After what seemed like an eternity, during which Alessandro forced himself not to look at the time, Placido spoke again. “That would be Tronchetto.” He indicated the faint glow on their left, all there was to suggest the large artificial island that indicated Venice was close. “We’re making good time, considering the weather conditions.”
“Good,” Alessandro said.
“Maybe you should have my cell number,” Placido said. “You might need it.” Alessandro punched it in.
Ahead in the fog was the wail of an ambulance siren, and Placido was forced to pull out of the channel to avoid a collision. Wasted seconds that felt like hours. While he knew Placido was going as fast as he could, it wasn’t fast enough for Alessandro. It was all he could do not to throw himself into the water and swim for it.
1 hour and 19 minutes.
His phone rang. Columbo again. “We found Olivia’s phone. City police answered a noise complaint and found a gondolier tied up near the opera house. We’d just given them a head’s up about Olivia, and they called us immediately. The gondolier said it happened pretty fast. Three men in white masks. He said there also was a plague doctor on a bridge, but he was unclear about what role he—”
“She!” Alessandro interrupted. “Pamela.”
“Okay, so now we know where she was. We’re checking the phone for prints. The message Olivia sent you is there, as is the one sending you to the Salute. I found four men for you and I’m sending them to the rowing club so they’re nearby, but not so nearby as to rouse suspicion. You report everything to me. You got that? Every little thing. And you remember what I said about ransoms—”
Alessandro ended the call.
1 hour and 14 minutes.
The lights of the Hilton Molino Stucky pierced the fog at the opening of the Giudecca Canal. They were getting closer. Any luck at all, they would make it with almost an hour to spare.
His phone rang again. He looked at the display.
Pamela!
He tapped the Accept Call button. “You have exactly two minutes to tell me what the hell is going on!”
“What?”
“Don’t what me. Where the hell are you? And where’s Olivia?”
“What’s going on? I don’t know where Olivia is.”
“Look. I know what you’re up to. Columbo said you turned off the camera when you were interrogating Dino. And maybe you didn’t know the Carabinieri have been tailing Dino for months and have several photos of you with him. And others of you with Silvio Milan—wearing your plague-doctor costume. And Olivia has just been kidnapped by a plague doctor. So you see, I know it all.”
There was silence on the other end.
“Two minutes, Pamela. I’m sorry if I led you on, but how did you think joining forces with a drug dealer, lying to me about Katarina, and kidnapping Olivia were going to change anything?”
“What are you talking about? I don’t know where Olivia is, and I didn’t lie about what Dino said! He really did say that. I did turn the recording off, it’s true. But it wasn’t because I was making a deal with him—not about that, anyway. It was personal. That’s why they have photos of me with him. I wish you’d trust me on that.”
“I can’t, Pamela, and you know it. I have to call them in an hour, and the clock is ticking. Right now the theory is you’re helping Dino because you’re in love with me and jealous of Olivia—”
“Oh Alessandro, I do love you. But not like that. You’re my partner and also my best friend. How could you think I had anything to do with kidnapping Olivia?”
“Then be straight with me now.”
“It’s true I know Dino.” She took a deep breath. “I’ve been having an affair with Silvio Milan since November. He sends Dino to pick me up. Sometimes I meet Silvio at his place, and other times at the Hotel Danieli. I didn’t want you to know. You’re so loyal, and I know it makes me look awful—being married to Fabio and having two little kids. But I just couldn’t stand it anymore. It’s hard enough working full-time with the Guardia and looking after the children without being expected to also help out with the bar. And Fabio just won’t stand up to his mother. I met Silvio at the bar—he kept coming by on the nights I was working there, and it’s close to his place. He was so charming and attentive. He made me feel like a desirable woman again, and one thing led to another . . .” She was crying now. “I don’t know what to do. He wants me to leave Fabio. I’ve been with him all afternoon, trying to decide what on earth to do . . .”
1 hour and 2 minutes.
“Stop, Pamela!” This was not what he expected. And while at any other time it would’ve shocked him to hear Pamela was having an affair with Silvio Milan, right now it was a relief. Better an adulteress than a kidnapper and drug dealer.
Except for one thing.
If Pamela didn’t have Olivia, then who the hell did?