Petro stood up. 'Good. Because I have work, tonight, for every one of you. You too, Lodovico Montescue.'
'I am at the service of the Republic,' said the old man stiffly. 'But I hope that that work includes arresting Caesare Aldanto.'
'That's dangerous work,' said Petro mildly. 'But I have another task for you. I want to know which of the Trieste-coasters is running messages to Trieste. You have the contacts. Get onto them. If need be, arrest them. I want to know to whom these messages are going. And I want to alter a message.'
Kat and Lodovico gaped at Petro. 'How--'
Petro smiled sardonically. 'You can thank the Doge. I would have closed you down. He said the gray trade would exist anyway, and he would rather it was in the hands of someone we knew and who was loyal to Venice. Someone that we could use if need be. Besides, the Doge felt the Jews and the Strega did a great deal for Venice's wealth and well-being. He thought your trade supported them. Just because he has that childish devotion to clockwork devices doesn't make him a fool, you know.'
Kat recovered her wits first. 'Captain Della Tomasso. He is carrying messages for the Sots. And if anyone knows of any other secret messages being carried, it'll be him. His ship leaves on the full tide at about two o'clock this morning.'
'I'll see to him,' said Lodovico. 'But who gets to arrest Aldanto? I can provide a charge.'
'And I have evidence,' said Benito, 'in the shape of a bound and locked-up hired murderer lying in our apartment. Giovanni Matteoni.'
Marco gaped at his younger brother.
Petro took a deep breath. 'I will. My sister is going to be angry.' He sighed. 'And I must try to do something about Lucrezia, while my messengers rouse the Council.'
'I've heard Ricardo Brunelli has sent Lucrezia away to safety,' announced Lopez.
'Ah. Then, with you, Lopez, and the Doge's Swiss Guards, and what other force I can muster, we will go to the Imperial embassy and confront the Knights.'
He turned on Luciano. 'The attack is at least in part magical. The Strega must contest that. Can you damp fires?'
'Rafael will go to see that that is in hand. I must go to the Marciana library. There is a guardian . . . if I can arouse it, it will do more than any fire-damping.'
'Very well. Marco. You will go with this lady,' Petro pointed to Maria. 'I will give you a signed order for Admiral Marchese. Ring the Marangona. Rouse the Arsenalotti. Send any men who can be spared to Piazza San Marco. And I want squads of men to proceed to as many of these addresses as they can. Take no chances. Douse any gunpowder they find, or toss it into the canal. And then proceed to rouse any of your canaler friends you can find. Send them to San Marco.'
Marco looked alarmed. But nodded.
'Benito. Your task is the Casa Dandelo.'
Benito smiled savagely. 'Yes. Although I'll arrest Caesare first for you if you like.'
Marco gaped at his brother again.
Petro looked calculatingly at him. 'No. I'll do that. You deal with the Casa Dandelo. Neutralize it. Destroy it.' He sighed. 'I go beyond my authority here. To act against foreigners is easy, but a Venetian Casa . . . Even to order a search will take time and manpower I don't have.'
'The place is like a fort,' mused Benito, considering the problem. In that moment, he seemed much older than he was.
'I know. Do it.'
Benito grinned. 'Si. How much gold do you all have? I'm going to need a fair bit. And Maria--you going to come and help when you've finished talking to the Arsenalotti? I'll need a couple of your cousins. Good honest boatmen. I'll see you at Giaccomo's. We're going into the barrel delivery business. And the Signori di Notte and the Schiopettieri are turning a blind eye.'
Maria nodded. 'Come and choose them.'
