Chapter 46

“When do you plan to try your sleepwalking doodah?” asked Mum, after we’d checked in and unloaded our luggage in our rooms.

“Hopefully I can do it some time tomorrow. I need to co-ordinate with Dr Giovanelli and give her some instructions. I’ve got an untraceable way of contacting her and I’ll try it later.”

I was half expecting an inquisition from Mum about the untraceable method of contact. Instead she looked thoughtful. “I know it might increase the risk slightly but I’d prefer you to arrange it for Friday if you can. I must confess a personal motive; I’d like to have a girls’ night out with Barbara, an old college friend I haven’t seen for years,” said Mum. “It’s a bit short notice to arrange anything for this evening.”

“I’ll do my best,” I said. I felt it was the least I could do after all the driving Mum had done in the last six days.

“There are two more reasons,” added Mum. “Making a quick getaway might be better on Friday as Rome fills up with visitors who are coming here for the weekend. That will mean more foreign cars so we should be less conspicuous.”

I nodded. That made sense. I wondered whether Saturday might be even better if the Italian police reduced their manpower at the weekend, but Saturday would probably be inconvenient for Dr Giovanelli. If she hadn’t been expected to work that day and there were fewer workers in the Antiquities Research Centre at weekends, she’d be a very obvious suspect.

“And the third reason, and one that’s important to the whole family,” continued Mum. Then she paused and took a deep breath. “Janey will be thirteen soon after we get back. I know she has never come across as a girly girl, but I think that’s changing now as she becomes a teenager. I’d like to buy some feminine clothes for her. Rome’s a good place to shop: the clothes are stylish, good quality and relatively cheap. If we limit shopping to half a day, that would still leave time for some sightseeing.”

I immediately spotted another plus. “And that would offset Janey’s disappointment at missing out on our shopping trip before we set off.”

“Yes, that’s a good point. Janey has got a long memory,” agreed Mum.

Didn’t I know it!

“I just hope we manage to pick things she’ll like,” said Mum. “Will you let me know as soon as you’ve contacted Dr Giovanelli?”

“Of course.”

“In that case, I’m going to take a quick nap,” said Mum. “You don’t have to stay in our suite, but I’d rather you stayed within the confines of the hotel. I don’t want to be searching Rome for you if you get lost. Or even worse, have the police searching for you.”

Mum disappeared into her room.

I wondered whether Dr Giovanelli would be able to answer her cousin’s phone while at work. I decided it would be worth a try. I retrieved Ms Edgeway’s phone from where it was hidden in the depths of my suitcase, then I left the room, taking my room card with me. The ground floor, and particularly reception, were quite busy, so I went outside. I wandered round the outside of the hotel looking for a quiet spot and eventually I found one. It looked like some sort of service yard and I guessed I wasn’t supposed to be there because it was fenced off, but I went in anyway through the open gate. If anyone complained about me ignoring what was probably a ‘staff only’ notice, I’d blame my inability to understand Italian. To the side of a loading dock, which I assumed was for deliveries, there was a quiet corner littered with cigarette ends.

I took out Ms Edgeway’s phone and texted Dr Giovanelli’s cousin’s mobile phone, ‘This is Jon Snow. Is it convenient for you to talk on the phone at the moment?’