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“Ourgirl?”

“You still together with Lexi, Nico? Because if not, I may have to make a trip to America and look her up.”

Slash smiled easily, but he was pretty sure the humor didn’t reach his eyes. “We’re engaged.”

Tito’s eyes widened, his mouth opening in an exaggerated circle. “You? Engaged? You’re joking.”

Slash laughed at his expression. “Come on. You can’t be that surprised.”

“I can and I am. But not because I don’t think you make a good match. It’s becauseyouare settling down. I never saw you as a family man.”

“I never saw myself as that, either. But I asked her about a month ago.”

“And she was crazy enough to say yes? I thought she was smarter than that.”

“Apparently she had a moment of lapsed judgement of which I took full advantage.” He smiled, remembering how his proposal had gone awry. She’d stuck with him anyway and agreed to be his wife. It had been best day of his life.

“Well, then, hearty congratulations are in order.” Tito raised his glass. “To the family man. We may need more alcohol.”

“We may.” Slash smiled as he touched his glass to Tito’s.

After a few minutes, Tito sat back in his chair and studied him. “So, what personal business could take you away from your beguiling fiancée?”

“The troublesome kind.”

Tito didn’t look surprised at that revelation. “Figured as much. Wherever there’s trouble, you can be found. How can I help?”

It meant a lot to him that Tito always had his back and could be counted on for help. There were just a handful of people in his life he could trust for that. “You could start by letting me know how things are going at the Vatican.”

“Well, it’s interesting that you ask, and even more intriguing that you show up at this exact moment.” Tito leaned forward, studying Slash and lowering his voice. “Things seem tense lately. There’s been an unusual amount of activity.”

“What kind of activity?”

“Nothing specific. A lot of cardinals coming and going. Secretive meetings at odd hours. Something is going on...and then you show up. I don’t see that as a coincidence.”

“It’s not. Do you know what’s going on?”

“No. But I suspect it’s something significant.”

A lot of cardinals coming and going could signal either the pope was orchestrating something secretly or someone was plotting against the pope. Either way, it was unsettling. He’d likely been summoned to help one side or the other, so the play was to determine which way it would go. He could be a threat to many because he knew things. But he could also be used to harm others. Dozens of possibilities. Until someone played the hand that involved him, he’d have to sit tight.

“It’s enough that you’ve confirmed this for me.” Slash lifted his wineglass. “By the way, do you happen to know where Rinaldo Pacini retired?”

Tito stared at him. “Pacini? You’re thinking about contacting him?”

Slash swirled the wine, then took a sip. Rinaldo Pacini had ruled thesodalitium pianumwith an iron fist the entire time Slash had worked there, until the organization had been disbanded shortly after the Congo incident. “I’m thinking about it.”

Tito shook his head in disbelief. “Good luck with that. He changed his name, changed his life. You’ll have a hard time finding him.”

“I won’t.” It wasn’t bragging, it was the truth. The only question was how long would it take him, and whether Pacini knew, or would share, anything useful.

“You think what’s going on is connected?” Tito asked.

“It’s possible.”

“Rumor is he’s in Terni, but that could be old news or no news at all.”

“Terni is as good a place to start as any.” It sat about 104 kilometers northeast of Rome, nestled between two rivers. Once a bustling Roman city, it was now known for its innovative chemical and technological start-ups.