The Thief Lord

"I think so," Prosper answered. "Yes, I'm sure he's fine."

50 The Bait

Victor returned to the Casa Spavento the next morning with a newspaper with Scipio's picture on the front page. Nearly all of the city's papers ran the picture, together with an appeal by the police to all citizens of Venice to help the honorable Dottor Massimo find his missing son.

Ida was in the dark room, developing the photos she had taken of the city's stone lions. They were hanging on the walls all around her, sitting, roaring, grim-faced, along with peaceful lions with and without wings. Ida read Dottor Massimo's appeal and sighed. "Do you know where Scipio is?" she asked Hornet, who had been watching her work.

But Hornet shook her head. "None of us know," she said, "not even Prosper."

"We should get a message to the dottore," Victor muttered. "Even if the Thief Lord doesn't want to."

"I agree. I'll be right back," Ida said to Hornet, and went with Victor into the living room where Barbarossa was hanging around on the sofa, looking rather bored as he leafed through a book on Venice's art treasures.

"I haven't touched anything," he said guiltily, when Ida and Victor entered the room. He had woken the whole house at dawn, screaming, after he had realized that Ida had locked him into the room.

"Just as well, redlocks," Victor growled.

Ida sat down at her bureau and wrote on a card. Then she handed it to Victor.

"Dear Dottor Massimo!" he read. "I would like you to know that your son is fine. He does, however, not want to come home right now, and I am afraid he is not planning on doing so in the near future. He is well and has a place where he can sleep, and he wants for nothing. I am sorry I can't tell you more at the moment. Kind regards. A friend."

"Could you drop this into the Massimos' mailbox?" Ida asked Victor. "I would normally have Giaco do it for me, but ever since Prosper told me it was he who sold the floor plan of the house to the Conte I'm not sure I can trust him anymore."

"No problem." Victor put the card in his pocket. "Is there anything else I can do for you?"

"What about the aunt?" Barbarossa slipped off the sofa and stood with folded arms in front of Ida. "It's already past ten. I suggest you call her now and tell her to come here, so that I can have a look at her."

Victor was ready with a curt reply, when Hornet put her head around the door.

"I hung the photos up to dry, Ida," she said. "Is there anything else I can do?"

"Yes, you can call Prosper and Bo down for me," Ida replied, glaring at Barbarossa, "I'm going to call their aunt and maybe they should be here when I do."

Prosper and Bo were on the Campo playing football with Riccio. When Hornet came out to tell them that Ida really wanted to see if Scipio's crazy idea would work, they couldn't wait to get back to the house.

Ida was sitting next to the telephone when the four of them tumbled into the room. They all squatted down eagerly on the carpet. Prosper and Hornet sat on each side of Bo, so that they could hold his mouth shut, in case he started to giggle. Barbarossa was enthroned in Ida's best armchair like a king forced to watch a bunch of mediocre actors perform.

"I don't know why you're making such an effort for that brat," Victor whispered to Ida. "Just look at him, how he's sitting there ..."

"That's exactly why I have to try this: so I can spare the Merciful Sisters from having to look after him," Ida whispered back. "It might also help Prosper and Bo. I think Prosper is still worried his aunt could change her mind about Bo. So let's give her" -- she smiled at Barbarossa who was watching her and Victor suspiciously -- "our little redlocks."

"If you think so," Victor grudgingly assented. "She speaks Italian."

"Even better," Ida replied. She reached for the telephone and dialed the number of the hotel where the Hartliebs had ended up.

"Buongiorno!" Ida said with a firm voice after the concierge had answered. "This is Sister Ida, from the Order of the Merciful Sisters. Could I please speak to Signora Esther Hartlieb?"

It took some time before Esther's voice came through the receiver.

"Ah, good morning, Signora Hartlieb," Ida said. "The reception told you who I am? Good. The reason I'm calling is that last night the police delivered two boys to our orphanage. One of the sisters immediately recognized the boys as your nephews, the ones on those posters all over town." Ida paused and listened. "Oh. Really? No, how unfortunate. Well. Pardon? What do you mean, you don't want the boys anymore?" She listened again. Bo started to chew his fingernails vigorously, until Hornet wrapped her arms around him.

"But aren't you their legal guardian?" Ida continued. "I understand. Yes, the children have told me a similar story. That is sad, Signora, very sad. Of course we will look after your nephews, that is our mission, after all. But we still need you to come in to settle all the formalities...Yes, I'm afraid that it is absolutely necessary, Signora."

Ida put on a stern face, as if Esther could see her. "Yes, absolutely, I'm afraid. When did you say you were leaving?...So soon? Well, then I will arrange an appointment for you tomorrow afternoon. Hold on, let me just check my diary." Ida rustled with the newspaper on the sofa. "Hello, Signora?" she said into the receiver. "I could see you at three o'clock...No, I'm afraid your presence is required. I will meet you in our town office, in the Casa Spavento, Campo Santa Margherita, number eleven. Ask for Sister Ida. Yes. Thank you, Signora Hartlieb. Until tomorrow."

Ida took a deep breath as she put down the phone.

"Excellent!" Victor said to her. "I couldn't have done it better myself."

"And I didn't laugh," Bo said, pushing away Hornet's arm.

"She's really coming?" Prosper looked at Ida in disbelief.

Ida nodded.

"Incredible!" Barbarossa pushed away one of Bo's kittens that had tried to climb on his lap. "Some people are really incredibly gullible."

Ida took a cigarette and shrugged. "I've laid out the bait," she said, "and now it's up to you whether Signora Hartlieb goes for it."

Barbarossa stroked his thick curls. "That shouldn't be a problem."

"I don't want to be here when Esther comes," Bo muttered, rubbing his nose uneasily.

Prosper got up and walked to the window. "Me neither," he said.

"There's no need for you to be." Victor went and stood next to him. "You see that cafe over there? I suggest you all go there tomorrow and have yourselves some nice helpings of ice cream, while Sister Ida talks to Signora Hartlieb. I'll give you some money, so you don't have to pay with your fake bills."

"I hope you do well tomorrow, Barbarino!" Mosca told him. "So we can finally be rid of you."

"Little redhead, Barbarino -- I strongly object to these names!" Barbarossa complained. He had trouble getting out of the big chair. "I just hope your aunt really has as much money as you say. Otherwise I'll tell her about the tricks you have been playing on her."

"At least Esther is always perfectly groomed," Prosper answered sarcastically.