Whiff Of Money (17 page)

She stared at him: her eyes opening wide.

'Of course, I'm going back to Paris! What do you mean?'

'You can't be this dumb,' Girland said as he stared at a floating cloud. 'When von Goltz gets the films, he will make sure none of us leave here and neither you nor Rosnold ever make another stag film.'

Gilly lay for a long moment, frowning, then her eyes opened wide with shock.

'But he can't do that! How can he? He said once he had the films, we were free to go. As soon as I get back to Paris, I will make more films!'

'The trick with this is you don't return to Paris.'

Gilly began to say something, then paused. She lost colour as she stared at Girland.

'You can't mean...'

'Of course. When the films arrive, your nice, handsome count will get rid of us permanently.' Girland lifted his head and looked across the wide, immaculate lawns to the distant, dense forest. 'There are plenty of convenient places out there for a triple burial'

'You mean he will murder us?' Gilly sat up. 'I don't believe it!'

'If he is anything like his charming uncle... and I'm sure he is... he won't hesitate to wipe us out as you wouldn't hesitate to swot a fly.'

'But you can't kill three people ... just like that.' Her voice was husky and her eyes alarmed. 'I don't believe it! The hotel knows we are here. When - if- we are reported missing, there will be an inquiry. The police... he can't... he wouldn't dare.'

'I saw something interesting from my bedroom window before I came down here,' Girland said, closing his eyes against the sun. 'One of von Goltz's servants drove off in your T.R.4. Another of his servants drove off in my car. At a guess, the T.R.4 will be found at the Munich car park. My car could be found anywhere. Yes, of course the police will come here, but von Goltz is important in this district. He will tell them we were here for the night and then left for Paris. He has no idea what could have happened to us. You can't expect the police to dig up every metre of this enormous estate in the hope of finding our bodies, can you?'

Gilly shivered.

I just don't believe it... you're trying to frighten me because you hate me!'

Girland shrugged.

'I don't hate you, Gilly. I just think you're a mixed-up kid and I must admit I'm so bored with mixed-up kids. Listen: the messenger will arrive in Paris around 22.00 hrs. tonight. He will pick up the films tomorrow morning and catch the 14.00 hrs. flight back to Munich. He should be here with the films around 18.00 hrs. So we have from now until 18.00 hrs. tomorrow to dream up a way to get out of here alive.'

Gilly said, 'You really believe this man will kill all three of us when he gets the films?'

Girland got to his feet and draped his towel over his shoulders. He smiled down at her.

'Wouldn't you if you were in his place?' he said and walked across the terrace and up to his room.

Gilly looked across the wide sweep of lawn. At the edge of the forest she saw the two black alsatian dogs, their heads resting on their paws, staring towards her.

With a sudden sick feeling of fear, she scrambled to her feet, snatched up her towel and ran after Girland.

From the upper window, Lu Silk touched off the ash of his cigarette and stood up. He regarded the distant dogs, then crossed the room to where a .22 target rifle, equipped with a telescopic sight, lay on the table. He picked up the weapon and balanced it in his capable, killer's hands. He liked the feel of it. Carrying it to the open window, he aimed the rifle at one of the alsatian dogs. The cross hair line of the telescopic sight centred on the dog's head. Silk adjusted the sight slightly, bringing the dog sharply into focus, then satisfied, he lowered the rifle and put it against the wall.

There came a tap on the door and von Goltz came in.

'The two cars have gone,' he said as he closed the door. 'Are you satisfied that it will be safe to get rid of them here?'

'Yes... where else?' Silk sat down. He put a cigarette between his thin lips. 'Where can we bury them?'

'There is a rubbish tip in the forest that is permanently smouldering and white-hot,' von Goltz said. 'They can be thrown there. The morning's refuse will cover them.'

'You can trust your servants?'

Von Goltz hesitated.

'Yes... I think so.'

Silk stared at him. His one eye was probing.

'That's up to you ... if you are sure, then it's settled.'

Von Goltz took a turn around the room.

'How will you do it?' he asked finally.

'A little target practice... it could be amusing.' Silk went over to the .22 rifle and picked it up. 'This is a fine weapon.

Send them out onto the lawn and I'll pick them off like rabbits.'

Von Goltz flinched.

'Be careful of Girland.'

Silk grinned.

'I'll take him first,' he said and put the rifle down on the table.

* * *

As Girland entered his bedroom, he knew instinctively that someone had been there while he had been in the pool. This he expected. After closing and locking the door, he went to his suitcase and tossed out its contents on the bed. He regarded the bottom of the empty case with a nod of satisfaction. Whoever had searched the case had been an amateur.

He pressed the tiny spring, hidden under the lining of the case. The bottom of the case clicked open, revealing a tray in which were his professional weapons. They consisted of a Walther automatic pistol with a magazine capacity of 8 rounds, a razor-sharp double bladed stabbing knife and a tear gas bomb. When Girland travelled on business, he travelled well equipped.

Satisfied none of his weapons had been discovered, he shut the false lid and replaced his clothes in the suitcase.

Then he stripped off his wet bathing trunks, towelled himself and put on a wrap. He went out on to the balcony and sat in the basket-chair from which he could overlook the immaculate lawn. He sat there for some time, smoking and thinking and watching the two alsatian dogs as they prowled around the rough grass on the edge of the lawn and the forest.

When the light began to fail and the air became chilly, he returned to his room. He took a hot shower and then dressed for dinner. It was while he was knotting his tie that his door slammed open and Gilly rushed in: her eyes wide with fright, her face white.

'You've got to stop him!' she shrilled, reaching Girland and grabbing his arm. 'He's trying to get away!'

Girland's mind immediately reacted.

'Where is he?'

'He's climbing from his balcony down to the terrace!'

Girland moved swiftly out onto the balcony. He was in time to see Rosnold drop on to the terrace below. Rosnold held a medieval battle-axe which he had taken from the corridor wall. As Girland spotted him, Rosnold started across the terrace. 'Rosnold! Come back!' Girland shouted.

Gilly joined him on the balcony. She too screamed after Rosnold who paid no attention.

'Come back!' Girland bawled, but Rosnold kept on. He took the steps leading from the terrace to the lawn two at the time and then disappeared into the heavy shadows. They could hear the thud of his feet as he began to run across the lawn.

Suddenly, from the roof of the Schloss, a searchlight snapped on... a blinding ribbon of light. It picked up Rosnold as he raced across the lawn, giving him a grotesque shadow five times his own height that fled before him. From out of the darkness an alsatian dog appeared, moving fast and silently. Rosnold stopped short, turned and faced the dog as it sprang at him. The axe, the blade glittering in the beam of the searchlight, swung and there was a crunching sound as the blade crushed the dog's head. As Rosnold began to run again, the second dog appeared. It sprang at him, his fangs bared. Rosnold swayed away, and the dog went past him, rebounded sprang again. Rosnold was ready, and again the axe swung. The dog gave a yelp of pain and rolled over, snapping at its damaged leg.

Gilly choked back a scream and hid her face. Girland leaned over the balcony rail, watching.

Still holding the blood-stained axe, Rosnold darted off to the left, and for a brief moment the finger of the searchlight lost him then it picked him up again as he continued on his way, running very fast, across the lawn. He was within four or five metres of the entrance to the dense forest when there came a snap of gunfire.

Lu Silk, standing on his balcony, immediately above Girland's balcony, felt a surge of satisfaction as he lowered the .22 rifle. Rosnold had jumped high in the air with the reaction of a shot rabbit as the tiny bullet had slammed into'back of his head and through his brain. Considering how fast Rosnold had been running and also considering the poor light, Silk decided that this was the best shot he had made for a long time. He patted the butt ot the gun to convey his appreciation.

'They've killed him!' Gilly moaned, staring across the lawn at Rosnold's still body, lighted by the searchlight. T told him! I warned him, but he panicked! He wouldn't listen to me!'

Girland paid no attention to her. He moved swiftly back into his room, ran to his suitcase and threw out the contents on the bed. He opened the false bottom and took the automatic pistol from its resting place and shoved it into his hip pocket. Then he threw the contents of the suitcase back in and slammed the lid.

Gilly came into the room from the balcony, white faced and shaking. 'Get hold of yourself!' Girland snapped. 'This is the crunch! Where's .your passport?' She stared at him, dazed. 'Passport?' 'Where is it?' 'In my room.' 'Get it... hurry!'

'They've killed him!' She began to wring her hands. Girland grabbed hold of her and shook her. 'Get your passport!'

Crying, she ran blindly from the room and into her bedroom. Girland went after her. He shut his door and as he entered her room, she was fumbling at her bag. He snatched it from her, opened it, assured himself the passport was in the bag, then grabbing Mr arm, he rushed her out into the corridor.

'Don't make a sound!'

Moving silently, he pushed her up the stairs to the upper floor, paused to look along the long corridor and then pushed her up the next flight of stairs. As they were stumbling up the stairs, Girland heard the thudding of feet as von Goltz's servants came running up the lower stairs.

Girland reached the third landing which was in darkness. He paused to lean over the banisters and peered down the well. He watched three liveried men come down the corridor on the first floor landing and charge into his bedroom.

He waited long enough to see one of the servants come out to the head of the staircase and shout, 'He's not there!'

Then as a bell began to dang, Girland took Gilly's arm and led her silently further down the dark corridor.

Seven

A Volkswagen 1500 stood by the roadside near the imposing entrance to the Obermitten Schloss. A silver-haired giant, wearing a shabby suit was working on the engine. Another nondescript-looking man sat on the grass bank, smoking.

Occasionally a car roared by on its way to Munich. No driver stopped to ask if he could help. The dwindling rays of the evening sun came through the trees, making patterns on the roof of the car.

Malik loosened a sparking-plug for the fifth time. He wanted to give the appearance of a breakdown. Although he was sure he wasn't being watched, he was taking no chances.

As he began to tighten the sparking-plug, the wrought iron gates of the Schloss swung open and a scarlet T.R.4 came cautiously onto the main road.

Malik straightened up and looked at the car as it gathered speed, driving past him. He knew the car belonged to Rosnold, but Rosnold was not at the wheel. The car was being driven by a thick-set, blond man wearing an ill-fitting business suit.

Malik's mind worked swiftly. He made an instant decision. He slammed down the cover over the engine and said, 'Go after him!'

Lintz was already on his feet. He slid under the driving wheel. 'What about you?' he asked as he started the engine.

'Never mind about me!' Malik snapped. 'Go after him! Don'tlose him! When you know where he has gone, report to Skoll.'

Lintz nodded, engaged gear and drove off after the fast disappearing T.R.4 which was heading for Munich.

Malik moved into the surrounding forest. He sat down on the dry, dusty ground, using a shrub as a shelter. Five minutes later a Mercedes car which he recognised as the one Girland had been driving, came through the open gates and turned left. A man Malik didn't recognise, who was wearing the same kind of shabby suit as the driver of the T.R.4, was at the wheel. The Mercedes headed towards Garmisch.

Malik rubbed his jaw as he thought. It now looked as if he had guessed right. Girland, the girl and Rosnold had walked into a trap. Getting rid of their cars was the first step towards getting rid of them. There was nothing he could do about this for the moment. He would have to wait until it was dark. With the patience a trained agent, he relaxed against a tree and waited.

Two hours later, it was dark enough for him to make a move. He got to his feet and silently left the forest. He began to walk around the high wall surrounding the Schloss.

Some four hundred metres from the entrance gates, he paused and looked up at the towering concrete and flint wall. He studied the spikes set in the top of the wall. From his shabby jacket the produced a length of thin, nylon cord. At one end of die cord was a rubber-covered hook. He tossed the hook towards the spikes. The second throw succeeded. The hook settled silently around one of the spikes and held firm. Malik glanced from left to right. Satisfied there was no traffic, he caught hold of the cord, braced his feet against the wall and walked up, his strong hands hauling him effortlessly to the top. Here, he paused, and surveyed the dense forest below. He unhooked the cord, manoeuvred himself around the sharp spikes and then let himself drop on to the dry, mossy ground on the other side of the wall.

He paused to coil the cord to a convenient size to fit his pocket, then drew from a shoulder holster a Mauser 7.63 pistol, fitted with a silencer. Moving like a shadow, he walked through the forest until he eventually reached the clearing between the forest and the wide, closely cut lawn. The moon was behind the clouds, and Malik could just see the distant lights from the Schloss. He squatted against a tree, nursing his gun and waited. An hour dragged by, then suddenly things began to happen.