Whiff Of Money

He helped himself liberally and began his breakfast. While he was enjoying his kidneys,the fish demolished -there came a tap on the door. Frowning, he called to come in.

Sandeuer bowed his way through the doorway.

'Your Excellency... excuse me, please, but you should know there is a rope hanging from the fifth floor balcony.'

Von Goltz shovelled another kidney, covered with potato into his mouth as he glared at Sandeuer. When he could finally speak, he said, 'A rope? What do you mean?'

'A curtain rope... if your Excellency would look... you will see for yourself Von Goltz got to his feet, snatching up a square of buttered toast and moved on to the balcony. He bit into the toast as he regarded the knotted curtain cord. Then he returned to the room.

'Have you told Mr Silk?'

'No, your Excellency.'

'Then tell him. Ask him to come here immediately.'

Sandeuer bowed and withdrew.

Realising his breakfast was about to be interrupted, von Goltz proceeded to bolt down the remaining kidneys. Then buttering more toast, he spread the toast heavily with cherry jam and began to eat so rapidly he nearly choked himself.

He was still munching when his door swung open and Lu Silk came in.

Silk was wearing a black shirt, black cotton trousers and black shoes. Von Goltz thought he looked like the impersonation of death. Silk paused in the doorway and stared at von Goltz with his cold, single eye.

'You have seen the rope?' von Goltz asked, gulping down the last of his toast.

'Oh, sure.' Silk moved into the room. 'I saw it half an hour ago.'

'So you were right! They were here last night, and now they have escaped into the forest.'

'Could be.' Silk sat down and lit a cigarette. 'It's light enough now. You had better get the search organised.'

Von Goltz moved around the room. His hurried breakfast had given him indigestion. He wished he hadn't eaten so quickly.

'As they are in the forest, there is no point wasting time searching here.'

'Go ahead,' Silk said, letting smoke drift down his nostrils.

Von Goltz stalked to the door, opened it and found Sandeuer waiting in the corridor.

'Begin the search,' he snapped. 'They are somewhere in the forest. Bring them back here. I don't have to tell you what to do. Find them!'

'Yes, Excellency,' Sandeuer said, but as he was about to leave Silk appeared behind von Goltz.

'Wait.' Silk put his hand on von Goltz's arm and drew him back into the room. He shut the door. 'I have an idea. I want you to go with your men. I want everyone out of here and into the forest.'

Von Goltz stared at him.

'What do you mean?'

Silk stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray on the breakfast trolley.

'I think they are still here,' he said. 'The quickest way to find them is for them to think everyone here is searching the forest.'

'Still here?'

'Why not?' There was an impatient note in Silk's voice. 'Have you looked at the rope? A man could get down it, but no woman could. As we have already sealed off each landing, they will be up on the fifth floor. I take it there is no other way down from the fifth floor except by the main staircase.' 'That's right.' 'So they are still up there.'

Von Goltz rubbed the back of his neck while he thought. 'Then I will send my men to the fifth floor and we will get them,' he said finally. 'Why waste time searching the forest?' Silk smiled: it was an evil smile that made von Goltz flinch. 'We won't be wasting time... we will be taking precautions.' Tin afraid I don't understand. If you are so sure they are on the fifth floor, then with enough men, we will have them.' 'And then what?'

The two men looked at each other.

'I still don't understand,' von Goltz said after a long pause. 'You have a staff of forty men.., perhaps more?' 'The staff is thirty-eight men and five women. What does that have to do with it?'

T want all your men out in the forest,' Silk said, lighting another cigarette. 'The women must also leave. I want this place completely evacuated.' His thin, cruel face was expressionless. 'What the eye doesn't see, a Judge doesn't know about.' 'What do you intend to do?'

'Get rid of Girland. We will keep the girl until the films arrive. It is possible Rosnold was lying. When we have the films, then I will get rid of her.'

'You mean you intend to stay here completely on your own?' von Goltz asked uneasily. 'Is that wise? We have been warned about Girland.'

Silk sneered.

'He is unarmed, I can handle him. All I have to do, once the place is evacuated, is to wait, out of sight. He needs two things: food and the possible use of a telephone. For both these, he has to come down the stairs. I'll be waiting for him.'

'Are you sure you shouldn't have two or three of my men with you?'

Silk studied von Goltz.

'Can you guarantee none of them would talk later?'

Von Goltz saw the point.

'I see . . . there is always that risk. When you have got rid of Girland... what do you do with him?'

'With the body?' Silk smiled. 'I have been studying the interesting plan of the Schloss you lent me. Is there water in the well in the rear courtyard?'