The Miracle of the Images. Welby Thomas Cox, Jr.

      "May I see the business Valise."

      "Certainly."

      "Grazie."

      "Prego." Aldo replied.

      "And this art..."

      " No, no...just copies that I wish to show to the Vatican press." Aldo said.

      "And, where will you be staying during your visit?"

      "I will be at The Hassler Hotel, and if they are able to find room for me at the Vatican Seminary."

      "You will please let us know if you do switch your living quarters, Father Selleri."

      "Certainly."

      "How long are you planning to stay in Rome?"

      "No more than ten days, Maam." Aldo was relaxing.

      "Have a good visit Father Selleri." The Agent handed the Valise and the passport back to Aldo.

      "Grazie." Aldo said as he moved on toward the taxi stand. The customs agent pressed a button beneath the customs desk.

      *******************

      Aldo was simply in a state of shock...here he was in Rome...a free man...nothing can explain or replace it...he noticed that they had turned on Ponte Palantino across the Tiber to The Hassler Hotel...it was nearing noon and Aldo wanted to taste the culture. He would stash his luggage after checking into the hotel. For the first time it came to him how singular his life really was. With the exception of his farm hands, his attorney...Aldo had no genuine friends, no soul mates of any kind. He had never permitted himself to have a serious relationship with a woman or anyone else for that matter. Now a whole new world of possibilities was dawning...but Aldo must be careful and slip slowly into the new role.

      Turning from the desk in his hotel room, Aldo went to the window and looked out. The city was a dazzle of late morning sun. He could not wait for the evening... to see the sparkle of Rome. Below him, the Spanish Steps and the Piazza di Spagna beyond... teamed with people...a mass congregation of coming and going and just being, with little collections of uniformed police here and there making sure none of it got out of hand as it so often did.

      Farther away, he could see a convergence of narrow streets and alleyways, above with the orange-and-cream tile rooftops of the apartments, shops and small hotels fingered out in ancient orderly blocks until they reached the black band of the Tiber. Across it was the lighted dome of St. Peter's, beneath it sprawled the Vatican itself, residence of the Pope. For thousands of years, the seat of authority for the world's nine hundred fifty million Roman Catholics...and the place where Aldo may spend the rest of his life.

      VI. A PERSON OF INTEREST

      He was also Capo dell Ufficio Centrale Vigilanza, the man in charge of the Vatican police, and had been in that position for fifteen years. He had called Aldo precisely at 8:00am, waking him from a deep sleep and telling him it was imperative they talk.

      Of course Aldo had agreed to meet with him even though Williams would give no indication of the purpose of the meeting. Before Aldo left The Hassler Hotel he placed a call to Monsignor Voght. He discovered that he was out of town. He next called Father Tim Dalton but he was not yet in his office. Aldo was able to leave a message on Dalton's recorder, informing Father Dalton of the call from the Vatican police and the invitation to meet, which he was about to do in forty-five minutes. Could Father Dalton come to Williams Albertson's office as soon as he received this call. Aldo would wait for him there, regardless of the time.

      Aldo took a cab across the Tiber River, they drove a few hundred yards, then turned down the colonnad Via della Conciliazione with the unmistakable dome of St. Peter's in the distance. Aldo watched wondering how deep into the Vatican they would go until they reached the office of the Capo.

      The wall surrounding the Vatican City is an international boundary. The cab took the public entrance to the museums and stopped at the Swiss Guard post. A call went to Williams Albertson to inform of Aldo Selleri's arrival for his appointment. The cab was permitted to enter the grounds, took a left around the Piana courtyard, past the Apolistic Library and the Belevedere Courtyard where he hung a left, past the Post Office, the papal Printing Office and the Church of St. Anne. The cab stopped in front of the Barracks of the Swiss Guard.

      Aldo paid the cab and entered the Barracks and found a receptionist smiling at him at the front desk.

      "I am Aldo Selleri here to see Williams Albertson, Por favor."

      "Momento."

      "Grazie."

      "Prego."

      She reappeared and guided Aldo down the hall and into a conference room.

      "Coffe'?"

      "Grazie."

      "Yes, good morning Father Selleri...so good of you to come over."

      "Capo ...please permit me to clear up this matter of my being a priest. You see when I received my passport I noticed that it contained the prefix of Reverend. I contacted Father Tim Dalton here at the Vatican and informed him of the error. He apologized but said there wasn't time to make the change to meet the travel itinerary and not to worry with it that it would be changed as soon as I got here. Of course you will be able to corroborate this with Father Tim or perhaps even Monsignor Voght."

      "Grazie, Mr. Selleri for your candor...this of course is the principle reason for my interest in speaking with you. I had a conversation with the agent at the customs and passport at the DaVinci Airport. They called to verify your existence as a priest upon your arrival yesterday. Of course the data could not be confirmed so we knew there was a problem, especially since the passport was newly issued."

      "I regret that they made no issue of the discrepancy at DaVinci, because I would have been truthful with them regarding the error." Aldo said.

      "Now Mr. Selleri you may go...may I offer you a ride back to your hotel?"

      "Grazie...no, I am expecting Father Tim Dalton to meet me here if that will be permissible." Aldo answered.

      "Of course...more coffee perhaps?"

      "You are very kind and that would be wonderful."

      Aldo had a second cup of coffee as he waited for Father Tim. He glanced at the Vatican and Rome newspapers. As he looked through the Rome section on the United States, he was shocked to see the brief story regarding the DHL bombing and the death of the DHL driver at Centerville, Ohio. My God he thought what a way to make the world news.

      Within half hour, Father Tim showed at the Capo's office. He could not have been more apologetic and suggested that they should go immediately to the post office and remedy the error. There were no problems associated with the occupation change and the office stated that the passport would be ready the next day.

      Aldo suggested that the Capo should be informed so as to allay any further concern that he or the customs folks might have with the passport. Since the Capo office was no more than two blocks from the Vatican Post Office Father Tim suggested they walk.

      Father Tim met privately with the Capo and then he and Aldo decided that breakfast was in order. Anxious to get back to the hotel for messages from home, Aldo suggested that they head back to the hotel for breakfast. Father Tim agreed knowing that while the food at the Vatican was pretty good, it would not compare with the Hotel Hassler. It was a good decision...the hotel had a wonderful breakfast buffet, which met the culinary requirements of both Aldo and Father Tim.

      But even as they ate their fill of the breakfast goodies Aldo had a sinking feeling about the DHL bombing back home...the timing was perfect for his delivery which had not yet arrived and the incident took place in Centerville, the location of Handmaker's office. Aldo didn't know how much trouble was headed in his direction. The crush of the DHL driver's murder was soon to be followed by the announcement of the gangland hit on Freddy Fingers. Something was amiss and seriously so.

      Aldo did not want to be rude but he simply had to speak with Homer Handmaker regarding the mailing