the obelisk is the Chigi star named after Fabio Chigi who became Pope Alexander VII and under whose reign the Piazza was built. During the moving of the obelisk there was almost disaster when the ropes holding it began to break. A warning shout from a Genoese sailor saved the obelisk from falling and the palms used every palm Sunday thereafter came from his home town of Bordighera. They still do to this day.”
“Wow!” Hutchinson said, “So much history.”
“Indeed there is. Now shall we go inside the Vatican museum?”
De Luca and Ferrara jumped out of the Lancia and ducked straight under the police cordon tape stretched across the street. They each flashed police I.D. at the uniformed Carabinieri officers who, due to the blue flashing light on the roof of the Lancia, would have let them through anyway. The officers stepped out of their way. The street ahead had been evacuated and they approached a larger group of police standing a couple of hundred metres ahead. As they got nearer Sonnenburg turned and strode towards them. He shook hands with them both then almost instantly began leading them towards another line of police tape. They passed under this cordon and now De Luca and Ferrara could see the Carabinieri Alfa Romeo parked amongst other cars at the side of the street.
“Balotelli’s car was discovered by a parking ticket officer. She was doing a routine inspection of parked vehicles. That’s her over there,” Sonnenburg pointed towards a small woman in a police uniform giving a statement to a detective.
“She noticed that the back of the police car seemed to be considerably lower than the front. She called in its registration number unaware it was reported missing.”
De Luca nodded.
“And the car’s tracker?” he asked.
“Disabled. We are unable to trace its whereabouts even though we know it’s parked right there.”
“I see. And the reason for the suspension appearing low?”
“That’s why we called you,” Sonnenburg said, “Although the car is within Vatican city. It belongs to the Carabinieri and it’s your jurisdiction. Your call.”
They passed the last line of uniformed police and now the street was empty.
“We’re keeping the public back for a block in each direction,” Sonnenburg said.
“And the Vatican?”
“As normal for the moment. There’s no need to cause unnecessary alarm.”
“What do you think is in the trunk of Balotelli’s car?”
“I’m guessing Balotelli himself.”
“That’s what I’m fearing.”
They got to the police car and De Luca walked around it, slowly, looking for clues. There was clearly something heavy in the boot. De Luca called out twice. There was no answer.
“Do we have a spare set of keys?”
“No. Balotelli has, had, the only set.”
“We’re going to have to get it open,” De Luca said tapping the black paintwork with his forefinger, “Get someone who can open it.”
Sonnenburg turned to a group of police nearby.
“Get a crowbar.”
Ferrara’s phone started ringing. He moved away from the group to answer it. A policeman ran up with a crowbar. Sonnenburg and De Luca moved aside for him.
“Open that,” Sonnenburg ordered pointing to the Alfa Romeo’s boot.
“Si commandant.”
The officer tried gently to enter the crowbar into the gap in the boot. The metal of the bar being too thick for it to enter. De Luca watched with impatience.
“Here let me try.”
He snatched the crowbar and began attacking the boot with gusto. He was unconcerned as to the damage he was causing to both the bodywork and paint.
“You know if you were to smash one of the windows, particularly the driver’s or front passenger’s side you could reach in and pull the switch for the boot,” the officer who’d brought the crowbar volunteered.
De Luca stopped what he was doing and looked at the policeman openmouthed.
“What?”
“This model has a switch which opens the boot from the front.”
“Well why didn’t you say,” De Luca replied, irritated.
Sonnenburg turned at the sound of a siren approaching. The police tape was lowered and an ambulance came slowly up the street. The siren was switched off but the blue lights remained.
De Luca approached the driver’s window of the Alfa, kept close to the car to avoid any flying glass and swung the crowbar with all his might. The first blow bounced off the toughened glass but the second shattered it in a shower of green cubes. De Luca reached into the car and found the small switch he was looking for. He heard the click as the boot opened and he quickly rushed round as Sonnenburg lifted the boot and stepped back. They both looked down at