Dennis looked alarmed, then he realised the truth of what Fritz was saying.
‘Blast! You’re right. OK, I’ll put it out, but we’ll freeze if we have to be here for long.’
‘Haven’t you got more blankets here? We’ll have to huddle together to keep warm and wait for them to turn up with the ransom. When did you say that would be?’
‘Tomorrow; but not here. There’s a place in the woods...’ he paused, reluctant to give Fritz details. ‘There are some blankets and things in the chest, but they may be damp, I haven’t been here since the summer.’
‘That’ll do,’ said Fritz and got up to rummage in the oak chest. He spread blankets and a thick quilt over the floor, then wrapped himself in another rug and settled down, like a large woolly chrysalis, to sleep beside the extinguished embers of the fire. Fritz had checked outside and seen that the smoke had been dispersed by the crisp wind from the north. It had snowed again and covered their footprints, but it looked as if it would be stopping soon as the sky was clearing and weak sunshine beginning to appear.
Dennis watched Fritz for a while and then decided to wrap up and sleep himself. He felt incredibly tired. Penny was still asleep; until she woke he would try to rest. God, I hope she doesn’t have a tantrum, I’m not sure I could cope with that. Or the drugs might have had a lasting effect on her, making her ill. What would he do then? This was when fear began to overwhelm him and acute discomfort robbed him of sleep as icy slivers of cold air forced its way between the floorboards.
His last transient thoughts were optimistic. I can make this thing work; we’re safe, we have food for a few days. Soon we’ll have the ransom and can give back the child. I’ll go and cash it all in and can go back home a rich man. Everything will be fine.
Chapter Thirty
There were four in the big 1938 Mercedes. John sat in the front beside Hank; Isabel and Zelda spread out on the back seat with their furs around them. The car was built like a tank, it may even have been bullet proofed. Isabel supposed it must have belonged to a senior Wehrmacht officer before it was requisitioned by the Americans. Settling into the seat, wide enough for at least three people, she could feel the little Mauser and box of ammunition forming a hard mass in the pocket of her coat and moved it aside to make herself more comfortable.
Hank had arrived promptly at 7.30 wearing a greatcoat over his uniform and a non-regulation woollen hat. He helped Irma put the bags in the boot with the flasks and food she had supplied for the journey. They threw in a shovel in case they became stuck and had to dig the car out of a snowdrift. Several anonymous cartons containing the precious ransom were packed as well. The car’s big tyres had been covered in cumbersome snow chains.
‘We’ll need those out in the country,’ said John. ‘The roads are cleared here, but the snow’s going to be thick on the country roads.’
As it happened the roads had been cleared by snow-ploughs almost as far Bad Hartzburg; only a few kilometres from their destination. A fresh fall in the night meant that some snow covered the tarmac in a thin layer, but it was not nearly as bad as they had expected. Flakes fell gently, but visibility was good and Hank had no difficulty in negotiating their route. But everything changed once they passed Bad Hartzburg. Out in the deeper countryside the roads were still blanketed with snow and driving through it became a struggle. Snow poured more heavily from the sky; they were higher now, close to the mountains. At one point they had to get out and use the shovel to remove banks of snow and the whole group had to push to get the car moving again. The wheels spun noisily and the engine laboured.
‘My God, this thing is heavy!’ said Isabel as they struggled up the incline.
‘Yes, they’re very well made, these Mercs,’ said John, grunting with the effort.
‘Too bloody well made if you ask me.’
They soon resumed their journey, after a drink of hot coffee and a sandwich eaten in the car. They each breathed a sigh of relief when, after three hours on the road, the distinctive black and white architecture of the Hotel Schauser hove into view through gaps in the falling snow, like a ghost house appearing from a mist.
‘Gee, I’m glad that’s over,’ said Zelda. ‘I can’t wait for stiff drink. Are you on, Isabel?’
‘Gosh, yes,’ she replied. ‘I can’t wait.’
They strode towards the hotel, bags in their hands, whilst John and Hank heaved in the rest of the luggage, including the ransom. Bill materialised in the porch. He wore his uniform; hadn’t even loosened the collar, but stood as stiff as a guardsman, making no move to come forward and greet them.
‘Bill!’ shrieked Isabel. ‘I’m so glad you’re here.’ She ran towards him, her fur boats slithering in the new-fallen snow.
‘Hello, Isabel.’ Bill regarded her coldly, making no attempt to steady her precarious progress. ‘Come inside. Hurry up.’ He made no move to help with the luggage, but strode back into the hallway.
Isabel followed and went to embrace him but he moved away; subtly turning out of her grasp.
‘We’ll talk in a minute, Isabel,’ he said, making it clear that he wanted to wait until the others were out of earshot.
Herr Schauser fussed around them, allocating rooms and directing the servants to take the bags to their destinations. As usual he maintained a steady stream of dialogue.
‘Komm,’ he said, ‘to the Gastzimmer - there are drinks for you there. Komm, komm.’ He waggled his chubby hands and directed them to the smaller lounge where a log fire burned in the grate.
Before she could follow, Bill gripped Isabel’s arm as if in a vice.
‘Wait, Isabel, I need to talk to you,’ he growled as he pulled her back into the hall, his gaze as stern as a schoolmaster about to reprimand a pupil. ‘How could you let this happen? Why weren’t you watching the child?’
Aghast at his obvious fury, Isabel was silent. This was not what she had expected. It was so unfair; it hadn’t been her fault. She didn’t feel she had to explain. As if she hadn’t had enough trouble with that awful Major Goddard and his machine-gun questions. She was momentarily dumbfounded and then the words started to pour out of her, as did the tears that streamed down her cheeks; it had all been too much. She took Bill through every detail from the moment that she stood on the steps of the Grunewald house saying goodbye to the ballet class, gasping the story out between sobs.
They were still standing in the middle of the hotel’s hallway, like two prize-fighters circling each other before they strike the first blow. Rage still burnt in Bill’s eyes and Isabel was sure he was not listening to what she was saying.
‘It wasn’t my fault. She just disappeared and we couldn’t find her anywhere.’
‘Of course it was your fault, you should have kept your eye on her.’
‘I thought Prince had been run over.’
‘I suppose you thought that was more important than our child?’ sarcasm edged his voice in steel.
‘No, of course not. But I had no reason to suppose she was in danger. She was there beside me.’
‘You’re saying she was miraculously spirited away?’
‘I thought just that at first. But now we know that it was Dennis that took her.’
‘Dennis Masters? Don’t be ridiculous.’ Disbelief and disdain rang in every syllable.
Isabel realised that Bill didn’t know the rest of the story or Dennis’s involvement in it.
‘For goodness sake, Bill,’ she said. ‘Come and sit down and I’ll tell you the rest of it.’ She drew Bill over to a sofa nearer the fire and made him sit. Drawing the ransom note from her coat pocket and handing it to him, she explained it all from the moment the nightmare began.
‘We’ve got the ransom with us. John’s been marvellous and got it all from the stores at HQ, or the pharmacy or something.’
‘So that explains why we’re here. I wondered why we had to meet in the Hartz mountains.’ Bill still appeared angry, but the information obviously gave him pause for thought. He studied the note with car
e.
‘I know. It seems weird. But I think he must have a hidey-hole somewhere near here; he couldn’t very well keep Penny in the flat, could he? We’d have found him quickly, or that horrible Major Goddard would.’
‘Dennis Masters. I can hardly believe it. I knew he was a moody bastard and hated us, but I didn’t think he could be this vindictive. I wonder who else is involved.’
‘Anya thinks it may be something to do with the Russians, but I don’t believe that.’
‘Anya! She knows about this too?’ Bill’s eyes narrowed.
‘She has taken an interest, yes; so have John and Zelda, and Irma and Hank too. They’ve all been a tremendous help, Bill. You weren’t around and I had to turn to someone. That’s why they’re here now. Zelda got Chuck to lend us the car and Hank to drive it. Zelda’s here for moral support.’
‘I suppose you think I should have been there to help you?’
‘It would have been nice. It was very difficult for me when I couldn’t even get in touch with you on the phone. But you weren’t around, so that’s that.’
‘I’m here now,’ said Bill. ‘I brought some help too. I didn’t know what we were up against. If it was the Russians I thought I might need some heavies to sort things out.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘There’s a Special Forces Sergeant and a few squaddies in the annexe, armed to the teeth. I co-opted them in Hanover. It may be overkill against Dennis Masters.’ He spat out the name with contempt.
‘Goodness, how did you wangle that?’ asked Isabel.
‘I pulled rank,’ Bill managed a wry grin. ‘I think they were glad to come. They’re itching for a bit of action, there’s been nothing for them to do since the war ended.’
‘I’m not so sure about the overkill,’ said Isabel. ‘I think he may have some help. There may be more people involved than we’re aware of.’
John came into the hall. ‘Come on, you two,’ he said. ‘Schauser’s made some Glühwein that’ll rot your socks. Come and drink it while it’s still hot.’
Obediently the pair went to the lounge where they were handed goblets of steaming wine fragrant with spices.
John stood beside Isabel and spoke to her softly. ‘Was he giving you a hard time?’
‘Yes, a bit,’ she replied. ‘But I think it’s all right now, thanks. I explained everything to him.’
‘Shall I have a word with him?’
‘No. He’s calmed down a bit. He’s brought a bunch of Special Forces men with him.’
‘Really? Well, they may be a help. I hope they’re not too trigger-happy. Drink that wine, Bella; it’ll make you feel a whole lot better.’
Isabel smiled at him gratefully; he had been such a rock through all this. John turned away and went to talk to Bill. He was probably filling him in with the details, maybe he’d manage to explain it all and tell him it wasn’t her fault.
Soon they were sitting down to one of Herr Schauser’s rib-sticking meals, bacon and sausages with cabbage and potatoes, guaranteed to make you want to sleep for the rest of the afternoon. Hank stayed with them for the meal; it seemed only fair after all the driving, they couldn’t just put him in the annexe as if he were a servant.
After lunch John, Bill and the Special Forces men gathered on the snow-covered gravel outside the hotel.
‘There are some summer cottages down by the lake, what the Russians would call dachas; little log cabins. We haven’t been able to establish exactly who owns them, but I suspect one of them may belong to Masters. I think that’s the most likely spot for him to have taken the child,’ Bill said to the assembled men.
The soldiers wore winter combat gear, snow boots and helmets; all but John and Bill carried rifles. They bristled with ammunition and pockets bulged with hand grenades and other ordinance. John and Bill carried hand guns in holsters beneath their coats. Isabel stood in the porch watching them; she had never seen a group of fighting men in all their gear before.
‘We’re going on a quick reconnoitre through the forest,’ said Bill, ‘before it gets dark or starts to snow again. See if we can find anything. We won’t be long.’
‘Can’t I come with you?’ asked Isabel.
‘No, of course not, this is a military operation,’ said Bill. ‘We can’t take a woman along.’
‘It couldn’t do any harm, Bill,’ said John. ‘Isabel’s been cooped up for days, driving herself mad with worry. Maybe this’ll make her feel as if she’s doing something constructive. It’s only a reccy; we’re not likely to see any action.’
‘Oh please, Bill,’ begged Isabel. ‘I won’t get in the way. If you found Penny or any sign of her, I’d want to be there, she’d need me.’
‘All right then. If you must,’ Bill gave in. ‘Keep well back and out of the way if anything happens.’
‘Thank you. I won’t be a minute; I’ll just get my coat and boots.’ Isabel dashed back into the building.
Five minutes later the party strode off into the pines trees a short walk from the hotel. Although several inches of snow lay outside the forest, between the trees only a thin dusting lay on the ground. The thick canopy of branches held the snow above them like a thick tablecloth and only thin sprinkles drifted through the branches, like flour sifting through a sieve. In some clearings between the trees, bushes, heaps of stones and rocky outcrops were garnished with a coating of white. Occasionally the weight of the snow caused the branches to bend and release their burden in a noisy mini-avalanche. Sparse light glimmered between the branches and little sound could be heard. Even though sunset was a couple of hours away the darkness between the trees made it difficult to see ahead. Gentle rattles and soft footfall sounded from the soldiers, but generally their passage through the trees, over a thick carpet of pine needles, was silent as a peaceful walk in the English countryside.
The winter camouflage worn by the men was hardly suitable here because the white stood out clearly against the dark trees, the undergrowth and the forest floor. But as they were up against a single enemy, as far as they knew, this did not appear to bother them.
The party stole through the forest, the soldiers spread out in a line with Bill, John and Isabel bringing up the rear in a closer group. They walked for twenty minutes without seeing or hearing anything. At one point the Sergeant raised a hand for silence and to make everyone stop as he had heard something amongst the trees. Isabel’s breath caught and she felt her heart beating faster; had they found something? But it was only a young deer foraging on the forest floor. The animal raised its head, even more terrified than Isabel and he leapt away into the undergrowth.
The forest floor appeared at first to be smooth and flat, thickly covered with fallen pine needles, but many obstacles stood in the way. The thick girder of a fallen tree trunk, a deep hole where a forest animal had dug a haven, sudden deep ditches where a stream from the mountains above, on its way to the lake, had dug a trench. One of the soldiers fell into one of these unexpected brooks, amidst colourful swearing and enough noise to alert anyone within a mile of their presence.
‘Shut the fuck up,’ snarled the Sergeant, ‘or I’ll have you on a charge.’
From then on they progressed more carefully, hardly daring to whisper in the iron cold stillness.
Isabel found it harder to keep up than she had expected. The beaver coat kept her warm but it also hampered her movements. It drifted and tangled around her ankles and several times she felt as if she might stumble and fall. How humiliating that would be in front of the men. She had promised she would not to be a nuisance. She swore under her breath as her ankle twisted around a root looping treacherously out of the carpet on the forest floor.
Weariness also began to overtake her. Perhaps she should have had a good rest back at the hotel instead of coming on this expedition. They were only trying to get the lie of the land, after all. They didn’t think they would be doing anything. How far were they going to walk? Miles, or just as far as the lake, glimpses of which she could see in the
distance? Doggedly she struggled to keep up with John and Bill, but even they were falling behind the soldiers, probably to accommodate her slower pace. John looked back over his shoulder.
‘You OK, Isabel? You could wait here if you like. We’re just looking around for now. Nothing’s going to happen.’
‘I’m all right, thank you, John. I want to stay with you, just in case.’
‘I understand. But don’t get too far behind; we don’t want to lose you.’
‘Just try to keep up, Isabel,’ said Bill without looking back.
They trudged on for another few hundred metres. The glitter of the lake became clearer in the distance, weak sunshine reflecting on its surface now the snow had ceased to fall.
The Sergeant halted the men in mime and sent a pair of soldiers ahead to examine the shores of the lake more closely. They had a heavy pair of Zeiss binoculars with them. The remainder of the party took a brief rest. John and several of the soldiers lit cigarettes and Isabel watched the smoke drift up into the trees.
She felt as if she had found her second wind. Her annoyance at Bill’s uncaring attitude spurred her on and now she felt eager to get ahead, to find Penny, rescue her and go home as quickly as possible. She wandered between the trees, always keeping the party in sight. There’s not going to be any signs, she thought, I’m not likely to find anything. But then she did.
Her fur boots disturbed the surface of the forest floor. In her restless mooching she kicked at the pine needles and dead leaves, turning over the top layer as she went. She spotted something incongruous in the dark brown mess. Blue and white; a tiny thing that she recognised at once. Her heart started to pound and she picked it up. Excited, she ran back to where John and Bill were standing, holding the object in her outstretched hand.
‘John, look! I’ve found something!’
‘What is it?’
‘It’s a doll’s house teapot. Blue and white china, just like a real one.’
‘Anyone could have dropped that,’ scoffed Bill.
‘No. Penny had it. She took it from the doll’s house at the hotel. She didn’t know I knew about it, but she pinched it, she loved it so. It means she’s been here, so we know we’re on the right track; someone brought her through these woods and she dropped it.’
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