Arlene said, "we don't feel loyal to them." Saul studied them, reluctantly committing himself further. "All right. I've trusted you so far. Since you're being honest, I'll do the same. There's a group I owe a favor as well."

"Who?"

"I used to work for them. I don't want anything more to do with them, but they manipulated me into cooperating."

"I asked you--"

"The CIA."

"Dear God."

"I'd like to call them now," Saul said. "We can kid ourselves about the priest's condition, but the fact is he needs medical attention or he won't be alert enough to respond to questions. You put him down good.

For all we know, he's got a concussion. We need a team with the proper facilities to bring him back up." The room became silent. Arlene turned to Drew. "He's got a point. By the time Father Dusseault's fully conscious, we'll have lost too much time."

"But the CIA," Drew said. "You know how I feel about--"

"The way you handle yourself," Saul said, "I would have figured you were with them."

"Not with the Agency. With the State Department's version of it. I want nothing to do with either."

"But you agreed to cooperate with the Fraternity," Saul said.

"There wasn't a choice."

"Listen carefully. My wife is missing.

That's all I care about right now. But I think if I get some answers from this priest, I stand a good chance of finding out where she is. I can get an expert team over here to help. I can do my best to guarantee the Agency doesn't know about you. I'm asking you to let me make the call." Drew stared at the floor. Arlene said, "If it helps to end this.

Drew, tell him it's okay." Drew raised his eyes. "We're getting in deeper." 'Tell him."

"All right"--Drew sighed--"make the call." Saul grabbed the phone and dialed. A husky voice answered, repeating the number Drew had used.

"This is Romulus. Tell Gallagher I have a reluctant source of information. I need a medical interrogation team. Now."

"What address?" the voice asked. "He knows where I'm staying." Saul set the phone back onto its cradle. "Where the fuck is my wife?"

15.

A half hour later, Saul heard a knock on the door. He glanced through its peephole, expecting the man with the pockmarked face, surprised to see Gallagher himself out there. He made a warning gesture to Drew and

Arlene, who took their suitcase and shut themselves into the bathroom.

Then he opened the hallway door. Gallagher stepped in, his eyes putty from lack of sleep.'A reluctant source of information'?" Saul shut the door and locked it. Gallagher kept talking. "Strictly speaking, I belong back in Austria. Our Zurich people didn't object to my entering their jurisdiction. But our Rome people like to run their show themselves. If you'd just agree to let another station chief be your control..."

"You wanted this relationship. Now you're stuck with it,"

Saul said. "I won't risk trusting anyone else."

"It's so nice to be popular. What have you got?" Saul led him down a short hallway into the bedroom. Gallagher blanched when he saw who was on the bed. "Good God, I don't believe it! You kidnapped a priest! How the hell can I put this into a report? And look at his face! What did you do, run over him with a truck?"

"He's not just a priest. He's a personal assistant to a cardinal in the

Vatican's Curia." Gallagher's mouth hung open. "I'll get even with you for this! You've just made my life--!"

"Before you start worrying about your job, take a look at this." Saul showed him the ring Drew had taken from Father Dusseault. Gallagher studied it in surprise. "The details are starting to fit together. You already proved that the men who tried to kill me were funded through an office in the Vatican." Saul pointed toward Father Dusseault

"Through his office. His boss is the cardinal who's missing." Saul raised the priest's right arm and rolled up the coat sleeve, revealing the spring-loaded sheath. He handed Gallagher the knife Father Dusseault had used. "Just your basic standard equipment for a priest. Believe me, he knew how to use it."

"Keep going. You're convincing me."

"Not only is there a network we never heard of, but I was right--it's composed of priests," Saul said. "They call themselves after the ruby on their ring. The Fraternity of the Stone." Gallagher chuckled.

"Romulus, you're as good as you ever were. You've learned a lot"

"But not enough. I told your man on the phone. I want a medical interrogation team."

"They won't know all the right questions to ask."

"But I do. As soon as he's ready, I want to be alerted. I'll do the questioning. I intend to squeeze this priest for everything he knows."

"What's wrong? Has something happened to you? Your voice sounds--"

"My wife's disappeared."

"What?"

"She was with me when we staked out the priest's apartment. He left the building. We followed him separately, to avoid attracting attention."

Conscious of Drew and Arlene in the bathroom, Saul omitted their part in the night's events.

"After I got my hands on him, I looked for Erika." His throat squeezed shut; he had difficulty continuing. "She vanished. I searched everywhere. She's gone. If this priest knows anything about why she disappeared, by God he's going to tell me. If anything's happened to her, whoever did it is going to die." Gallagher stepped backward. The phone rang. Saul lunged for it. "Erika?" But a man's voice said, "Put

Gallagher on." Saul closed his eyes, trying to control his disappointment. He handed the phone to Gallagher. "Yes, come up,"

Gallagher said into the phone and set it back on its cradle. He turned to Saul. "That was the team. They're down the block. I didn't want to send them here till I understood what was happening."

"And now you're satisfied? 'Take it easy. Remember, I'm on your side."

"Are you? Fair warning, Gallagher. Just tell your team to prep the priest. Then he's mine."

"Under other circumstances"--Gallagher squinted--"I wouldn't put up with your tone." His glare diminished. "But I guess you're entitled. Get some sleep. You'd better eat something. You look awful."

"Sleep? Eat? How the hell, when Erika's--?"

"Do it, Romulus. You're no good to her or anyone else if you fuck yourself up." Saul suddenly realized how close to the edge he was. He took a deep breath. "You're right... I'm sorry."