Long Buried Secrets: James Dieter Book 4

by Francis Joseph Smith

  Jim was astounded. “The President just up and told you about the shipment? No questions as to why you wanted to know?”

  “Its all in the presentation, my friend. She is aware of my background as an art enthusiast. I simply informed her that I heard from a friend the Gurlitt collection was being taken down for so-called maintenance. It was just a casual conversation that I steered her too. Then I inquired about her grandchildren and it progressed up to my latest art acquisition. I told her I would like to have it placed on loan in the Bern gallery in her honor. That’s when she informed me of the Gurlitt collection being moved and not for the purposes of maintenance. It was just a conversation between friends.”

  “Hell of a conversation. She just laid out the museums whole plan to you.”

  He smiled. “What can I say? People like to open up to a kindly old man. Now, I will call the Russian Defense Minister to see if he has any information on the people they have sent after you.”

  “And how will you swing the conversation to the Gurlitt collection?”

  “The same as the Swiss President. I will ask about his family and soon after that inform him of my desire to donate a painting to the Hermitage Museum in his name. That should stir up some discussion. I will also invite him and his wife to this year’s Salzburg Christmas festival as my personal guests.”

  “That should get the ball rolling. I won’t hold you up any longer. Call me as soon as you hear anything. I will get things rolling on my end. And thank-you, Solomon, for all of your assistance.”

  Solomon wouldn’t hear of it. “No, thank-you, James Dieter. Benny informed me of the real reason why you are doing this. You are truly a man of God.”

  Jim blushed on his end. “I wouldn’t go that far Solomon. I’m just doing what’s right.”

  A SLENDER MAN GAINED access to the manor house by way of an unlocked window in the servant’s quarters, this before the butler had set the alarm and departed for the night. He was dressed in black from head-to-toe. Once in, he proceeded up to the second floor, following Solomon’s booming voice as he was evidently speaking on his cell phone. In the hallway outside of the library, the slender man eyed Solomon sitting comfortably in his chair by the fireplace. Patiently he waited until Solomon had concluded his phone conversations: one with the President of the Swiss Confederation, which he only caught the tail end of, and the second with the Russian Defense Minister. That had extra meaning for him. But he would address that at a more appropriate time. Using cunning gained from years of training, the man eased into the library, dangling a homemade garret between his hands. Slowly he approached the rear of the chair were Solomon sat, sipping from his glass of wine. The room about them was quiet except for the crackling of the logs in the fireplace. The man sought a position directly behind Solomon. He waited until Solomon had finished his wine and had placed his glass back on a side table. In a matter of seconds the garrote was around Solomon’s neck, the slender man pulling back with such an excessive force it quickly crushed Solomon’s windpipe. He gasped and struggled for almost 30 seconds before his body went limp. Luckily for Solomon, his death had been quick. But that was all part of the slender man’s plan. Wasting no time, at a fast pace he proceeded over to the fireplace, stroking the fire until it was once again blazing. Using the hook side of the fireplace poker he yanked the logs onto the rooms wood floor, its embers scattering onto an antique oriental rug.

  The man stood back for few moments, waiting until the rug caught fire. Within seconds the fire began to spread. But time was at a premium. With the skill of a professional that he was, the man pulled Solomon onto the floor not far from the fireplace, positioning him face down. He then placed the fireplace poker into his right hand as though Solomon’s last moments were spent tending to the fire.

  The fire now spread to the rooms’ heavy drapery. It would not be long until the whole house would be engulfed. The man looked around the room for a smoke detector, noticing one above the entranceway. Moving a chair into place, he used it as a stool to remove the smoke detectors battery, pocketing it before placing the detector back into its original position, then the chair.

  Satisfied, he was quick to leave the same way he had come in, through an unlocked window. Once outside, he hastily walked towards where he had parked his car on a side street just outside of Solomon’s compound. As he walked he called a number his Embassy had provided him just two hours ago. It was answered on the first ring. “It’s me. The old man put up no resistance. His two guests left about an hour and a half ago. One of them was your target. The other, I have no idea. I am sending some pictures of the man’s face to our people in Moscow for facial recognition. Balls in your court.”

  CHAPTER 46

  Nora’s cell phone vibrated on the nightstand. She looked at its screen: 7am. She thought it might be Jim calling before he boarded the plane to return from Salzburg. Odd, but the caller ID was blank. “Hello,” she said, her voice a bit gravelly.

  It was Benny on the other end. “Nora, I’m so sorry to bother you at this early hour but I can’t seem to reach Jim,” he said with a hint of melancholy.

  “Jim should be boarding his flight or in his seat already,” she replied. “What’s wrong Benny?”

  Benny took a few seconds to compose himself before speaking. “It concerns our mutual friend, Solomon. I just received word that he and his wife died in a house fire late last night. Evidently a few hours after Jim and I had left. My friends on the scene say it looked like he succumbed to a heart attack while he was tending his fire, his wife to smoke inhalation. But I think you and I know better.”

  Nora shook her head slowly. She was wide-awake now as she rose out of bed, placing her feet on the floor. “I’m so sorry, Benny. I spoke to Jim last night after Solomon called him at his hotel. Jim really took a liking to the man. Said he was an old school gentlemen. He said I had to meet him.”

  “I wish you could of. Today our world is aching with the loss of Solomon.” Benny suddenly changed gears. “With that said, I originally informed Jim I would perform a single favor for him. And that single favor was bringing Solomon into the fold of your little project. After I set up the meeting with Solomon I was to wash my hands and be on my way. However, the bar has been raised. Someone went too far. With the death of my friend, Solomon, I am committing whatever resources you need to get your project completed.”

  At first Nora didn’t know how to respond. The head of Mossad was essentially saying they had his full backing. “I can’t speak for Jim,” she said, “But that’s an extremely generous offer. Let me leave Jim a voice mail. He should only be in the air for about 45 minutes. He can call you when he lands.”

  “Nora, I think you should leave the hotel where you are. Pick Jim up at the airport and move to your next location. Somebody is on to you. Whether it is the Russians or someone else. It is getting dangerous. Very dangerous.”

  Nora thought about what Benny said for about two seconds. “Your right, we are moving.”

  “Sound judgement. Watch your tail.”

  CHAPTER 47

  Moscow

  Sergei Liugo, the head of Russia’s military intelligence service, sat at his desk, expecting a call from Zurich. He first looked to his watch, then the office clock. Both read 7:20am. As if on schedule, his operative called on the Voice Keeper telephone scrambler, a step down from the Russian Cryo System, but it enabled operatives to use their personnel cell phones and the call still be scrambled.

  “As you requested, it is done,” said Misha Zakov. “I made it look like a house fire. Both the wife and Solomon is dead.”

  “You have done well, Misha,” replied Sergei. “I may still require your services if Lana and Yuri continue to blunder through this job. I am providing them just enough rope to hang themselves.”

  “I completely understand,” said Misha. “I stand ready to assist.”

  “Good, very good. I want you to go to Bern. Check into the same hotel as our operatives. But lay low.”

  �
�I will leave as soon as I hang up. I can be there in an hour or so.”

  Sergei laughed aloud into the phone. “You have done enough for the past 12 hours. Wait until after breakfast and then proceed. Have an easy drive. Live a little.”

  “Yes, Sir. As you request. I will leave first thing after breakfast.”

  Sergei hung up. Next he called Yuri. After five rings, a groggy Yuri answered. “How are my favorite couple?” he inquired.

  Yuri took several seconds to answer. It might have had something to do with the quantity and combination of wine and vodka they were drinking the night before. “We are fine, Sergei,” he replied searching for his bottle of water. He looked over to his still sleeping wife before tapping her hard on the shoulder several times to awaken her.

  “Leave me alone,” she protested, pulling the blanket over her head.

  “It’s the boss,” he said with his hand over the mouthpiece.

  “Damn,” she said, now rising, pulling the beds sheet around her naked body.

  Sergei had overheard everything that had transpired. Yuri’s hand evidently did not completely cover the phone. “Put me on speaker,” he demanded.

  As ordered, he placed them on speaker.

  “What in the hell are you two doing with my money?” Sergei demanded. “I want receipts for everything. The room, food, and from the sound of you both, drink.”

  Yuri and Lana looked to each other in disgust. “Yes, Sir,” they both replied in unison.

  “I want results from you two. You are supposed to be some of the best agents we have. Yet you both seem to be treating this as if it were one big party. Now, late last night one of the people you are supposed to be tracking, James Dieter, was in Salzburg.”

  Yuri looked to Lana once more. He silently mouthed, we are screwed.

  “How come I had to hear about it from one of my field agents and not the two people I assigned to watch his every move?”

  Yuri slowly shook his head realizing Sergei was setting him up. “We lost Dieter and his wife earlier in the day but we thought they returned to the hotel soon after,” he responded.

  “She did, he didn’t. Evidently he flew to Salzburg.”

  “We surveilled their room all day. We only returned to our own room around midnight. We also spread bribes around the hotel staff to assist us. They are helping us keep abreast of their comings and goings.”

  “Isn’t that what I am paying the both of you to do,” he yelled into the phone. “I want results or the both of you will be pulled back. Then we can see where every Swiss Franc or Euro has been spent by the two of you.”

  Yuri had no response. Lana spoke for them: “You can count on us, sir. We will not let you down.”

  Sergei’s face turned a shade of crimson, his anger rising once more. “That’s what you said yesterday,” he roared. “Now get to work.” He slammed his cell phone on his desk.

  Lana looked to Yuri. “The Dieters are making us look like rookies. This stops now. From this point forward we are working 24/7.”

  Little did they realize but they were almost an hour too late.

  CHAPTER 48

  The hotel room around her seemed to suddenly be closing in. Nora had fully digested the news about Solomon. She had no choice but to agree the hotel was compromised. Possibly even their mission. She wasted no time in packing both her and Jim’s belongings. Following Benny’s advice, she did not call the porter, instead she grabbed a luggage cart to transport their bags to the front desk. Benny also told her to assume the parking valet and the front desk were all compromised. Each would have been the first to be bribed. It is an old Russian trick. One that Benny knew very well. So she followed his advice the best she could, avoiding everyone but the front desk; she had to pay the bill. She was able to quickly check out and hop into a waiting taxi to take her to the airport, leaving their rental car in the garage. At least she would avoid the porter and the parking valet.

  Once at the airport she rented a new vehicle to hopefully lose anyone who may have been tailing them. Then she proceeded over to wait for Jim’s plane to land.

  With luck he would be walking out to the cabstand as she drove up.

  CHAPTER 49

  Lana rushed to get dressed. “If we don’t come up with something our next job might be in Siberia,” she said angrily.

  Yuri nodded in agreement. “No more mistakes,” he said.

  A sudden knock at the door was cause for commotion.

  “It’s a little early for company,” whispered Yuri. He first went to the rooms’ closet, grabbing his service weapon. He now approached the door, his weapon extended. “Who is it?” He said in a calm but loud voice.

  Lana also had her service weapon drawn, backing up Yuri.

  “It’s the parking valet, sir,” a youthful voice replied from the hallway.

  Yuri relaxed, lowering his weapon. He indicated for Lana to do the same. He looked out the doors peephole, seeing a young man dressed in a hotel uniform. Satisfied, he opened the rooms’ door.

  “Good morning, sir,” the parking valet said a little too cheerfully for the time of day. “You paid me to report on the Dieters in room 584.”

  Yuri perked up. Lana now stood beside him at the door.

  “Well, the woman checked out about an hour ago,” he said eagerly. “I just came on shift and was looking at the check in- check-out log at the front desk and noticed the name. But their car is still in the garage.”

  Yuri reached into his pocket, handing the young man a 20 Franc bill. “Thank-you for your assistance,” he said, before closing the door. He then turned to Lana. “Pack your bags. We’re leaving. Now.”

  Lana grabbed her suitcase from the closet and rushed into the bathroom. She placed her suitcase at the edge of the counter and slid in all of their toiletries.

  Within less than two minutes, each of them had changed and tossed everything into their respective suitcases. Yuri then performed one last sweep of the room before closing the door behind them. A minute later they were in the lobby.

  The front desk clerk nodded to them as they approached. Viewing suitcases in tow she immediately went for the checkout screen on her computer. “I take it you are departing, Sir and Madam?” She said, a smile gracing her face.

  Lana was first to speak. “We understand our friends, the Dieters, just checked out, and we are supposed to meet them for breakfast,” she lied.

  The clerk hit a few computer keys before replying. “Yes, Mrs. Dieter checked out at 7:23am,” the clerk replied efficiently.

  “Did she take her car?” asked Yuri, already knowing the answer.

  The clerk typed in a few additional keys. “That’s strange. Our computer says it’s still parked in the garage.”

  Yuri looked to Lana, then the clerk. “Did she happen to mention where she was going?

  “Yes, I was the one who called her a taxi. She said she was heading to the airport to pick up her husband.”

  Lana realized Nora had an hour head start but they knew where they could find them.

  “Shall I have the car valet bring your vehicle around?”

  “Yes, please,” he replied.

  They would not get away. Not today.

  CHAPTER 50

  The airport terminal was essentially empty with the exception of Jim and six other passengers who were the sole occupants of the small turboprop aircraft. That was the beauty of small airports. It made for easy deplaning.

  Nora stood beside her new rental as Jim exited the terminal. She waved at him. A look of surprise spread across his face, then one of worry. He sped up to meet her.

  “What are you doing here? What’s wrong?” he inquired, looking first to the new rental van, then to Nora.

  Nora opened the side door for him to view their suitcases. “Benny called this morning. He tried to reach you but you were evidently airborne.”

  “Why would Benny have to call you? I just spoke to him at Solomon’s home last night. And why are we packed to leave?”

 
Nora indicated for Jim to get in the van. “Let me fill you in on the way.”

  “On the way to where?” he countered.

  “Wherever you think we should go after Bern. At least for a few days.”

  Nora then proceeded to tell him everything.

  THEY WERE TEN kilometers west of the airport when Jim started speaking again, the shock of Solomon’s murder evidently wearing off. “So Benny said it’s most likely the Russians? So we have both Dolans people and the Russians watching our every move?”

  Nora kept her eyes fixed on the road. “But Benny said we could count on him for whatever assistance we need. They were his exact words,” she said. “And he did get rid of the Iranians for us.”

  “Benny and Solomon were pretty tight. I can see how deeply his passing would affect him.”

  “When we spoke on the phone he had to pause a few times to compose himself.”

  “The death of a dear personal friend had to hit him pretty hard. However, Benny is a professional. It will soon pass.”

  Nora nodded. How far outside of Bern do we want to go?”

  He looked at the upcoming signs. “Let’s get off here and find some economy motel. I don’t think our tails would look for us this far out of town. We also want to stay close to the airport with Eian, Summer, and Chuck flying in today.”

  They drove over a canal before they reached their exit. Jim looked out the car window at the passing scenery below them. He noted several boats passing under the bridge. Over the course of the next few minutes he came up with an idea.