The Quest: A Novel

agreed to disagree about some things, but we agree that the three of us are going back to Ethiopia—if we can get in—and we are going to pick up where we left off when we buried Father Armano.”
    Vivian nodded, then reminded Purcell, “You have something for Henry.”
    “I do? Oh…” He reached into his coat pocket and set the bronze goblet on the table.
    Mercado picked it up and looked at it.
    Purcell announced, “We have found the Holy Grail.”
    Vivian added, “At a street stall near the Termini.”
    Mercado laughed, then turned the goblet upside down and said, “Indeed you have. Made in Jerusalem, 10 B.C., property of J. Arimathea.”
    Vivian laughed.
    Mercado said, “Well done, you two. Now Frank and I can get working on this story, then go our separate ways.”
    Purcell thought that would be nice, but to keep the ice from refreezing, he said, “You need to research this grail, Henry.”
    They all laughed, then Mercado picked up the wine bottle and poured into the bronze goblet. He said solemnly, “We will drink of this and this will be our covenant.” He passed the goblet to Vivian, who put it to her lips and drank, then passed it to Purcell. He drank and passed it to Mercado, who finished the wine and said, “May God bless our journey.”
    Vivian reached out and took both men’s hands, though Purcell and Mercado did not join hands. Vivian lowered her head and said, “God rest Father Armano and all those who suffer and die in his name, in Ethiopia and around the world.”
    “Amen,” said Mercado.
    The waiter, a tall thin black man wearing a colorful
shamma
, saw that they had completed their prayers and came by with menus, but Mercado stood and said, “I will leave you to enjoy this wonderful food and enjoy each other’s company—after your long separation.”
    Purcell forced himself to say, “Please stay.”
    “Yes, please stay, Henry.”
    “I’ve let some work pile up at the office.”
    Purcell stood and they shook hands, then Mercado came around and gave Vivian a peck on the cheek and left.
    Purcell sat and the waiter left two menus.
    Vivian said to Purcell, “Thank you.”
    Purcell perused the menu.
    Vivian informed him, “We’ve worked everything out.”
    “Good. I hope you like lamb. Here’s a fish called Saint Peter’s fish.”
    “He understands what happened and how it happened, and he understands that we are in love.”
    “Good.”
    “Did you tell him we were in love?”
    Purcell put down the menu. “At the time I spoke to him, I didn’t know if we were.”
    “Well, you know now.”
    “I do.” He looked at her and said, “A piece of advice, Vivian. Henry Mercado is a charming rogue. He is also a manipulator and a con artist.” He added, “Don’t get me wrong—I like him. But we need to keep an eye on him.”
    She thought about that, then replied, “He’s not trying to… reseduce me.”
    “He would if he could. But what I’m talking about is our partnership with him.” He nodded toward the goblet. “Our new covenant.”
    She stayed quiet for a few seconds, then said, with some insight, “I was easy for him. But I think he knows he’s met his match with you.”
    Purcell couldn’t have said it better, and he smiled at Vivian. “I have met my match with you.”
    “You never stood a chance, Frank.”
    “No, I never did.”
    She filled the goblet with wine and passed it to him. He drank and passed it back to her. She said, “If you believe in love, you believe in God.”
    Where had he heard that before?

Chapter 23
    T hey didn’t see Henry again for several days, but he, or a messenger, dropped off an envelope in which were their visa applications partly filled out, awaiting only their passport information and their signatures. A note from Henry said, “Bring these in person to the Ethiopian embassy, ASAP. Cross your fingers.”
    Purcell and Vivian visited the Ethiopian embassy the next morning and spent a half hour waiting for a consulate officer who seemed to be a relative of General Getachu. The former regime’s diplomatic staff had been dismissed, of course, and had undoubtedly chosen not to go back to Ethiopia and face a possible firing squad, so they’d probably stayed in Rome and were hanging out with the other expats at Etiopia. The colonial ties between Italy and Ethiopia had been brief and not strong, but they persisted, as Purcell saw around the Termini, and he imagined that Italy would see even more upscale refugees as the revolution