Ignoring the indignant reactions of nurses, Dirk sprinted down the corridor. He skidded to a halt in front of a glass door and nearly collided with a man. He shouted a quick apology and hurried on. After the next door he had nearly reached his goal. A few yards away, Pat, who was speaking with a nurse, waved at him. Only two men leaning against the wall still separated him from his friend and, presumably, his family.
He hurried toward Pat, but the two men blocked his path. The older man went so far as to take hold of his arm. “This is no place for homeless drunks. Get lost.”
Dirk shook off the man’s grip. “Dirk Richter, Hamburg LKA. My son’s in there. Please let me through.”
The two men looked at him. The younger man gave at least a slight impression of thoughtfulness, but the older man shook his head. “Never heard the name. What’s next? You’re working undercover? Get out of here before things turn unpleasant for you.”
Dirk ground his teeth. “My son has the same last name as I do; my wife’s name is Alexandra Groß. And I am undercover; I haven’t had time to change. Let me through before I get really angry.” Again Dirk had to shake off the man’s firm grip. “And keep your damned hands off me.”
“Take it easy. If you’re really from the LKA, then you’re sure to have some identification with you, right? A little card with your picture and name on it.”
The scornful remark pushed Dirk to the limits of his self-control. His hand went to the pocket of his jeans; then he hesitated. His wallet was in the glove compartment of Sven’s BMW, and his false identification papers wouldn’t help.
The younger man spoke for the first time. “If you don’t have any identification, you should leave.”
The older man followed up immediately. “Got it? Now get lost.”
Dirk was in a rage and nearly lost control because of their arrogant behavior.
Someone pushed down his hand, which he had unconsciously raised and clenched into a fist. “Take it easy, Dirk. These idiots have brains the size of walnuts. We’d all like to see you knock them out, but it wouldn’t help.” Pat’s words brought Dirk to his senses.
“Where are Alex and Tim?”
“In that room over there. I just had to be sure the nurse wasn’t hiding an MP5 under her uniform—that’s why I had to wait a little before I could help you with these primates.”
“That’s enough,” the older man said.
“I should apologize to these monkeys—after all, they do possess social competencies, and they groom their fur and whatnot.”
Dirk laughed. The Irishman’s irreverent comments were generally right on target. In fact, the older man’s gray hair was in urgent need of a proper haircut or at least a good shampooing, and his shirt displayed at least three coffee stains. And he wasn’t even undercover.
Suddenly the grin disappeared from Pat’s face. “Another one at twelve o’clock,” he informed Dirk.
Dirk turned around.
A man in jeans and a casual sports coat was approaching. Dirk recognized him as the man he had almost bowled over.
“If I’d known we were going the same way, I’d have jogged down the corridors with you—actually I ended up taking a wrong turn first. Captain Mario Berger, District Office of Criminal Inspection, Lübeck, and a member of the human race.” He looked at Dirk curiously but by no means with distrust. “My boss sent me here because there seem to have been some problems, and your superior feared others might arise. Would you tell me what’s going on here?” he asked Dirk.
“Dirk Richter, Hamburg LKA. As you might have gathered from my outfit, I hurried here immediately after a mission. My partner should be here any minute; he’s still looking for a parking space but has his ID on him. I’ve been informed via the dispatch center that my son is being treated here.” He nodded in Pat’s direction. “Friends of mine are providing personal protection until we know who we’re dealing with and can rule out a connection to my job. I spoke to a doctor while we were driving here and heard that my wife had already had an altercation with our Lübeck colleagues. Perhaps you would enlighten me with regard to what that was about?”
Berger looked at Pat, who wore his Sig Sauer openly on his belt, and then at his colleagues.
“Given his appearance, I’d say it’s human to make a mistake,” the older man said. “And his wife is simply hysterical because she didn’t keep a good eye on the boy. The whole thing is nothing more than an unfortunate accident that’s being blown out of proportion and wasting our time.”
Once again Dirk felt rage boiling inside and controlled it with great effort. “The doctor spoke of chloroform and contusions—that doesn’t sound like an accident to me. Furthermore, there’s supposed to be a witness.”
“Yes, another child with a vivid imagination,” the older man said.
Berger agreed with Dirk. “That’s enough. To me it doesn’t sound like an accident. Furthermore, our superiors didn’t get involved for fun. Even if it should turn out later that no crime has been committed, I expect the family of a potential victim to be treated with respect. We’ll take over the case, and if you consider personal protection to be necessary, then we can provide it.” Berger abruptly turned to the two policemen, betraying his anger. “I want your names and that of your superior, and I want you to apologize to your Hamburg colleague. If you’re incapable of seeing the difference between a concerned father and a homeless man, you should refrain from leaving your desks.”
Reluctantly, the older policeman provided the names but managed only hateful looks instead of the apology that had been demanded. The younger one seemed to want to say something but remained silent after having been quietly rebuked by his companion.
“I’d like to see my family—we can continue this conversation later. Agreed?”
“Of course. I’ll wait here.”
Dirk opened the door, and Mark turned around and came over to him. “You’ve come at just the right time. Maria thinks Tim might wake up at any moment. Where’s Sven? He should listen to what Tim has to say.”
“Looking for a parking place. He’ll be here any second.”
With increasing concern, Dirk looked over Mark’s shoulder at the pale face of his son, who looked frighteningly small in the hospital bed.
“He’ll be better soon,” Mark said and leaned against the wall with one hand on Dominik’s back—his adopted son. They called him Nicki for short. Mark was the only father the boy had ever known, and their relationship was as close as if they were blood. Nicki and Sven’s son Jan were Tim’s closest friends. Like real brothers, they fought and reconciled regularly.
Seven-year-old Nicki looked up at Dirk with tears in his eyes. “It’s my fault.”
Dirk squatted down in front of Nicki and looked him in the eyes. “No, Nicki. It’s the fault of the man who attacked Tim. No one else’s.”
“But I lied, and he believed me.”
Maria came over. “You know, Nicki, it’s all right if you have a guilty conscience because the two of you fought. But you have nothing to do with what the man did to Tim. When Dirk and your father tell you that, you should believe them. Are you going to come along to see Tim? When he wakes up, he’s sure to want to see you right away.” She held out her hand, and Dirk swallowed when he saw the child’s small hand disappear into the doctor’s.
“How is Tim?”
Maria smiled. “He’s doing well. As a physician I’m more concerned about Alex. Children only have gaps in their memories after serious accidents. Don’t be surprised if Tim picks up exactly where he left off. And keep in mind that it must be confusing for him suddenly to have been beamed from the playground to the hospital.”
So far Dirk’s wife hadn’t reacted to his appearance. Strands of her blond hair hung in her face, and her eyes were shiny with suppressed tears. He gently clasped her shoulder. “You heard that, right? Everything will be all right, honey.”
“You were right this morning. It’s all my fault.”
Dirk squeezed harder. “Stop it.
I don’t know what you mean, but what I said to Nicki goes for you, too.” He sensed that Sven had entered the room. “We need to find out what happened, and then I’d like to see my son laughing again.” And to take care of the people who did this to Tim. Take care of them properly.
Tim’s eyelids fluttered. He had awakened, and as Maria had predicted his gaze flitted hectically around the room. “Mama?”
“Yes, big guy. We’re all here. How are you doing?”
“Has Nicki really fired Mark’s pistol?” His mouth twisted. “I want to shoot it, too.”
Nicki needed no prompting. “No. Papa only showed it to me. That’s all. I’m sorry, Timmie. I fibbed. That was dumb.”
Alex mussed Tim’s blond hair. “As soon as we get home, Papa will show you his gun, too. He and Mark have the same kind. Now tell us what happened. Your father and our friends are eager to get the man with the van.”
“The man I fought? But he was much bigger than I am. I think he would have won. And he had been so nice and said he would let me fire a real pistol. But the other man said he should let me go because he became afraid of Papa when he heard that Papa is a policeman. Are we going home? Can I see the Sig now?” Tim seemed to notice Maria for the first time. He gave her his radiant child’s smile. “Why are you here? Is Pat here, too?”
Dirk had to clear his throat; Alex was likewise unable to speak. Finally Maria took it upon herself to answer. “You’re at my workplace, Tim. In Lübeck. In the hospital. Of course Pat’s here, too. He’s outside, making sure no one bothers us.”
“Is your baby there already?”
“No, not until the belly’s gone.”
“But I can’t see it under the white thing.”
Smiling, Maria sat down on the edge of the bed and took Tim’s hand. “Would you like to check if our baby’s moving right now?”
While Tim was enthusiastically following Maria’s suggestion, she unobtrusively checked his pulse and used her stethoscope. “That’s funny,” Tim said.
“Is Daniel around?” Maria asked with assumed casualness while she made faces at Tim and checked his reflexes in the process.
“No. California’s far. But Shara lives only five minutes away.”
Maria nodded and held up her hand. “Come on, big guy. Gimme five,” she said, and Tim slapped her hand.
Alex already looked as if she were about to drag Maria away from her son. Maria willingly gave up the spot directly next to the bed so Alex and Nicki could have it. Then she winked at Dirk. “I’d have offered to stay with you tonight, but if Shara can come over in an emergency, that’s all right, too. It’d be best if you all went home together. If anything should happen, Pat would be able to get there in less than twenty minutes, but I don’t see any danger. Bad dreams in the worst case. His usual surroundings, as much normalcy as possible, and the people who love him are the best medicine.”
CHAPTER 4
The expression on Admiral Russell’s adjutant’s face spoke volumes, but Daniel ignored the disapproving looks. The combination of camouflage pants and a white T-shirt was all right, just as the collar-length hair and unshaved chin were accepted. The Navy SEALs were administratively part of the Navy, but the strict Navy dress code didn’t apply to the teams occupied with special missions, nor were SEALs required to comply with military etiquette. He probably would at least have shaved, but his power adapter was in Ahrensburg.
“Admiral Russell will have time for you in a moment. Would you like a cup of coffee or a cold drink, sir?”
“A mineral water would be nice. Thanks.”
A man emerged from the admiral’s office, did a double take, and then grinned. “Daniel, good to see you. So you’re the reason the admiral wanted to get rid of me so quickly and signed everything in record time.”
Luc DeGrasse was one of the admiral’s team leaders whom Daniel knew and respected.
“I hope you exploited the opportunity to request a decent staff car instead of that junker you call a car.”
Daniel smiled. He knew how attached Luc was to his old Porsche, which he had restored himself.
“Is there any truth to the rumor that you’re going to be joining us? That’d be great.”
Daniel looked over at the open door of the office where the admiral was waiting for him and answered with a thumbs-down.
Luc cursed. “Well, I’ve heard you really let loose.” He raised the stack of papers in his hand. “And without all this nonsense.”
“That’s true. What’s coming up for you?”
“Afghanistan. At least six months.”
Daniel would have had a few words of regret for any other SEAL, but he knew Luc loved the country and spoke Pashto fluently. “Well, have fun, and make sure you don’t like it so much you end up staying.”
Laughing, Luc shook his head and waved farewell.
After knocking on the doorframe, Daniel entered the office of the man who had almost caused him to leave the Navy.
“Good morning. Lovely weather, in contrast to Northern Germany.” This was certainly not the kind of greeting Russell had expected. After a hint of irritation, he smiled.
“Nice you were able to arrange things so you could come by in person. Sit down.”
With intentional casualness, Daniel dropped onto the chair in front of the desk.
“I assume you’re not here to accept my offer?” the admiral asked.
“You mean because my uniform’s hanging in Germany?”
“No, because you’ve noticed your family can get along without you.” This conclusion was on target. Daniel sat up straighter in his chair. “Why are you here today? A simple ‘No, thanks’ by e-mail would have sufficed.”
“That’s true, but I wanted to take this opportunity to ask you a question.” Daniel continued to avoid any official address or indication of respect.
Russell spread his hands apart in invitation. “Go ahead.”
“It’s only been a few years since you expressed your unmistakable opinion of my abilities to my face. Why this offer now?”
This time it was a distinct smile that made Russell appear likable and showed he had a sense of humor. Until now Daniel had found him to be cold and abrasive. “You still get to the point without any detours and consider diplomacy to be a waste of time.”
“Is that a question or an observation?”
Amazingly, the admiral avoided Daniel’s gaze and took an envelope out of a drawer. “If you hadn’t come, I’d have visited you in Germany. The contents will give you the answers you’re owed. If there should continue to be questions, we can resolve them later, when we eat. I owe you a decent lunch, at least.”
With a nod, Russell ceded the office to him. Confused, Daniel waited until the adjutant had placed a bottle of water and a glass on the desk, and then he opened the envelope. A single page slid toward him. His hand shook. He immediately recognized his father’s distinctive handwriting.
Daniel,
It’s to be anticipated that I will not be able to explain to you in person what it means to a father to let his son go his own way. Many wise people claim that the most difficult part of being a parent is letting one’s child go. Here I have failed. Or not, for despite all hindrances you have not let yourself be deflected from your path. Thanks to Hector I’ve been able to follow your career from a distance and have often trembled and more often drunk a toast to you in my thoughts. The operation under combat conditions with which you saved your friend shows that you have become not only a damned good SEAL but also a brilliant physician. We should have talked to each other on the terrace over a glass of red wine long ago. I’ve missed the chance for that. I regret and curse this state of affairs. Continue to go your own way, my son. If you should one day have children of your own, you’ll understand. Until then, please forgive me for trying to keep you near me for egotistical reasons and for asking Hector to do everything he could to cause you to leave the Navy.
With love,
your father
Daniel wa
s thankful to Russell for leaving him alone, and he chugged the bottle of water. Daniel struggled to maintain his composure and folded the sheet and stowed it in his pants pocket. So all the chicanery back then was for a reason. Then he thought of the bullet that had penetrated Tom’s chest below his bulletproof vest. In contrast to Mark, whose impenetrable expression was legendary, Daniel had never been good at hiding his feelings. Slowly he stood up. He wouldn’t be able to occupy the office forever and preferred to get the encounter over with as soon as possible.
Obviously concerned, the admiral looked at him. “Is our lunch date still on?”
Daniel nodded. His initial surprise was increasingly giving way to suppressed rage.
The admiral stopped his jeep in the parking lot of the officers’ club and said, “Can we go in, or do you want to take a swing at me first?”
Daniel raised an eyebrow and smiled. “You deserve it. Or do you see it differently?”
“Hard to say. I stand by my actions. For one thing, the result was outstanding; for another, I can live with the motive.” The admiral held out his open briefcase to Daniel and tapped a photograph with his index finger. It showed four men in filthy camouflage uniforms. One of them was Daniel’s father. “Vietnam. Four of eight survived. Your father was our doctor. You’ll no doubt have heard about his poker nights. That was where we met after we got back. Regardless of what one of us had demanded from another, the other would have done anything to fulfill the request. Don’t tell me you wouldn’t have done the same if Tom Bannings had asked you. I’m sorry, my boy. But then again, when I look at how strong you’ve emerged, I’m not. And today I didn’t want to have you as a team leader because of your father but because of your achievements and experience, but I feared you wouldn’t leave your team after you’d discovered that your family’s not absolutely dependent on your presence in California. The stories told by your father have given me a pretty good idea of what your mother and sister are like.”
Nemesis: Innocence Sold Page 4
