Russell stood up and walked idly around the room. He started looking at the files on the racks, but with his limited grasp of German he could make little sense of the lettering on the spines. His wandering was interrupted by a knock on the door. Opening it he was surprised to see a pretty blonde girl holding a tray with two steaming cups and a plate of biscuits. He took the tray. ‘Thank you… fräulein.’
‘Bitte schön, Herr Russell,’ she said, backing out of the room. Russell was sure that she was blushing.
‘Quite a cracker, eh?’ Judd said. ‘Efficient, too. She compiled much of this.’ He tapped the file. ‘Anyway, I think we’re getting somewhere. It seems neither Bausewein nor Brockelmann left Germany. They were the first two victims, weren’t they?’
Russell took a sip from his cup. ‘Yes, that’s right. Coffee’s very good by the way.’
Judd smiled then looked down at the sheet in front of him again. ‘Bausewein got a job in a large department store, ironically working in soft furnishings. He seems to have done well and became a senior manager. Brockelmann went into the motor trade, selling Mercedes. And Krull,’ - he turned over a couple of sheets - ‘he resurfaced in France. Paris actually.’
‘Can I ask a question?’ Russell asked, looking puzzled.
‘Sure. Fire away.’
‘If you know so much about them, how come they haven’t been brought to trial before now?’
Judd gave an ironic laugh. ‘If only. We can go so far but, the trouble is, most of them have done a good job of covering up what they did when they were in uniform. So it is nigh on impossible to get enough evidence to convict them.’
‘That must be frustrating.’
‘You bet! We try but often they’ve integrated so well into their new lives that we just can’t winkle them out.’ He looked back at the pages and frowned. ‘These details are about as up to date as we can get, but let me see if I can find out any more. Enjoy your coffee and give me a few minutes.’ He picked up the phone and dialed. When the person at the other end of the line answered Judd spoke in fluent German.
About the only thing Russell could understand was the name Rudolf Bausewein. After a short time the American replaced the receiver. He ran his finger down the sheet and picked up the phone and dialed again. This time Russell recognised the name Kaspar Brockelmann. In a third phone conversation Max Krull’s name came up. When the handset went down for the last time Greg leant back and rested his hands in his lap and frowned.
‘What?’ Russell asked.
‘Well, it seems all three of them left their jobs suddenly, with no explanation.’
‘Let me guess. In the past few weeks?’
‘Yup. Bausewein and Brockelmann three weeks ago and Krull within the last week.
‘That ties in with the murders. The first two turned up dead a couple of weeks ago and we rescued Krull last Friday. The Müller brothers must have picked them up, transported them across Germany and into France then taken them over to England to finish them off. It seems very elaborate. It makes you wonder why they went to so much trouble.’
‘Yes it does, doesn’t it?’
Russell thought for a moment. ‘Greg, you’ve tracked down three of the Nazis, what about the fourth? Pfeffer, wasn’t it?’
‘Ah,’ Judd said, and turned back to the file.
-0-
Rankin was in full flow now. ‘It was such a surprise. I had a few days’ leave. I was sitting in a greasy spoon in Collinghurst, having a mug of tea and a bacon buttie - reading the sport in the paper. Someone said: “Okay if I sit here?” I didn’t look up, just said “Fine by me.” I was sat there quiet like, for a while longer. Then he spoke again. “Anything interesting in the paper?” I looked up. Couldn’t believe me eyes. It were Wolfgang! “Surprised to see me?” he said. You bet I was. He was the last person I expected to see.’
‘I would’ve thought you’d be pleased to see him. After all, you were good friends – once,’ Barrow said.
‘Well we had been friends, before the war. But when we had that trouble on the mountain…’ Rankin’s voice tailed off.
‘So what happened next?’ Parker lit another cigarette, inhaled deeply, tilted his head and blew a plume of smoke towards the ceiling.
‘I think we chatted for a while. Don’t really remember what we talked about. Then he sat quietly for a bit before speaking again.’
Parker blew out more smoke then asked: ‘What did he say?’
Rankin sighed. ‘He said: “Remember that favour I did for you?” I nodded. “Well, it’s time for you to pay me back.” My heart sank.’
‘Why was that?’
‘Cause I was pretty sure whatever he wanted me to do, it wouldn’t be straightforward.’
The DI stubbed his cigarette out and let the silence hang in the air for a few moments. ‘So what was it?’ he asked.
‘He wanted me to supply him with a vehicle.’
‘Why did he think you’d be able to do that?’
‘He’d been checking up on me. He’d found out that I worked in bomb disposal and had access to a lorry. I told him it wouldn’t be possible. The security was too tight at the barracks. He reminded me that I owed him and did I remember about those two fellas that drowned? I said I did. And he said it would be a shame if the police re-opened the case. I was sweating. Couldn’t see how I could get out of it.’
‘So you agreed?’
‘I had no choice.’
‘Right. Tell us what happened.’
The soldier wriggled in his chair and hung his head. ‘The first time I took the Bedford…’ he mumbled.
‘Speak up!’ growled Parker.
Rankin lifted his head and looked directly at the DI. ‘The first time I took the lorry, I had to meet them at Nottery Quay. I turned up in the dark. Had to wait a while. Then I hear this boat coming in. Couldn’t see it at first – ’cause it had no lights. The engine was cut before it reached where I was standing and it bumped gently against the quay. Someone chucked a rope and I tied it to a bollard. Ludwig jumped ashore. Then helped Wolfgang over. He checked the rope and retied it. Then we had a chat.’
‘What about?’
‘Wolfgang asked if I know where the old brickworks was. I said I thought so. Then he said did I have a tarpaulin? I said yes and he told me to lay it out in the back of the truck and wait.’
‘What happened then?’
‘I dropped the tailgate and put the tarpaulin in and waited. In a few moments Ludwig came up to the lorry carrying something over his shoulder. He heaved it into the back of the lorry.’
‘What was it?’
‘It was pitch black so I couldn’t see, but then I heard a groan. And I realised.’
Parker raised an eyebrow. ‘What?’
‘It was a man. And he didn’t sound too healthy. That shook me. Anyway, Ludwig went back to the boat. A few minutes later he come back with another body. Well, I say body, but he was alive. I could hear him moaning. Ludwig dumped him in the lorry then punched him hard. The moaning stopped.’
Barrow had turned pale. ‘Any more bodies?’ he asked.
‘Not this time. Wolfgang came over and told me to drive to the brickworks. And to drive careful. Then he went back to the boat. I went off with Ludwig. When we arrived, he got out. I could see in the headlights that he had a pair of bolt cutters. He sliced through the chain and pushed the gates open. He got back in the cab and we drove down the track. He told me to wait and then got out again. I was glad as I didn’t want anything to do with whatever he was up to. After a while he got back in and told me to drive to Nottery again.’
‘Why was that?’
‘We had to pick up Wolfgang. He was waiting on the quay with a bag. He told me to stop off at that new housing estate on the way. When we got there, Ludwig climbed out and went into one of the houses. After a few minutes he returned with a roll of something - carpet I guessed. Then I drove them both back and said was that it? I thought I’d got off lightly. Then Wolfgang said: “We want you ba
ck here in two days’ time”. Me heart sank. He came up right close to me and said: “And don’t tell anyone. Understand?” I told him I wouldn’t and set off for the barracks.’
-0-
Judd put the receiver down, his eyes sparkling. ‘Found him!’
‘Pfeffer?’
‘That’s right, Hauptsturmführer Achim Pfeffer, only he’s not called that any longer.’ The American had been on the phone for some time, making several calls. ‘It seems he’s changed his name to Micha Salz. Quite clever really,’ he smiled.
Russell smiled back. ‘Let me guess - the surname translates as salt. Salt and pepper.’ He furrowed his brow, thinking. ‘Micha? - of course, an anagram. Have you found out where he is?’
‘I have indeed. He’s tucked himself away in a little French town called…’ - Judd looked down at the pad he’d been writing on - ‘…Saint-Valery-sur-Somme. Do you know it?’
Russell nodded. ‘I’ve heard of it. I think it’s in Picardie, down the coast from Boulogne.’
‘Apparently he runs a boulangerie there.’
‘He obviously likes the quiet life. Oh, I assume he’s not deceased?’
‘Not as far as I know.’
‘So the Müller brothers haven’t got to him yet?’
‘It would seem not.’
-0-
‘So…’ Parker had paused the interview in order that they could all have a break and he could have a stretch. After ten minutes he had returned to his chair, pulled it away from the table, its legs scraping noisily across the floor. He sat and took another cigarette from the pack on the table and lit up. ‘So. You had to go back two days later?’
‘That’s right,’ Rankin said. ‘I weren’t happy about it. Couldn’t see how I could get out of it though. So I went. I drove up to the gates of the old brickworks. Thought at first they was padlocked, but when I rattled the chain it fell open. They met me at the bottom of the track. Ludwig put some sort of a bundle in the back of the lorry.’
‘What was it?’
‘It was too dark to see. I didn’t want to think about it anyway.’
‘What then?’
‘Wolfgang told me to drive to Compass Point.’
Barrow interrupted excitedly: ‘That’s where the first body was dumped!’
‘Thank you, constable, we know that. Carry on Rankin. What happened when you got there?’
‘I just drove the Bedford down to the quay and Wolfgang told me to kill the engine. He and Ludwig climbed down, took the bundle out of the back and rolled it into the water.’
‘Did you know what was in the bundle then?’
‘It was pretty obvious really although they hadn’t told me. I saw that it didn’t appear to be weighted. I said: “Won’t it be found?” Wolfgang said that was the idea. I didn’t understand at the time.’
‘So did you drive them back to the brickworks?’
‘I did. We didn’t talk on the way back. I hoped that I’d paid my debt. I thought I had. But then we arrived.’
‘And?’ Parker cocked his head to one side, leant forward and rested his forearms on the table.
‘Ludwig climbed out of the cab and I thought I’d got away with it. Then Wolfgang turned and said: “You did well tonight.” I breathed a sigh of relief. But it weren’t to be - as he spoke again: “But I’m afraid you still owe me.” I asked him what he wanted. “I want you back, with the lorry, on Sunday evening. And don’t be late.” Then he smiled that strange smile of his and joined his brother.’
‘So,’ the DI said, leaning back, ‘They were holed up in the brickworks for, let me see, four days, and no one knew?’
‘I guess so.’
‘But Russell and the forensics team went all over the site and didn’t find hide nor hair of them.’
Barrow sat up eagerly. ‘Yes, Sir, but they didn’t find that secret hiding place until later in the week.’
‘Hmm. Quite right, constable.’
Barrow was still excited. ‘And it was Inspector Russell’s dog that found it.’
‘Bloody dog,’ Parker mumbled. Then to Rankin: ‘So did you go back on the Sunday?’
‘Of course I did. I’d seen what Ludwig was capable of. I wasn’t about to let them down.’
‘What happened this time?’ He leant back in his chair, hands thrust in his jacket pockets.
‘They still had the tarpaulin. They bundled something wrapped in it into the back of the truck.’
‘Where did you go?’
‘Back to that new housing estate. They took the bundle into the house - then I knew it was a man.’
‘How come?’
‘By the noise he was making. I’ll never forget it. Sounded like an animal in pain.’ He put his hands over his face and exhaled noisily. ‘It were horrible,’ he whispered.
The DI let it pass. ‘Then what?’
‘After about half an hour they came out again. Wolfgang asked me to back the truck up to the door. Ludwig had the bundle over his shoulder. But there weren’t no more noise coming from it.’
‘Where did you go?’
‘We drove a few miles up the road to another building site…’
‘And put the body in the cement mixer!’
‘Yes, thank you, Barrow. I was rather hoping this man,’ - he pointed at the soldier - ‘would tell us what happened.’
‘But I didn’t know. Not ’til I read about it in the paper. I stayed in the lorry all the time.’
‘So presumably, after they got back in the cab, you took them to the brickworks again?’
‘No, I drove them to Compass Point. They went back to the boat. I really thought that was the end of it. But no, I still hadn’t paid off me bleedin’ debt.’
‘No?’
‘No, they wanted me one more time. I was to meet them early on Friday morning at Shell Bay.’
Parker turned over some pages in the file and held up a sheet. ‘Ah yes, the mysterious scrap of paper that Jack Spratt found. One of the few things Detective Russell did deduce. With the help of a Frenchman, of course. And I quote from the translation: “High tide, Friday, 05.35. Shell Bay, petrified forest”. A lot of good it did him though.’ He snorted.
-0-
‘Okay, so we have to assume that the Müller brothers have been picking off these former Nazis, one by one, for some reason. Now what could that be?’ Russell had his hands clasped behind his head, chin jutting.
‘Revenge?’ the American offered.
‘But for what?’
‘That I can’t tell you, but whatever the reason is, it must be pretty serious. Three deaths, and all suffered particularly nasty ends.’
‘Yes, that’s right. Keelhauling, flogging, then walking the plank. All very strange.’
‘Maybe, but each distinctive and definite.’
‘Let’s think,’ Russell said. ‘What could…’ he turned round the page on the table so he could read it. ‘…What could Pfeffer, Bausewein, Bockelmann and Krull have done to the Müllers that was so bad, so profound, that they would feel the need to wreak such bizarre revenge on them?’
‘Well…’ Judd said slowly. ‘As you know, a lot of the fiercest fighting, towards the end of the war, took place on the Eastern front.’
‘With the Russians?’
‘That’s right. It was there that the Waffen-SS committed some of the worst atrocities against their fellow countrymen.’
‘How so?’
‘Well, knowing that the tide of war had turned against Germany, many of them had been making plans for their eventual escape for some time. However, Hitler was determined that the German army should continue battling the Russians to the end. The regular soldiers - the Wermacht - were forced to carry on fighting, whether they wanted to or not, and irrespective of whether they believed there was any point in continuing. And it was the SS who insisted they went on with the battle. There are numerous instances of enlisted soldiers being summarily executed for supposedly refusing to fight. I’m pretty sure it was often just an excuse to ma
ke examples of them so the others were scared into continuing, even when they knew there was no hope.’
‘Pretty brutal.’
‘Oh yes. The Nazis were nothing if not brutal, right up to the end. The poor rank and file were left to carry the can, so to speak, while they just melted away.’
‘So, do you think something so appalling happened to brother Franz that three SS men needed to be executed?
‘It’s possible. After all, the file says that he is deceased; perhaps Ludwig and Wolfgang were so devastated that they vowed to avenge his death.’
‘Maybe.’ Russell was thoughtful for a while. Then he said: ‘However, tracking down three men and torturing and murdering them, for the death of one, just doesn’t seem right. There’s got to be more to it than that.’
Judd ran his hands through his hair. ‘Yes, I agree with you. Let me see if I can do a bit more digging.’ He pulled back his sleeve and looked at his watch. ‘Goodness! It’s five after one already. You must be hungry. Time for lunch, I think. We can carry on later.’
‘Excellent idea,’ Russell agreed.
-0-
Parker continued with the interview. ‘So, you were there early and what happened?’
‘I waited for a while. It were still dark. The sun hadn’t risen. I parked the Bedford by the Martello Tower. I got out and stood on the sand. I heard the engine of the boat first. Then I could just make out a shadowy shape as it came up to the beach. The engine stopped. There were a splash and Ludwig appeared out of the murk. He looked grimly at me, grabbed me arm and said: ‘Bleib wo Du bist - Stay there.’ I did what I was told and waited.
‘Then what?’
‘I heard the ferry bell ring. After a while there was the sound of a boat being rowed across the water. Next, Ludwig shouted: ‘Komm hier!’
‘Presume that means ‘Come here’?’
‘That’s right. So I found my way to the jetty. Lying on the walkway was a man, out cold. I recognised him as Spratt, the ferryman. Ludwig said: ‘Hilf mir ihn zu tragen’. Oh, that means ‘Help me carry him’. Between us, we lugged him through the shallow water and got him on the Moonshine. We climbed up after. Wolfgang said he wanted me to go back to the brickworks. Wanted me to clear out their ‘Schlupfwinkel’.’
Blood on the Tide Page 20
