Holcroft Covenant, The by Ludlum Robert

Author:Ludlum, Robert [Ludlum, Robert]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Espionage, Thriller, Novel, Fiction
ISBN: 9780307813848
Publisher: Bantam / Random House
Published: 1978-01-30T02:00:00+00:00

24

He paid the driver and got out of the cab, making sure he could be seen by the man on the motorbike, who had stopped down the block.

Noel walked casually across the pavement to the pub and went inside. He stood on a platformed staircase and studied the restaurant. The ceilings were high, the dining area on a lower floor. The place was half full; layers of smoke were suspended in the air, and the pungent smell of aromatic beer drifted up the staircase. From the speaker system, Bavarian Biermusik could be heard. The wooden tables were placed in ranks throughout the central area. The furnishings were heavy, massive.

He saw the booths Kessler had described. They were along the rear wall and the sides: tables flanked by high-backed seats. Running across the fronts of the booths were brass rods holding red-checked curtains. Each booth could be isolated from its surroundings by drawing a curtain across the table, but with the curtains open one could sit at almost any booth and observe whoever came through the door at the top of the staircase.

Holcroft descended the stairs to a lectern at the bottom and spoke to a heavyset man behind it. “Pardon me, do you speak English?”

The man looked up from the reservation book in front of him. “Is there a restaurateur in Berlin who doesn’t, sir?”

Noel smiled. “Good. I’m looking for the manager.”

“You’ve found him. What can I do for you? Do you wish a table?”

“I think one’s been reserved. The name is Kessler.”

The manager’s eyes showed immediate recognition. “Oh, yes. He called not fifteen minutes ago. But the reservation was for nine o’clock. It is only—”

“I know,” interrupted Holcroft. “I’m early. You see, I’ve got a favor to ask.” He held up the attaché case. “I brought this for Professor Kessler. Some historical papers lent him by the university in America where I teach. I have to meet some people for an hour or so, and wondered if I could leave it here.”

“Of course,” said the manager. He held out his hand for the case.

“You understand, these are valuable. Not in terms of money, just academically.”

“I’ll lock them in my office.”

“Thank you very much.”

“Bitte schön. Your name, sir?”

“Holcroft.”

“Thank you, Herr Holcroft. Your table will be ready at nine o’clock.” The manager nodded, turned, and carried the attaché case toward a closed door under the staircase.

Noel stood for a moment considering what to do next. No one had entered since he had arrived. That meant the man in the leather jacket was outside, waiting for him. It was time to bait the trap, time to corner that man.

He started up the staircase, suddenly struck by a thought that made him sick. He had just done the most stupid thing he could think of! He had led the man in the black leather jacket directly to the spot where he was making contact with Erich Kessler. And to compound that enormous mistake, he had given his own name to the manager.

Kessler and Holcroft.

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