On Dangerous Ground. Jack Higgins

went back to Loch Dhu?”’

      Morgan cut in, ‘And Tanner replied, “You could say that.”’

      Asta nodded. ‘And then Tony said he started to laugh. I’d say that’s rather strange.’

      ‘Strange or not, that Bible must be there somewhere,’ Luca said. ‘You’ll find it, Carlo.’ He stood up. ‘Now we eat.’

      Marco Russo was standing by the door in the hall and, as they passed him, Luca said, ‘You can take Marco with you in case you need a little muscle.’ He patted Marco’s face. ‘The Highlands of Scotland, Marco, you’ll have to wrap up.’

      ‘Whatever you say, Capo.’

      Marco opened the dining-room door where two waiters were in attendance. Back in the reception room Alfredo cleared the wine bottle and glasses and took them into the kitchen, putting them beside the sink for the maid to wash later. He said to the cook, ‘I’m going now,’ went out, lit a cigarette and walked down through the gardens to the staff quarters.

      Alfredo Ponti was an excellent waiter, but an even better policeman, one of the new dedicated breed imported from mainland Italy. He’d managed to obtain the job with Luca three months previously.

      Usually he phoned from outside when he wanted to contact his superiors but the other two houseboys, the cook and the maid were working, so for the moment he was alone. In any case, what he had overheard seemed important so he decided to take a chance, lifted the receiver on the wall phone at the end of the corridor and dialled a number in Palermo. It was answered at once.

      ‘Gagini, it’s me, Ponti. I’ve got something. Carl Morgan appeared tonight with his stepdaughter. I overheard them tell a most curious story to Luca. Have you ever heard of the Chungking Covenant?’

      Paolo Gagini, who was a major in the Italian Secret Intelligence Service based in Rome posing as a businessman in Palermo, said, ‘That’s a new one. Let me put the tape recorder on. Thank God for that photographic memory of yours. Right, start talking. Tell me everything.’

      Which Alfredo did in some detail. When he had finished, Gagini said, ‘Good work, though I can’t see it helping us much. I’ll be in touch. Take care.’

      Alfredo replaced the receiver and went to bed.