Hunter's Rain (31 page)
Authors: Julian Jay Savarin
“Ooh yes. And what a video.” Pappenheim went on to repeat Jackson’s message to the kidnappers, word for word.
“A declaration of war.”
“Oh definitely. Does a name come to mind?”
“Neusser. The televison CEO.”
“Oh so smart, so smart. Yep,“ Pappenheim went on. “No prizes for guessing how he got the broadcast. It’s been on radio too. Time to talk to Neusser?”
“Time to do so. I have the feeling that Jackson sent a message to me as well; and I’m tied in, anyway, given the name he dares not speak for now. Then there’s that knife or dagger, entering the picture again. Which puts me in, whether I want it or not.”
“Funny that. My own impression. Jackson’s planning to hunt down the kidnappers, and he’s chosen a battleground. So? When are you coming back?”
“We’re only about an hour or so to Grenoble, if that. Not worth turning back for another long drive. As you’ve said, the stuff will be hitting the fan; but they’ll have to find Jackson first, and that will take some time. We, on the other hand, have got Neusser. He should know where Jackson’s gone to. So we’ll continue to Grenoble, then return tomorrow. I want to see where it happened, Pappi.”
“I can well understand,” Pappenheim said quietly, having a good idea of how Müller must be feeling. “Regarding Jackson,” he continued, “the question must also be how the kidnappers might react to his wife after this video broadcast. He’s made a very specific threat.”
“It could go either way. These are not excitable people. They plan coldly, as we know only too well. But that incident with the boy worries. One of their foot soldiers appears to have exceeded his brief. They won’t like that at all, as it is the reason Jackson apparently knows so much; too much for their liking. If Mrs Jackson is still in the hands of the people who actually carried out the kidnapping, those individuals may not be particularly stable, given the evidence so far. That, is a very big worry.”
“Then let’s hope for Jackson’s sake – and his wife’s - it does not go sour on him.”
“Which does not bear thinking about. Call the base as well. He will have left someone in command. We may get something from him…on second thoughts, I’ll call the base. You handle Neusser. I’m certain you can find the base number.”
“A mere bagatelle,” Pappenheim said. “I have an interesting snippet about that event Berger and Reimer went to. You’ll laugh. Not.”
“My ears await.”
“Berger found the exceedingly thin, but immensely strong Mary-Ann astride Reimer…”
“
Astride?”
“Very much so, according to Berger, with Reimer’s own gun pointing at Reimer’s second brain. Not my description, you understand. Berger’s. And you know Berger when she gets going.”
“I know Berger.”
Pappenheim went on to describe the scene that had greeted Berger’s entry into the bedroom.
“What an idiot!” Müller said when Pappenheim had finished.
“That’s very mild compared to Berger’s accolade. Interesting that the murderous Mary-Ann so urgently wanted to know the whereabouts of Miss Bloomfield. Sounds like a definite, homicidal need. You should warn her.”
“I shall.”
“I’ll get back to you with the number of the base.”
“Fine, Pappi. Thanks.”
“Pull in at the next
Aire
,” Müller said to Carey Bloomfield as the conversation ended. “After the
péage
.
L’isle d’Abeau.
I’ll take over. You’ve done a long stretch.”
“I’ve enjoyed it, believe it or not. Even with the speed limit.”
“This car can be enjoyed at any speed.”
“You don’t have to sell it to me, Müller. I’ve got the message. So? What was all that about?”
“I’ll wait until we stop. There. That’s it. The 300-metre mark,” he added, as the green and white slashes appeared, indicating the start of the exit.
She pulled off the autoroute, and drove to a parking space well away from other vehicles.
They got out to stretch their legs and as they walked, he told her all that Pappenheim had said.
“Jesus,” she remarked softly when he had finished.
“Jackson’s video? Or Mary-Ann?”
“Both. Jackson wants a private war, and Mary-Ann wants my head. I can understand Jackson; but
Mary-Ann?
What have I done to her?”
“Perhaps she can’t forgive that ‘scrawny neck’ remark.”
“Hmm,” she said.
“Weak joke, was it?”
“Very.”
“Then think. Have you ever met her before? Anywhere?”
“No. I’m sure of it. No way have I met, or seen her before. I would have remembered that creature.”
“Sounds of claws being unsheathed,” Müller said, as if doing a voice-over.
“Damned right,” Carey Bloomfield said. “I can’t think of any reason why she should have been screaming my name at Reimer.”
“There must be one. Somewhere. I’d advise you to be extra careful.”
“You don’t have to tell me twice. Whatever that psycho wants,” she continued in a hard voice, “she’ll get it; but not the way she thinks.”
The mobile rang.
“Pappi!” Müller said into the phone. “That was quick.”
“Quick. That’s me. Are you in a traffic jam? I can’t hear that racing engine.”
“We’ve stopped, but not in traffic. We’re at a service station. Change of seats.”
“I see. I’ve got the direct line to the deputy base commander.”
“That was quick too. Name?”
“Dales, Lieutenant-Colonel…”
“Dales…” Müller repeated.
Carey Bloomfield was looking at him
. “Dales? Jack
Dales?”
“Just a minute, Pappi. You know Dales?” Müller said to her.
“If it is Jack Dales. Yes. The name is really John Dales…”
“But he’s called Jack.”
“Yes.”
“Pappi…” Müller began into the phone.
“I heard most of that,” Pappenheim said. “Yes. Our man is John Dales.”
“It is John Dales,” Müller said to Carey Bloomfield.
“If it will help,” she said, “I can talk to him first. Make him less formal. More relaxed.”
Müller nodded. “Good idea. Miss Bloomfield offers to talk with him,” Müller continued to Pappenheim. “She knows him.”
“Every little helps. I’ll send the number to the car, as before.”
“Fine.”
“I’ve also talked to Neusser.”
“And?”
“Very forthcoming. I pointed out to him the virtues of not having me interested in his life.”
“How considerate of you.”
“I think he appreciated its value,” Pappenheim said without shame. “Interestingly enough, he confirmed that Jackson hoped to reach you. Apart from the fact that Jackson appears to have some respect for you – don’t know why – I believe the good colonel also hopes this will preclude a massive hunt for him by the colleagues. And…Jackson’s got two mobile phones…”
“
Two?”
“Two.”
“The co-operative Neusser?”
“The very co-operative Neusser. One of the phones belongs to Jackson, and the other’s one he borrowed from Neusser. It really belongs to Neusser’s son Markus, currently at his Uni. It’s an old card phone that the son no longer uses, and still has plenty of units. Now ask me why he would need two phones...”
“For which you’ve got the numbers…”
“For which I’ve got the numbers.”
“Alright, Pappi. Why two?”
“As if you haven’t already worked it out; but I’ll tell you anyway. He wants to be tracked with one. Lure his prey.”
“As you would say, great minds.”
A loud suck came down the airwaves. “What it is to have them. Regarding the colleagues joining the hunt,” Pappenheim went on, “as I’ve already told the contact with the local boys to leave this one to us, there’s been no fallout, so far. But it’s only a matter of time before his bosses give a ‘what-the-hell’ call to the GW, who continues to be conspicuous by his silence…again, so far.” Pappenheim sounded as if he expected the storm to break over his head at any moment. “So I really think you should be in place, so to speak by tomorrow, if you possibly can. If you’re asking for my advice, that is…”
“Taken.”
“And I’ll hold off the hordes as best I can.”
“If anyone can, you can.”
“Such flattery, the man has. The most likely place for our colonel,” Pappenheim continued before Müller could jump in with a dry comment, “has also been sent to the car….with his phone numbers. That is Neusser’s best guess. All info is with it.”
“Good work, as ever, Pappi. Thanks. I’ll give Dales that call, then continue the journey. There’s still plenty of light, but definitely not enough left in the day to check anything out there, after we arrive. So we’ll use the time to meet with people, then do an early morning foray tomorrow.”
“Okay.
CAFA Base.
“Dales.”
“Hello, Jack.”
“Who’s this? And how did you get this number? The proper procedure…”
“This is Carey. David’s sister.”
There was a stunned silence. Then, “My God! Carey
Bloomfield?”
“That’s me.”
“Good God, Carey. Many years. Got told you were on the base last time with a German cop, but I was up flying at the time. Carey, you couldn’t have called at a worst time. All hell’s breaking loose around here, and…”
“That’s exactly why I’m calling, Jack. We know about it.”
“’
We’?”
“Someone wants to speak with you.” She passed the phone to Müller.
“Colonel Dales,” he began. “My name is Müller
. Hauptkommissar
…”
“The Berlin cop?” a stunned Dales asked.
“Yes, Colonel.”
“He wanted to get in touch with you. He told me so, but didn’t want to do it the ordinary way.”
“Given what I do know, I fully understand.”
“And how much is that,
Hauptkommissar?”
“Nothing I’m prepared to discuss for very long, even on my own telephone, secure though it is.”
“I can also understand. What help can I give you?”
“First, I want you to know that I will do my best to help him.”
“I think he already knows that. I think you’re the only person in your line of work that he trusts right now. If you can do anything at all for him, Mr. Müller…”
“I will do everything I can, Colonel.”
“Thank God. I have a pretty good idea where he may have gone…”
“You do not have to tell me, if it is a favourite family spot. I’ve already got the information I need.”
“You’ve got it in one. He said you were good. I’m impressed.”
“Thank you, Colonel. If there is anything at all that you believe might help us, call the number I will give you. It will put you in direct contact with
Oberkommissar
Pappenheim, who will pass it on to me, wherever I am. Talk to
no
one else. You can trust Pappenheim completely.”
“Anything I can think of, he gets it.”
“Exactly. Here’s the number.” Müller gave it.
“Got it. One more thing, Mr. Müller. You should know that a military team is also after Colonel Jackson. They have orders to bring him in, or…”
“Or what, Colonel?”
“You would not like the ‘or’.”
“I see. Then I must tell you, Colonel, if I do meet up with that team, I will not allow them to commit what would in fact be a crime, on German territory.”
“In which case, I should warn you about what you’re up against. This is an elite team, led by a man call Hagen. A lieutenant-colonel. I may well be speaking out of turn telling you this…but Hagen also holds a years-long grudge against Bill Jackson. He might not be too scrupulous about how he carries out his mission. You read what I’m saying, Mr Müller?”
“Very clearly. Why the grudge?”
“Hagen wanted to marry Elisabeth.”
“That, is not good.”
“It’s worse, because he never had a chance with her in the first place. He assumed something that was never there.”
“The worst of ingredients.”
“Yes indeed, sir.”
“Again, I can only tell you I will do my very best, Colonel.”
“I know you will, Mr. Müller.”
“And please tell Sergeant Henderson if you do see him, we are doing all we can. I remember he and Colonel Jackson go back many years.”
“He’s Lieutenant Henderson, now…”
“Then please add my congratulations.”
“I will. And I’m certain he’ll appreciate your comments.”