Then maybe just maybe thought Joey at thetime, there was a turning muscle in the organisation.Old Delvecchio was losing his grip; just maybe it wasbeing called for, this ap?izione that surely wouldfollow. And possibly just possibly Joey himselfwas being tested. Maybe he was too nice, too soave,to put the bad heat on someone like the old judgewho gave them all such a hard time. Well, he wasn’t.No sirree, the nice stopped with the handle of agun. It was his job, his profession. The Lord Jesusdecided who should live and who should die, onlyHe spoke through mortal men on earth who toldpeople like Joey whom to hit. There was no moraldilemma for Joey the Nice. It was important,however, that the orders always come from a manwith respect; that was necessary.
They did last night; the order came from a manwith great respect. Although Joey did not know himpersonally, he had heard for years about thepowerful padrone in Washington, D.C. The namewas whispered, never spoken out loud.
Joey touched the brakes of his car, slowing downso as to swing into his driveway. His wife, Angie,would be pissed off at him, maybe shout a littlebecause he didn’t come home last night. One moreirritation on top of all the craziness, but what thehell was he going to say? Sorry, Angie, but I wasgainfully employed throwing six bullets into an oldguy who definitely discriminated against Italians. So,you see, Angie, I had to stay across the the bridge inJersey where one of the paesans I played cards withand who’ll swear I was there all night happens to bethe chief of police.
But, of course, he would never go into suchdetails with his wife. That was his own law. Nomatter how aggravated he was he never brought thejob home. More husbands should be like him andthere would be happier households in Syosset.
Shit/ One of the bucking kids had left a bicyclein front of the attached garage; he wouldn’t be ableto open the automatic door and drive inside. He’dhave to get out. Shill One more aggravation. Hecouldn’t even park by the Millers’ curb next door;some creep’s car was there but it wasn’t the Millers’Buick. Double shill
Joey brought the Pontiac to a stop halfway intothe sloping driveway and got out. He went up to thebike and leaned down. The rotten kid didn’t evenuse the kickstand and Joey hated bending over, whatwith his heavy gut and all.
“”Joseph Albanese!”
Joey the Nice spun around, crouching, reachingunder his jacket. That tone of voice was used by onlyone type of slimel He pulled out his .38 and dovetoward the grille of his car.
The explosions reverberated throughout theneighborhood. Birds fluttered out of trees and therewere screams along the block in the bright afternoonsunlight. Joseph Albanese was sprawled against thegrille of the Pontiac, rivulets of blood slowly rollingdown the shiny chrome. Joey the Nice had beencaught in the fire, and gripped in his hand was thegun he had used so effectively the night before.Ballistics would prove out. The killer of LucasAnstett was dead. The judge had been the victim ofa gangland assassination, and as far as the world wasconcerned, it had nothing to do with events takingplace six thousand miles away in Bonn, Germany.
Converse stood on the small balcony, his handson the railing, looking down at the majestic riverbeyond the forest of trees that formed the banks ofthe Rhine. It was past seven o’clock; the sun wasgoing below the mountains in the west, its orangerays shooting up, creating blocks of shadows over theearth moving shadows that floated across thewaters in the descending distance. The vibrant colorswere hypnotic, the breezes cooling, but nothingcould stop the pounding echo in his chest. Where wasFitzpatrick? Where was his attache cased The dossiersHe tried to stop thinking, to stop his imaginationfrom catapulting into frightening possibilities….
There was a sudden harsh echo, not from hischest but from inside the room. He turned quickly asthe door opened and Connal Fitzpatrick stood there,removing his key from the lock. He stepped aside,letting a uniformed porter enter with two suitcases,instructing the man to leave them on the floor whilehe reached into his pocket for a tip. The porter leftand the Navy lawyer stared at Joel. There was noattache case in his hand.
“Where is it?” said Converse, afraid to breathe,afraid to move.
“I didn’t pick it up.’
“Why note” cried Joel, rushing forward.
“I couldn’t be sure . . . maybe it was just afeeling, I don’t know.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I was at the airport for seven hours yesterday,going from counter to counter asking about you,”said Connal softly. “This afternoon I passed theLufthansa desk and the same clerk was there. WhenI said hello, he didn’t seem to want to acknowledgeme; he looked nervous, and I couldn’t understand.I came back out of the baggage claim with mysuitcase and watched him. I remembered how hehad glanced at me last night, and as I passed him Iswore his eyes kept shooting to the center of theterminal, but there were so many people so muchconfusion, I couldn’t be certain.”
“You think you were picked up? Followed ?”
“That’s just it, I don’t know. When I wasshopping in Bonn, I went from store to store andevery now and then I’d turn around, or shift myhead, to see if I could spot anyone. A couple oftimes I thought I saw the same people twice, butthen again, it was always crowded, and again Icouldn’t be sure. But I kept thinking about thatLufthansa clerk; something was wrong.”
“What about when you were in the taxi? Did you “
“Naturally. I kept looking out the rear window.Even dun ing the drive out here. Several cars madethe same turns we did, but I told the driver to slowdown and they passed us.”
“Did you watch where they went after they passedyou?”
“What was the point?”
“There is one,” said Joel, recalling a clever driverwho followed a deep-red Mercedes limousine.
“All I knew was that you’re pretty uptight aboutthat attache case. I don’t know what’s in it and Ifigure you don’t want anyone else to know, either.”
“Bingo, counselor.”
There was a knocking at the door, and althoughit was soft, it had the effect of a staccato burst ofthunder. Both men stood motionless, their eyesriveted on the door.
“Ask who it is,” whispered Converse.
“Wer ist da, bitted” said Fitzpatrick, loud enoughto be heard. There was a brief reply in German andConnal breathed again. “It’s okay. It’s a message forme from the manager. He probably wants to sell usa conference room.” The Navy lawyer went to thedoor and opened it.
However, it was not the manager, or a bellboy, ora porter bringing a message from the manager.Instead, standing there, was a slender, elderly man ina dark suit with erect posture and very broadshoulders. He glanced first at Fitzpatrick, thenlooked beyond at Converse.
“Excuse me, please, Commander,” he saidcourteously walking through the door, andapproached Joel, his hand outstretched. “HerrConverse, may I introduce myself? The name isLeifhelm. Erich Leifhelm.”
Joel took the Cerman’s hand, too stunned to doanything else. “field Marshal . . . ?” he uttered,instantly regretting it he could at least have had thepresence of mind to say “General.” The pages ofLeifhelm’s dossier flashed across Converse’s mind ashe looked at the man his straight hair still moreblond than white, his pale-blue eyes glacial, his pink-ish skin lined, waxen, as if preserved for decades tocome.
“An old title and one, thankfully, I have notheard in many years. But you flatter me. You weresufficiently interested to learn something of my past.”
“Not very much.”
“I suspect enough.” Leifhelm turned toFitzpatrick. “I apologize for my little ruse,Commander. I felt it was best.”
Fitzpatrick shrugged, bewildered. “You knoweach other, apparently.”
“Of one another,” corrected the German. “Mr.Converse came to Bonn to meet with me, but Iimagine he’s told you
“No, I haven’t told him that,” said Joel.
Leifhelm turned back, studying Converse’s eyes.“I see Perhaps we should talk privately.”
“I think so. ” Joel looked over at Fitzpatrick.“Commander, I’ve taken up t
oo much of your time.Why not go downstairs to dinner and I’ll join you ina while?”
“Whatever you say, sir,” said Connal, an officerassuming
the status of an aide. He nodded and left, closingthe door firmly behind him.
“A lovely room,” said Leifhelm, taking severalsteps toward the open French doors. “And withsuch a lovely view.”
“How did you find me?” asked Converse.
“Him,” replied the former field marshal, lookinget Joel. “in according to the front desk. Who is he?”
“How?” repeated Converse.
“He spent hours last night at the airportinquiring about you; many remembered him. Hewas obviously a friend.”
“And you knew he’d checked his luggage? Thathe’d be back for it?”
“Frankly, no. We thought he might come foryours. We knew you wouldn’t. Now, please, who ishe?”
Joel understood it was vital that he maintain alevel of arrogance, as he had done with Bertholdierin Paris. It was the only route he could take withsuch men; to be accepted by them, they had to seesomething of themselves in him. “He’s notimportant and he knows nothing. He’s a legalofficer in the Navy who’s worked in Bonn beforeand is over here now I gather, on personal business.A prospective fiancee, I think he mentioned. I sawhim the other week; we chatted, and I told him Iwas flying in today or tomorrow and he said he’dmake it a point to meet me. He’s obsequious, andpersistent I’m sure he has delusions of a civilianpractice. Natural ly under the circumstances Iused him. As you did.”
“Naturally.” Leifhelm smiled; he was polished.“You gave him no arrival time?”
“Paris changed any possibility of that, didn’t it?”
“Oh, yes, Paris. We must discuss Paris.”
“I spoke to a friend who deals with the Surete.The man died.”
“Such men do. Frequently.”
“They said he was a driver, a chauffeur. He wasn’t.”
“Would it have been wiser to say he was atrusted associate of General Jacques-LouisBertholdier?”
“Obviously not. They say I killed him.”
“You did. We gather it was an uncontrollablemiscalculation, no doubt brought on by the manhimself.”
“Interpol’s after me.”
“We, too, have friends; the situation will changeYou have nothing to fear as long as we havenothing to fear.;’The German paused, glancingaround the room. “May I sit down?”
"Please. Shall I ring for a drink?”
“I drink only light wine and very sparingly. Unlessyou wish . . . it’s not necessary.”
“It’s not necessary,” said Converse as Leifhelm satin a chair nearest the balcony doors. Joel would sitwhen he felt the moment was right, not before.
“You took extraordinary measures at the airportto avoid us,” continued Hitler’s youngest fieldmarshal.
“I was followed from Copenhagen.”
“Very observant of you. You understand no harmwas intended.”
“I didn’t understand anything. I just didn’t like it.I didn’t know what effect Paris would have on myarrival in Bonn, what it meant to you.”
“What Paris meant?” asked Leifhelm rhetorically.“Paris meant that a man, an attorney using a falsename, said some very alarming things to a mostdistinguished and brilliant statesman. This attorney,who called himself Simon, said he was flying to Bonnto see me. On his way and I’m sure withprovocation he kills a man, which tells ussomething, he’s guise ruthless and very capable. Butthat is all we know, we would like to know more.Where he goes, whom he meets. In our position,would you have done otherwise?”
It was the moment to sit down. “I would havedone it better.”
“Perhaps if we’d known how resourceful youwere, we might have been less obvious. Incidentally,what happened in Paris? What did that man do toprovoke you?”
“He tried to stop me from leaving.”
“Those were not his orders.”
“Then he grossly misunderstood them. I’ve a fewbruises on my chest and neck to prove it. I’m not inthe habit of physically defending myself, and Icertainly had no intention of killing him. In fact, Ididn’t know I had. It was an accident purely inself-defence.”
“Obviously. Who would want such complications?”
“Exactly,” agreed Converse bluntly. ”As soon asI can rearrange my last hours in Paris so as toeliminate any mention of my seeing GeneralBertholdier, I’ll return and explain what happened tothe police.”
“As the adage goes, that may be easier said thandone. You were seen talking together at L’EtalonBlanc. Undoubtedly, the general was recognised laterwhen he came to the
hotel; he’s a celebrated man. No, I think you’d bewiser to let us handle it. We can, you know.”
Joel looked hard at the German, his eyes coldyet questioning. “I admit there are risks doing it myway. I don’t like them and neither would my client.On the other hand, I can’t go around being hatedby the police.”
“The hunt will be called off. It will be necessaryfor you to remain out of sight for a few days, but bythen new instructions will be issued from Paris.Your name will disappear from the Interpol lists,you’ll no longer be sought.”
“I’ll want assurances, guarantees.”
“What better could you have than my word? Itell you nothing when I tell you that we could havefar more to lose than you.”
Converse controlled his astonishment. Leifhelmhad just told him a great deal, whether he knew itor not. The German had as much as admitted hewas part of a covert organisation that could not takeany chance of exposure. It was the first concreteevidence Joel had heard. Somehow it was too easy.Or were these elders of Aquitaine simply frightenedold men?
“I’ll concede that,” said Converse, crossing hislegs. “Well, General, you found me before I foundyou, but then, as we agreed, my movements arerestricted. Where do we go from here?”
“Precisely where you wanted to go, Mr.Converse. When you were in Paris, you spoke ofBonn, Tel Aviv, Johannesburg. You knew whom toreach in Paris and whom to look for in Bonn. Thatimpresses us greatly; we must assume you knowmore.”
“I’ve spent months in detailed research onbehalf of my client, of course.”
“But who are you? Where do you come from?”
Joel felt a sharp, sickening ache in his chest. Hehad felt it many times before it was his physicalresponse to imminent danger and very real fear. “Iam who I want people to think I am, GeneralLeifhelm. I’m sure you can understand that.”
“I see,” said the German, watching him closely.“A sworn companion of the prevailing winds, butwith the power beneath to carry you to your owndestination.”
“That’s a little heavy, but I guess it says it. As towhere I come from, I’m sure you know that bynow.”
Five hours. More than enough time to put thepuppets in place. A killing in New York; it had to bedealt with.
“Only bits and pieces, Mr. Converse. And even ifwe knew more, how could we be certain it’s true?What people think you are you may not be.”
“Are you, General?”
“Ausqezeichnet!” said Leifhelm, slapping his kneeand laughing. It was a genuine laugh, the man’swaxen face creasing with humor. “You are a finelawyer, main Herr. You answer as they say inEnglish a pointed question with another questionthat is both an answer and an indictment”
“Under the circumstances, it’s merely the truth.Nothing more. “
"also modest. Very commendable, very attractive.”
Joel uncrossed his legs, then crossed them againimpatiently. “I don’t like compliments, General. Idon’t trust them under the circumstances. Youwere saying before about where I wanted to go,about Bonn, Tel Aviv, and Johannesburg. What didyou mean?”
" Only that we have complied with your wishes,”said Leifhelm, spreading his hands in front of him.“Rather than your making such tedious trips, wehave asked our representatives in Tel Aviv andJohannesburg, as well as Bertholdier, of course, tofly to Bonn for a conference. With you, Mr. Con-verse
. “
He had done it! thought Joel. They were fright-ened panicked was perhaps the better description.Despite the pounding and the pain in his chest, hespoke slowly, quietly. “I appreciate yourconsideration, but in all frankness, my client isn’tready for a summit. He wanted to understand theparts before he looked further at the whole. Thespokes support the wheel, sir. I was to report howstrong they were how strong they appeared to me.”
“Oh, yes, your client. Who is he, Mr. Converse?”
“I’m sure General Bertholdier told you I’m not atliberty to say.”
“You were in San Francisco, California “
“Where a great deal of my research was done,”interrupted Joel. “It’s not where my client lives.Although I readily admit there’s a man in SanFrancisco Palo Alto, to be exact whom I’d likevery much to be my client.”
“Yes, yes, I see.” LeifLelm put the ends of hisfingers together as he continued, “Am I tounderstand that you reject the conference here inBonn?”
Converse had taken a thousand such questions inopening
gambits with attorneys seeking accommodationsbetween corporate adversaries. Both parties wantedthe same thing; it was simply a question offlattening out the responsibility so that no one partywould be the petitioner.
“Well, you’ve gone to a lot of trouble,” Joelbegan. “And as long as it’s understood that I havethe option of speaking to each man individuallyshould I wish to do so, I can’t see any harm.”Converse permitted himself a strained smile, as hehad done a thousand times. “In the interests of myclient of course.”
“Of course,” said the German. “Tomorrow say,four o’clock in the afternoon. I’ll send a car for you.I assure you I set an excellent table.”
“A table?”
“Dinner, naturally. After we have our talk.”Leifhelm rose from the chair. "I wouldn’t think ofyour coming to Bonn and forgoing the experience.I’m known for my dinner parties, Mr. Converse.And if it concerns you, make whatever securityarrangements you like. A platoon of personalguards, if you wish. You’ll be perfectly safe. MeinHaus ist dein Haus. “
The Aquaintaine Progession Page 25
