The Thief Lord

But Ida didn't answer. She was still watching the island through her binoculars. "They're going ashore," she said quietly. "Ah, so that's what your Conte looks like. From what you said I imagined him to be older. And there next to him," she lowered her voice even more, "is the woman Scipio told me about. Who are they? Are there still Valaresso on that island?"

Mosca, Prosper, and Scipio were staring at the island just as intently as Ida. Only Riccio was sitting nervously next to the bag with the money. He had fixed his eyes on Giaco's broad back, as if that could reassure him.

"There's a jetty," Scipio whispered, "and steps leading up the shore toward a gate in the wall."

"Who's that on the wall?" Mosca grabbed Prosper's arm. "I see two white figures."

"Those are statues," Ida said soothingly. "Stone angels. Now they're opening the gate. Wow, those dogs are big."

Even without binoculars the boys could see them. They were huge white mastiffs, as big as calves. Suddenly, as if they had caught a strange scent, they turned to face the water and began to bark so noisily and angrily that Ida jumped and dropped her binoculars. Prosper tried to grab them, but they slipped through his fingers and landed in the water with a loud splash.

The sound cut through the night like a gunshot.

Riccio pressed his hands against his ears while all the others ducked. Only Giaco remained steadily behind the wheel. "They've heard us, Signora!" he said calmly. "They're looking over here."

"Oh my god!" Ida shouted. "Keep your heads down. You too, Giaco! I think she has a gun!"

"Oh no!" Mosca moaned, pulling his jacket over his head.

Riccio had curled up on the floor with the money bag. "But we all glow in the dark like moon cheese. I told you this was a stupid idea. I said we should turn around."

"Riccio, shut up!" Scipio yelled at him.

The mastiffs were barking ever more furiously. A woman's voice could also be heard now, clearly angry -- and then a shot. When he saw the flash of the gun, Prosper ducked and pulled Scipio down with him. Riccio began to sob.

"Giaco!" Ida's voice sounded sharp. "Turn around. Now!"

Without a word, Giaco started the engine.

"But what about the merry-go-round?" Scipio wanted to get up, but Prosper pulled him down again.

"The merry-go-round can't bring back the dead!" Ida shouted. "More speed, Giaco! And you, Thief Lord, keep your head down!"

The engine roared and the water splashed into the boat as Giaco left the Isola Segreta behind them. Soon it grew smaller and smaller, until it was swallowed by the night.

"That was close!" Ida said while she tried to pull her scarf back over her ears. "I'm sorry I talked you into this madness. Giaco, why didn't you stop me?"

"Nobody can stop you, Signora!" Giaco answered without even turning around.

"Doesn't matter," said Mosca. "At least we've got the money."

Scipio, however, just stared with a bleak expression at the foaming path left behind by the boat.

"Come on, just forget about it," Prosper said, giving him a nudge. "I would've liked to see the merry-go-round as well, but it really doesn't matter."

"It's there!" Scipio looked at him. "I'm sure it's there."

"If you say so," Riccio threw in, "but why don't we count our money." Since Prosper and Scipio made no move to help, Mosca and Riccio got to work. They were still counting as the lights of the city began to glitter across the water.

Only when Giaco steered the boat back into the Sacca della Misericordia did they finally zip up the bag. "Seems to be all there," said Mosca. "More or less. All these notes are difficult to count."

"Good." Ida sighed. "Then I'll drop you by your boat. I do hope you have a warm place to sleep. Say hello to the little one from me, Prosper -- and the girl too. I ..." She wanted to say more, but Riccio interrupted her as if he had to say something fast, before it burned his lips. "Scipio's going somewhere else. Perhaps you can take him home."

Prosper hung his head in embarrassment. Mosca played intently with the buckles of the bag and avoided Scipio's eyes.

"Of course." Ida turned to Scipio. "The ceasefire is over. Do you want to go back to the Accademia Bridge where I picked you up, Thief Lord?"

Scipio shook his head. "Fondamenta Bollani," he said quietly. "If that's OK."

We're not together anymore, Prosper thought sadly. He tried to recall the anger, the disappointment he had felt when he had first discovered that Scipio had lied to them. But all he could see now was Scipio's pale face, his look of misery, and the tight lips -- probably holding back the tears.

Ida seemed to sense all this tension. "Fine! Giaco, first to the boat and then to the Fondamenta Bollani!" she said quickly.

The snow started to fall again as they entered the canal where they had left Mosca's boat. It was a light snow. Tiny snowflakes drifted across the water. Ida got one of them in her eye and started to blink. "Now that the wing's gone," she said, "I'll probably be staring at the blank wall above my bed all night. I'll be asking myself whether it has really returned to the lion's back, and who the mysterious Conte and the gray-haired woman really are." She tightened her coat around herself. "It's safer to think about these things in a warm bed."

Mosca's boat was swaying gently in the water right where they had left it. A cat had settled on the wooden bench. She jumped ashore as soon as she heard the motorboat approaching.

"Buonanotte!" Ida said as Prosper, Riccio, and Mosca climbed aboard their own boat. "Come and visit me sometime. Don't wait until you're all grown-up and I don't recognize you anymore. And if you ever need any help, let me know. Don't tell me -- you're rich now, but you never know."

"Thanks!" Mosca mumbled. He pushed the bag under his arm. "That's really nice. Really!"

The two of them were already climbing aboard when Prosper turned to Scipio again. The Thief Lord sat there, his face averted, staring up at the dark houses. "You can come and pick up your share anytime, Scip," Prosper said.

For a moment, he thought Scipio wouldn't answer. But then he looked up. "I will," he said. "Say hello to Bo and Hornet from me." Then he turned and left.

33 Just a Note

"Brrr, it's freezing!" Riccio whispered when they finally stood in front of the movie theater's emergency exit. He groped for the string next to the door, but then he paused, startled. "Hey, look at that! The door's not locked." With his foot he carefully pushed it open.

"Maybe Hornet was afraid the bell wouldn't wake her up," Mosca said.

The other two nodded, but were still uneasy as they felt their way down the dark corridor.

The auditorium was so silent that they could hear Bo's kittens playing around in the dark.

"What's the matter?" Mosca whispered. "Hornet's forgotten to put out the candles. Remember how she freaked out the last time that happened?"

"She was probably too scared to get up in case Bo woke up -- imagine the fuss he would have made."