Outside, where we now stood, the real party was taking place. A band was playing lively music on an elevated stage and people were dancing—most guests held drinks in their hands. Melinda walked us past a long bar where men waited to order a drink. It was then that I noticed the bartender scurrying around, a bead of sweat on his brow. I couldn’t quite keep the smile from my face. Baltimore glanced at me with an expression that could only say one thing …
Don’t say one fucking word.
I saw the Goertzes up ahead, surrounded by six or seven guests. A tabletop, now overflowing, had been set up to hold Heidi’s birthday gifts. Pippa carried a large gift box from the three of us. I didn’t want to touch the thing. Earlier, while still getting dressed, I heard a soft knock on the bedroom door. I opened it and nearly jumped out of my skin. A horrific face rushed directly toward me. As my brain tried to determine what fight or flight instinct to go with, Pippa was already laughing, holding up some kind of freak mask.
“What the hell is that thing?” I asked.
“Punic charm mask—very old: Roman. Expensive and our gift for Heidi.”
“Seriously?”
“She collects masks … has a whole room somewhere in her home dedicated solely to her mask collection.”
“Just keep it away from me …”
Leon saw us as we approached and smiled broadly. Heidi turned toward us and also smiled. She had on a sleek black gown and wore matching gold earrings and necklace.
Pippa gave Heidi her gift, which she placed on the growing mountain of brightly wrapped boxes beside her.
“You didn’t need to do that,” Heidi said. “There should be some kind of rule that new friends are excused from that kind of nonsense.”
“Oh, no, it was our pleasure,” Pippa said. “We hope you like it.”
Leon shook my hand and held it. “Glad you could make it, David. I want to apologize to you for not recognizing you—you know, at the track.”
“There’s no reason why you should have,” I replied. “I’m nobody important.”
“Let’s dispense with false modesty, David. You are among the elite when it comes to forging new, cutting-edge technology. What you’re doing with media storage will change the face of business.”
“Well, thank you. I’m optimistic.”
Ingrid noticed William Genz over by the bar and excused herself to join him.
“Look, there are some people I’d like you to meet. Pamela, can I steal your husband away from you for a bit?” Goertz asked.
“Uh, please, keep him as long as you want,” Pippa replied, bringing a laugh from Heidi.
“I like this girl,” Heidi said. “Come on, I’m gong to introduce you to the stodgy women of Baden-Baden.” The two women walked off, arm in arm.
Leon laid one hand on my shoulder and spoke to me as we walked toward the castle proper. “What do you say we get ourselves a drink?” We bellied up to the bar and Leon held up two fingers to Baltimore. “Scotch,” he ordered, above the noise of the crowd. Baltimore poured the drinks and put them in front of us. He looked worried. I took a quick look through his thoughts. Something was cataclysmically wrong—he was barely holding it together.
I had a hard time tracking the rapid influx of thoughts and images coursing through his brain. If he’d just take a damn breath and calm down, I’d be able to catch what was happening. And then I put it together: a phone conversation from Calloway … an alarming CNN report, discussing the potential financial implications of three U.S. goliath-sized companies taken off the market, becoming privately-held institutions … Earlier today the NY Stock Exchange was forced to stop all trading as stock prices plummeted.
The man standing at my side was bringing the world’s financial markets to their knees.
Chapter 40
Pippa walked alongside Heidi; every few paces they were stopped by a friend, or an associate, wishing her a happy birthday. Heidi was small and petite and Pippa felt she towered over the fair-haired German woman.
“There you are!” A robust woman, looking uncomfortable in very high heels, stepped toward Heidi for a hug and a mutual kiss on each cheek.
When introduced to Pippa/Pamela, the woman hugged and kissed her as well.
“Sorry,” Heidi said, as they moved on toward the far side of the courtyard, “kissy crowd. That was the mayor. Never misses a party, or free booze, for that matter.” The last comment was given without a trace of humor.
Heidi withdrew a small bottle of sanitizer from an almost-invisible pocket and squeezed a few dabs into the palm of one hand before vigorously rubbing both hands together. “Why can’t women learn to just fist-bump, like men do?” She held both palms in the air like she was signaling someone to stop. “Sorry, I’m particular about who touches me.”
“That’s fine—perfectly understandable,” Pippa said.
“Hey, how would you like to see the spas?” Heidi asked.
“You have spas here?”
“Do we have spas here? This is Baden-Baden! Our castle was built on one of the original ancient spas found in the area. Come, come, I’ll show you.” Heidi grabbed Pippa’s hand and pulled her along.
Well, okay
…
I guess I rate higher than the mayor
…
“This way, watch your step,” Heidi said, as they entered through an unremarkable wooden doorway placed beneath a sign reading
Verjüngende Spas.
Concrete steps led down to a platform that transitioned into age-worn stone blocks. “You’re going to love this. It’s why we built, actually rebuilt, the castle here in the first place.”
They were descending into a cavern. The air smelled musky.
“The surviving foundation and subterranean spas of Weilerbaden Castle date back to the first century, A.D. This is original Romanesque construction.” Arched stone-block doorways, some padlocked, led off to unseen corridors. Heidi continued to talk as they descended. She’d removed her shoes and was carrying them by their straps in one hand. There was something innocently playful about the way she hopped barefoot from step to step.
“In the twelfth century the castle was repurposed to protect the area’s surrounding silver mines. Later, in the late-seventeenth century, it was besieged, nearly totally destroyed by French soldiers during the Dutch War. The castle wasn’t rebuilt until we came along, five years ago.”
They’d reached the pools. Four of them, in total, were of different sizes and shapes. More worn stone steps led into each pool, at various locations. The air was hot and steam misted-off the water. Heidi dropped her shoes, the sound echoing off the cavern walls. Both hands were working the zipper at the back of her dress. In a fluid motion the zipper came down and she stepped out of the dress as it slid to the floor. Naked, she descended the largest of the pool’s steps. Pippa watched as Heidi let the water envelop her. When the depth of the water reached beneath her small perky breasts she lowered herself, until the water level was right beneath her chin.
“Aren’t you coming in?”
Pippa smiled, somewhat uncomfortable with Heidi’s immodesty. “What about your guests? I don’t know, I’m—”
“Oh, come on … just for a minutes or two—you’ll see—it’s beyond wonderful.”
Pippa shrugged and within several moments removed her own dress, bra and panties. She eased herself into the water and positioned herself close to Heidi.
“This is amazing,” Pippa said, feeling her body sway in the pool’s gentle currents.
“What’s that a tattoo of?” Heidi asked.
Pippa had to think about that for a beat, then remembered: “Oh, that’s a ladybug.”
“That’s cute. Stand up—let me see it,” Heidi said, looking around Pippa’s back.
Pippa hesitated, then stood and turned around so the tattoo was just above the waterline. She felt Heidi trace the contours of the ladybug with a finger and then let it linger on her upper butt cheek.
“Way too hot in here for me,” Pippa said, “and my hair’s getting frizzy.” Pippa waded over to the steps and got out of the pool. To her surprise, there were now two large, folded, bath towels stacked by their clothes. She felt Heidi’s gaze linger on her from the pool, taking in every inch of her body. She pulled one of the towels free and wrapped it around herself.
Heidi was out of the water and at her side. “I want you both to spend the weekend here with us.”
“Oh, I don't know,” Pippa said, still feeling somewhat uncomfortable. “David’s in the middle of some business and—”
Heidi cut her off, her raised voice filling the cavern, “No! You’ll stay here.”
Pippa realized the woman was not used to being told no. After an awkward silence, Heidi eventually attempted a smile. “Come on. We’ll have so much fun … get to know each other.”
Pippa shook her head. “Sorry, if I’d known … But we didn’t pack anything.”
Heidi smiled. “I’ve already dispatched your driver; it’s Manfred, isn’t it? Anyway, he’s bringing your clothes, everything, back here as we speak.”
“Then I guess we’re your house guests for the weekend,” Pippa said.
“Let me,” Heidi said, reaching up and zipping Pippa’s dress the last few inches.
* * *
Curt Baltimore needed to meet with Chandler one-on-one, right now. Seeing him at the bar, there wasn’t a chance to slip him a message. Unfortunately, talking on the phone or even texting was no longer a secure option. Their mission may be compromised. Baltimore had already suspected Goertz was on to him, that his cover had somehow been blown.
But how?
He told the barmaid he needed to take a piss—be right back. He made his way to a nearby restroom but wasn’t sure if he was followed by any of Goertz’s security goons. Once inside, he rinsed his face with cold water and tried to think straight. He watched as the handle of the bathroom door jiggled.
There was a knock. “Ist jemand da?”
Is anyone in there?
He’d have to chance it. Baltimore brought out his phone but before he could text, the bathroom door slammed opened. Two security guys, one tall, with a passive, indifferent expression, and the other, who had a mole on his cheek and looked angry, was pointing a pistol at Baltimore’s head. They rushed in and closed the door behind them. Baltimore’s phone was grabbed away and pocketed.
“Come with us. Make any commotion, and you will be dealt with on the spot. Understood?”
Baltimore nodded.
The security goon with the gun stood behind him, while the tall one opened the door and looked out. “Okay, it’s clear,” he said.
Baltimore was shoved from behind to follow. The three moved deeper into the castle, away from the courtyard and the partying going on outside. They made a left and then a right and then started to descend a long, steep, staircase. Even with the layout memorized, Baltimore was becoming somewhat disoriented.
Baltimore slowed his pace, which brought the swift response of a gun muzzle jabbed into his lower back. He picked up his pace for several steps, only to slow again. This time Baltimore was ready. Anticipating another poke in the same spot, Baltimore spun, grabbed the guard’s outstretched arm and pulled. The guard’s center of gravity shifted forward. Baltimore moved out of the way as the guard toppled down the stairs and into the back of his partner’s legs. They both continued in a tumbling squall of arms and legs. The guard dropped his gun and it came to rest ten steps below Baltimore. He leapt three steps at a time but mole-face was already recovering and moving to retrieve his weapon. Mole-face got to it first. As his fingers tightened around the gun’s grip, Baltimore was in the air, leaping off with both feet. Baltimore drove his heels—heels assisted by two hundred-plus pounds of momentum and gravity—into mole-face, who took the brunt of the force on his nose, driving it straight back into his skull. Splintered cartilage and bone shot into his brain, killing him instantly.
Baltimore tucked and rolled, coming to rest at the bottom of the stairs, where the other guard still lay unconscious. Moving to get up, he realized he’d cracked at least one, maybe two of his own ribs. He retrieved the gun, still tightly gripped in the dead guard’s hand.
He took in his surroundings. Dimly lit by a single light bulb further down the corridor, he determined he was standing on the landing where the stairway and two corridors intersected. He needed to get these bodies hidden. The taller, living, guard was coming around. Baltimore moved in behind him, crouched down and took his chin in one hand and the back of the man’s head in the other. In a rapid, twisting motion, Baltimore snapped the guard’s neck.
He searched the body and came up with a gun, which he placed in his jacket pocket, a wallet, a small flashlight, and some communication gear wired to the man’s ear-comms. A quick check of the guard’s wallet revealed nothing other than the man’s name: Brian Gaertner, and he lived in Frankfurt. He retrieved his cell phone.
Baltimore used the flashlight to search behind the back left side of the staircase. Nothing. He moved around to the other side and found a door. Unlocked, he discovered it was a broom closet. Within two minutes, both guards were stacked at the back of the closet beneath a bundle of rags and several mop buckets. He needed to get back but wanted to take a quick look around first.
There was a door twenty paces down the main corridor that looked to be open. As he approached he saw a flickering light coming from inside. After the racket he’d made on the stairs, he doubted there was anyone close by. He peeked into the room. It was an assembly hall of some kind. Flags, draped from beams high above, were all the same—black swastikas, upon white circles, on backgrounds of vivid red. Three men sat in high-back chairs on a raised platform at the front of the room.
“Come in, Mr. Baltimore.”
Chapter 41
The band had stopped playing and large circular tables and chairs had been brought in. Servers were carrying trays with platters of hot food.
I saw a hand waving in the air in the distance from a table close to the stage. Pippa was signaling me. She was seated next to Heidi. Another woman sat on her other side. Leon and I joined our respective wives.
“I hope you’re not driving our guests crazy with too much business talk on my birthday,” Heidi said, reprimanding Leon.