Shroud of the Healer



  Archbishop Valdieri is impatient to get the Pope to the Clinic of the Little Sisters of Tourvillon in Avignon, France, for treatment. The surgeons at the American-owned clinic are eager to treat the Pope, but the Archbishop suspects there's a problem. Matt Rider, an English PI, is on holiday in Avignon with his girlfriend Zoé. They get talking to a local nurse in Avignon. She tells them that all is not well at the American clinic up on the hill. Matt thinks the nurse is crazy -- until her husband calls with devastating news. To investigate the clinic, Matt needs some bugs and a phone tap. But he doesn't know that the national security forces are involved, and he doesn't know that one of the surgeons will soon want Zoé dead. Shroud of the Healer is the second Matt Rider detective thriller.

  Shroud of the Healer

  by

  Christopher Wright

  First published in the USA by Hard Shell Publishing ©Christopher Wright 2004

  This North View Publishing edition

  ©Christopher Wright 2016

  Shroud of the Healer is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously.

  All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise), without the prior written permission of the copyright owner of this book.

  North View Publishing

  email: [email protected]

  More thrillers by Christopher Wright and other authors available now or coming soon from North View Publishing

  Contents

  About this book

  Note

  Prologue

  The Present

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  Chapter 41

  Chapter 42

  Chapter 43

  Chapter 44

  Chapter 45

  Chapter 46

  Chapter 47

  Chapter 48

  Chapter 49

  Chapter 50

  Chapter 51

  Chapter 52

  Chapter 53

  More thrillers from North View Publishing

  Note

  This book was first published in 2004. For this edition it has received some minor edits, but the technology has not been updated, as the story still takes place in 2004. This was an analog rather than a digital world! The four Matt Rider books take place six months to a year apart, allowing Matt and Zoé to develop their relationship.

  Prologue

  New York -- 1985

  "FATHER, I have sinned."

  No request for absolution, just a blunt statement of fact. Father Stephen Valdieri nodded dutifully in the shadows of the confessional, even though he knew it was impossible for the middle-aged penitent to see this response. The accent sounded East Coast, but from somewhere a little further south. Washington perhaps.

  "Tell me your sins."

  "Father, I have sinned, but I am not here for forgiveness."

  Valdieri waited. Never before had he encountered such an astonishing situation. Admissions of dishonesty, anger, blasphemy, bizarre perversions, sins of the flesh -- all of them everyday fare within the community. But never had a person come to confession refusing forgiveness.

  The man continued after a considerable pause. "I am here because it is vital that I confide in someone who will not seek me out for retribution. Someone who will understand that my motives were not exclusively selfish." He spoke with the measured formality of a highly educated man. This was certainly not a parishioner.

  The clock on the tower struck eight times, the jarring chimes reverberating through the musty fabric of the building. Stephen Valdieri said nothing. Even the most reluctant confessor would feel duty bound to fill the silence that followed. "I was with the U.S. embassy in Moscow." The man hesitated. "Father, I have the Smolensk icons."

  Adrenaline pumped through the priest. The man on the other side of the screen claimed to possess the fabulous art treasures that the Communist state stole from the people of Russia in 1918. Over a hundred religious icons that had recently been stolen from the Communists by ... by a Catholic? An American?

  "How did you get them?"

  "I paid the custodian for them, Father. It was a fair price. I do not regard full payment as theft."

  Valdieri drew his breath sharply. "I fail to see a distinction in this instance. The Russian custodian was not the owner."

  "If I return them to the Communists they will confiscate them from the people. What advice do you have for me, Father?"

  The advice was far from obvious. The Communists would indeed appropriate them once more, and the Christian Church might never see them again. "Are you prepared to take me to them now?"

  "No, Father, that is not an option."

  Valdieri tried to remain calm. If the Catholic Church could hold the treasure safely in the West until such time as Communist rule collapsed in the Soviet Union -- for that time was surely coming -- then he, Father Stephen Valdieri, might well be heralded as the person responsible for healing a thousand years of rancor with the Russian Church.

  But his work in this Brooklyn parish ended on Sunday. He had been offered a step up in his calling. A choice of steps, in fact. A move to Rome as a simple priest in the Vatican, or promotion from Father to Monsignor in Saint Patrick's Cathedral in Fifth Avenue across the East River. Monsignor Stephen Valdieri? It sounded great. His fellow clerics had gasped at the news and told him that of course he only had one possible option.

  But he was off to Rome on Monday. And now he could see how opportune had been his decision. A satisfactory outcome could guarantee his swift advancement into the Vatican hierarchy. Maybe he should change his name to Stefano in readiness. His grandparents had come to the States from Italy, and proudly taught him to speak the language of his ancestors. But his parents were American citizens. And so was he. He would stay as Stephen Valdieri, an American with Italian roots. Maybe he would become Monsignor Valdieri in Rome one day, even Bishop Valdieri. Archbishop? Cardinal? Someone in the Vatican obviously thought he had potential.

  "You must give me the icons," he said aloud. "You will be regarded as a hero in the West, saving them from the Communists."

  "The icons are not in America."

  "Wherever you have them concealed, I implore you to lead me to them."

  "They are in a European country that has long captivated me. I am retiring there shortly."

  "Without forgiveness?"

  "Forgiveness can keep until I am dead, Father. That is when the icons will be returned. Remember, it is easier for a camel to pa
ss through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. You are playing with fire."

  But the man had already gone. Stephen Valdieri snatched the curtain aside to see the church door closing. The sanctity of the confessional. He slapped the polished wood in frustration. Over the centuries, people had died for those icons. Something told him that the killing had not stopped. To find fame through recovering those works of religious art was to risk death. But fame always had a price.

  The Present

  Chapter One

  England -- The Present

  MATT REACHED for the key ring as it spun towards him through the air. "Not another inside job?"

  "Just the one, kiddo. A small painting in an empty house. I've even got a photo of it. Take my BMW."

  Matt turned the house door and alarm keys in his hand and studied them suspiciously. "You sure the house is empty?"

  Ken Habgood nodded in encouragement. "Planning, that's what it's all about. But keep your eyes open and be careful. Believe me, the house owner can be trouble."

  "Sounds much more fun than going to the south of France," observed Matt dryly.

  The tall man behind the desk smiled a row of large teeth. "You sound down in the dumps today, kiddo. Most people would be looking forward to their summer break."

  Matt wasn't going to tell Ken about his worries over Zoé Champanelle. He was now wondering if Zoé would still be there when he got back after work. He'd been playing Shostakovich last night, the Fourth String Quartet, loudly. The music helped control his pent-up emotions. Zoé had been in the bedroom trying to play a Debussy Arabesque on her flute, and had objected more forcibly than usual.

  She was packing when he left for work this morning, but maybe not for their trip to Avignon. She might be going home to her parents in France. Or worse, going back to Florian with whom she has once has "an understanding". Something had been on Zoé's mind for weeks, causing stupid arguments. He felt angry with himself now, but not guilty. Zoé had no right to be disapproving of his work.

  He tossed the key ring to the ceiling and caught it with one hand. "I hope you've done your homework, Ken."

  Ken closed his eyes and sighed noisily. "It will be okay," he promised, but with little conviction. "Leave the painting in the back of my car."

  Matt Rider was already wondering why he'd bothered to come to work at all. There must be better ways for someone in his thirties to spend his time. He should be off this evening to France. But he wouldn't go without Zoé.

  *

  THE HOUSE stood at the end of a short drive, its front door in serious need of paint, and the curtain linings gray with years of grime. Scattered sheets of newspaper hung amongst the shrubs. This was not the residence of a house-proud person. Matt made a quick assessment of the situation. He could see no one in the windows. Perhaps Ken was right; perhaps the owner had no idea he was coming.

  The open ground gave no cover. He wouldn't walk. He needed wheels to leave quickly. He started to sweat as he inched Ken's maroon BMW towards the black gates. Every move had to be made without hesitation. There were never second chances.

  He rehearsed the procedure once more in his mind. Drive confidently up to the house, ring the bell, wait one minute, ring again, wait, unlock the front door, disable the house alarm with the small key, grab the painting, jump in the car, start the engine -- then floor the pedal. It was routine stuff. He'd done it before, sometimes with the house alarm sounding and the strobe light flashing. The keys in his pocket felt reassuring. There would be no problems today. According to Ken.

  Just take the painting and go. Jobs like this worried Zoé, and could be the cause of recent arguments.

  He glanced briefly along the tree-lined street in this run-down district and let in the clutch. No one had answered the phone when he'd rung it two minutes ago on his mobile. He was going in.

  The doorbell remained unanswered. The door key fitted. The warning buzzer in the alarm sounded, but went silent when he turned the immobilizer key. He began to relax. The alarm meant there was no one at home.

  The hall smelt strongly of cooking. Fried onions. He was glad the house was empty. People could go to great lengths to keep hold of a valuable painting. It tallied with the photo and was exactly where Ken had said it would be. He lifted it from the wall and hurried back to the car.

  Ken's BMW was ten years old. He held his breath and willed the motor to fire first time. The engine purred into life. A sharp blip on the throttle released a surge of power and a hum of energy. The clutch bit with the revs still high. Someone shouted. A bulky figure in jeans and a dirty vest stood blocking the exit. Matt saw the scaffold pole in the man's hands and was tempted to cut the engine and run, but he guessed he'd be a lot safer if he stayed in the car and kept going. With its tires spinning wildly on the loose gravel the BMW thundered backwards towards the gates -- and the raised scaffold pole.

  At first it looked as though the man would hold his ground, but at the last moment he jumped to one side, smashing the metal shaft down on the rear window. Matt's view in the mirror was blasted away in a cloud of white splinters.

  Before the man could raise the weapon for a second strike Matt was in the road, twisting the steering wheel for a rapid getaway. From close behind he could hear the frantic sound of a horn and the screech of brakes from a large van, but there was no collision. The man hurled the pole as Matt took off in a cloud of burning rubber.

  Chapter Two

  Clinic of the Little Sisters of Tourvillon -- Avignon, France

  DR. JIM KAPPA read his leaked copy of the copy of the memo that Cardinal Delgardo of the Vatican Medical Assembly had sent to Archbishop Valdieri twelve days ago. He should have been shown it much sooner. Valdieri presented a substantial threat to K7 if he was investigating the clinic. Many members of K7 wanted to see the Pope dead.

  MEMO FROM OTTORINO CARDINAL DELGARDO

  CHIEF ADVISER, VATICAN MEDICAL ASSEMBLY

  TO ARCHBISHOP STEPHEN VALDIERI

  VATICAN SECURITY SERVICES, ROME

  EXTREMELY CONFIDENTIAL

  My Dear Stephen,

  The health of the Holy Father continues to deteriorate. The Vatican Medical Assembly is once more considering the generous offer by Dr. Kappa to treat the Holy Father at the Clinic of the Little Sisters of Tourvillon, in Avignon, France.

  I know you have recently been investigating Dr. Kappa and his clinic, but according to your report you have exposed nothing to cause us concern. There would therefore no longer seem to be a good reason to decline Dr. Kappa's offer.

  Since you are responsible for the Holy Father's safety whenever he is absent from Rome, please prepare a detailed security schedule for an immediate visit, and attend to the matter with the maximum confidentiality. I know you will appreciate that it is essential that the media are not alerted, since the world is unaware of the serious nature of the Holy Father's ill health.

  Chapter Three

  England

  "OKAY, OKAY!" Matt Rider held up his hands in a gesture of surrender, and in a vain hope that Ken Habgood would get off his back. "So he smashed the rear window of your old BMW. Nearly had me with that metal pole, too. I thought you'd checked the place was deserted."

  Ken banged his fist down on the desk in a rare display of irritation. The suite of office furniture was nearly new, bought from a self-assembly warehouse six months ago. Matt couldn't make up his mind whether the shiny surface impressed clients. Certainly he would have cluttered the top a little, if only to convey an impression of being busy.

  "I'll tell you something," the boss of Habgood Securities shouted, a little too loudly for Matt's liking. "If anyone saw you dressed in those clothes they'd have known you were up to no good."

  "Oh great. I risk my life repossessing a painting for a client, and all you can think about is a bit of broken glass."

  "How am I going to explain it to my insurance company?"

  "Put it down as expenses on your client's account. She's got the painti
ng her lover ran off with." Matt pulled at the front of his denim jacket and pointed to the frayed edges. "I can't afford anything else."

  "I'll pay you more when things look up, kiddo. A private investigator's life is a hard one." It was time to make peace, but maybe score a point first. "How do you expect me to give Zoé a good time on what I take home? She had to shell out for the car insurance last month, and nurses aren't exactly over-paid."

  "I warned you about money when you came here to work for me. A PI's life is all stress and low rewards. You're lucky Zoé has a steady job at the hospital."

  "I'm worried about my job, not Zoé's."

  "Okay, I'm sorry." Ken seemed to be mellowing. "Habgood Securities is struggling at present."

  "I sometimes wish I'd stayed with the police."

  "I hope you haven't told them about the attack."

  Matt shook his head. "I hate filling in forms. But if you happen to bump into any of them, give them all my love."

  "I shouldn't think they'll want it. I know for a fact the chief constable at Trinity Green breathed a sigh of relief when you walked out of the force."

  "You're welcome to replace me while I'm gone -- if you can find anyone dumb enough to risk their life doing this job for peanuts." Straight away Matt regretted his words.

  But Ken's mind seemed to be returning to running Habgood Securities as he moved to the computer terminal and began to tap out what looked like a final demand for an insurance investigation. He grinned at Matt. "Your mate Mac in that cyber cafe down Queens Street did a great job on this PC."

  "Mac the Hack?" Matt shook his head. "He's probably loaded your machine with a virus. Or wiped half the files from the hard disk. That man gets more fun out of cracking passwords and writing viruses than doing anything useful to a computer."

  Ken refused to rise to the bait though he did look closely at the screen. "Computers are where the money is, kiddo. We're in the wrong business. You should see what he charged me for a few minutes' work fitting a new video card."

  "I'm trying to say goodbye. I want to be away before dark."

  "Are you really taking that wreck of a Mini all the way to France?"

  "Assuming Zoé still wants to come."

  "Trouble?"

  "I don't think Zoé likes what I'm doing here. She was acting strange last night when we were packing." Matt shrugged.

  "Nothing like a holiday to break a relationship."