Emerald (13 page)

Several hours later, nearing the border, Hans pulled over at a small café and gas station. He filled his tank and entered the restaurant, selecting the table with a newspaper lying on it. The waitress was going to take it, but he said he wanted something to read. After she took his order, he scanned the front page. There was a small article at the bottom about him. He was not so popular outside of Geneva, and that was good, but he also felt a sting at the snub. Vanity kept his senses sharpened and his pride intact. People are such fools. All they go on are looks, and if you look different, you are different. He could go wherever he wished because of his ability to masquerade himself. When the waitress placed the steak before him, he relaxed, laid the paper down and proceeded to eat.

Hans finished the steak dinner and went to the men’s room to check his disguise before leaving the small café, then returned to his car. From a box in the back seat he pulled out three philosophy textbooks and laid them on the passenger seat. He pulled out onto the highway and proceeded to the border six miles away.

I
nspector Servette uncovered his telephone from under a pile of file folders on his desk, and mumbled,
“Found! You can’t hide from me.”
He dialed and waited.

“Max I have a little job for you. Would you please find out what you can about this Wittlesbach Emerald and when it is to be auctioned by Christies? When the Klein killing in Rorshach was investigated a couple of weeks ago, a letter was found wadded up in their living room that seemed to indicate that there was a connection between the Klein’s, this stone and Christies. The investigators, at first, thought the killing was just a burglary gone bad, but those slash marks on the Klein’s may indicate something else. Yeah, check with Dr. Franz at Christies or Mr. Brunstein at the Bank du Mont Blanc and see if there has been any unusual interest in that gem that we should know about. Oh, and your sources on the street might have something interesting to say also. Thanks Max.”

Emily noted the tall stature of the Chinese-looking man that just entered Christie’s. He stood a head taller than any Oriental she had ever seen, and he was quite striking, in a strange way, but there was something vicious and almost sad in his eyes. He had tiny features – pinprick eyes and a splinter of a nose, so small that his head appeared to have swollen around his face. His hair was dun color and was as short as a drill instructor’s. His chest had the dimensions of an oil drum, and his coat sleeves were too short on a dark gray suit. His blue-rimmed glasses were surprising stylish, given the sprung and tired look to the rest of him. She rose from her desk in the corner and approached the man asking him if she could be of help. He wanted to see Dr. Franz and no one else. This miffed her a little because she felt she knew as much about what went on at Christie’s as Dr. Franz did. After all, she had experience at the main London Christie’s International office. However, rank and education always win out, she realized, and there was nothing she could do about that, so she turned and walked to the back office and knocked on the door to speak to her boss. He told her to show the man in, which she did.

“Dr. Franz?” queried Tam. “I’m Tam Stratton from Hong Kong. You have an interesting place here. I noted several Chinese ivories that are very rare. Very nice they are. I am a representative of a group of Chinese collectors who have banded together for advantage to buy important items such as those you put on auction. Primarily, today, I am interested in learning a little more about the Whittelsbach Emerald that is set to go on auction. Is there a chance I could view it?”

“Mr. Stratton, nice to meet you. I am sorry, but our policy is very strict and permits viewing by special customers only the week prior to the actual auction. The Emerald you speak of goes on auction, I believe, May first. Did you receive an invitation to that auction, by any chance? I do not recall your name. Those auctions are by invitation only, you see.”

“That’s why I’m here so early, sir. I wish to secure an invitation. How can that be arranged?”

“Well, you can get the official papers to fill out from Emily, the lady who greeted you in my outer office. Your background will be checked, and then we will see. That is, your financial background, you understand. Thank you for coming in, Mr. Stratton. Good day.”

Tam thanked Dr. Franz and returned to ask Emily for the necessary forms to fill out, which she handed him. He thanked her and left. Back in the same cab with the same driver, he noticed, he glanced over the forms. A bunch of rigmarole paperwork. That figures, he thought. “Yes, back to the Hotel du Fontaigne, and thank you for waiting.”

“You left your book in my taxi and I figured you’d want it back, besides business is slow.”

“Thank you very much for keeping my book, sir.”

Tam tipped him generously as he got and went into the hotel.

After Tam entered the hotel, the driver got his cell phone from the pocket of the taxi, dialed, and waited for a few seconds.

“Max, its Rene, I’m a cabbie. I heard through a mutual friend that you were interested in anything that seemed out of the ordinary that might be connected to either Christie’s or one of their upcoming auctions. Well, it probably is nothing, but I just picked up a Chinaman from a hotel that caters to a great many tourists and businessmen from Hong Kong and took him to Christie’s. Not only that, but he left a book about emeralds in my taxi.”

“That’s the kind of information I’m looking for. Thank you very much. What hotel is he staying in?”

“Well, since I picked him up when he walked out of the Hotel du Fontaigne, over on rue des Eaux-Vives, I assumed that he was staying there, but of course, I can’t be absolutely sure.”

“That’s all right, Rene. I’ll check it out. And again, thank you so very much. I owe you”

“Not at all, not at all, always willing to be of service, Max.”

When the phone rang in Piet’s condo, Josef picked it up.

“Josef, this is Piet…”

He waited for three taps to assure it was Josef before continuing.

“Would you go to the Hotel du Fontaigne, 15 rue des Eaux-Vives and verify the registration for and find out all you can about a Chinese gentleman from Hong Kong who just checked in and seems to be interested in auctions?”

Piet heard two taps on the receiver and then said, “Thanks, Josef.”

The phone disconnected and Josef returned it to the cradle. He changed clothes, put on shoes and also covered his bald dome with a wig and left immediately.

Tam entered the lobby and laughed at the small flashing sign over the bar,
Lucky’s
.
Of all the names
, he thought.
That’s a joke
. He knew he shouldn’t walk into the place, but that would be better than filling out a lot of lies on these god-damn forms, so he headed in the direction of the bar.

He sat down at a table on the far side of the bar so he wouldn’t have to talk with anyone and could slowly savor just one drink.
That’s all I’m going to drink today
, he told himself. When the waiter placed the triple martini before him, he handed him the credit card that was in the envelope White Paper Fan had given him.
Damn, that
envelope stuff too
, he thought.
Just more paperwork reading all that. Do they think I can’t even figure out what to do on my own? Bidding on a gemstone is not that difficult. The brochure was much more interesting than all those written instructions. At least, now I know that it’s a totally unique emerald, a natural stone that has never been cut- - -perfect in its own right. Doctor Yang’s going to get a lot of mileage out of that stone
, he thought.
People would come from miles around to get his expensive emerald treatments at his new clinic. Somewhere I read that emeralds are good for the eyes and will reduce swelling and promote healing if the stone is placed directly on the correct pressure points. If I had that stone, I could rent it to Yang to use and live fine for the rest of my life, and he would make a fortune too. Then I could get out of the damned Triad business. I hate that crummy bunch of thugs, especially White Paper Fan. Forcing us to kill one of our own just to invoke his authority even stepped over my line, and I don’t have much of a line left these days
.

A tall, black man in a long robe interrupted his thoughts by pulling up a chair and sitting down at Tam’s table. The man was even taller than he was.
Who the hell is this guy, one of the Triad watchdogs?
he thought.

“I’m sorry, sir, but this table’s taken,” Tam said, noticing the heavily scared face of the man who did not say a word to him but remained seated and looked at him calmly.

“Did you hear what I said?” The black man remained seated as if he didn’t hear Tam.

“Sir, I don’t mean to be rude, but this is my table, would you please leave.” The man continued sitting there unmoved and not responding. Tam looked directly into the face of Josef and finally saw the scarred face and the missing eye and thought,
well, I see he’s been in a fight before himself, but I’m in no mood to fight him. I’ll just move to another table, and he moved to the next table
. The black man sat there for a minute looking at him in a non-threatening way and then got up and moved over and sat down again at Tam’s new table.