The Dante Conspiracy

CHAPTER 13



‘I can assure you, Inspector Perini, that our security precautions are entirely adequate. This palace contains a large number of extremely valuable objects, and several that are almost literally priceless. The chances of anyone being able to break in here are extraordinarily slim. As well as what you might term our perimeter defence, the external walls, windows, doors and alarms, many of the exhibits here are protected by their own individual security systems, everything from armoured glass to motion sensors and infrared detectors.’

The senior custodian of the Palazzo Vecchio, a short, dapper and slightly plump middle-aged man who looked as if he should probably be wearing spats, twirled the end of his well-trained moustache before he continued.

‘And the other obvious objection to this theory you seem to have concocted is that this object’ – he tapped the top of the polished wooden box containing Dante’s death mask – ‘is realistically little more than a curio. Its value depends entirely upon who wants it, but if a gang of thieves was, as you have suggested, determined to break in here and commit a robbery I can think of fifty or sixty items that they could take which will be worth far more money on the black market for antiques than this.’

Perini opened his mouth to point out that that wasn’t actually what he’d said at all, but Lombardi beat him to it.

‘We are not suggesting simply a random robbery, as we’ve already explained to you, twice now, in fact. What we believe is that a gang of thieves may try and enter this building intent on stealing just this one object.’

The curator looked at him in an irritated manner.

‘Why?’ he demanded. ‘Why would they want to steal this object, which I have already explained to you’ – he gave a small tight smile to show that he was deliberately repeating the phrase Lombardi had used just moments earlier – ‘is of almost no value?’

‘We think,’ Perini said, ‘that members of this gang believe that an important and valuable relic has been concealed either in the box or perhaps even behind the death mask itself, and it is that object which they will be attempting to steal.’

An expression of utter incredulity spread across the curator’s face.

‘Relic? What relic?’

He pointed a pink forefinger at the wooden display box, inside which a grey representation of a face which may or may not have been that of Dante Alighieri – the death mask had been recreated, and was not the original – was suspended against a background of purple fabric.

‘I can tell you precisely what is inside this box. A length of material and the death mask itself. Nothing else. There are no secret drawers or hollow sections. In short, there is nowhere for anything to be concealed.’

Lombardi was clearly getting progressively more irritated by the man’s haughty and condescending attitude, and Perini sensed that he was about to say something that they might both regret. So he stepped in first.

‘If you recall, I didn’t say that there was anything concealed within this box. I only said that members of the gang possibly believed that there was something concealed in it, which is an entirely different matter. However, we are both busy and I’m sure you are as well, and I have no wish to prolong this conversation. So I will state our position again. We believe that an attempt may be made to enter this building and steal this relic, possibly as early as tonight. Are you prepared to allow two of my armed uniformed officers to remain here overnight as a precaution and as a backup to your existing alarm systems? Please consider your decision carefully, because I will obviously be making a report of the substance of this meeting and your decision to my superiors.’

And that was essentially a line drawn very clearly in the sand. Both detectives stood in silence, looking at the curator and waiting for his decision.

For a few moments, he didn’t reply, his eyes flicking from one man to the other. Then he gave a reluctant not.

‘This is a complete waste of time,’ he snapped, ‘but if it will keep you happy you can station two men here. They will need to arrive at least half an hour before we close so that I can brief them on the internal alarm systems and other matters. I do not want them blundering around knocking things over or setting off the motion detectors.’

Five minutes later, Perini and Lombardi walked out of the building and headed for their car. But after a few yards, both men stopped and looked back at the palazzo.

‘Arrogant arsehole,’ Lombardi muttered. ‘We were trying to do him a favour, and he acted as if we were trying to rip him off. I hope he does get burgled, and preferably sometime soon. And I thought we agreed that we should station four armed officers in the building? What these people did to Bertorelli shows what they’re capable of.’

‘I know we did,’ Perini agreed, ‘but I changed my mind when we were in there. The curator’s quite right. The Palazzo Vecchio does have an entirely adequate alarm system and it would be a difficult place to get into, but that wasn’t the reason. We were able to just flash our badges, walk in their and examine the death mask, and there’s absolutely no reason why these criminals can’t pitch up there themselves, pay the admission fee and then do exactly the same. And if they did that, I’m quite sure that they would also come to the same conclusion, that the box containing the relic is simply too small to have anything else concealed in it.’

Lombardi looked crestfallen.

‘So you think I’m wrong? That I’ve read more into those verses that there is to be found there?’

Perini slapped him on the shoulder.

‘No,’ he said firmly. ‘I think you’re quite right. I just don’t believe that that relic is going to be the target of whatever these men do next. There must be something else here, something directly connected with Dante that we’ve missed.’