‘Dreadful. Scandalous. If only one could do something to help…’

‘ But you can help! You must help! ’

‘In any way I can, Commendatore! I am only too ready, believe me. But we must be realistic. Kidnapping is the scourge of society today, a plague and a peril in the face of which we are all equally vulnerable, equally powerless, equally…’

‘ Rubbish! Excuse me, but when something happens to one of you politicians the whole country is put into a state of siege! Nothing is too much trouble then, no expense is spared. But when it’s an ordinary, decent, law-abiding citizen like our friend Ruggiero no one even takes any notice. Business as usual! “It’s his own fault. Why didn’t he take more precautions?” ’

‘Commendatore, do not let us fall into the trap of deluding ourselves that any responsible person might presume to deny the gravity of…’

‘ Keep that stuff for the press, Senator. This is Antonio Crepi you’re talking to! Don’t you try and tell me we are still equal. If you were kidnapped, God forbid, you would get the crack units, the top men. Well, that’s what I want for Ruggiero.’

‘Of course, of course! Naturally!’

‘ I’m not blaming the people here in Perugia. But let’s face it, if they were the best they wouldn’t be here, would they? They would be in Rome, looking after you politicians. ’

‘One should perhaps avoid exaggerating the effectiveness of the measures to which you refer, Commendatore.’

‘ Listen, if you get a pain in the chest you go to a specialist, right? ’

‘Our specialists couldn’t save Aldo Moro.’

‘ Spare me the talk, Senator! God knows we’ve had enough talk. Now, I want action, and that’s why I’m phoning. I want a top man sent up here to shake up the whole operation. A new face, afresh approach. You can arrange that in a second, with your contacts.’