‘Like what?’ Heidi asked.
‘Like spreading out in the store.’
Jones moved first, grabbing a defensive position near the front door, while Heidi and Ulster went to opposite corners. Meanwhile, Payne stood off to the right where he had a clear view of the entire room. From there, he could see everything and control the action.
Five minutes later, Hauser emerged from the back. Although his hands were weapon-free, he was armed with a question – one that would determine what happened next. He spotted Payne off to the side and walked in his direction, sensing he was the leader of this group. Hauser stopped a few feet in front of him and lowered his voice to a whisper.
‘My father,’ he said, ‘is nearly a hundred years old. During his lifetime, he has suffered through two world wars and the death of his entire generation. In the last decade, he has buried the love of his life and two of my sisters, so the man has endured far more than most. Because of that, I’m willing to respect his wishes – even in situations that I don’t fully understand.’
Payne stared at Hauser, trying to figure out where this was going. ‘What does any of that have to do with us?’
‘I spoke to my father about the receipt, and, well, to be perfectly honest, he got upset.’
‘Upset?’
Hauser nodded. ‘He said he didn’t have the strength to talk to you. Unless …’
‘Unless, what?’
‘Unless you can answer a question.’
Intrigued by the whispering, Ulster crept closer. ‘What’s the question?’
Hauser sighed. ‘That’s the thing. It isn’t even a question. It’s more like a statement that you’re supposed to finish. If you finish it correctly, my father will speak to you. If not, I’m supposed to escort you from the store.’
Ulster welcomed the challenge. ‘Such fun! What’s the statement?’
‘Yeah,’ Heidi said as she approached, ‘what’s the statement?’
Hauser took a deep breath, then whispered the words his father had told him to say. ‘He who holds the key …’
The group answered in unison. ‘Gets to wear the crown.’
Hauser blinked a few times, stunned. ‘That’s correct. How did you … ?’ His voice trailed off as he thought about the past few years with his father. They had been more than difficult. ‘Do you know what? It doesn’t even matter. I’m just glad someone knew what he was talking about. He’s been babbling about your receipt for ever. Until today, I thought maybe it was a figment of his imagination. I’m thrilled to know it wasn’t.’
Payne cut to the chase. ‘Does this mean we can talk to him?’
Hauser answered cryptically. ‘Not only that, it means you get to open the case.’
‘What case?’ Jones demanded.
Hauser smiled. ‘You’ll find out soon enough.’
70
Hauser led the group into the stockroom at the rear of the store. To their right was a walk-in vault that protected the most valuable merchandise at Hauser amp; Sons and any currency that had been collected during the course of the week. To their left was a small office filled with a desk, chair, computer, printer and three filing cabinets. Everything was simple and clean.
‘Where’s your father?’ Payne asked as his eyes darted from side to side, looking for danger. While he walked, he kept his hand near his gun. ‘I thought he was back here.’
Hauser glanced over his shoulder. ‘He’s in his workshop, which is in the rear corner of the building. We put it back there so the noise wouldn’t disturb the customers.’
Jones whispered. ‘If he’s chained up and making sneakers, we’re going to set him free.’
Hauser didn’t hear the joke. ‘I wanted him to retire years ago, but he says work is the only thing keeping him going. If that’s the case, he can stay here as long as he wants.’
Heidi asked, ‘What kind of work?’
‘Jewellery design and repair. Despite his age, he still has the hands of a surgeon. Unfortunately, his eyes are a different story.’
They walked down a hallway and came upon a well-lit repair shop where an old man was sitting on a metal stool, hunched over a counter. Dressed in a long-sleeved shirt and a pair of dark pants held up by braces, he stared through a high-powered magnification lamp that allowed him to see the necklace clasp he was working on. He was also wearing a thick pair of glasses attached to a black cord hanging round his neck.
Without turning his head, he sensed the group’s approach and calmly laid down his tools. After all this time, someone had finally come to claim the item. It was a moment his family had been waiting for since 1886. Although his role had been small over the years, he was honoured to be a part of the conclusion and thrilled to share the moment with his son. With a great effort, he swivelled on his seat until he faced the doorway. He wanted to get a good look at the group that had found the receipt and answered his question correctly.
‘Please come in,’ he said with a thick Bavarian accent. ‘I apologize for not coming to greet you, but as my son surely mentioned, my mobility is poor.’
Payne smiled warmly. ‘If anything, we’re the ones who should apologize for showing up unannounced. I’m sorry if we’ve inconvenienced you in any way.’
Appreciative of the sentiment, the old man stuck out his hand and formally introduced himself. ‘My name is Alexander. It is a pleasure to meet you.’
‘The pleasure is ours,’ Payne said as they shook hands. ‘My name is Jon.’
Jones followed his lead. ‘I’m David.’
‘I’m Heidi.’
Ulster went last. ‘And I’m Petr.’
Strangely, Ulster’s handshake lasted longer than all the others combined. After a few uncomfortable seconds, Ulster tried to release his hand from the old man’s grip, but Hauser held tight, his yellow fingernails digging into Ulster’s skin. Everyone, including Hauser’s son, was confused by the development. The old man finally blinked and released his grasp.
‘I am sorry,’ he said, obviously embarrassed. ‘It’s just, well, I saw …’
With empathy in his eyes, Ulster looked at Hauser and tried to figure out what had just happened. For a split-second or two, it seemed as if the old man had gone somewhere else in his mind. ‘You saw, what?’
He swallowed hard and tried to explain. ‘As a jeweller, I could not help but notice the ring on your finger. With your permission, may I take a closer look?’
Ulster stared at his right hand. The gold ring was a permanent fixture. Not only because of its personal significance, but also because of his weight gain over the years. ‘Unfortunately, I’m unable to remove the ring. My fingers are a tad too plump.’
‘That is fine,’ he assured him. ‘I can work round that.’
With some effort, Hauser picked up the magnification lamp. It was attached to a manoeuvrable spring arm and clamped to the counter. As everyone watched closely, he slowly pulled the powerful lens towards Ulster’s hand and adjusted the settings on the light so he could get a better look at the family crest on the ring. When the image – an eagle with a sword in one talon and a scroll in the other – came into view, the old man gasped in recognition. He hadn’t seen the coat of arms in more than sixty years.
‘Are you an Ulster?’ the old man asked.
He was taken aback. ‘Yes, sir. My name is Petr Ulster.’
‘And your grandfather, what was his name?’
‘Conrad. Conrad Ulster.’
The old man trembled slightly. A few seconds passed before he lifted his eyes to meet Ulster’s gaze. For the first time, everyone noticed that the old man had started to cry. ‘Then it has come full circle.’
Hauser’s son rushed forward. ‘Papa, what is wrong?’