"Dibdin, Michael - Aurelio Zen 02 - Vendetta UC - part 09" - читать интересную книгу автора (Dibdin Michael)

new wings containing the guest suites, kitchen, scullery,
laundry room, garage and service accommodation. To the
right, in a quarry-like area scooped out of the hillside, was
the helicopter landing pad and a steel mast housing the
radio beacon for night landings and aerials for Oscar's
extensive communications equipment.
Zen parked the Mercedes and walked over to the main
entrance, surmounted by a pointed arch of vagueli
Moorish appearance. There was no bell or knocker iri
sight, when the door opened at his approach and th~
caretaker appeared, Zen realized that it had been absurd to
expect one. No one dropped in unexpectedly at the Villa
Burolo, not when their every movement from the entrance
gate to the front door was being monitored by four
independent electronic surveillance systems.
As soon as he set eyes on Alfonso Bini, Zen knew why
the caretaker had been ruled out as a suspect virtually
from the start. Bini was one of those men so neutered by a
lifetime of service that it was difficult to imagine them
being able to tie their own shoe-laces unless instructed to
do so. He greeted the distinguished foreign visitor with
pallid correctness. Yes, Dottor Confalone had explained
the situation. Yes, he would be glad to show Signo'r
Gurtner around.
No doubt on Confalone's instructions, the tour started
with the new wing, in order to dispel any idea that the
property was in any way primitive or rustic. Zen patiently
endured an interminable exhibition of modern con-
veniences, ranging from en suite jacuzzis and a fully
equipped gymnasium to a kitchen that would have done
credit to a three-star hotel. In the laundry room, a frightened-
looking woman was folding towels. Zen guessed that this
was the caretaker's wife, although Bini ignored her as
though she was just another of the appliances stacked in
neatly forbidding ranks along the wall. The only aspect of
all this which was of any interest to Zen was a small room
packed with video monitors and banks of switches.
'Security?' he queried.
Bini nodded and pointed to a row of red switches near
fhe door, labelled with the names of the various alarm
systems. The only ones switched on were the field sensors
on the inner perimeter fence and the microwave radar.
'So someone has to be here all the time?' Zen asked.
Bini made a negative tutting sound.
'Only if you want to check the screens. If any of the
systems picks up anything irregular, an alarm goes off.'
He threw a switch marked 'Test'. A chorus of electronic
shrieks rose from every part of the building.
'Very impressive,' murmured Zen. 'My client certainly
need have no worries about anyone breaking in.'