“Why wasn’t this known, Peit?”
“It seems, Max, that because of his position in the Police department, pressure on certain people in high positions, and falsifying his dossier he has been able to hide that fact. However, the GSG 9 has uncovered a possible connection between the Chief and a small group of like-minded despots that they call the GRS or Government Retirement Society, but in reality it has been their own attempt to revive the old Nazi Gestapo. The GSG 9 also has reason to believe that directions for this pseudo-Nazi movement originated in Argentina”
“How was all this uncovered?”
“Evidently an anonymous phone call about possible problems within the department started with the Chief’s personal secretary. She was unable to justify all the long distance telephone calls to Argentina during an audit. She later provided enough information to start an internal investigation, even though she was scared to death. Evidently, enough questions about Bruno’s so-called terrorist branch within the Munich Police department that the GSG 9 was called in to continue the investigation. In the course of their investigation, the GSG 9 officers found a member of the chief’s underlings who panicked and spilled everything he knew about the “Government Retirement Society.” He revealed that the group’s purpose was to rid the entire Munich government of anyone with Jewish blood starting with the Police Department. They contracted with a hit-man, known only to them as Mr. Golch, who did their dirty work for them. He didn’t think even the Chief knew the identity of this assassin. This information was enough to conduct a full-blown investigation of the Police Department, starting with the terrorist unit. I understand that Chief Beinschmidt has been charged with murder and criminal conspiracy along with several others in the department. The Chief, at the moment, is being held under very tight security in a secret location outside of Munich.”
“So where does this leave us now in our emerald caper and search for our Nazi, psychopathic killer?”
“It seems to me that I need to contact Levi again and perhaps we need to have a conference with Levi, David and Miriam to coordinate all of this information and plan how we proceed from here.”
Two days later gathered in Inspector Peit Servette’s living room were Levi Benesch, the legendary Mossad Katsa; David Bernstein and Miriam Wagner, Mossad Agents; Max, friend and confident of Servette; Simon, Munich Mossad, Case Officer; and Josef of course, listening and watching over the evening and the needs of the guests in Geneva.
Servette looked around with pride at those gathered in his living room. “Isn’t it interesting that although we have been working this emerald case for several years we have never all gotten together, until today? In spite of that I think we have been an amazing team and I am honored to be part of this quest.
Now, with Levi’s permission and all your help let’s see if we can come up with, first, a plan to put this emerald in its proper place so it will not cause the mayhem it has caused anymore and second take care of “The Dagger,” better known as Hans Huber. I certainly want him out of my city, either on a cold slab somewhere, or at least in prison for the rest of his miserable life. Third, I think we are all aware that the Munich situation with our “friend” Chief Bruno Beinschmidt and his Nazi buddies is pretty well in the hands of the German GSG 9. I have also informed them of the arrival of our friends, the ‘Three Stingers’, and they will be on the watch for them. But just to make sure let me go over all that I know about their particular situation. If you have any questions or any details to add that I am not aware of, just chime in.”
After the discussion of the Munich Police affair, David asked, “I guess that leaves the emerald and Hans!”
Miriam spoke up, “What does Christies want to do with the emerald?”
“Forget the emerald. I want to take care of that bastard, Hans, forever. Forget a trial and prison,” David said as he quickly got up and walked to the window overlooking Geneva.”
“All in good time, David,” Levi said as he looked at Miriam with eyebrows raised. Do you think the GSG 9 will be able to handle the “Three Stingers” for us?
Inspector, that will not be a problem at all.” With a laugh, Simon continued, “I think the GSG 9 boys will arrange a very nice ‘Welcome To Munich’ party for their arrival. They have the approximate arrival time and there aren’t that many flights from Orly to Munich where they might be missed. And besides I have arranged that two of my people with also be part of the welcoming team, just to keep us on the inside, so to speak”
“That’s great,” Peit broke in, “I think we can erase them from our list of problems. Josef, would you please get us something to eat and drink while we save the current world?
Levi asked, “What about the emerald? What is our responsibility concerning that gem? It seems to be the main source of the trouble we have been having, especially if Hans is doing all this killings, just to get his hands on it, I might add.
Would it be wise for you, Peit, since this is your town, to get in touch with Dr. Franz at Christies and talk to him about what we can do to help resolve the emerald situation?”
“I can certainly do that and see if he has any information about the final resting place for our emerald. How does that sound?”
CHAPTER 32
They drove through the outskirts of Augsburg and began looking for the signs to the AB autobahn, Karloff looked at the sky from the back seat of the Mercedes and remarked, “It looks like rain will be with us soon. Why don’t we stop and put the top up before we hit the autobahn. Find a place also where we can empty our bladders and this would be a good time to call Bruno, let him we’ll be there in about an hour, least according to this map.”
Werner pulled into a large truck stop, stopped beside gas pump, turned to the others and said, “My bladder’s fine, why don’t you two empty yours and call Bruno while I put the top up and fill her up.”
Coming out of the restroom, Adolph spotted a pay phone and asked Karloff if he had any marks. “All I have is paper money,” he remarked. Karloff handed him some coins and started looking at the magazines in the rack nearby as Adolph entered the phone booth.
After only a minute or so Adolph joined Karloff at the magazine rack and remarked, “That was odd.”
“What’s odd?”
“Someone named Kirk answered and immediately asked who I was.”
“That seemed so strange that I hung up. I called right back thinking I had dialed the wrong number and Bruno’s secretary, Lillianne answered and said Bruno was no longer Police Chief, could she help me. Again, I hung up. What do you suppose is going on?”
“I don’t know but we’d better talk with Adolph and decide what we do when we get to Munich.”
Climbing into the Mercedes, they mulled over different possible case scenarios as they drove on towards Munich, nervous to find out what was going on.
After checking into the small hotel that Bruno had arranged for them, they called the only other phone number they had been given for Munich and asked for Gottschlag.
“Who are you and why are you calling my husband?”
When Werner explained they were friends of her husband, from Argentina, there was a gasp at the other end of the phone.
“Then you don’t know? Chief Beinschmidt was arrested yesterday along with my husband and several others. I don’t understand why, something about corruption in his department, but that can’t be my husband. He called from jail after he was arrested and all he said was not to worry, it was all a big mistake, and he would be home soon.”