Chapter 86
The Pope dies. Urgent! For Immediate Review
Cardinal Livio Baldini has been at his desk since 5 a.m. He is still Chairman of the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith, and at seventy-nine the senior Curia member and the oldest eligible member of the College of Cardinals. Because of his senior status, Cardinal Baldini automatically became the Cardinal Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church upon the death of the pope. His reign will be brief, from the date of the pope’s death until the conclave to elect the new pope begins, a period that cannot exceed twenty days. Nevertheless, during this brief period, Cardinal Camerlengo Baldini is responsible for the government of the Church, and he has much work to do before the Conclave convenes on Saturday.
Seated behind his desk, Cardinal Baldini had taken a break and is drinking a cup of coffee. He is thinking about the Conclave. He assumes that at age seventy-nine he is too old to be elected pope, but he takes solace in knowing his former protégé, Peter Donavan, has an excellent chance of being elected. He has just made a mental note to vote for Peter when his personal assistant, Francoise Berelly, enters carrying a package. Francoise is thirty-four, French, extremely bright and hard working. He’s been with the cardinal for nearly three years. With the exception of Peter Donavan, Baldini considers Francoise the most efficient personal assistant he has ever had.
The cardinal notices a nervous tension in Francoise’s demeanor. He points to the package, “What do you have there?”
“It came tagged, ‘Urgent. For Immediate Review,’ so I took a look.”
“Well, is it urgent?”
Francoise nods. “I think you should read it”
“Put it in my In Box. I’ll get to it as soon as I can.”
“Your Eminence, you must read it now.”
Francoise’s declaratory tone catches the cardinal’s attention and his head snaps up. Their eyes lock. From the look on Francoise’s face, Baldini knows the matter is urgent. “Pull up a chair, Francoise, and brief me on what it’s about...
The Ending - Stunning and Explosive
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