Part 51 (1/2)
Roberto pulled out his badge. ”Polizia!” he said firmly, and this time, he took Jordan's hand, dragging her along.
They hopped on to the next water taxi that came along. Roberto spoke to the driver.
They sped over the open water, then slowed as they followed the taxi ahead through various narrow ca.n.a.ls.
”Where is she going?” Jordan murmured.
”I know this place . . . it's near the trattoria. She's going to the church,” Roberto said.
She glanced at him, and suddenly something stirred in her mind.
Mistrust!
The water taxi came to the dock. While Roberto spoke with the driver in Italian, Jordan made a run for it. Skirting one piazza, she raced down a narrow alley, studying the buildings around her. She saw an arrow directing a left turn with the words Campo di Fratelli. Campo ... it meant a square with a church. She followed the sign and sighed with relief when she saw a notice board in front, listing the times for Ma.s.s. She started for it, pa.s.sing an outdoor cafe where a few people were sharing drinks.
There was a wine decanter on a table right by the street. She deftly swept it from the table, and poured out the wine as she raced for the church, praying that no one had seen her.
She ran into the church. There were a number of people in it, their heads bowed in prayer. One or two looked up.
She looked around for an urn of holy water, found it, and filled her carafe. As she was doing so, she saw that a frowning priest was walking toward her. She flipped out her cross as she filled the carafe. ”Catholic, father. Honestly. I swear to you!”
With her carafe half full, she started to run out of the church-and ran straight into a man. As she started to apologize, she gave a nervous laugh instead.
She had crashed straight into Raphael.
”Jordan!” he said with pleasure. ”I had heard that you left Italy. I heard that your cousin is sick as well, I'm so sorry-”
”It's all right. But you have to help me. Cindy is in danger.”
She grabbed his arm. ”Raphael, there are vampires, and I'm not crazy. The contessa is part of an awful group of-of-bloodsuckers, and I'm afraid that even the cops may be in on it. Come on!”
”Come on?” He tugged back a little as she dragged him. ”Where?”
”The deconsecrated church. Please, help me!”
He let out a deep sigh, but allowed her to drag him along.
”This street is shorter,” he told her.
”No ... I need .. . first. . .”
”What? What?”
She saw a small trash can just outside the door to an office building. It would do. ”I need water, ca.n.a.l water.”
”Jordan, please. Let me buy you a drink-”
”I need ca.n.a.l water. Hold this!” She handed him the holy water, dumped the trash, and filled the can with water from the ca.n.a.l.
It wasn't as easy to run with the trash can, but Jordan moved as quickly as she could.
Raphael followed.
When they reached the church, she hesitated at the door. Shadows seemed to be all around the church. She felt a strange, very cold, breeze. She closed her eyes, and imagined the sounds of whispers ...
Wings in the night.
Cindy was in there; she was certain.
She went up the steps, Raphael behind her.
There were no candles lit within the church. There was no light.
Suddenly, light flashed from behind her, illuminating the aisle. ”You carry buckets of icy cold water. I am the one really prepared, with something useful- like a flashlight,”
Raphael said.
”Good, s.h.i.+ne it up ahead.”
He did so.
Jordan started for the coffin that stood in front of the altar. She reached it, knelt down, and looked.
Cindy was within it.
She was afraid. She would touch Cindy and see that her head was no longer attached ...
”She's breathing.”
”We've got to get her out of here.”
But before either of them could move, there was a voice from the entry.
”There you are!” Roberto Capo. And he sounded angry.
Jordan s.n.a.t.c.hed the holy water from Raphael. As Roberto came striding toward her, she tossed a portion of the water at him.
It splashed against his face. He stopped, stunned, and wiped his face. He swore in Italian, something that ended with, ”Americana!”
”Roberto, I'm so sorry! I thought that-”
She broke off, suddenly chilled to the bone. Someone .. . something else was here. She turned slowly to look at Raphael. He was staring at her.
She tossed some of the water at him.
”Jordan!” he said indignantly, wiping his face as well.
”This is crazy, and must-stop!” Roberto said firmly. He reached into his pocket; for a moment, Jordan thought he was going for a gun.
He pulled out a cell phone.