Jack Higgins PC 01 The Bormann Testament (com v4.0)

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the cold, gray light of dawn.
Just what I was going to suggest. Hardt got to his feet, and as he reached
for his coat, he appeared to remember something. He turned to the girl. By
the way, Anna, didn t you tell me that Muller had been in the Army?
She nodded, a puzzled look on her face. That s right. Why, is anything
wrong?
Only that according to a photo Chavasse found when searching Muller s body on
the train, he was in the Luftwaffe.
But he was in the Army, Anna said. I ve got an old photo to prove it. She
picked up her handbag and rummaged through it. After a moment, she handed it
across. It fell from Katie s handbag yesterday after she d been showing it to
me. It was taken in 1942 when she was only a child.
Hardt took the photo and Chavasse moved to look over his shoulder. The photo
was cracked and faded, but it was still possible to see the pride in the face
of the little girl as she held the hand of the big brother who stood stiffly
to attention in his Army uniform.
Chavasse frowned. But this isn t Muller, he said to Anna.
She said firmly, But it is why would Katie Holdt lie? In any case, I can
tell that she definitely is the little girl and there s an unmistakable family
likeness between her and the soldier. It must be her brother.
Then who was the man in your compartment? Hardt said to Chavasse.
Chavasse shook his head. He wasn t Muller, we can be certain of that.
Then what do you think happened?
Chavasse pulled on his raincoat and buttoned it quickly. I d only be
guessing, he said, and I never like to do that. Let s say a certain pattern
has formed in my mind. I think a few words with Otto Schmidt might go a long
way toward completing the picture.
Then we ll go and see him, Hardt said. He turned to Anna. We ll take the
car. Have you got the keys?
She quickly took them from her bag and handed them across, and then she opened
the door for them. Hardt went out without a word, but as Chavasse descended
the stairs, he glanced back and saw her still standing there, framed in the
opening of the door. She raised her hand and her mouth moved silently. When he
looked back again, she had closed the door.
THEY parked the car around the corner from Steinerstrasse and walked the rest
of the way. Hardt found the apartment house with no difficulty and they moved
inside. Schmidt s apartment was on the third floor and they paused outside the
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door and listened. There was no sound and Chavasse gently tried the door. It
was locked.
Hardt pressed the bell firmly, holding it in position, and they waited. Within
a few moments, they heard steps approaching the door. It opened on a chain and
Schmidt said sleepily, Yes, who is it?
Police! Chavasse said gruffly in German. Come on, open up!
Schmidt seemed to come to life at once. He disengaged the chain and opened the
door. As he saw Chavasse, his jaw dropped. Chavasse moved in quickly and
jabbed a fist into the man s belly before he could cry out. Schmidt sagged at
the knees and started to keel forward. Chavasse ducked, caught him across one
shoulder, and walked on into the room.
Behind him, Hardt closed the door, and Chavasse flung Schmidt into a chair. He
lit a cigarette, sat back, and waited.
Schmidt looked terrible in the half-light of the nearby table lamp. After a
while, he seemed to have got his breath back. Chavasse pulled a chair forward
and sat in front of him. Surprised to see me, Schmidt?
Schmidt looked frightened to death. He moistened his lips. The police are
looking for you, Herr Chavasse.
Nice of you to let me know, Chavasse said. He leaned across and slashed
Schmidt backhanded across the mouth. Now let s cut out the polite talk and
get down to business. The coffee you served me on the train just before we
arrived at Osnabruck it was drugged, wasn t it?
Schmidt made a feeble effort to protest. I don t know what you are talking
about, mein Herr.
Chavasse leaned forward. I haven t got much time, Schmidt, so I ll make it
brief. I ll give you about ten seconds to start talking. If you don t, I m
going to have to break your left wrist. If that doesn t work, we ll try the
right one as well.
Schmidt s mouth went slack. But I daren t tell you, mein Herr. If I do, he ll
kill me.
Who will? Hardt said, moving across the room quickly and standing at the
back of the chair.
Schmidt looked up at him, his eyes round and staring. Inspector Steiner, he
whispered.
I thought so, Chavasse said. Now we re beginning to get somewhere. The man
who was killed in my compartment was he the man who boarded the train at
Osnabruck?
Schmidt shook his head. No, mein Herr.
Who was he then? Hardt demanded.
Schmidt seemed to have difficulty in forming the words and when he spoke, it
was in a whisper. He was the one Steiner and Dr. Kruger brought on board at
Rheine on the stretcher.
And was there anything peculiar about him when they boarded the train?
Chavasse said. He pulled Schmidt forward by the front of his dressing gown.
Come on, answer me!
He was dead, mein Herr! Schmidt moaned and collapsed in the chair, sobbing.
Chavasse stood up. I thought so. There was something about the body that
didn t quite fit when I examined it. At the time my brain was still feeling
the aftereffects of the drug and I couldn t make any sense of it. But I
remembered on the way here in the car. The fingers had already stiffened and
the body was as cold as clay.
Because he d been dead for some hours? Hardt said.
Chavasse nodded. I don t know who he was. Perhaps simply a body supplied by
Dr. Kruger. He and Steiner boarded the train at Rheine, made Schmidt drug my
coffee, and waited in my compartment for the real Muller to board the train at
Osnabruck.
Then Muller was the man on the stretcher when it left the train at Hamburg?
Hardt said.
Chavasse nodded. It was a neat plan. They eliminated me and they got their
hands on Muller. Presumably, they intend to screw the information out of him
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at their leisure.
I wonder where they ve taken him, Hardt said.
Chavasse shrugged and then a thought occurred to him. Perhaps our friend here
can tell us. He lifted Schmidt s head back by the hair. Any suggestions,
Schmidt?
The ambulance was from Dr. Kruger s private clinic at Blankenese, Schmidt
said. He lifted his hands pleadingly. For God s sake, mein Herr, you mustn t
let Steiner know you found these things out from me. He s a terrible man. He
was a group leader in the SS.
Then why did you help him? Hardt said.
But I had no choice, Schmidt said. You do not know how powerful these
people are.
At that moment, a step sounded outside on the landing and there was a knock at
the door. Chavasse jerked Schmidt to his feet and pulled him close. Find out
who it is, he whispered, and don t try anything funny.
Schmidt walked hesitantly toward the door and said in a cracked voice, Who is
it?
Inspector Steiner! The words came clearly through the thin paneling, and
Schmidt turned toward the two men inside. What shall I do?
Chavasse looked inquiringly at Hardt. Are you armed?
Hardt shook his head. No, but Steiner will be. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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