He returned with the parcel and Holtz took it from him.
“I can assure you everything has been carried out, according to Mr Holtz’s instructions,” Weidmann said, forcing a smile. “There is...”
“Okay, I’ll take it as read,” Holtz said, and turning, left the office and walked back to his car.
Now for Radnitz’s villa.
The journey to Villa Helios took time. Holtz was exasperated by the heavy, crawling traffic, but he was careful to control his impatience. It wouldn’t do to have a collision, but there were moments when he had to contain his vicious temper not to shout at the drivers who tried to edge in on him, tried to beat the traffic lights, tried to force their way out of side streets.
It was a little after 16.00 when he eventually pulled up outside the impressive portals of the villa, although Holtz was not impressed. The way rich tycoons put on a show of wealth bored him. As he mounted the marble steps, he wondered how anyone could live in such an ostentatious style.
Mythen opened the front door and gave him a little bow.
“Mr Holtz?”
“Yes.” Holtz regarded the old man with contempt: a born lackey, a boot licker, he thought.
“Please come in. Mr Radnitz is engaged, but he will see you in a little while.”
Holtz followed the old man into a large room furnished with priceless antiques.
“Perhaps coffee, tea or a drink of some kind while you wait, Mr Holtz?” Mythen inquired.
“Nothing!” Holtz snapped, and crossing the room to the window, he gazed out at the vast expanse of lawn, the trees, the flowering shrubs and the big swimming pool.
Mythen quietly withdrew, closing the door behind him.
Holtz remained at the window. After some minutes, he saw a powerfully built man, wearing a black jogging suit, move across the lawn. He was followed by two other men of the same build and wearing similar clothes. They all disappeared behind a high bank of flowering shrubs. Holtz registered this with a sardonic grin. Radnitz’s bodyguards, he thought. Well, they looked efficient. He supposed a man in Radnitz’s position automatically wasted money on bodyguards: more for self-esteem than protection.
Half an hour later, Mythen came to the door.
“Mr Radnitz will now see you. Please follow me.”
Carrying the wrapped vanity box, Holtz walked behind Mythen to Radnitz’s study.
Radnitz, seated behind his paper-strewn desk, a cigar between his fat Angers, regarded this tall, thin man as he came into the room with searching interest. He watched Holtz’s cat-like walk as he moved towards his desk.
Radnitz, an astute judge of men, came to the immediate conclusion that this man could match up to Lu Silk’s standards. Since Gustav Holtz had recommended him, Radnitz had no misgivings, but he wanted to see for himself.
In his turn, Holtz regarded Radnitz. Yes, he thought, this was a man he could co-operate with. His uncle’s description of the power, the ruthlessness of Herman Radnitz was no exaggeration.
“You have the vanity box?” Radnitz asked in his hard, guttural voice.
“Yes, sir.” Holtz placed the parcel on the desk.
“Is it satisfactory?”
“That I don’t know. Weidmann who made it said it was. He and my uncle discussed it. I was only told to bring it to you. I haven’t checked it out.”
“If your uncle is satisfied, I am.” Radnitz puffed at his cigar. “Sit down.”
Holtz sat in a chair near Radnitz’s desk.
“You are now a member of my staff,” Radnitz said. “Your uncle has guaranteed you. Has he explained your duties?”
Holtz inclined his head.
“You may have nothing to do for weeks, then you could get an assignment. You are always to be within reach. You will keep me informed where I can contact you at a moment’s notice. Understood?”
Again Holtz inclined his head.
“You are, from now on, my hit-man as they call killers. Your uncle has told you the terms of payment. Are you satisfied?”
“Yes, sir.”
“You have no hesitation accepting this job?”
A faintly bored expression came into Holtz’s eyes.
“Why should I, sir?”
“You understand your immediate task?”
“My uncle told me I was to go to the Montreux Palace hotel at Montreux and exchange this vanity box for a similar one owned by a Mrs Lepski.”
“That is correct. How are you going to do this?”
“The Lepskis will be arriving at the hotel in six days’ time. I will arrive two days before they arrive. My uncle has already reserved a room for me on the same floor as their reservation. I will wait my opportunity, then make the exchange.”
“You think you can do this?”
Again the faintly bored expression came into Holtz’s eyes.
“I wouldn’t be here, sir, unless I was certain.”
Radnitz liked this confidence. He nodded approvingly.
“When you get Mrs Lepski’s box, you are to bring it without delay to me here.”
“I understand, sir.”
“You have three days before leaving for Montreux. A room has been reserved for you at the Eden hotel. What will you do while waiting to leave?”
“Learn to open hotel bedroom doors,” Holtz said. “My uncle has given me the name of a locksmith who will teach me. This is something I have to learn. Unless I can open Mrs Lepski’s bedroom door, I wouldn’t be able to get the box.”
Radnitz nodded.
“Your uncle is a remarkable man. He thinks of everything. I trust you will come up to his standards.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Very well. You are now at liberty to do what you think necessary. I will expect you here with Mrs Lepski’s box within a week. Should you fail, I will have no further use for you. Understand?”
“Yes, sir,” and Holtz stood up.
“I am told by your uncle that you are very able to take care of yourself,” Radnitz said with a sly little grin. “Although I usually take your uncle’s opinions seriously, I also prefer sometimes to check out these opinions. Have you any objections to a test as to how well you can take care of yourself?”
Holtz’s eyes turned cloudy.
“Why should I?” he asked in a cold, flat voice.
“Then do me a favour of taking a walk down to the lake.” Radnitz waved towards the open French windows. “I would like to see for myself if you can take care of yourself.”
“If that is what you want, sir, then, of course, I will do what you ask.” Holtz paused and stared at Radnitz. “I take it the three goons who are probably your bodyguards and who are hiding in that distant clump of shrubs will attempt to rough me up for your amusement. That is understandable, sir, but I should tell you I don’t play rough games. Before I go out there, I must ask you if you have anywhere convenient to bury those three goons?”
Radnitz stiffened.
“Bury them? What do you mean?”
Holtz bent, lifted his right trouser leg and the glittering bladed knife jumped into his hand. The movement was so swift Radnitz sat motionless, his frog-like eyes wide open.
“You see, sir, I don’t play rough games. When three powerful men attempt to crowd me, I cut them,” Holtz said quietly. A sardonic smile twitched at his lips. “You wouldn’t employ them unless you had faith in them to guard you. It seems a waste to lose them, but it would also be a nuisance for one of your servants to bury them. I don’t undertake burials. I only undertake elimination.” He stared at Radnitz, his eyes vicious. “Do you still wish me to take a walk down to the lake, sir?”
For a long moment, Radnitz sat still, staring at this man and at the murderous knife in his hand, then he recovered himself.
“Under the circumstances, I think a test is unnecessary,” he said. “Go and learn how to unlock hotel bedroom doors, go to the Montreux Palace hotel and return with the box.”