Whiff Of Money

'Yes .. .it is never used, but there is quite a lot of water.'

'Well then, what better place? The girl, once we have the films, can go the same way.'

Von Goltz felt a little sick. He wiped his sweating hands on his handkerchief. The casual, cold-blooded way this man talked shocked him.

'Well... I -1 will leave it to you.'

'How will you get rid of your women staff?'

Von Goltz hesitated while he thought.

'There is a fair on at Garmisch. I'll send them there.'

Silk nodded.

'Then let's get started. First, get rid of the women.' Von Goltz looked at his watch.

'It's not eight-thirty yet. This will take time. You know what women are.'

'Then get your men into the forest. Let's start something!' Silk said impatiently.

Von Goltz went into the corridor to give his orders to Sandeuer.

When Sandeuer heard that the women staff were to be taken to the fair at Garmisch, he gaped at von Goltz. 'But your lunch, Excellency ... the rooms are yet to be done.'

Von Goltz waved him away.

'Never mind! I want everyone out of here. Arrange it and arrange it quickly!'

Because he knew better than to argue with his master, Sandeuer hurried away to obey his orders.

There was an uproar and a great deal of heated talk from the chef and his staff when they were told that they were to go out into the forest to look for two missing guests. The chef, an enormously fat Frenchman, declared he was not going.

He was about to prepare a complicated sauce and he had no intention of going out all day into the forest. It was only when Sandeuer threatened to call the count that the chef was finally convinced that for once his culinary expertise had to take second place. Red faced and furious, he tore off his white uniform and put on his green livery. Half an hour later the exodus from the Schloss began. From every quarter, men left and headed across the vast expanse of lawn towards the distant acres of the forest.

Later, five women, chattering and excited, left by car, heading towards Garmisch.

Sandeuer, sweating but triumphant, came up to the first floor to report that his master's orders had been obeyed.

Von Goltz told him to wait in the corridor. He shut the door and regarded Silk who was lighting yet another cigarette.

'Then I leave you?' he said.

'Yes. I have the place to myself?'

'All the staff has gone. You are quite sure you don't want me to stay with you?' von Goltz asked reluctantly.

Silk smiled mirthlessly.

'Do you want to?'

'I want this operation to be a success.'

' I didn't ask you that.' Silk lowered his voice and stared at von Goltz with his hard, single eye. 'Do you want to be an accessory to murder?'

Von Goltz lost colour. His mind went back into the past and the terror he had known until Radnitz had saved him. He turned and walked out of the room and joined Sandeuer.

'Let us see what the men are doing,' he snapped and strode down the stairs to the terrace.

Silk got silently to his feet. He went swiftly to his room. From his suitcase he took a 7.65 mm Luger automatic. He checked the magazine, then holding it in his hand, he went silently down the corridor, down the stairs and into the main living-room. He opened the double door leading into the hall and to the foot of the staircase.

Silently, he moved a chair so that he could just see the stairs when he sat in the chair without being seen himself. He guessed he would have a long wait, but he was used to waiting.

Sooner or later, Girland would come down the stairs and then he would have him.

* * *

Girland had heard the door of the banqueting hall ease open. It had opened so gently, Gilly didn't hear it. Girland put his hand on her arm and his left hand touched her lips in a signal to keep silent. He felt her stiffen against him.

He could see nothing in the darkness. His hand closed around the butt of his pistol. He heard the door ease shut.

There was a long pause, then a voice whispered out of the darkness:

'Girland... this is Malik.'

For a brief moment Girland was so startled, he remained motionless. Malik! Here? He had immediately recognised the guttural voice.

He pressed Gilly behind him. Then he thumbed back the safety-catch on his gun. The little snick of the catch made a loud noise in the vast silence of the room.

'Don't move,' Girland said. I have a gun in my hand.'

'Don't you recognise my voice, Girland?' Malik asked. 'You don't need the gun.'

Girland snapped on his flashlight. The small, powerful beam hit the double doors, shifted to the right and centred on Malik who was standing against the wail, his hands raised.

Gilly caught her breath at the sight of this giant of a man and she retreated.

Girland lowered the beam of his flashlight so it didn't dazzle Malik.

'You're the last person I expected to see, Comrade,' he said. 'What are you doing here?'

'It seemed to me,' Malik said, 'that you needed help.'

Girland laughed.

' An understatement.' He paused and looked thoughtfully at Malik. 'Since when have you wanted to help me?'

'I owe you something.'

Girland's puzzled expression cleared.