“He knows where the Fargos are.”
“Does he?” She looked at the old man with renewed interest. “And you think beating him is going to work? As old as he is, you’re likely to kill him first.”
“You have a better way?” Leopold asked. “By all means. Show us how it’s done.”
“Clear the room,” she said, “and I’ll be glad to.”
No one moved.
She leveled her gaze on Rolfe. “I’m sorry. Was my German a little rusty?”
He studied her a moment, then gave a sharp nod to Leopold. “Go,” he said.
The man stalked out, not happy about taking orders from her.
Rolfe hesitated.
“You, too.” She walked up to him, putting her hand on his arm, guiding him from the room.
“Just curious how you plan on getting this information.”
“We have our ways,” she said, then turned to Viktor. “You know what to do.”
He gave a slight nod.
She glanced at the old man, his eyes widening in fright as Viktor approached. Closing the door, she returned to her seat. Leopold stood, arms crossed, glaring at her. Ignoring him, she turned to Rolfe, who was pouring himself another drink. “It shouldn’t take long,” she said.
Five minutes later, Viktor opened the door. The old man sat in a chair, his gaze on the ground. Viktor walked up to Tatiana and whispered the information in her ear.
“Thank you,” she told him, then to Rolfe said, “I now know where the Fargos are.”
Leopold eyed the old man through the open door. “How?”
Tatiana took her time, pleased to see that Rolfe’s gaze was fixed only on her. “Here in Kaliningrad, it’s easy to forget you’re in Russia. But being Russian, we know it’s not the beating or killing that buys cooperation. It’s the threat of what can be done to their family once they’re no longer around.” She glanced at Leopold, who quickly looked away. Apparently, he was sore at being bested. She turned her attention back to Rolfe. “I have contacts everywhere, including the police and the government.”
“Impressive,” Rolfe said.
“As I mentioned, Rolfe, you need me.”
“For now.”
“Perhaps I should clarify. You need me if you want to do business in my country. Ever.” When he said nothing in response, she knew she’d won the immediate battle and nodded for Viktor to remove the man from the room. “Should there be any more information to be had, we’ll find out and let you know. Assuming we have a deal?”
Rolfe watched as Viktor led the old man toward the front door. “What did you learn?” he asked after they were gone.
“As I said, I know where the Fargos are.” She waited a beat to let that settle in. “That is what you were trying to discover, was it not? Of course I must assume you know that the Fargos are also searching for this treasure. They have a map in their possession with a specific location marked on it. In Poland.”
“Poland?” He eyed the vodka in his glass, mulling it over. “Forty percent.”
“Half or I find the Fargos and the map on my own.”
“You forget that you don’t have the Guard working alongside you. Considering that Russia no longer controls Poland, the advantage is mine.”
“Guard?”
“Perhaps you know them by their older name. Werwolf. Leopold’s men are as bloodthirsty as their title implies.”
Trying to hide her surprise, she flicked her gaze toward Leopold, then back at Rolfe. “And what makes them special?”
“The Guard,” Leopold said, his cold blue eyes staring at her as though he’d be glad to rip out her throat right there, “have men in every country in Europe. You tell me where in Poland and I will have twenty men ready at a moment’s notice waiting for the Fargos before they even arrive.”
She studied the bearded man before returning her gaze to Rolfe. “Fine. Forty percent. But I’m coming with you.”
“You don’t trust me?” Rolfe asked.
“I expect the feeling is mutual. Like you, I’ve been searching for this for too long. I’m not about to let it slip away.” She made a point of looking at her watch. “It’s late. I have a few business matters that can’t wait.”
“You can’t leave,” Rolfe said, following her to the door. “You haven’t told me where in Poland the Fargos are headed.”
She wasn’t about to pass on that information, yet. “Since Leopold said he only needed a moment’s notice, I insist on waiting until we’re ready to leave. I’m sure you understand. That whole trust issue. Shall we meet back here in, say, two hours?”
He reluctantly agreed, and she left. Outside, she found Viktor waiting, the engine running. “Where’s the old man?”
“In the trunk.”
“Any problems?”
“Turns out, he was far more cooperative than I could have hoped for. What happened after I left?”
“I’m in for forty percent.”
“Forty?”
“I wasn’t in a position to bargain. How can I, when I know nothing about this Wolf Guard? Werwolf. Did you know they still existed?”
“I’d heard rumors of them in Germany, and even Poland. But not in Russia.”
“Well, Leopold, obviously, runs them. He came from somewhere.” She glanced at the house as they pulled away and saw the very man in question watching from a window. “I want to know everything there is about this Leopold Gaudecker and his group. He claims given any location, he can send men to find the Fargos with very little notice.”
29
The Fargos’ flight to Wrocław early the next morning took a little over two hours. Sam invited Sergei, who happened to be fluent in Polish, to come along with them.
As usual, the ever-efficient Selma had their rental car waiting for them the moment they cleared the airport. From there, they drove straight to Wałbrzych, catching sight of the majestic pink and gray thirteenth-century cliff-top Castle Książ as they neared the city. It was even more impressive up close as they walked through its vast courtyard and ornamental gardens.
Sam looked around the gardens, then into the castle. “Divide and conquer?”
“Good idea,” Remi said.
While she knew enough Polish to get by on her own, Sam was going to need Sergei’s help. “You check inside, Remi. Sergei and I will see if we can find someone out here who knows him.”
She left. Eventually, he and Sergei found a gardener, tending a bed of roses.
“Excuse me,” Sam said. “We’re looking for someone named Renard Kowalski.”
The gardener glanced over, his gaze taking them in, before turning back to the flowers, clipping off the faded red blooms.
Sergei repeated the question in Polish. Their conversation was short and, apparently, from the expression on Sergei’s face, surprising. He turned to Sam, lowering his voice. “Didn’t see that coming. The guy’s dead.”
“Kowalski? What happened?”
“A hunting accident. He says they don’t talk about it. No one does.”
Sam eyed the man who seemed a little too eager to get back to work. “That’s it?”
“That’s it. He wouldn’t even give me the name of anyone who knew him.”
“Let’s find someone else who can help.” But the pattern repeated with the next two employees. “It’d be nice to find out what’s going on. Maybe Remi’s having better luck.” He texted her, and she answered, saying she’d be about fifteen more minutes. When she did emerge from the castle, walking down the stairs, it was with a group of tourists led by a guide.
Remi waved them over. “Very knowledgeable,” she whispered as Sam and Sergei joined her at the back of the group. “Talking about access to the tunnels being out here. Maybe when she’s finished, she’ll be able to tell us something.”
The young woman waited for everyone to gather around. “Here,” she said, her English thickly accented, “at the conclusion of our tour, in what is called the Honorary Courtyard, is another of the access points to the chambers. One is fifteen meters down, the other fifty. Both were part of Project Riese, a vast series of tunnels built by the Nazis using prisoners of war from the nearby camps. The headquarters for the project was located in the castle. Beneath our very feet,” she said, sweeping her hand in front of her, “the Nazis built a lift that led to the chambers below. The shaft has since been filled. To this day, no one knows the true purpose of the tunnels.” She answered several questions from the group, told them to enjoy the gardens, then waited patiently as they wandered off. Finally, noticing Remi, Sam, and Sergei still standing there, she smiled. “Is there something I can help you with?”