A warm dry breeze out of the southwest had made the early morning seem more like May than January. But Jake wasn't complaining. The continuous cold, damp and clammy weather that he had experienced since coming back to Germany, and that he had often complained about when he lived there, could forever refrain from spoiling his days.
Driving along at over two hundred and twenty kilometers per hour was much safer with dry weather as well. Heading southeast on Autobahn 61 from Bonn to Frankfurt had always seemed to bring rain, snow or fog in the past. A clear sunny day with a warm breeze was more than Jake could have expected, but he appreciated the change nonetheless.
As he passed the Koblenz exit, he couldn't help feeling sorry for Charlie Johnson. Herb had described the murder repeatedly over the past few days, and the morbidity and inhumanity of the act seemed to intensify over time instead of becoming more detached. How could anyone commit such a horrendous crime?
Traffic on the Autobahn consisted mostly of weekend shoppers probably heading to Mainz or Frankfurt, Jake thought. The lack of slow trucks climbing the steep hills of the Idarwald made driving that magnificent highway even more enjoyable than the weather.
The fast speeds make it difficult to think of anything more than mere survival. His tense hands grasped the steering wheel. He frequently looked to the rear view mirror to ensure that nobody was trying to drive faster, and attempting to make him a hood ornament for their Mercedes. But then Jake would catch himself staring at nothing for a dangerous instant, distracted by thoughts of his conversation with Milt. He was hesitant to call Toni Contardo, but knew he needed her. His experiences in Italy weren't extensive. Toni had always been a welcome and willing guide. They had been a great team, Jake thought.
Jake took the next exit, slowing the Audi down and coming to a stop in front of an Autobahn gas station. He got out and went directly to a yellow phone booth outside a small vending area. Hopefully, Toni still lived in the same place. It had been almost a year and a half since he used the number that was still ingrained in his mind for the long term.
She's probably not home, he thought. After all, it's Saturday. The phone clicked on the other end.
"Si, Contardo," said a man on the other end.
Jake hesitated for a moment. English or Italian, he thought. "Pronto, sono il Signor Adagio. Vorrei parlare Sinorina Contardo, per favore," Jake said.
In a few seconds Toni answered. "Pronto," Toni said formally.
"Toni, can you speak freely?" Jake asked.
"Jake!" she said serenely. "Where are you?"
"I can't explain right now. Please listen. I need to call you secure in one hour. Can you make it to the office that quickly?"
"I still have the Alfa Romeo," she said. "I'll be there."
"Thanks, Toni. Ciao."
"Ciao," she said softly and hung up.
Jake hung up the receiver and walked back to his car slowly. It had been far too long. Now he knew he needed to see Toni for professional and personal reasons.
He got into his car, closed the door and put on his sun glasses. It's time for a new car, he thought. Something more Italian. He cranked over the Audi and pulled out slowly through the parking lot, and then, entering the short ramp to the Autobahn, picked up speed quickly until the car was traveling well over a hundred miles per hour.
After half an hour, he pulled into the alley behind Walter Kaiser's house and drove slowly to a parking space next to a white stucco garage.
Jake knew that Edeltrud and little Jakob would probably be off shopping in Mainz or at the vegetable market in Wiesbaden, so he and Walt would be alone.
After the third attempt at knocking on the large wooden back door, Walt finally came and opened it. He looked surprised, yet relieved to see him.
"Jake, come in," he said.
Knowing his way around the house, Jake went directly to a large plush chair in the den, sat down, and placed his briefcase next to the chair. Walt followed him and appeared anxious to start the conversation.
Jake didn't give him a chance. "I've talked with Milt Swenson, my boss, and he said you called him about me," Jake said.
Walt sat in a high back leather chair just to Jake's right. "Yes! We found Charlie Johnson. He was the guy you were hired to find?"
"Right. In fact I know who killed him. Gunter Schecht and his buddies knocked him over the head with a tire iron or something and dumped him into the Rhine at the Deutsches Eck in Koblenz over a week ago."
Walt had a puzzled look on his face. "Isn't that the guy whose license plate I ran for you last week? How do you know he did this?" Walt asked.
"A German customs agent named Herbert Kline saw the whole thing. I found out just a few days ago, but couldn't tell you about it without a body. Anyway, I just found out from Milt that the body was found and you were investigating Charlie's murder. So here I am."
"An eye witness for my first murder," Walt said. "I couldn't ask for more than that. But, why did Gunter kill Charlie? What was the motive?"
"That's the whole reason I'm here, Walt. I was hired by Teredata to find Charlie Johnson. Milt Swenson thought he might be selling some high tech hardware. I'm sure Charlie Johnson was selling to Gunter for a company in Bonn named Bundenbach Electronics. You ever hear of them?"
"Of course! There's been stories in the German press that Bundenbach is making some great breakthroughs in technology," Walt said.
Jake ran his hands through his hair and then looked into Walt's eyes. "The only breakthroughs they've made recently has been through Charlie's skull. I've looked into the company over the past week. They fired most of their research and development department. It seems easier for them to just buy and steal the technology."
"It's hard to believe that a company would have a man killed," Walt said.
"There's something I have to tell you," Jake started. "I know Gunter Schecht from when I used to work in Germany."
Walt just sat in his chair with a puzzled stare.
"You knew I was in the Air Force for three years here before moving on to a private company? In fact, we met just after I got out of the Air Force. Well, I didn't take a job with a private company, I started working for the CIA. It's no big secret now that I resigned. It's just that I feel so bad having to keep a secret from you and Edeltrud for so long. It was for your own good, and of course, the integrity of the assignments I was working. I couldn't compromise my position. I hope you understand."
Walt scratched his unshaved face. "So, is that how you know so much about electronics and computers?"
"Actually, that's the reason the CIA hired me. That and the fact that I knew Germany," Jake said. "You don't seem surprised?"
"Truthfully, Jake. Edeltrud and I wondered about all the trips you took. We couldn't figure out why your company would need you to travel so often. But we didn't suspect the CIA."
"Walt, I need another favor. I need to make a phone call."
"No problem. You can use the phone on my desk," Walt said pointing with his thumb over his shoulder.
Pulling the briefcase from the side of the chair and placing it on his lap, Jake punched in the combination to the dual locks. The case flipped open with the push of one thumb and pull from the other.
"What in the hell is that, Jake? Isn't my phone good enough?" he said smiling.
"Of course. But I need to make a secure call," Jake said.
"Are you sure you left the CIA?"
"Yes."
After a few minutes, the phone was hitched up and ready to go secure. Jake checked his watch. It was about two minutes past the hour mark when he was to call Toni. She'd love this, he thought.
Jake watched the LCD screen as he punched in the number to Toni's office in the American Embassy in Rome.
"Ciao," Toni answered.