Morena
“My wife i
s Italian, and she wanted to live closer to her parents. Steffen said he would let me come here when he expanded. He replaced me in the bank with another guard.”

“And you have worked at
hermitage with Mr. Costa for three years?” asked Sister Angela.

“Yes.”

“Do you know why the
eremo
wanted security?”

“No. Mr. Klug would have that information.”

“I presume you didn’t hear of any specific incident that made them want to hire someone,” she said.”

“That’s correct.”

“On the night of the incident, did you see anything odd?”

“No. All was quiet. I saw the
eremiti
process into the church. At the end of the evening service, I saw them recess.”

“Then what?” asked the nun.

“I heard an explosion.”

“Did you see what caused the explosion?”

“No.”

“C
ould anyone be seen at the back fence or around the perimeter during the service?” asked Morena.

“No. It was quiet until that happened.”

“So you heard the explosion…”

“I ran outside and saw that one of the cottages was burning. I ran
to the offices. Scali was there. He called for a fire truck.”

“What did you do?”

“I ran outside to show the fireman from the first truck where the fire was. I had already unlocked both the gates and the chapel door so they could come in either way.”

“So they were open for how long?”
asked Sister Angela.

“About twenty minutes. If you’
re going to say that I wasn’t in a position to watch them, you’re right. But the kidnapping or ascension had already happened by that time.”

“Couldn’
t the culprit have escaped? Did you go back and watch the video stream?”