day escape and return whence he came.
“Ganja they have adopted probably because the weed grows abundantly in Jamaica and also because the narcotic offers some release and escape from the poverty and degradation the black man in exile feels.
“Now, when we come to the way in which each Rastafarian reacts to these beliefs that structure his or her way of life, we find great diversity.”
Toussaint’s chronicle was interrupted by the waiter’s return.
Before Koznicki, he placed a dish containing small sections of chicken which had been crisply fried, then sauced with garlic, rosemary, and white wine.
On a serving cart next to the table, the waiter prepared Koesler’s fish. The mullet lay in a large pan. With a single stroke, the waiter split the large fish and then boned it. After squeezing half a lemon over it, he poured first wine, then the fish’s own juices over its length. It appeared delicious, and it was.
“Most Rasta men,” Toussaint proceeded, and then, as if interrupting himself, “despite the popular and current feminist movement, we might just as well dismiss the Rasta women because the Rasta men have dismissed them: Rasta women are respected, protected, supported, and appreciated; but, if something important is happening, Rasta females will not be there.
“Anyway, as I was saying, most Rasta men are peaceful, at least as long as they are not provoked. There are some, however, who are comfortable with violence. You can find ample evidence of this in your daily papers.
“There were, for example, the twelve Rasta men who kidnapped a young black woman and her son in the Bronx some years back. Rastas executed four of their fellow Rastas in New York City. There have been Rastas wounded and killed in gunfights with police. Rastas have been known to traffic in drugs and to commit robberies. So, for a group officially espousing peace and love, some of the Rastas can be and are very violent. And it is, quite evidently, these violent Rastas with whom we must now deal.”
“All of what you have told us is both interesting and informative,” said Koznicki. “But why? Why should even a violent Rastafarian want to attack a Cardinal, a prince of the Catholic Church?”
“That is the fundamental question, is it not?” Toussaint said reflectively.
“Some years ago,” he proceeded, “there was a segment of the popular Sunday evening television program, ‘Sixty Minutes,’ that dealt with the Rastafarians. It opened with a scene of a Rasta man, dreadlocks and all, beating on a small drum and chanting, ‘Death to the Pope! Death to the Pope!’”
“I must have missed that program, although I usually watch the series,” said Koznicki.
“I remember it,” said Koesler, “but I don’t recall the scene you describe, Ramon. I must have missed the opening of that segment. Was any reference made to it later in the program?”
“No, oddly. But it was there in the beginning.”
“But again,” Koznicki touched napkin to his mouth, “why? Why ‘Death to the Pope’?”
“The Rastafarians,” Toussaint replied, “consider the Pope the most powerful and significant figure in Western civilization.”
Koesler smiled. “There are those who would accord that description to the president of the United States, or, perhaps, to the Russian premier.”
“Yes,” said Toussaint, “but neither of them has had the supreme spiritual authority over the great number of centuries that is inherent in the Papacy.
“While the Rastas will grant that, here and there, individual whites may be able to reform and break the chains of their condemnation before Jah, generally they believe that the white race—the oppressor—is in conspiracy with Satan and the Pope, both of whom they equate.”
There followed a relatively long period of silence while Koesler and Koznicki finished their entrees and carefully considered all Toussaint had said.
“All right, then,” said Koznicki at length, “suppose for the sake of argument we say that not all, but certain Rastafarians wish to kill the Pope out of vengeance for all they have had to suffer in those centuries of slavery. Why have they killed Cardinals Claret and Gattari?”
“Bob supplied the answer when he grasped that the connection between the Cardinals was their position as probable papal candidates.
“You see, since the assassination attempts on Pope Leo XIV, the security surrounding the Pope has been intense. And even before this increased security, he was by no means an accessible man. Now, he is, as much as can be said for any public figure, almost beyond physical attack, particularly at close range.
“Since they perceive they cannot successfully assault the reigning Pope, this fanatic minority among the Rastafarians has decided to cut down the prime candidates for the Papacy. That is what I feared when Cardinal Claret was murdered. That is why I went to Toronto—to check with my sources there. What they had learned from infiltrating some Rasta meetings, and what my contacts here in Rome have told me, only reinforce my fears.”
“You have contacts both in Toronto and Rome.” It was a question uttered as a statement by Inspector Koznicki.
“If you had not been in my land, I would not be in yours.” Toussaint smiled. “There are Jamaicans and Haitians all over the world whose ancestors were forcibly snatched from their homelands in Africa. So, there are networks of voodoo and pocomania and Rastafarians all over the world. Only a worldwide network could attempt a plot of this magnitude.”
There was another pause in the one-sided conversation during which their waiter cleared the table. Koznicki ordered a fruit and cheese plate, a bottle of Asti Spumante, and espresso for himself and Koesler.
“If I am to understand correctly,” Koznicki said, “the book you mentioned yesterday . . .” he mentally groped for the title.
“Yes. Thank you. That is not a definitive listing of papal candidates?”
“Oh, no. There is no definitive list,” Koesler replied. “For one thing, any such list shortly becomes outdated. Cardinals grow old and die, new ones are appointed, and others are waiting in the wings. And, in any event, any listing of
“Some would even claim there is the influence of the Holy Spirit,” Toussaint said with a smile.
Koesler returned the smile. “Some might so claim. And I would not deny it.
“Let me put it this way, Inspector. In 1939, the Catholic world would have been very surprised if Eugenio Pacelli had not become Pope Pius XII. And in 1963, we would have been extremely surprised if Giovanni Battista Montini had not become Paul VI. On the other hand, in, let me see, I think 1903 or 1904, the Catholic world was stunned when Giuseppe Sarto became Pius X. And, in our own time, remember how astonished everyone was when in 1959 Angelo Roncalli became the great Pope John XXIII.
“So you see, Inspector, predicting who will be the next Pope is not an exact science. But there sometimes are strong possibilities. And, right or wrong, somebody always has a list of
“Yes, I see,”said Koznicki. “But what I am driving at is that not only might the most informed list of papal candidates prove incorrect, but that there must be more than one list.”
“I’m sure there is,” said Koesler. “I suppose the degree of probability would depend on the prognosticator’s credentials and, conceivably even on his track record.”
“So,” Koznicki concluded, “it is possible, even probable, that the listing found in
“Yes, I’m sure that’s true,” said Koesler.
“Then we are left with the indeed literally vital question of which Cardinals are on the Rastafarians’ list.”
“That is correct, Inspector,” said Toussaint, helping himself to some cheese. “And that is my current undertaking: to try to get a copy of their list. And to discover, if at all possible, how, when, and where they intend to assassinate the men on that list.”
“Ah,” Koznicki sat back in the booth. “Now, short of having no problem at all, that knowledge would put us in a perfect position—what Red Barber would call the catbird seat. When do you expect to obtain that list?”
“I hope to get it sometime tonight or tomorrow,” Toussaint replied, “I pray I will have it before the new Cardinals take possession of their Roman parishes tomorrow evening. Until then, they have no scheduled public
