The Devouring by James R. Benn

Author:James R. Benn
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Crime Fiction
Publisher: Soho Press
Published: 2017-06-27T19:32:01+00:00

Chapter Nineteen

“Shall we go to Alpenstrasse and speak with the concierge?” Kaz asked as we stepped outside. “It is not far.”

“Let’s work this through first,” I said. Across the street was a park that ran the entire length of the road. We decided it was in the right direction for Alpenstrasse and that it would be a good place to talk without being overheard.

And if we had to shoot, there were fewer bystanders to worry about.

“Are you sure we shouldn’t tell Escher about the cigarette case?” Kaz said.

“Yes,” I said. “Whoever has it is in danger. Even people who don’t have it are in danger. No matter how trustworthy he is, word could leak out. It’s better for us if the opposition thinks we haven’t figured out what Henri was up to.”

“The opposition must include the SVV,” Kaz said as we entered the park, taking a wide gravel path that ran through well-tended gardens, full of spring flowers. “Undoubtedly they wanted to search us for the case last night.”

“And Hannes was probably waiting for another candidate at Alpenstrasse,” I said. “So who else is in their crosshairs?”

“When Henri returned, there was Dulles, Maureen, you and I, Captain Bowman, and Victor. In our immediate circle, at least. I can’t think of anyone else,” Kaz said.

“On his way to us, I saw him talking with McKittrick, the guy from the BIS bank, and Schmitz, from IG Farben. Then he spoke with Gisevius for a few seconds.”

“For all we know, he could have handed it off to Dulles,” Kaz said. A pair of bicyclists passed us on the left. We both scooted to the right to make room for another pair coming up behind us. “He is a man of secrets. He may not have seen any reason to tell us.”

“It could have been Gisevius, for that matter,” I said. “Henri seemed like a decent guy, but we have to consider he might have been working both sides of the fence.”

“In theory, yes,” Kaz said. “Although I think we can discount Schmitz and McKittrick, unless we become desperate for clues. They are too grotesque to consider Henri being in league with them. He seemed a cultured man, after all.”

“Gisevius also seems cultured, for a Nazi diplomat,” I said. Kaz stopped, his brow furrowed. “What?”

“Henri spoke with Dulles and Gisevius before joining us,” Kaz said, resuming our stroll. “He said Dulles told him we’d been ordered to follow Krauch, correct?”

“Right. Which was an odd slip to make in front of Gisevius. And Dulles doesn’t seem like a man who makes mistakes like that,” I said.

“Which means that he trusts Gisevius,” Kaz said. “Is Gisevius working for Dulles? And if so, does it have anything to do with Henri’s murder?”

“Okay, first we have to ask Dulles if he has the invoices and see where that leads,” I said, looking back as the sound of gravel under cyclists’ wheels drew closer. Two men were bent over their handlebars, making the best time they could.

One of them, the guy closest to us, reached into his jacket pocket.

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