5 A Very Murdering Battle (10 page)

‘How’s everything at the house?’ asked Tulp.

‘Much the same,’ replied Dekker, downing some more beer.

‘Was he there again?’

‘Yes, Pienaar came at the usual time.’

‘Of all the women there,’ said Tulp with a sneer, ‘he chooses Gerda. She’s nothing but skin and bone. I wouldn’t touch her if you paid me.’

‘
He
doesn’t touch her either.’

‘Can you blame him?’ They shared a crude laugh. ‘She must have every disease under the sun. And look at the way she scratches – that means fleas.’

Dekker laughed again. Employed at the house to protect the prostitutes, he’d long ago learnt that they could take care of themselves. Most of them had daggers hidden in their rooms and Hendrika, the madame, had a pistol she was more than ready to use. Dekker had only ever had to throw two awkward clients out of the house. Disposing of the body of an elderly man who died in flagrante had been rather more problematical. It was yet another occasion when Tulp’s advice had been invaluable.

‘Oh,’ said Dekker as a memory stirred lazily at the back of his mind, ‘there’s something I should tell you. We had a stranger there this evening. He said he was a friend of Pienaar. He asked for Gerda.’

‘Was the fellow
blind
? Nobody in his right mind would choose her.’

‘This one did, Frans.’

‘What manner of man was he – old and decrepit?’

‘No, he was not much above my own age. Some would call him handsome.’

‘Then why did he want to fuck that crone?’

‘That wasn’t what he was after,’ said Dekker. ‘Gerda moaned about it afterwards. He never even lifted her skirt to feel her. He just talked.’

Tulp was wary. ‘What about?’

‘I don’t know. I couldn’t hear them clearly through the door.’

‘How long did he stay?’

‘He was in and out quite fast. What a waste of good money!’

‘I wonder,’ said Tulp, chewing a lip.

‘If you ask me, I think he lost his nerve. It often happens. They either change their mind at the last moment or they get too excited and soil their breeches before they even get their pizzle out. I don’t think we need worry about him, Frans,’ said Dekker, airily. ‘He was harmless.’

‘I’m not sure about that. Tell me exactly what happened, Jan. Who let him in? What did he say about Pienaar? Why did he pick Gerda?’ As Dekker was about to take another drink, Tulp grabbed his friend’s arm to stop him. ‘This could be important. Tell me everything.’

Daniel kept his promise. When he and Welbeck returned to the Janssen house, they said nothing about Pienaar’s visits to the brothel. Nor did they explain that the man had been followed by Welbeck for three days in a row. Daniel felt it would be wrong to alarm Janssen by suggesting any distrust of a loyal employee. He simply told Amalia and her father that their search that evening had been fruitless. An anguished Janssen waved the letter at them. Daniel read it first then translated it for Welbeck.

‘What do we do?’ asked Amalia.

‘Your father must reply and deliver the letter in person,’ said Daniel. ‘The thieves must be given the impression that he’s obeying their orders.’

‘We have no money to give them.’

‘We won’t need any, Amalia. We must slow them down. The letter will say that the money will be on its way from The Hague in a few days but that it will not be handed over until we have clear proof that the tapestry is undamaged.’

Janssen gasped. ‘Do you think they’ve already destroyed it?’

‘No,’ said Daniel. ‘Without it, they’d have nothing with which to bargain. But we must insist that someone verifies its existence. It will show them that we can’t be rushed into paying any ransom. And,’ he went on, ‘it will give us an idea of the whereabouts of the tapestry.’

‘They won’t
show
us where it is, surely?’

‘Of course not – they’ll probably insist on blindfolding someone before taking him to the hiding place. But whoever inspects the tapestry will be able to pick up some clues.’

‘I’ll go,’ volunteered Janssen.

‘No, Father,’ said Amalia in dismay, ‘it’s too dangerous.’

‘I know that tapestry better than anyone.’

‘Let Daniel go – he helped you with the design, after all.’

‘It’s my duty, Amalia.’

‘You’d get too upset,’ she argued. ‘I’m afraid that seeing it again will be too much of a shock for you. We have to put your health first.’

‘I agree with Amalia,’ said Daniel. ‘Someone else must go.’

Janssen was hurt. ‘It’s my right.’

‘Then it’s one that should be waived. When you see the tapestry again, it’s bound to arouse your emotions. You’ll be so distracted that you won’t be able to look and listen for clues as to your whereabouts. This is work for someone else.’

‘That means you, Daniel,’ said Amalia, ‘or even Sergeant Welbeck. The thieves are desperate criminals. You could stand up to them.’

Daniel shook his head. ‘That won’t be necessary, Amalia.’

‘Oh – why is that?’

‘It’s because neither I nor Henry will be involved.’

‘
Somebody
must make sure the tapestry is unharmed,’ said Janssen.

‘I know the ideal person for the assignment.’

‘And who might that be?’

‘A man who worked beside you on the project,’ said Daniel. ‘It’s someone with the same desire and urgency to recover the tapestry. He’ll be able to cast an expert eye over it to see if it’s been blemished in any way.’

Janssen was puzzled. ‘Are you talking about Kees or Nick?’

‘I’m talking about Aelbert Pienaar.’ Daniel smiled as he thought of the man’s likely reaction to an early chance of redemption. ‘I have a feeling that he’ll jump at this opportunity.’

Everything went according to plan. As they watched from their hiding place, Tulp and Dekker saw the letter being delivered by Emanuel Janssen. Nobody was with him and he’d not been followed from the house by any friends. The thieves were certain of that because Dekker’s brother, Teunis, had been stationed opposite the Janssen home to make sure he complied with his orders. He’d then trailed Janssen all the way to the quayside where the letter was deposited. A signal from their accomplice told Tulp and Dekker that no subterfuge was involved. After placing the missive where he’d been told, Janssen turned on his heel and hurried away. A boy ran over to retrieve the letter. Taking it from him, Tulp slipped him a coin and sent him on his way. Dekker was illiterate, so he had to wait for Tulp to read the letter.

‘What does it say, Frans?’ he asked. ‘Will we get our money?’

‘Not for a few days,’ replied Tulp, irritably.

‘We told him to hand it over tomorrow.’

‘It’s coming from The Hague. That’s where the Duke of Marlborough is staying. But we won’t get anything until they know that the tapestry is still in good condition.’

‘Tell them that it is.’

‘They want proof.’

Dekker was aggressive. ‘They’ll have to take our word for it.’

‘That’s not good enough, Jan. To be honest, I don’t blame them. I wouldn’t hand over that amount of money until I was certain that I was getting something in return. We’ll have to agree.’

‘But if we show them the tapestry, they’ll know where it’s hidden.’

‘Not if we’re careful. We’ll take one of them there by night and make sure he’s blindfolded. First, we’ll take him around Amsterdam to confuse him.’

Dekker was impressed. ‘I’d never have thought of that.’

‘That’s why you should leave the thinking to me.’

‘Where will we go when we get the money?’

‘Let’s make sure we get it first.’

‘I’ve always wanted to see The Hague.’

‘We’ll be able to go further afield than that, Jan.’

‘Teunis has a family. He’s going to stay here.’

‘That’s his decision. I want to get far away from this city. There are too many people looking for me here. I need to start a new life somewhere else.’

‘The same goes for me.’

Tulp grinned. ‘I thought you liked living with all those whores.’

‘I did at first,’ said Dekker, ‘but I got bored. I’ve had all they can offer.’

‘Well, keep your wits about you while you’re still there,’ said Tulp. ‘Make a note of any strangers who turn up. The man who came there yesterday worries me. Why should he pay all that money just to talk?’

‘He learnt nothing, Frans. What could Gerda possibly tell him?’

‘Ask her.’

‘I did, but she told me to mind my own fucking business.’

‘You should have beaten an answer out of her.’

‘Hendrika doesn’t like me hitting any of them. If I do, they can’t earn their keep. Who wants a whore with a broken arm?’

‘Tell Gerda you want to know everything that stranger said to her yesterday. Give her a slap to jog her memory. If she still won’t tell you,’ warned Tulp, raising a fist, ‘I’ll break every bone in her rotting old body.’

For the whole time that her father was out of the house, Amalia was on tenterhooks. She was terrified that he might come to some harm or that his health would fail him. When he dragged himself out of bed that morning, he’d been fatigued, having spent a sleepless night agonising over the fate of his tapestry. As he went off to deliver the letter, his gait had been so unsteady that Amalia was profoundly disturbed. Daniel wasn’t there when Janssen left and it was several minutes before he was able to join Amalia in the parlour.

‘I should have gone with him,’ she said, anxiously.

‘It was something he had to do on his own, Amalia.’

‘You saw how ill he looked this morning.’

‘Yes,’ said Daniel, ‘but I also saw that letter from the thieves. Their warning was quite specific. Your father was to go alone. Had he been seen with anybody else – even with his daughter – it might have jeopardised our chances of recovering the tapestry.’

‘I just can’t bear the thought that Father is in danger.’

‘He’s perfectly safe, I promise you.’

‘I wish that I could believe that.’

‘The thieves want their ransom,’ he pointed out. ‘If they were stupid enough to harm your father, they know they’d never get any money.’

Daniel continued to reassure her but Amalia was inconsolable. Though she didn’t voice her concerns, she was beginning to doubt his ability to identify the thieves and to reclaim the tapestry. It was a salutary moment for her. Because he’d never let her down in the past, she’d come to think that Daniel was infallible. Even with Welbeck at his side, however, he appeared to have made no headway in solving the crime. Could it be that he was finally out of his depth? Was he about to fail? She tried to stifle such thoughts and remembered instead how he’d dashed all the way from Lille to Oxfordshire in order to save her from the clutches of an obsessive admirer. Sensing her fears, Daniel was waiting until Janssen had returned before showing her that he and Welbeck had indeed made progress.

Amalia’s patience soon wore thin. Instead of standing in the window, she put on a coat and went out into the street to wait for her father. When he finally came around a corner, she ran to greet him and enfold him in her arms. She supported him all the way back to the house then helped him take off his hat and coat. Since it had obviously been an ordeal for Janssen, Daniel made sure that the older man had time to recover before he was plied with questions. Amalia sat beside her father, troubled by the pallor of his cheeks and the way he struggled for breath.

‘Are you ready to tell us what happened?’ she asked, softly.

‘I think so, Amalia.’

‘Was anybody waiting at the quayside?’

‘Nobody at all,’ said Janssen. ‘I came straight back home.’

‘Did you see the man who was following you?’ asked Daniel.

Janssen was shocked. ‘No, I didn’t. Was there someone?’

‘He was waiting at the corner for you.’

Amalia was surprised. ‘How do you know that, Daniel?’

‘I watched him from the attic through a telescope. He was very clever. He let your father get well ahead of him before he went after him.’ He turned to Janssen. ‘The man wasn’t only there to follow you. He wanted to make sure that nobody from here did the same thing.’

‘I was completely unaware of him,’ admitted Janssen, ‘but then, I was in such a state that I wouldn’t have noticed if a troop of cavalry had been at my heels. All that I could think about was delivering that letter to the place I was told. My hand was trembling when I put it down.’

‘I hope that makes you think twice about going to see the tapestry,’ said Amalia. ‘You shouldn’t have to suffer like that again.’

‘I agree, Amalia. It’s not a job for me.’

‘That’s settled, then.’

‘But I do wonder if it’s fair to foist it on to Aelbert.’

‘It’s fair and it’s appropriate,’ said Daniel.

‘Will he be able to cope?’

‘I’m certain that he will. He has as much incentive as anybody.’

‘Nick is younger and more resilient.’

‘That doesn’t matter. Aelbert has seniority. I fancy that he’d feel hurt if someone else went in his place.’ Standing at the window, Daniel caught sight of a stocky figure approaching the house. ‘Ah, here’s Henry at last,’ he said. ‘I thought he’d be back before too long.’

‘Where has he been?’

‘And why didn’t we see him for breakfast?’ added Amalia.

‘He was ready to make sacrifices,’ explained Daniel. ‘It’s something we do as a matter of course in the army. Henry left before dawn so that he could get down to the harbour and find somewhere to hide. Nobody could have seen him leave the house or been aware of his presence near the spot where the letter was left.’ There was a knock on the front door. ‘But I’ll let him tell his own story.’

They heard the front door opening then shutting. Seconds later, Welbeck came into the room wearing a hat that concealed his face and a thick coat. He removed the hat with a flourish and sidled across to the fire.

‘It’s getting no warmer out there,’ he said.

‘I didn’t even notice the weather,’ said Janssen in English.

‘Well, I noticed and felt it – especially before the sun came up.’

‘It was very noble of you, Sergeant Welbeck,’ observed Amalia.

Daniel helped him off with his coat. ‘What did you see, Henry?’

‘I saw lots and lots of seagulls,’ said Welbeck. ‘They sounded as cold and hungry as I did. But I stayed where I was and eventually I saw them moving into position. There were two of them – a big, hefty character with a fringe beard and an older, shorter, skinnier man who seemed to be in charge. They waited until the letter had been placed on the wall, then they let a boy pick it up. The lad was paid and sent on his way. They read the letter and looked perplexed. It was obviously not what they expected. They didn’t realise you’d want to make sure that the tapestry was intact.’

‘Then what happened?’

‘They were joined by a third man.’

‘It must have been the one who followed me,’ said Janssen.

‘It was,’ confirmed Welbeck. ‘As you walked towards the quayside, I saw him stalking you. He had the same build and features as the big man. I’d say that they might even be brothers. After a while, they split up and went their separate ways. I came back here.’

‘You did well, Henry,’ said Daniel. ‘At least we have a clearer idea of what we’re up against. All we can do now is to wait for their response. Oh,’ he added with a grin, ‘there’s something else for which we must wait.’

‘What’s that, Daniel?’ asked Amalia.

‘We must tarry until a large amount of money has been sent from The Hague by His Grace, the Duke of Marlborough.’

Even Janssen joined in the ironic laughter.

One of Dekker’s few virtues was that he knew how to obey orders. After leaving the others at the harbour, he walked back to the house he shared with seven prostitutes. Tulp had told him to question Gerda closely and that’s what he intended to do. Even though she was fast asleep at that time of the morning, Dekker didn’t mind. He barged into her room and shouted to wake her up. When the woman didn’t stir, he grabbed her by the shoulder and shook her violently. Gerda came awake with a string of expletives pouring out of her mouth like hot steam. Rubbing her eyes, she peered at her visitor.

‘Get out, Jan!’ she snapped.

‘I need some answers,’ he said.

‘And I need my sleep.’

When she turned her back on him and pulled the blankets over her head, Dekker was furious. Seizing the blankets, he pulled them off her and tossed them on to the floor. She sat up and shivered in the cold.

‘I’m freezing,’ she howled. ‘Give me those bleeding blankets.’

‘You get nothing until I get answers.’

‘Give them here, you bastard!’

‘Tell me what I want to know or I’ll throw you out into the street stark naked.’

‘This is my room – get out!’

Hauling herself out of bed, Gerda tried to retrieve her blankets but Dekker stood in her way. Another torrent of abuse poured from her lips. She pummelled his chest with her puny fists only to enrage him the more. Dekker was merciless. After slapping her hard across the face, he grabbed her by the hair and swung her across the room until she collided with a wall. Dazed and in great pain, Gerda didn’t even have enough strength left to curse him. Dekker stood over her.

‘Tell me about that stranger,’ he demanded.

‘What stranger?’

‘That man who came here yesterday. He said he was a friend of Pienaar.’

She was confused. ‘Did he?’

‘I was here when Hendrika let him in. He asked for you.’

‘You hurt me,’ she said, rubbing her arm.

‘I’ll hurt you even more if you don’t tell me the truth.’

‘There’s nothing to tell.’

He kicked her. ‘Don’t lie to me.’

‘It’s true, Jan,’ she whimpered, recoiling from the blow. ‘He was just like Aelbert. All he wanted to do was to talk.’

‘I know that – but what did he
say
?’

‘Who cares?’

He kicked her harder this time and she screamed in pain. Taking her by the throat, he lifted her up and pinned her against the wall. She began to splutter.

‘I’ll ask you one last time, Gerda. What did that man say?’

Unable to fight back, she spat defiantly into his face. Dekker went berserk, banging her head repeatedly against the wall before hurling her on to the bed like a rag doll. He was just about to administer further punishment when he felt something hard against the back of his skull.

‘If you touch her again,’ warned Hendrika, holding the pistol firmly, ‘I’ll blow your brains out.’

Dekker froze. He knew Hendrika well. She wasn’t given to making idle threats. If need be, she’d pull the trigger without hesitation. In assaulting Gerda, he’d gone too far. The woman might be old and spindly but she was one of Hendrika’s charges. Thanks to him, Gerda had been badly hurt and was lying unconscious on the bed. She’d be unable to work for some time. Instead of being a source of income, she was a liability.

Still aiming the pistol at him, Hendrika stepped across to the open door. ‘Get out of my house!’ she ordered.

‘But I work here,’ he said, piteously.

‘Not anymore, Jan.’

‘All I wanted from Gerda is a few answers.’

‘You’ve no business here now,’ she said, motioning with her pistol. ‘Get out and stay out. And the same goes for that little rat, Frans Tulp. If I see either of you near this house again, I’ll bite your pricks off and feed them to the dog.’

Dekker tried to plead with her but his entreaties fell on deaf ears. Hendrika was finished with him for good. After glowering at Gerda, he accepted defeat and stormed out of the house. The cold air sobered him and allowed him to view his situation more calmly. It was not as bad as it seemed. Being ejected from the house was no punishment because he was in any case planning to leave it very soon. Once he had his share of the ransom, he’d flee from the city with Frans Tulp. He might have failed to get the truth out of Gerda but his friend wouldn’t know that. All that he had to do was to tell Tulp a simple lie and the whole matter would be forgotten. Hendrika, Gerda and the others belonged to his past. In a couple of days, he and Tulp would be rich men, able to pay for any pleasures they sought.

There was danger involved. Daniel made no attempt to disguise that. They were dealing with criminals. If Pienaar made a false move, they’d have no compunction in turning on him. Daniel foresaw another problem. His visit to Gerda might well have aroused suspicion. Since there was a link between the thieves and the brothel, they might have been made aware of what Daniel had asked the woman. In case he was questioned about it, Pienaar needed to have a plausible explanation for Daniel’s appearance at the house. They discussed the possibilities at length.

As Daniel had assumed, Pienaar was delighted to be given the opportunity to redeem himself. If he could be instrumental in helping to catch the thieves, it would assuage the sense of guilt smouldering inside him. He was pathetically grateful for Daniel’s discretion. Pienaar had been terrified that Janssen and the others would learn of his visits to a prostitute. As well as blaming him for the theft of the tapestry, they’d be disgusted by the revelation that he’d entered a brothel. Pienaar’s career would have been over and there would have been a total loss of dignity. Because of Daniel, that had not happened. Instead of being exposed to condemnation, he was being offered the chance to gain the admiration of his employer. That meant everything to Pienaar.

‘Why didn’t you choose Nick?’ he asked.

‘I couldn’t rely on him,’ said Daniel. ‘He’s likely to make a slip of the tongue when put under stress. You have more self-control.’

‘What must I do, Captain Rawson?’

‘Commit everything you can to memory. If they blindfold you – as I’m sure they will – try to remember in which direction they take you. Listen for any noises that might give you clues as to where you are – the chiming of a clock, for instance, or the ringing of church bells. Breathe through your nose so that you can detect smells. If they take you anywhere near the fish market, you’ll know it immediately.’

Pienaar listened to his instructions and resolved to follow them. He was very nervous about his assignment but more than willing to accept it. Another letter had arrived from the thieves, agreeing to let Janssen view the tapestry but imposing strict conditions. He was to leave the house alone at a given time that evening and walk in the direction of the harbour until it was clear that he was not being followed. He’d then be taken to the place where the tapestry was stored. Pienaar wondered if it might actually be kept in the brothel.

‘I doubt it,’ said Daniel. ‘For one thing, it’s too far away. Before they stole it, they would have arranged for a hiding place much nearer.’

‘They’ll be expecting Emanuel. What will happen when I turn up instead?’

‘You explain that he’s too ill to come and sent you in his stead. They know you by name, Aelbert, so they’ll trust you.’