“I don’t like that one bit,” Brandt said.
“Having him on the loose is unsettling for sure,” Durr agreed.
“Keep the pressure on. We need to locate him and let Finkel handle him. I know he is lurking out there someplace,” Brandt replied.
“We will,” he was assured.
**
“Now what are we going to do,” Kate asked as the men retreated leaving them there standing alone.
“Look Kate, we need to be smart about this. We know they will be watching. They are not convinced we are on the up and up. I wouldn’t be either. We can do one of three things to my way of thinking,” Alan said.
“Leave it is one.”
“Yes ,” for now. Go back to the US and then come back at a later time or go someplace like Italy or Spain for a while.”
“Okay, what else?”
“I could bring up one bar. It’s only fifty pounds but we would have a million dollars to keep us going for quite some time. Then come back,” Alan told her.
“And?’
“Bring as much up as we can handle and get the hell out of France or at least away from here.”
“One and two seem possible but I doubt we can pull off number three without the equipment you were talking about,” Kate said.
“So what do you think we should do?”
“I’m leaning toward maybe bringing up two. One for each of us,” Kate said.
“Well, I guess that would work too,” Alan said.
“What we need to do is let you practice a few more times. I make it look like I am training you and chew you out every once in a while. When we finish they can snoop around while we are gone and then tomorrow we will do it again. When we come up for lunch we can bring the bars ups and slip them into our gear. Since we are going to drive out by the overhang anyway, we can load them into the car when we are packing away the gear.”
“That would work. We just won’t be in any big hurry.”
“Exactly. In fact we don’t need to get an early start. We can just kind of take our time so it doesn’t raise any suspicion.”
“You will have to find some diversion for me in the morning,” Alan said.
“I’ll think of something,” Kate snickered.
**
After lunch they went back in the grotto three more times together before she sent Alan down alone. She yelled instructions down and criticized what he was doing from time to time. If anyone was still watching they would think that she was just being demanding.
Finally too tired to do it any longer, Alan came up for the last time and laid on the ground looking up at the sky.
“That’s it. I’m beat,” he told Kate.
“Will you be able to do it with an extra fifty pounds hanging on you?”
“As long as we do one bar at a time, I can do it. Too bad we can’t just haul them up but if anyone was watching it wouldn’t be so good,” Alan said.
“We will just have to pretend we are being watched every second,” Kate said.
“I've got news for you. I think we will be.”
“You about ready to head back? We need to find a hotel for tonight.”
“I can’t move,” Alan said.
“Come on boy, up and at em’,” Kate said pulling him up by his arm.
Kate popped the trunk and Alan made a show of dragging everything over to the car and loading it.
“That looked good,” Kate said when he closed the trunk.
“I wasn’t faking it. I’m beat.”
“Poor baby,” she said patting his cheek.
**
“Where is Nadel?” Brandt asked.
“I don’t know. He didn’t answer his door. I banged on it enough to wake half the hotel but he never came.”
“Get the manager and have them let you in.”
“Do you think something has happened to him?”
“That or he has gone off on his own as well. He doesn’t seem like the type but like you said yesterday, you never really know what someone is thinking.”
“I’ll have them let me in. Are you going to be here?’
“I’ll stay put until you come back and report,” Brandt told him.
Durr went off to find the manager. It took him some time to convince him that it was important to be let in. He told the manager that Nadel had a heart condition and they were always having to look after him.
Finally the manager gave in and opened the door. Durr could see immediately that Nadel was dead. He was lying half on and half off the bed. There was a thin red line around his throat. He had been garroted. It was one of Kluge’s favorite ways of killing.
“He must have gone out,” Durr said closing the door quickly before the manager could take a look in the room.
“You’re sure?”
“Positive. I would imagine he went for a little walk. Helps the heart and all.”
The manager was suspicious but he let it go. Durr went down and reported it to Brandt.
“He is stalking us. We need to find the bastard and eliminate him,” Brandt said, tossing his fork on the table.
“Yes. If we don’t he will try to kill us all,” Durr replied.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
Alan was so stiff and sore he could hardly get out of bed the next morning. Kate had to help him loosen up and put him through some stretching exercises before he was able to go down to breakfast. They ate leisurely and just sat and talked. Finally, feeling better Alan was ready to go.
“I’ve been thinking,” Alan said.
“Now there’s a good idea,”
“You are just saying that because you know I can’t do anything about it,” he said.
“Yep. So go ahead. What’s this thought?”
“What about at night?”
“Alan. You are not ready for any night work. That takes a lot more skill than you have. Forget that. We have a plan, let’s just stick to it.”
“No one would see us at night.”
“No way buddy boy. We go in the daylight.”
**
Alan backed the Mercedes as close as he thought was safe to the entrance to the grotto. They took everything out and Kate checked the pitons and runners. Everything was just as they had left it. It took a while get strapped in but without the wetsuit it felt less restrictive. Alan had brought along the salad container. He had thought about buying a mask and snorkel but was afraid it would draw attention to them.
“Remember, toes on edge, light pressure on the belay and shove off releasing it at the same time. Once you get a few feet past, clamp it off. Got it.”
“I’m ready,” Alan replied and got into position.
“Anytime you are ready just go,” Kate told him.
Alan took a deep breath and pushed off, remembering to loosen the cam. He dropped down about ten feet and clamped it off. Kate followed a few seconds later.
“Hey, not bad. You’re getting the hang on it.”
“At least I remembered to loosen the cam this time.”
“Let’s go ahead and repel on down,” she said and dropped a good fifty feet before stopping.
She bounced up and down a few times and then turned to watch as Alan made his way down. He drew even with her and smiled.
“This is kind of fun.”
“Told ya. Bye,” she said and let her weight go all the way until she hit the water.
“Show off.”
“Come on chicken,” she yelled back up.
He released and splashed into the warm water.
“Damn, I forgot it was saltwater,” he said spitting.
They swam over to the side and took off their gear. Kate pulled herself up on the small ledge and sat there.
“What do you think?” she said.
“We should probably do it again. Keep up appearances and all,” Alan said.
**
“How are you holding out?” Kate asked after the third time.
“Getting a little tired. I think I had better bring one up on
this trip.”
“Okay. I’ll stay up here and give instructions like before. If something is wrong I’ll yell, ‘drop down, you’re getting tangled up’,” she said.
“That’s good. Alright this is for real,” Alan said getting ready to drop down once again.
A few seconds later he was repelling down to the water. He swam over to the side, grabbed the makeshift face mask and swam out to where he had found the gold bars. Taking a few deep breaths, he put the mask over his face, sucked in and down he went. He found them immediately. He decided to do a quick count while he was there. He counted twenty five bars of gold. He also saw a metal box but was running out of air. He picked up one of the bars and headed to the surface. He set the bar on the edge and made another quick dive.
The box was rusted and he grabbed it and brought it up and sat it next to the bar of gold. It was rusted shut. When he shook it, no sound came out. He decided to leave it on the ledge and just worry about the bar.
He tucked it into a pouch that they had fashioned to the harness and he started up. He was amazed at how much more effort it took with just an additional fifty pounds. Of course it was dead weight and that didn’t help much. He finally got to the top and pulled himself out with a hand from Kate.
She looked at him and he just nodded. He sat down and Kate sat beside him.
“Not bad. You are still working at it too hard. You need to let the belay do the work.”
“I’m trying he said.”
“Then just do it.”
“Damn it Kate, you have been doing this a while. This is only my second day.”
The conversation was just in case someone was close enough to hear them. He was doing better than Kate had expected really.
“Alright. Rest a minute. Do it one more time and then we will eat lunch. Deal?”
“Damn woman, you’re a slave drive,” he moaned.
While they were talking Kate was helping him slip the gold out of the pouch. As soon as it was out, she covered it with the edge of the blanket they had brought to lay on. He slowly got up and went back to repel once again. He disappeared over the headwall and was gone. There was nothing for Kate to do but wait for him to reappear. She knew he was getting really tired and the extra weight wasn’t helping any.
Finally she saw his head pop out of the hole and he rolled onto the ledge. He just laid there and she went over to him to see how he was doing.
“I am bushed,” he finally said.
“I know. Let’s have lunch and then we can determine if you are up to trying again this afternoon. If not, we’ll call it an early day.”
“You’re going to have to feed me. I doubt I could hold a sandwich up by myself. My arms feel like they are made of lead.”
“Come on, I’ll help you get the harness off.”
“No go on. I need to know how to do it by myself. You make us lunch. I’ll drag myself over in a second,” he said and got to his knees.
He slipped all the gear off and dropped it in a heap. He made his way over to Kate and sat down on the blanket. She handed him a sandwich and a glass of white wine. They just sat there eating without talking much.
“Yes?”
“Absolutely.”
“Then when we are done, let’s get out of here,” she said.
“Don’t rush. I’m supposed to be too tired to hardly move. Let’s just take it slow,” Alan said.
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
With all the gear stowed Alan drove out of the field and headed back towards Saint-Hilaire-du-Harcouët.
“So, do you feel like a millionaire?” Alan asked.
“I don’t know what I feel at the moment,” Kate said.
“I thought you would be ecstatic that we pulled it off. We had a plan and it worked like a charm,” Alan said.
Just as he got to the turn on onto Route De l’Agronce a Mercedes Station wagon pulled across the road causing Alan to slam on the breaks.
“Oh crap. Not Brandt again,” Alan moaned.
“No. Not this time,” Kate said .
Alan looked over at her and she was holding a gun pointed at him.
“Kate. What the hell is going on?”
A man got out of the Mercedes. He was armed as well. He walked over and tapped on the window with the barrel. Alan rolled it down.
“Mr. Lang, we meet at last. I have heard so much about you.”
“That’s nice. Who the hell are you?” Alan asked.
“Why Katharine, remember your manners. Introduce us.”
“Alan Lang, Victor Kluge. Victor, Alan.”
“Victor Kluge. And that means what to me exactly?”
“It means that you are suddenly a million dollars poorer.”
“I see. Well I don’t really but I assume you are talking about the gold bar I recovered?”
“The two gold bars and the twenty-three others still in the grotto,” Kluge said.
Alan turned to Kate, “And your part in all of this?”
“Victor is my brother.”
“Ah. So Gerber is not your real name,” Alan stated.
“No.”
“I take it Kluge is your real name then,” he asked.
“No. Not Kluge. It is not my brother’s name either but it is what we must use. Our real name is not very well accepted.”
“I see, and that would be?”
“Mengele.”
Alan’s jaw dropped. He sat there just looking at her. There was nothing he could think to say.
“See. That is exactly the reaction of anyone that hears the name. No matter what Brandt and his bunch of thugs think, that gold was intended for our grandfather, not for them.”
“What do you know about my grandfather’s involvement?”
“Oh he was involved all right. He was going to help them to divert it or so he was lead to believe. It was the only way they could get help. He actually believed that by diverting the money that it would make it easier for our grandfather to be caught and brought to trial. The others were actually making sure it did get to my grandfather.”
“But Brandt pretty much thinks the same thing that I do. "
"Yes, that was the beauty of the whole plan. Somehow your grandfather discovered what was really going on and decided to take matters into his own hands. He killed the others and hid the treasure.”
“So all the time you were ‘helping me’ you were working with your brother to get the gold and diamonds for yourselves.”
Kate didn’t answer.
“Kate, keep an eye on our friend. We are going back to the grotto,” Victor said.
“Why?” Alan asked.
“Because Kate and I have guns and you don’t,” he said smiling.
**
“Get out of the car,” Victor said.
Alan gave a brief thought to rushing him but he was just too far away. He got out as he was told.
“Alan,” Kate said.
“Don’t. I don’t even want to hear it. I should have known that something was wrong with this whole thing. I’m mad at you but even more disappointed that I was played so easily. I will have to give you credit. You’re good on all levels,” Alan said.
“Shut up,” Victor said.
“Hey. You’re going to kill me anyway. Kate knows exactly where the gold is so I assume I’m here to go swimming only without a harness this time.”
“That’s not true Alan,” Kate said.
“Oh, well that certainly makes me feel better. You giving me assurances. Yes sir. I feel safe now.”
“Victor and I are going to get as much of the gold as we can. The Mercedes he is driving has a heavy duty suspension and air assisted lifts. We will load it up and leave you here tied up.”
“Sure you will,” Alan said sarcastically.
“I’m sorry Alan.”
“I’m sorry too Kate. I was actually thinking about trying to make a life with you. But I guess for ten or twenty million dollars I’m pretty easy to replace,” Alan shot back.
“Come on, we
are wasting time,” Victor interrupted.
They sat Alan on the ground and Victor used plasti-cuffs on his hands and around his ankles. Then he looped them together so he could hardly move. Kate was putting on the repelling gear. All Alan could do was sit in the sun and watch. Victor backed the Mercedes station wagon near the entrance and attached a hand crank to a bumper hitch. He placed a basket on the hook and lowered it down. He handed Kate a face mask, weight welt, BCD and pair of fins. That was certainly going to make it a heck of a lot easier Alan thought. Where was all that stuff when he needed it?
Alan watched as Kate disappeared into the grotto. Ten minutes or so later there was a tug on the line and Victor brought up the basket. He could see him straining. He unloaded the ingots one at a time, four total and lowered the basket again.
Alan was sweating sitting in the hot sun but there was nothing he could do about it. He watched as the back of the station wagon settled. Victor had to raise it up twice to keep it from rubbing on the tires. Alan wondered why he hadn’t gotten a van or other truck but decided not to waste brain cells on it.
When Kate finally reappeared Victor cut the rope and just let the basket fall.
“Did you find the diamonds?” Victor asked.
“No. I looked around everyplace but didn’t see anything that could hold them.”
“They must be down there,” Victor insisted.
“You’re more than welcome to go try and find them,” Kate told him.
“Alright. I supposed we can always come back at some point and bring scuba gear,” Victor told her.
“With twenty million dollars, we won’t need to come back too soon,” Kate replied.
“We should go in case Brandt comes snooping around. I would rather not kill them but if they get here they will have to join your friend.”
“Join? Meaning?”
“Kate. Lang cannot live. You surely knew that. He would tell Brandt or the police and we would never be able to get the gold out of the country. Everything is set. I didn’t learn to drive a lorry just for the fun it. We will go to Luxemburg first and I have everything in place to get it to South America.”
“Victor. There is no need to kill Alan. I can’t do that,” she said.
“You don’t have to. Get in the car. I’ll take care of it.”
“No. Victor. He is tied up. We can just leave him here. Let me talk to him.”
SINS of the FATHER Page 16
