Page 108 of The Medici Return

“We need a doctor for Cardinal Richter,” he told Stamm.

“Signora Nelle informed me. One is on the way.” Stamm eyed Richter. “It does not look that bad.”

“It’s not,” Richter said.

“I was not entirely frank with you back in Rome,” Cotton said.

Stamm muted the sound on the ball game. “Do tell.”

And Cotton described everything that had just happened along with the complete story of what had occurred on the train, including the killer.

“We need to find out who he is,” Richter said.

“That will be easy. I hired him. Years ago.”

Cotton stepped over and lifted the remote control for the muted television, hitting theOFFbutton.

“That was rude,” Stamm said.

He sat in one of the chairs. “Eminence, we’ve had a rough night. I’m tired. Hungry. And a bit frustrated. Cardinal Richter needs a doctor and I should be back in Copenhagen selling books. So tell me about the man you hired. Who is clearly a professional killer.”

“His name is Thomas Dewberry. A person with no morals, deep religious convictions, and, as you say, unique skills.”

“You hired someone like that?” Richter asked.

“I hired a person who could provide retribution for those who most definitely deserved it. The world is a dangerous place. Violence exists. There are times when prayer and ‘turning the other cheek’ simply do not work. We had to be prepared to deal with that contingency. If not, we would simply be a toothless tiger. So I recruited Thomas. But he was only dispatched to political hot spots, locales where the law was nonexistent and those drastic measures were needed—where violence had already occurred against us. They were all retaliatory strikes. Not offensive ones. Never.”

“Clearly Ascolani has expanded his use,” Richter said, taking a seat too. “Your man is right in the middle of framing me.”

“And I am sorry for that. Ascolani is making a play for the papacy. The pope is going to retire. He’s made up his mind. Ascolani surely knows that. I am told he has already applied pressure to at least eight other cardinals who were either papabile themselves or capable of influencing others. Simple blackmail, mainly. The hardest pressure was saved for you, Jason.”

“Lucky me.”

“I assume the fact that you are yourself papabile, popular, and also a close friend of the pope made you special. So Ascolani wanted you disgraced. Tainted. Made radioactive. Perhaps even excluded from the coming conclave. I have also learned that one of the defendants in the bribery trial was offered a deal. Implicate you, and things would be much easier for him. He accepted that deal, lied, and the money was planted to reinforce the lie. That defendant worked in the Secretariat of State. Ascolani surely had great power over him.”

“Aren’t you a wealth of information tonight,” Cotton said. “How long have you had this intel?”

“Not long. There are many within the Curia and the Entity still loyal to me. I was also able to access a special financial account. A personal slush fund I long ago created and used for decades. Ascolani inherited control of that account when he assumed the Entity’s leadership. I have learned the money used to frame you came from there.”

“It seems you have all we need to clear my name,” Richter said.

“Unfortunately, Ascolani closed the account and the money is now in the possession of the Swiss Guard, removed from your country residence in Dillenburg.”

Cotton’s brain raced with possibilities. “Ascolani had Dewberry take us out and get the pledge.”

“That would be a good assumption.”

“So what now?” Richter asked.

“This is not over,” Stamm said. “Not yet, at least.”

Cotton heard a car outside and rose to look out the window. “You expecting someone?”

“I am. And he may be the answer to our problem.”

CHAPTER 73

STEFANO STEPPED FROM THE CAR.