Part 39 (1/2)

”You're back.”

”Yes,” Griffin said. ”Where's Tex?”

”I see you have the map?”

See? ”We have it.” ”We have it.”

”Do not leave the room until we get there.”

”And when will that be?”

”Enough time for the both of you to take a shower. You look a bit dusty.” He disconnected.

Griffin tossed the phone onto the bed. ”How did we not figure he'd have cameras set up in this room?”

”We had other things on our mind. What should we do?”

He looked around the room, perhaps trying to see where the camera was situated, then moved in close. ”There's nothing we can do,” he said, lowering his voice. Then, louder, said, ”Adami's on his way. I for one am going to take a shower.”

He disappeared into the bathroom, and while he was gone, she tried to determine why he was against taking a photo of it. Then again, if this room had cameras, Adami would know the moment they tried to snap a photo.

Griffin stepped out of the bathroom a few minutes later, towel-drying his hair, dressed only in his pants. He draped his s.h.i.+rt over the chair. ”Dumas hasn't called?”

”Not yet.”

He walked over to take another look at the map, when there was a knock at the door. Griffin strode over, peered through the peephole, then backed away. ”It's Dumas. He's with Francesca. And there's someone standing beside them.”

”Who?”

”Our friend from the Capuchin Crypt,” he said quietly, then pointed at the map.

She lifted the ice bucket, allowing the parchment to roll up on itself. She rolled it tighter, then dropped it into the tube.

”Hold on,” Griffin said loudly, grabbing his s.h.i.+rt. ”Let me throw on my clothes.”

”What do you want me to do?” she whispered.

”Hug me for good luck.”

It took a moment for his odd request to sink in, and then she thought, cameras. She stepped into his arms, felt his skin, warm, moist against her, as he whispered, ”Take it in the bathroom, pretend to be taking a shower, and destroy it.” She looked up, about to protest, but he held her tight, his whisper filled with urgency. ”We're out of ammo, and Tex or no Tex, if we can't get the map out of Naples, I'm under orders not not to let it leave our hands-even if we are killed in the process. We have to destroy it.” to let it leave our hands-even if we are killed in the process. We have to destroy it.”

His words sent a chill through her. She couldn't believe he would willingly let his friend die. But she knew the hopelessness of the situation the moment she looked into his eyes, saw the pain, the resignation. As much as he wanted Tex safe, it had always been about the map, keeping it from the enemy.

She took the tube, carried it into the windowless bathroom, closed the door, locked it. She turned on the water to the shower, then looked at her reflection more ghostly than real through all that steam, and in that moment, she realized the full weight of Griffin's dilemma. He was under orders not to let Adami have the map. But could she really think that he'd choose the map over Tex's life? Even then, he couldn't just turn over the map, when they knew what it might lead to. If there was any truth to this whole biblical plague thing-and so far everything she'd seen led her to believe it was all true-then everything they did from this moment on could mean countless lives saved...

Griffin's bosses wanted the map. Impossible with Adami's man outside the door.

But the impossible meant the map had to be destroyed. She took out the knife Griffin had given her, removed the map from the tube, unrolling it on the bathroom counter. She poised the knife over the map, intending to cut it to shreds, before flus.h.i.+ng it, and it occurred to her what sort of history she was about to decimate.

But it wasn't history that came to mind. It was Tex. One life or thousands of lives?

How did one choose?

”Dumas,” Griffin said, opening the door. ”I see you brought company.”

Father Dumas gave an apologetic shrug. ”The professoressa professoressa said that you'd want to see this man. He says his name is Silvio and that Adami sent him. He wants to know if you have the map.” said that you'd want to see this man. He says his name is Silvio and that Adami sent him. He wants to know if you have the map.”

”I do. Where's Tex?”

Silvio, his hand in the pocket of his overcoat, no doubt holding a weapon on them, barged into the room, looking around. ”Signore Adami will bring your friend, once I call to confirm the map is here. Where is it?”

”Surely you saw the map on the monitor?”

”Until I verify that it is real, no exchange will be made.”

”It's in the bathroom with my a.s.sociate. I'd get it, but the door's locked and she's taking a shower.”

Silvio pulled his hand from his pocket, revealing the pistol he'd been hiding. He pointed it at Griffin. ”I'd suggest she hurry. We are to meet Signore Adami out front with the map in hand in exchange for your friend. And he wants to know that he has the only copy, or the deal is off.”

There was a moment of silence, and then Griffin shouted Sydney's name.

”I'm was.h.i.+ng my hair,” she called back.

”Hurry.”

Griffin leaned against the bathroom door, heard the blow dryer start up, and wondered what the h.e.l.l Sydney was doing in there.

Adami's man stood in the center of the room, his arms crossed. ”You're sure she's going to come out?”

”She has to. There are no windows.”

”What's taking her so long?”

”She's a girl. That's what they do.”

The man's phone rang. He flipped it open, said, ”p.r.o.nto.” Then, ”Adami is here. He wants rea.s.surance that the map is here. Now.”

”No cameras in the bathroom?”

”We are not without some scruples,” he said, which was when Griffin wondered if there really were cameras in the room at all. Griffin had purposefully taken a shower just in case there were cameras in there, in order to steam the things up. He was not about to destroy the map and let anyone see it being done. Adami had no scruples, and he doubted that anyone who worked for him did, either. Definitely not this man, who demanded, ”Let me see the map or Adami leaves with your friend.”

”Sydney! The map. I need it now.”

He heard the blow dryer shut off.