Chapter Twenty-Three

When justice is done, it brings joy to the righteous but terror to evildoers.

Proverbs 21:15

"Vittoria's dead," D'Arco said flatly, "Her skull was crushed with the Illuminati Diamond".

Silas drew his breath in sharply. He was no friend of Vittoria, after her assistance in Sennett's kidnapping, but everything was happening so fast – too fast.

"They must have stolen it from Langdon when they killed him," Sennett murmured.

"At least the Vatican has it back in its possession now," D'Arco observed.

They were silent for a few moments.

"You can see why we need you both, Sennett," D'Arco continued simply, spreading his hands out in appeal.

"I will testify. I'm just worried about how many more people will be found with their skulls crushed in before any of us get to do so," Sennett said bluntly.

"Langdon and Vittoria had no protection and no forewarning. You and Silas have both," D'Arco said assuredly.

"And Sophie and the members of the former Priory?" Sennett asked.

"Sophie is using her connections at the French Police to organise protection for her family and the former Priory members," D'Arco explained.

Sennett nodded. Silas was lost in thought, his pale head bent and his gaze turned inward.

Sennett spent a tense ten days being followed by the guard who had the day-time shift. He was a nice young man who had come from Berne originally to work in the Pontiff's Swiss Guard and had risen quickly through the ranks. He seemed quite happy to be on home soil in familiar surrounds.

"Never thought I'd have a detail at home," he said cheerfully, on the first day.

He was very thorough, even insisting on going into the ladies toilets at work to check them before she could go in. Sennett found this embarrassing.

She had to tell the University, of course, but only the Dean had to know as she was the head of her own department.

Silas was irked at having a young pup follow him around but gradually began to respect his skills over time when he showed Silas his weapons and equipment, and shared stories about his training. He was so good natured that even Silas' initial surliness didn't appear to bother him.

Silas was particularly unimpressed about a handsome guard following his very attractive wife around. Those niggles disappeared when he saw her eyes light up at the end of the day when he came in from the sheds and especially when she kissed him.

Since D'Arco's announcement of the Pontiff's plans, Sennett had felt a shift in Silas. His fear had increased his passion; he was afraid that every time he held her it would be the last.

Silas had always been, at some level, ashamed of the passion he felt for his wife. On some level, he knew it was because he had been taught that the body's appetites were wicked and sinful. But it was also because he had been shamed for his pale appearance as well. Somehow, Sennett made him forget all that when she kissed him and touched him. He felt desirable and free in her embrace and gaze. But the shame would always come creeping back, usually in the mornings, until she kissed him again and chased the demon away.

Three days after the guards' dramatic appearance, Sennett had the news from Phillippe that the transfer of Mary Magalene's remains had been accomplished successfully and in complete secrecy.

"Only myself and the head of the Louvre know at this end," Phillippe said, sounding quite pleased with himself.

"Well done, cousin! What did Monsieur Belanger think of the transaction?" Sennett asked with amusement and feeling some relief as well.

"Considering the Lourve got a very large financial donation, he is very very pleased with himself. He thinks it was all his idea," Phillippe replied flippantly.

"Of course he does," Sennett rejoined, "I owe you that drink Phillippe," Sennett promised.

"You owe me several!" he announced flatly and hung up.

Sennett and Silas never saw the guards after nightfall. Although the two night guards were around their property throughout the night, they never came inside. They had set up an impressive mess tent twenty metres or so from the house; far enough away for both parties to have some privacy and close enough so they were on hand.

Of course, all this had to be explained to Hans as the owner of the property and Silas' employer.

"Rudolf said that you'd had a bit of trouble in your past," Hans said, examining Silas keenly with his bright blue eyes, "Don't worry, as long as they don't spook the cows and interfere with the milking, there isn't a problem," he added kindly.

Silas was still amazed that there were so many kind people in the world. Why hadn't he met any for so long, he sometimes wondered? Had he been under some kind of curse?

On the tenth day of the guards' presence, they got word that the raids had taken place and all of Aringarosa's former circle were in custody except for two who had refused to surrender and had taken suicide pills as the police crashed through their door.

They received a phone call from D'Arco the next day. Silas put it on speaker and they sat together to listen to the latest update.

"It will take a few days to get them all to Rome and process them," he told them, "We have a lot of preparation to do before the trials and we don't anticipate that they will begin for another 12 months. There will be initial hearings in the next couple of weeks and we will have a better idea then," he explained.

Silas' wide shoulders drooped. He would have to wait a year before it even got started. How long would it be before it was over?

"How many will stand trial?" Sennett asked, ever practical.

"There are eleven in total without the two who suicided," D'Arco replied.

Silas frowned. He knew there were more working for Aringarosa than that, but perhaps they were only going for the senior members; the ones who gave the orders. It was true that those outside the inner circle would have known very little of Aringarosa's and Teabing's murderous plans.

"We would like you to both start working on your testimony. Start writing down everything you can remember. It doesn't matter if it is chronological, you can put it into a chronology later. Write down names, dates, places, timeframes, what you saw and heard and felt and smelt – even small details are important. Keep it strictly factual – don't surmise. I will send you some guidelines to help you," D'Arco said.

"Okay, we will get started. At least we have plenty of time," Sennett replied.

"I will leave the guards with you until Aringarosa's circle are safely locked up in Rome. They will not be given bail – that was negotiated and agreed at the beginning when His Holiness sought the assistance of the international police and secret service. So, once they are locked up in Rome, you will be safe," D'Arco explained.

"It seems His Holiness has thought of everything and forgotten nothing," Sennett replied with a smile to herself.

"His Holiness only forgets what he chooses to forget," D'Arco said meaningfully.

Sennett grinned and said good-bye.

Silas was sitting close enough to Sennett to smell the rose-scented shampoo that she used. The smell of it could still make his skin burn; it was linked to so many intimate memories. Fleetingly, he wondered why smell and memory were linked in such a primal way, but the thought was only momentary as he bent his white head to kiss her and the heat under his skin increased as she responded with equal passion.

12 months pass.

Sennett sat sipping tea in the lounge room of their cottage. Silas was working with one of the secret service officers in the kitchen, giving further details for the investigation.

She smiled to herself. Everyone had been amazed at how much detail Silas had remembered, but she hadn't. Just because Silas rarely spoke didn't mean there wasn't a lot going on behind those colourless eyes.

It was impossible for someone to survive in the situations he had been in without developing a high degree of hypervigilance, a keen ability to observe and assimilate at lightning speed – and to remember details others would forget. His life would have depended on it. He had the highly attuned senses of a wild animal – of a hunter – teamed with above average intelligence. That's what made him so dangerous.

Silas was able to remember, with great accuracy, names and places and dates as well as give the secret service the location of key items such as bank accounts, computers, cash hoards, ammunition stashes and incriminating documents. He knew passwords for encrypted data of recorded conversations and videos, as well as for Aringarosa's and Teabing's personal computer and accounts. Not that either had given them to Silas, he had simply pieced the information together from overheard conversations and carelessly managed paperwork.

Sennett had overheard a special agent saying that Silas would single-handedly be responsible for the prosecution of all eleven remaining members of Aringarosa's circle due to the sheer volume of information he had led them to.

Sennett wondered how Silas felt about that, but she never asked. She knew if Silas wanted to talk, he would.

He had been oddly calm during the past year. As soon as he knew that all Aringarosa's circle was locked up, the pale fire left his eyes. He seemed to focus all his energy on providing information to the secret service and working with the Vatican's lawyers on this statement and preparing for trial whenever he wasn't needed on the farm.

All Silas knew during this time was that Sennett was safe while Aringarosa's henchmen were all locked up pending trial. He knew his testimony was crucial in having them sentenced to a life term – to being put in a place where they could never harm Sennett. That's all he cared about and he wasn't going to fail. If even one walked free, he wouldn't be able to sleep in peace.