The Fallen Eagles

by Geoffrey Davison

  They sat at a table and Leeburg studied the sea of faces. He saw Sergeant Lefant with a party of his countrymen, and wondered whether Karl ever came to the club. They ordered a drink, but Leeburg made no attempt to contact Alfoss. The night was early. Elka suggested that they danced and they joined the other couples on the floor. Leeburg realized that it was the first time he had held a woman in his arms since he had made love to Helga. He liked the feel of the slim body close to his, and the sweet smell of perfume. And he liked the absence of forced conversation. Not that he found Elka difficult, but he knew he was no gay companion for anyone to be with.

  They remained on the dance floor for a long time. The band was good, the music pleasant, and they both seemed to enjoy their closeness.

  But Leeburg had not forgotten the reason for their visit. As they left the floor he went up to one of the waiters and discreetly told him to tell Herr Alfoss that he would like to speak to him. When the waiter looked at him blankly Leeburg added, ‘Tell him Kurtz sent me.’

  The waiter gave a sullen grunt and disappeared into the crowd. Leeburg saw him soon after serving drinks, but it was well after midnight before he got any response to his message. A slight movement of the waiter’s head told Leeburg that he wanted to talk to him. Leeburg went over to where he was standing.

  ‘Get rid of the girl,’ the waiter whispered.

  ‘Then what?’ Leeburg asked.

  The waiter turned and walked through a service door. Leeburg returned to Elka.

  ‘That looked very mysterious,’ she said seriously.

  Leeburg smiled at her. ‘It is time you went back to your aunt’s house,’ he said.

  ‘Oh! so you want to get rid of me.’

  Leeburg stood up. ‘Would you mind going back by yourself?’ he asked.

  ‘Must I?’ Elka replied. ‘Can’t I wait for you?’

  ‘No.’ Leeburg frowned.

  Elka sighed and collected her handbag. At the entrance to the club she turned to him. ‘Don’t be too long,’ she said solemnly. ‘Please.’

  ‘I won’t be,’ Leeburg said reassuringly. ‘See you back at the house.’

  He left her and returned to the cellar bar. It was still crowded. He picked his way across the floor to the service door. It opened into a narrow corridor. The waiter was waiting for him.

  ‘In here,’ the waiter grunted and opened a door to a wine cellar. Leeburg stepped over the threshold and immediately sensed danger! He stopped in his tracks, but he was too late!

  A crashing blow to his head sent him reeling to the ground. Lights and stars danced in front of his eyes. He felt hands gripping his arms, but he hadn’t any resistance to fight them. His head swam, and the cheap wine he had drunk made him want to vomit.

  He was pulled on to his feet, his arms pinned behind his back, and pushed forward through the wine casks and barrels of beer. They came to a door, and he was held against it whilst a blindfold was tied over his eyes. Again he fought off a wave of nausea.

  He was pulled back from the door. He heard it being opened and both felt, and smelt, the warm, cigar roasted, stale air of the adjoining room. He was pushed into the room. The cigar smell became stronger. He felt himself being pulled on to a seat.

  Suddenly his hands were grabbed and forced on to a flat surface like a table. He felt something pressing on to his knuckles. The vice-like grip to his wrists was released. He tried to move his hands and found he couldn’t. They were fastened to the flat surface! He couldn’t even clench his fists!

  He felt a trickle of perspiration run down his face. What was going on? What were they up to? Kurtz had said that they played rough, but this was more like a torture chamber!

  ‘Good evening, Herr Leeburg,’ a voice boomed at him from close by. It was a deep, resonant voice. A big man, Leeburg thought, and wondered how many there were of them. He felt he was surrounded by them.

  ‘Why do you want to speak to Herr Alfoss?’ the voice asked.

  Leeburg wondered if he was in a position to try and mislead them. He decided he wasn’t. ‘Because I think he can help me,’ he mumbled.

  ‘How?’ the voice boomed.

  ‘He might be able to tell me if a friend of mine is alive, in hiding in Switzerland.’

  ‘Who is this friend?’

  Leeburg hesitated and mentally cursed himself for having walked so naïvely into the trap.

  ‘Who?’ the voice asked again.

  At the same instant there came a sensation of immense heat close to the tips of his fingers. He tried to withdraw his hands, but they wouldn’t move!

  ‘Do you feel the heat?’ the voice asked. ‘It is white hot metal!’

  Leeburg didn’t reply. The sensation of heat became stronger, unbearable. His fingertips were throbbing with the pain! ‘Yes!’ he called out. ‘I do.’

  The heat moved away.

  ‘Now, Herr Leeburg, we will continue. Who is this friend?’

  ‘A man called Reitzer,’ Leeburg said. ‘Major Reitzer.’

  There was a short pause.

  ‘Why do you want to know the whereabouts of this man, Reitzer?’ the voice asked.

  ‘We were friends,’ Leeburg replied. ‘We grew up together, and we served together in Italy. I thought Herr Alfoss might be able to help me.’

  ‘You haven’t answered my question,’ the voice boomed. ‘Why?’

  ‘We were friends,’ Leeburg said hastily. ‘That is all.’

  He felt the heat getting closer to his fingertips. Closer, closer! The perspiration rolled down his face.

  ‘Why?’ the voice shouted. ‘Why?’

  ‘I have told you,’ Leeburg cried. ‘We were friends.’

  The heat from the hot metal was sending a million shock waves up each finger twisting his nerves until they shrieked. It became unbearable. The hot metal touched one of his fingers and the pain was like a sharp needle being driven from his finger tip to his brain. He dropped his head, unconscious.

  When he recovered, his head was sagged forward on to his chest. The fingertip throbbed, pulsating its pain around his body.

  ‘Why?’ the voice asked again.

  Leeburg struggled to raise his head. He knew if he didn’t talk, he would get more torture until they burnt his fingers to stumps. They were sadists!

  ‘The police are asking questions about him,’ he muttered. ‘I wanted to warn him.’

  ‘You are lying,’ the voice screamed. ‘I want the truth.’

  He felt the burning metal come closer. They were going to burn him again.

  ‘Reitzer and I served together,’ he said hurriedly. ‘There was an incident with some partisans in the mountains in Italy. Reitzer is the only man who knows what happened. I want him to tell me.’

  ‘Tell you?’ the voice asked. ‘Why?’

  ‘Because I received a head wound. I do not know what took place.’

  ‘What sort of incident was it?’

  ‘There were a number of people shot,’ Leeburg said quietly.

  ‘And there was only you and Reitzer?’

  ‘I don’t know,’ Leeburg mumbled. ‘I don’t know.’

  ‘And who shot these people? You or Reitzer?’

  ‘I don’t know,’ Leeburg cried out. ‘Only Reitzer knows.’

  ‘And you thought Alfoss could lead you to him. Why?’

  ‘He has been in communication with Frau Reitzer. I assumed it was in connection with her son.’

  His finger was still throbbing, twisting his nerves.

  ‘Who told you?’ the voice asked.

  ‘Frau Reitzer,’ he lied, ‘but she wouldn’t tell me why.’

  He half expected the heat again, but it didn’t come. His relief was immense. He heard a low hum of voices as if they were discussing his reply. He wished his finger would stop throbbing. He heard the shuffle of feet close by, and suddenly a blinding pain engulfed him and then blackness. A vicious blow had sent him back into unconsciousness…

  Leeburg felt the cold night air on his face as he came to and t
he iced snow on his hands. Slowly he moved himself and staggered to his feet. He was in a dark alleyway. His head ached and his fingers throbbed. His left hand went to the back of his neck and he felt the congealed blood.

  Suddenly he vomited uncontrollably, but he felt better after it. He leant against the wall breathing the cold, frosted air into his lungs until he was able to move. He staggered to the end of the alleyway and saw that he was close to the club.

  Swaying slightly, like a drunk, he started to make his way back to the house where Elka was waiting for him. Inside him a feeling of resentment and anger took his mind away from his physical suffering. They had got everything out of him that they had wanted to know. It was almost as if they had known the questions to ask, and the answers! They seemed to know when he was lying. He gritted his teeth. He had been completely at their mercy.

  Elka was waiting for him when he arrived at the house. He saw her sitting in the glow of the stove as he stumbled into the room. She turned to greet him.

  ‘How did…’ she stifled a gasp as she saw his condition.

  He slumped on to the settee. She rushed over to him, her eyes anxiously searching his face.

  ‘The beasts!’ she hissed. ‘The beasts!’

  She ran out of the room and came back with a basin and some first aid. Gently she bathed his head. It wasn’t until she had finished that she saw his finger.

  ‘Oh! Paul!’ she cried. ‘How could they be so cruel?’

  ‘It comes easy to some,’ Leeburg grunted. ‘They wanted me to talk.’

  ‘About Reitzer?’ Elka asked. She placed some ointment on his burned finger and started to bandage it. ‘He is as bad as them.’

  Leeburg heard her, but his mind was elsewhere. He had come all this way hoping for information about Reitzer from Alfoss. He wasn’t going back empty-handed, despite their rough treatment. Kurtz had sent him to the club. Well, Kurtz could think again!

  Elka finished her first aid and got him a hot drink. She sat on the floor beside him. Gradually he began to feel much better.

  ‘You haven’t told me why you want to find Erich Reitzer, so badly,’ she said pensively, not looking at him.

  ‘No,’ Leeburg replied quietly. ‘I haven’t.’

  Her remark triggered off his guilt fears again. He slowly recoiled from her. She felt it.

  ‘What is the matter, Paul?’ she asked tenderly. ‘What is it that troubles you? Won’t you tell me?’

  She looked up at him pleadingly. She could see his face was almost twisted in anguish. She saw it in his eyes, in his furrowed brow. What was it? she wondered. It had been the same from the first moment they had met. She had sensed there was something troubling him, holding him back. She didn’t like to see him like this. It hurt her also.

  His eyes looked at her as if trying to penetrate her thoughts, yet at the same time they looked as if they didn’t belong to him. He looked like a stranger.

  ‘Don’t ask,’ he said hoarsely. ‘Please don’t ask.’

  ‘All right, Paul,’ she said gently. ‘We’ll not talk about it tonight, but promise me you will tell me one day soon.’

  ‘Why?’ he asked. ‘Why do you want to know?’

  ‘Because I want to help you.’

  ‘Help!’ Leeburg scoffed. ‘No one can help me — no one, except possibly Erich Reitzer.’

  He buried his face in his hands. God! he thought, if only she could help. If only anyone other than Reitzer could help. He ran his hand through his hair and tried to shake himself out of his turmoil. Elka came and sat on the settee beside him. He could feel her body close to his. He wanted her to like him, to love him, but he knew she would despise him as soon as she learned the truth. He looked up at her and saw the glow in her eyes. She really did want to help him, he thought. She put her hand gently on his.

  ‘Oh! Paul,’ she whispered. ‘I don’t like to see you troubled like this. You have suffered enough already. Let us enjoy just being together.’

  Leeburg tried to resist. He wanted her, but he was frightened of letting himself go. She didn’t know anything about him. She didn’t know what he was really like. She came closer to him and her closeness overcame his resistance. He put his arms around her. Everything else was forgotten.

  CHAPTER 9

  Leeburg awoke early. For a long time he lay thinking about Elka. He had given himself fully to her the previous evening. Reitzer and all that he meant had been forgotten. There had been a magic about their lovemaking which Leeburg would never forget. But with the grey light of dawn came the full flood of reality. He couldn’t forget Reitzer, or Lucciano, no matter how hard he buried himself on love or anything else. They would always be there like a cancerous growth eating away at him.

  He looked ruefully at his bandaged finger. They had had their fun last night, he thought, but they weren’t going to get away with it so easy. Neither was Kurtz.

  He heard movements in the rooms below. It would be Elka and her aunt getting ready to go to church. He waited until he heard them leave, then quickly dressed and hurried through the town to Kurtz’s apartment.

  In response to his knock, the door half opened and a sleepy looking Kurtz appeared in his pyjamas and dressing-gown.

  ‘You!’ Kurtz gasped. His face clouded over.

  ‘I want to talk to you,’ Leeburg said evenly.

  ‘Go away,’ Kurtz growled and started to close the door. Leeburg kept it open.

  ‘I said I wanted to talk to you,’ he snapped and pushed past Kurtz into the room. There was a strong smell of stale cigarette smoke and empty bottles lay scattered around the room.

  ‘I told you not to come back bellyaching to me,’ Kurtz said, his eyes blazing with anger. ‘Now get out!’

  ‘Not so fast,’ Leeburg retorted. He was in no mood to be put off.

  ‘Get out!’ Kurtz said threateningly.

  ‘Who is it?’ a sleepy voice called out from the bedroom.

  It was a woman’s voice, and it sounded familiar to Leeburg. He smiled to himself. He knew who it would be. He saw Kurtz’s eyes flash to the half opened bedroom door and back to Leeburg. Kurtz moved to close the door, but Leeburg stepped in front of him.

  ‘Get out of my way,’ Kurtz hissed. He tried to pull Leeburg aside, but Leeburg held his ground.

  ‘Allow me,’ Leeburg said calmly.

  Again Kurtz tried to get past him, but Leeburg pushed him away. Kurtz fell heavily against the table and a number of bottles rolled on to the floor.

  Leeburg stepped backwards and glanced into the bedroom. He saw a wide-eyed Frieda lying in bed looking at him. There was a frightened expression on her face. He closed the door and turned to Kurtz. He was looking at Leeburg like a cornered animal.

  ‘What do you want?’ Kurtz snapped.

  ‘Where can I find Alfoss?’ Leeburg asked. He had a feeling Kurtz was going to be more co-operative now.

  Kurtz lit a cigarette and inhaled deeply. ‘You can’t,’ he said. ‘He is dead.’

  ‘Dead!’ Leeburg exclaimed. ‘When?’

  ‘He was shot by the French border patrol over a year ago.’

  ‘Then why this?’ Leeburg fumed, holding up his bandaged finger. ‘Why didn’t you tell me last night?’

  ‘I tried to warn you off.’

  ‘You could have told me about Alfoss.’

  ‘And you could have told me why you wanted him. There could have been other reasons. We can’t take chances. The stakes are too high.’

  ‘Other reasons?’ Leeburg asked breathing heavily. ‘Other than Reitzer?’

  Kurtz said nothing.

  ‘You were there?’ Leeburg asked angrily.

  ‘No,’ Kurtz said quietly, ‘but I was told.’

  ‘Told what?’ Leeburg snapped.

  ‘That you were looking for Reitzer.’

  ‘And why?’

  ‘And why,’ Kurtz said and stamped out his cigarette. ‘Look, Leeburg,’ he added hastily. ‘They treated you rough last night, I agree, but you are not dealing with small-time
operators. These men mean business — big business. They are out to protect their interests. Now you want to find this man, Reitzer. All right, they will find him for you. I promise you. Let’s just leave it at that.’

  He lit another cigarette. Leeburg watched him thoughtfully. Without Alfoss he had no lead to Reitzer. If Reitzer was alive and in Switzerland, he could be anywhere, despite what Frau Alrich had said. Kurtz’s organization knew why he wanted Reitzer. So what, so long as they found him?

  ‘All right,’ he said slowly. ‘We’ll leave it at that for the time being, but,’ he added meaningfully, ‘if they don’t come up with some information soon, I might become impatient. The French would be very interested to know how I got my finger burned.’

  ‘Can you afford to talk to the French?’ Kurtz smirked.

  ‘I am prepared to take the risk,’ Leeburg shot back at him. He looked at the bedroom door and back to Kurtz. ‘It might not be only the French who would be prepared to listen to me.’

  Kurtz flushed up. Leeburg was surprised. He thought Kurtz would have been less sensitive. Or was he afraid of Karl? he wondered.

  ‘I wouldn’t do anything rash,’ Kurtz said.

  Leeburg turned to leave. ‘I won’t,’ he smiled, ‘but don’t keep me waiting too long.’

  He left Kurtz to Frieda and walked slowly through the empty streets. He didn’t intend to say anything to Karl because he didn’t wish to hurt him, but Karl would find out one day. He had married a hot pants. He was always going to have trouble with her. If it wasn’t Kurtz it would be someone else. She was like that. Fortunately on this particular occasion her infidelity had been to Leeburg’s advantage. It had made Kurtz more cooperative.

  But where was it going to end? Leeburg wondered. He started to walk faster. The whole business was beginning to sicken him. Even the town had lost the magic he had felt the previous evening. It had a stark, shabby feel about it in the cold, grey light of day. Police notices, half-torn posters, and military vehicles were everywhere. It now seemed to emit an air of defeat and intrigue, as if behind every window was a hidden eye watching his movements. He began to feel uneasy in its unfamiliar surroundings.