The Secret Crown paj-6

by Chris Kuzneski

  As he made his way into the tent, the man spotted Jones at a large wooden table and decided to sneak up behind him. Well aware of Jones’s training, he took no chances with the ex-MANIAC. He patiently waited until Jones set down his mug before he wrapped his arm round his friend’s throat. Then he gave it a friendly squeeze.

  Jones glanced back and saw the unmistakable chin of Nick Dial. It was the physical trait that defined him. ‘It’s about time. We were wondering when you’d show up. Or if you’d show up.’

  Dial patted his shoulder. ‘Sorry about my tardiness. But some idiot shot a bunch of people in the grotto at the Linderhof. I had to go check it out.’

  Jones grunted. ‘The nerve of some people!’

  Payne, who was sitting across from Jones, stood and shook Dial’s hand. ‘Long time no see. We’re glad you could sneak away – if only for today.’

  ‘And I’m glad you’re still alive. Seriously, you guys are retired. You need to relax.’

  Jones handed him a beer. ‘That’s exactly what we’re doing.’

  Dial pulled out his chair. ‘Not to be a downer, but it’s getting harder and harder for me to clean up your messes. My badge can only do so much.’

  Payne nodded in understanding. ‘Just say the word, and we’ll quit calling.’

  ‘And miss invitations like this? Not a chance.’

  ‘Come on, Nick. You know what I mean.’

  Dial nodded. ‘We’re not there yet, but we’re getting closer.’

  ‘Understood.’

  Jones glanced at Dial. ‘Any news on Mueller?’

  Dial took a sip of beer. ‘Well, those were definitely his men at the Linderhof. Fingerprints and their arrest records prove it. According to my calculations, you’ve killed ten of his men in the past week. That’s bound to get you noticed.’

  ‘Define noticed.’

  Dial chose his words carefully. ‘Mueller is a cold, calculating son of a bitch. He isn’t the type of guy who will challenge you to a gunfight at dawn, unless he knows he can win. My guess is he’ll take his time to find out everything he can about you. After that, he’ll come after you with a small army – or a very good assassin. Whatever he thinks will work best.’

  Payne scanned the room. ‘Great.’

  Dial forced a smile. ‘Don’t worry, it won’t be today. Oktoberfest is far too important to the local economy. If he struck here, the German government would destroy him. No way he would risk his entire organization for two Americans he’s never met. Even assholes like you.’

  Jones poured another beer. ‘Good to know.’

  ‘So,’ Dial said as he noticed two empty chairs at their table, ‘where’s Petr? And didn’t you say something about an attractive blonde who might like handcuffs?’

  ‘They’ll be here soon. They’re flying in from Switzerland.’

  Dial lowered his voice. ‘And what about Kaiser? How’s he doing?’

  Payne answered. ‘He’ll live, but he’s pretty pissed off. During the assault, he caught some shrapnel in one of his eyes. The doctors tried to save it, but they weren’t successful.’

  Dial winced. ‘I’d be pissed, too, if I lost an eye.’

  Payne shook his head. ‘Actually, he can handle losing an eye. It’s the joking that’s got him pissed. We stopped by the hospital to see how he was doing, and DJ playfully called him “Long John Kaiser”. He even brought him a pirate eye patch as a gag.’

  Jones grimaced. ‘In retrospect, it was a little too soon.’

  Dial laughed at his friend’s antics. ‘If I were you, I’d buy him a gift. A really nice gift. This is someone you don’t want pissed at you.’

  ‘Trust me,’ Jones said, as he thought about the crate of gold that was waiting in Ulster’s vault, ‘we have just the thing to cheer him up.’

  Over the next twenty minutes, the trio caught up on old times. They had known each other for years but rarely had a chance to get together because of the distance between Pittsburgh and France. Halfway through his story about the salami, Jones stopped and rubbed his eyes. Even though he’d had very little to drink, he was pretty sure his mind was playing tricks on him.

  Jones asked, ‘What’s the alcohol content of this beer?’

  Payne shrugged as he ate some roast pork. ‘I don’t know, why?’

  ‘I think Petr just arrived.’

  ‘And?’

  ‘Unless I’m imagining things, he’s wearing lederhosen.’

  A few seconds later, Payne was laughing so hard he started coughing up food. The sight of Ulster, one of the most respected historians in the world, squeezed into the traditional knee-length leather shorts – his outfit completed with matching braces and a pointed hat with a red feather – was too much for him to handle. Not wanting to embarrass his portly friend, Payne quickly excused himself before Ulster reached their table.

  Thanks to the massive crowd, Payne slipped away unseen. At least he thought he had until he felt a faint tap on his shoulder a minute later. He turned round, fully expecting to see a drunken tourist with a handful of beer. Instead, he saw Heidi. She was standing there in a gathered skirt with a low-cut bodice, a white apron and thigh-high white stockings. Her blonde hair, which was normally in a ponytail, had been separated into two braids, each tied with white ribbons that dangled in front of her cleavage.

  ‘Hey, stranger,’ she said before she kissed him on his cheek.

  Payne struggled to catch his breath. ‘Wow.’

  She smiled and curtsied. As she did, she swooshed her blue skirt back and forth with her hands. ‘Do you like it? It’s called a dirndl. It’s very popular in Bavaria.’

  ‘I can see why. You look incredible.’

  She blushed slightly. ‘If that’s the case, why did you run away from me?’

  ‘When was that?’

  ‘Just now. I showed up with Petr, and you ran away.’

  He apologized. ‘Sorry, I didn’t even see you. I started choking on my food and needed to clear my throat.’

  She patted him on the back. ‘Are you okay?’

  He nodded. ‘I am now.’

  She linked her arm in his and pulled him off to the side of the tent. ‘Before we go back to the table, I just wanted to take a moment to thank you.’

  ‘For what?’

  ‘For letting me tag along on your adventure.’

  He laughed at her description. ‘Yeah, like I had a choice.’

  She gave him a playful shove. ‘Come on! I wasn’t that bad, was I?’

  ‘You mean, before you blackmailed your way onto the chopper or after?’

  Heidi laughed at the memory. ‘After.’

  ‘In that case, you were great. We couldn’t have done it without you.’

  ‘Well, I don’t know about that, but I appreciate the sentiment.’

  He turned and faced her. ‘Maybe you’re right. Maybe we could have done it eventually, but the truth is your presence really speeded up the process. I hope you know that.’

  She smiled at the compliment. ‘I do now.’

  ‘So,’ he said, ‘how are things going with Petr?’

  For the past few days, Heidi and Ulster had been working together at the Archives, trying to organize all the information they had learned about Ludwig. Eventually, their group would have to contact the local government about their discoveries at the Linderhof and Payne wanted Heidi to be a part of the process since she worked for the Bavarian Palace Department.

  ‘It’s been unbelievable,’ she gushed. ‘I’ve learned more history in the last week than I did during my four years of college. Suddenly, my eyes are open to a whole new world, and I’m looking forward to exploring it.’

  ‘Wow. You’re pretty young to be having a midlife crisis.’

  She laughed. ‘Trust me, it’s not a midlife crisis, although I am thinking about changing jobs.’

  ‘Really? Do you have something in mind?’

  ‘As a matter of fact, I do. Earlier today, Petr offered me a position at the Archives, working as a paid inte
rn. The money isn’t great, but the contacts I could make would be invaluable.’

  ‘Congratulations! That’s awesome news. When do you start?’

  ‘I don’t know. I haven’t accepted the position yet. Petr just offered it to me on the flight here, and I told him I needed some time to think.’

  ‘Personally, I think it would be foolish not to take it. With the Archives on your resume and a letter of recommendation from Petr, you can get a job at any museum or research facility in the world. His name carries that much weight.’

  ‘I agree, which is why I’m going to accept the offer.’

  He threw his arm round her. ‘In that case, we need to celebrate your news. And since you’ll be taking a major cut in salary, everything is on me tonight.’

  She snuggled against him. ‘If I drink enough, that might include me.’

  Payne laughed at her comment, then ordered another round.

  Author’s Note

  The first time I saw a picture of Neuschwanstein, I didn’t think it was real. I figured it was a make-believe castle, drawn by a talented artist for an upcoming movie or the cover of a new game. I mean, who in their right mind would build something so whimsical? If you’ve never seen the castle, take a moment to look at the photos on my website. Then you’ll know what I’m talking about. (The internet address is listed below.)

  Of course, I would later discover that the castle was real, and the man who commissioned it was downright crazy. Whether he was dressing up as the Swan Knight or riding his horse in circles for hours at a time, Ludwig the Second seems like a fictional character. But his eccentric behaviour – including his dream of starting a brand-new kingdom – has been well documented in several non-fiction sources. For more information, take a trip to your local library. While you’re at it, buy ten more copies of this book, make your friends and family read them, and then have a lengthy discussion on the topic. In fact, I recommend that for all my novels. Especially the buying ten more copies part. (Actually, just to be safe, better make it twenty.)

  By the way, here’s one last thing I didn’t mention in the story, but I found it interesting nonetheless. Towards the end of Ludwig’s reign, one of the biggest concerns of the Bavarian government was the enormous amount of personal wealth he had spent on his castles, yet since his death in 1886, more than sixty million people have toured Neuschwanstein alone. Once you factor in visits to Linderhof Castle, Herrenchiemsee Palace and the King’s House on Schachen, Ludwig’s architecture has brought in billions of dollars of tourist revenue to Bavaria – far more than he ever spent on his building projects, even after adjusting for inflation.

  In retrospect, maybe Ludwig wasn’t so crazy after all.

  Please visit www.chriskuzneski.com for additional information about my writing, answers to frequently asked questions, and a brand-new section detailing the locations visited in my books. I’m really excited about this new addition to my website, and I encourage anyone interested in a visual tour of my books to check it out.

  Acknowledgements

  This book wouldn’t exist without the collective effort of many people. I’ve tried my best to thank everyone personally for his or her contribution, but there are a few I’d like to recognize here.

  As always, I’d like to start with my family (especially my mom). Without their love and support, I wouldn’t be the person or the writer that I am today. Thanks for putting up with me.

  Professionally, I want to thank my friend and agent, Scott Miller. Before we teamed up, I couldn’t find a publisher. Now my books are available all round the globe. Not too shabby for two guys from Pennsylvania. Speaking of geography, I’d like to thank Scott’s assistant, MacKenzie Fraser-Bub, and her sweet, southern accent. I smile every time she calls or answers his phone. (Of course, then she puts Scott on the line, and he instantly ruins my mood!) I also want to thank Claire Roberts – my foreign agent, who landed my British deal and many others – and her assistant Iris Hsieh. In short, I’ve got nothing but love for everyone at Trident Media.

  To say that I’ve been thrilled with Penguin UK would be an understatement. How they managed to turn an unknown writer like myself into a bestselling author in the United Kingdom is a miracle – especially since my surname has way too many consonants to look pretty on paper. Believe it or not, even I don’t know how to pronounce it. In particular, I’d like to single out my well-dressed editor, Alex Clarke, and his charming assistant, Anthea Townsend. Working with them has been a wonderful experience.

  Next is my awesome friend Ian Harper. I want to thank him for reading, rereading and then re-rereading everything I write and for all of his suggestions. His advice and expertise is, well, awesome! If anyone’s looking for a freelance editor, please let me know. I’d be happy to put you in touch with him. I highly recommend him.

  Finally, I’d like to thank all the readers, librarians, booksellers and critics who have read my thrillers and have recommended them to others. At this stage of my career, I need all the help I can get, so I would appreciate your continued support.

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