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Tandino in Seaford, Delaware& date of birth September 13, 1963 a Friday the thirteenth, interestingly
enough the illegitimate son of Pierro del Ponte and one Gina Tandino& Pierro is the head of a local
network of hoodlums with ties to la Cosa Nostra& Gina, or Madame Tandino, was the head of a local
house of prostitution known as The Queen of Sheba, her present whereabouts are unknown.
 So, we re being quite literal when we refer to the Pope as a bastard. Quiferelli laughed.
 Indeed, please allow me to continue& 
Quiferelli raised his hand in approbation.
 Not wanting to raise a child in a brothel, Gina asked Pierro to take little Vinnie. Pierro called in a
favor from a ne er-do-well, Gaston Gravely, who operated a smuggling operation for del Ponte and had
him raise the boy for the first twelve years of his life& 
Even with the favor he d been owed, it had been a tricky piece of work for del Ponte to convince
Gravely to take the boy in. He was forced to forgive a large portion of Gaston s gambling debts to gain his
cooperation.
 You already got two kids, Pierro had told him.  What difference is one more gonna make? Besides,
you can use him as an extra hand around the fruit stand.
Gaston Gravely operated a roadside souvenir and fruit stand in Little Heaven, Delaware, which
catered to the crowds heading down Route 113 to the beaches. Vinnie learned to call Gaston  Uncle Gaz
and, when older, worked with his  cousin Milton, making concrete bird baths, flamingoes, and lawn
jockeys.
After Gaston s untimely death, Pierro was left with the responsibility for his own son once again.
Inspired by the movie The Godfather, Pierro decided to raise Vincent to be his consigliore the del Ponte
mob was a growing outfit and he was determined to get the boy into the family business. Realizing that
the lad s education had been sadly neglected under Gaston s guidance, he enrolled Vincent in the upscale
prep school St. Jones Academy.
After his son graduated six years later, one hundred fifty-sixth in a class of one hundred fifty-seven,
Pierro gave up on making Vincent his advisor and encouraged him to enter the seminary.
 The pay s no good, Pierro had told him,  but there s plenty of opportunities to steal. The elder
man had notions that it might one day benefit his criminal activities to hold sway over a well-placed cleric.
So, he made a few donations to the Jesuit Fathers of Loyola then leaned on them to admit his son into their
college in Baltimore despite Vinnie s dismal grade point average.
After his son took a degree in divinity, Pierro s invisible hand helped to guide Vinnie s career
through the offices of parish priest, monsignor, bishop, cardinal and finally, pope.
The Abbot interrupted the Cardinal s reading to ask,  What I don t understand is why our Pope
addresses his father as Uncle Pierro? Quiferelli s face was beginning to flush crimson about the edges.
 Obfuscation, Fuquois said in a tone of voice that was fraught with implication.
 Trying to hide their chicanery, eh! Quiferelli instinctively reached for the cudgel lying on his desk.
 This goes far beyond mere chicanery, Fuquois lowered his voice, turned the report towards the
Abbott, and pointed his finger to a particular passage.  Ronski has uncovered aspects of this case that could
only be spawned by the vilest malevolence and pure evil& it is the proof of that which I suspected.
Chapter 20
Vatican City
April 23, 2008
The Feet of the Fisherman
After his audience with the Pope had concluded, LaFarge was once again navigating the catacombs
with Fuquois as his guide, though, this time, without a blindfold. Fuquois said that they were going to take
part in an ancient and revered ritual of the Simonites. They arrived at a cavernous chamber beneath the
Sistine Chapel and as they stepped onto its dirt floor, LaFarge beheld a man standing in the shadows
alongside a pile of human femurs.
 This man is a Turk! LaFarge exclaimed.
 Lord Inquisitor, your powers of observation are remarkable, but don t jump to conclusions. He is
actually a Swiss national whose family converted to Christianity hundreds of years ago& it is all contained
here. Fuquois handed a copy of Kafard s bogus dossier to LaFarge.  Please allow me to introduce Kafard,
who I ve retained as your attaché. He can be of immense value to you in the execution of your office.
 In what manner can this short piece of Swiss chocolate help me? LaFarge asked as he peered down
his generous nose to appraise Kafard.
 He is a former member of the special forces of the Swiss Guard. Besides his military skills, he can
drive any vehicle and fly most planes.
 I suppose I could use a servant& yes, having a chauffeur would be appropriate for a Grand Inquisitor.
Come forward, my good man, and let me get a better look at you.
Kafard wore a stony countenance.  Yes, my Lord.
LaFarge was pleased with the way Kafard addressed him, but couldn t resist a bit of browbeating.
 I ll take your word for it, Fuquois, but you have to admit that he hardly looks a proper Christian.
 My family has been Christian for ten generations. Cardinal Fuquois has already vouched for me,
Kafard answered in unnaturally even tones.
LaFarge insisted on pressing the point.  I must be sure of this, for it wouldn t do to have a heathen
working for the Grand Inquisitor. Why, you could even be a Jew by your looks.
Kafard raised his voice and spoke with ire,  Do you wish to examine my foreskin?
 How dare you address me in such a manner, LaFarge said with a tinge of anger. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]