23
Meyer was checking through forensic lab reports when his secretary came to his desk.
‘Chief, there is a lady phoning from Paris on line three. She’s ringing-in about the Lehman case.’
The CI immediately picked up his phone. ‘Bonjour. Can I help you?’
A female voice replied, ‘Bonjour Monsieur. I’m calling from Paris. I was on a visit to a château with a wine tasting party last Tuesday afternoon when I bumped into a very distinguished lady there. She looks just like the person that was pictured on the television at lunch time today.’
‘Ok Madame. Can you give me the address?
‘Yes! Château du Zeton in Pouilly-sur-Loire.
‘And please tell me exactly who you think you might have seen there?’
‘Why of course! It was the wife of that Professor who was murdered in Zurich. Her picture is all over the newspapers and on TV,’ declared the woman on the other end of the line. ‘I’m quite certain it was her.’
‘Thank you for your help Madame.’
Meyer immediately phoned his contacts in La Préfecture de Police in Paris but only got to speak with a French Police Inspector Marceau. His usual contacts were off duty.
‘Chief Inspector, how can I be of help?’
‘Marceau! You must issue instructions to immediately dispatch a police squad to the Château du Zeton in Pouilly to arrest Nicole Lehman.’
‘On what charges?’
‘Murder of course. Don’t you read the newspapers?’
‘We have no paperwork here to base any charges against this French citizen, Mme. Lehman. In the eyes of French law, she is innocent until proven guilty, n’est pas Inspector?’
‘We have incriminating evidence here in Switzerland,’ snapped Meyer speaking in his less than fluent Swiss French dialect.
‘Pardonnez moi, Chief Inspector, I do not understand’
‘God help you Marceau. Are you deliberately being difficult, because I will escalate this request to Quai des Orfèvres (Central Directorate of the Judicial Police)?’
‘Very well,’ replied Marceau. ‘We will dispatch a patrol unit from Bourges to the château, but bear in mind, only to interview Mme. Lehman.’
24
Nicole sank into a chair in total disbelief and started sobbing. Parker went to the drinks cabinet, poured a glass of brandy and handed it to her. ‘Drink up. You’ll feel better after a stiff one.’
Tears were streaming down her face. ‘Thanks.’
‘I’m sure the police will get to the bottom of this pretty quickly. Isn’t that so Raoul?’
Durand put his arm around Nicole to comfort her. ‘Yes of course they will.’
Nicole tried to be philosophical about her situation but none the less was worried about the bigger picture. ‘Karl was very close to making a major scientific break-through and it is vital for medical science and for patients that his work gets finished and people get to reap the benefits of his amazing development. Being investigated and arrested by police may delay the release of iDrug and allow the Russians to gain ground.’
Parker reassured her. ‘Don’t worry Nicole. We’ll look at all the options we have open to us. We won’t let anything like that happen.’
‘If I turn myself in, the police will start crawling all over Karl’s work, to try to get some leads to escalate their investigations. This work must be kept confidential until the deal with the drug company is completed’.
Parker now sitting beside Nicole squeezed her hand gently.
‘I know Harry you are uniquely qualified to pull together Karl’s research into a coherent report.’
He smiled reassuringly at Nicole. ‘It took very little persuasion on Raoul’s part to get me here. Now it looks like I’m here for the long haul. There is one thing however Nicole, I need to ask. Karl’s clinic has been burned to the ground. Is everything now lost, his records, the research data, his reports and his contract with the Drug firm?’
‘No, not everything is lost Harry. Here! Look through this lot.’ Nicole handed Parker a large portfolio of documents she had beside her on the table. ‘These are all the important files I collected over the last four years including confidential documents relating to the deal with the drug company. Also, important clinical data was backed up electronically on CDs. I know that Karl stored important video images on these discs, which he kept secret and did not share with anyone, including me.’
‘Have you any idea what these images contain?’
‘All I know is they contain clinical data that is central to the medical breakthrough.’
‘Where are they kept?’
‘In a very secure place. I’m sure they’re stored in a safe at our residence in Switzerland. Karl regularly deposited CDs and confidential documents there in a wall safe.’
Durand looked troubled. ‘It’s going to be difficult to get our hands on them. The police or the people who killed Karl will have staked-out the house waiting for you to show up, Nicole.’
‘That maybe so Raoul, however it’s vital we retrieve these CD’s, so Harry can start his work without further delay. Any bright ideas gentlemen?’
‘I agree. We need to recover these CDs as quickly as possible, but more importantly before whoever is behind all this, torches the house like they did the clinic.’
‘If it’s any consolation, the safe is fire proof’
‘Yes Nicole, but if the house goes up, Swiss police will put a ring of steel around the place for weeks, preserving it as a crime scene and preventing us from getting our hands on the data.’
‘Correct Raoul! We need to formulate a plan to get into the house without being detected and we need to do this quickly, tonight if possible.’
Parker stood up from the table and went across the room and switched on the television. He turned the volume down, so they wouldn’t be distracted.
‘Nicole, I suggest myself and Raoul travel to the house to recover the discs while you remain here. Swiss police have issued Photo ID of you to the media. It’s very likely you could be spotted if you venture outside. This could end up making things very complicated.’
‘Yes, I agree,’ insisted Durand. ‘It’s not worth taking the risk. It’s far better if you stay here,’
‘OK, if you both think it’s best. I’ll give you the combination to unlock the safe and a key to one of the rear doors of the house. Have either of you thought how you might get inside without being seen?’
Durand stepped up to the plate. ‘Well for starters, I intend calling Maurice back here immediately to collect us and fly us direct to a landing spot ‘out of ear shot’ about a mile or so from the house. Your house is in the country Nicole, as I recall?’
‘Yes. The house stands on over five acres of ground at the edge of a woodland area. There’s another house in the vicinity but it’s about a mile away to the West. Come over to the PC and we’ll search on Google Maps.’
The three of them were soon huddled around Nicole’s PC resting on a table beside a window.
She brought up Google Maps on the screen and keyed in her address. The image on the screen immediately zoomed down onto an area south of Zurich, Switzerland.
‘Now look here. This field is part of a stud farm located to the east of our property about a mile and a half away. You should be able to land the chopper here at this location without being heard. It’s quite a remote area and at least a mile away from the nearest building in the area. You can make your way on foot along this woodland pathway and arrive in the woods behind our estate. The house used to be the Japanese ambassador’s residence, so it’s well secured.
Nicole zoomed down on the map to show the rear of the site. ‘Now here is the wall at the back of the house. When you climb over, approach the house along this row of hedging that you can see here. It’s quite thick and will give you good cover in case police have cameras monitoring the back of the house.’
‘Which door do we use to gain entry?’
‘I suggest you use the
conservatory door Harry. This is close to the hedge row. Here! I have a drawing of the ground and first floor plans. You can find the alarm system here,’ said Nicole pointing to a location on the drawing. ‘And the location of the safe in the main bedroom upstairs.’
Parker looked across at Durand. ‘Can we get Maurice to bring a rope ladder, so we can scale the back wall?’
‘Durand wasn’t listening. Suddenly, all their attention was drawn towards the TV screen. They could plainly see a photograph of Nicole being broadcast to the entire world. He quickly grabbed the remote control off the table and turned up the volume. All three were now gazing intently at the screen, listening to the reports on the Six O’ Clock evening news:
‘Swiss Police at lunch time today released a photo ID of Nicole Lehman, the wife of murder victim Professor Karl Lehman, a leading Heart Consultant, who died four weeks ago in a car accident in the Gotthard tunnel. Police have issued a warrant for the arrest of Ms. Lehman on suspicion of conspiracy to commit murder. This development followed the discovery of incriminating evidence found at her residence near Zurich. Police have not disclosed the nature of this evidence. Any person who knows of her whereabouts is asked to contact Swiss police in Zurich or to contact their local police station.’
Parker put his arm around Nicole.
Durand turned down the volume and looked across at Nicole.
‘I’m going to call Maurice. I’ll be back in a minute.’
Parker sitting close to her looked concerned. ‘Will you be ok here on your own?’
‘How long will you two be gone?’
‘All going well we should be back by tomorrow morning in time for breakfast.’
‘Très bien’
Durand soon returned with an unmistakable air of confidence.
‘Everything is set-up. Maurice is on his way back to collect us. He should be here within the hour. He’s got instrument rating, so he can fly at night. He also has a whole array of ‘assault’ gear on board if we should need it.’
‘Good work Raoul!’ replied Parker smiling with satisfaction as he turned towards Nicole. ‘After this TV coverage, you need to be extremely vigilant about keeping out of sight my dear. You should however be safe enough here in the château so don’t feel too anxious!’
25
Durand was zipping up his overnight bag in his room getting ready to depart when he heard a helicopter approaching and starting to hover over the château. He grabbed his bag and made his way down stairs joining Nicole and Parker in the main hall.
‘All set Harry? Here’s the combination to the safe, the security code for the alarm and the keys to the rear conservatory door.’
The three went outside and Durand introduced the pair to Maurice who recognized Nicole immediately, the ‘infamous’ wife of the murdered Professor Lehman.
Nicole gave both Durand and Parker a hug before they boarded the helicopter.
‘Good luck both of you. Bring back the CDs and let’s get to work as quickly as possible.’
The duo climbed on board and Nicole withdrew inside. She went to her room and watched from the balcony while the helicopter prepared for lift off. It quickly ascended and flew over the roof and out of sight.
Ominously as the chopper was banking away eastward, the pilot’s attention was drawn to some commotion at the main gate.
‘Look down there at the front gate ‘shouted Maurice.
Three police cars were stopped outside the main gate with blue lights flashing. Once Marceau contacted the Commissariat De Police in Bourges, the locals got the bit between their teeth. They had seen the TV coverage earlier in the day and were spurred on to be the first on the scene to apprehend Europe’s most wanted person. They were now held up at the entrance; one policeman was out of the car hammering on the gates to get them opened.
‘Go around again,’ shouted Durand.
The helicopter continued its circular trajectory one hundred feet above the château.
‘They must be here to arrest Nicole,’ shouted Parker above the noise of the engines. ‘Her cover has been blown. We’ll have to get her out.’
Durand barked instructions to Maurice to circle around the Grounds a third time. The pilot brought the craft to a hovering position directly over Nicole’s balcony.
Parker could now see the gates opening and two of the three police cars accelerating down the driveway towards the château.
‘I know it’s not the time to start questioning my terms of engagement dear Raoul, but you mentioned nothing about assisting a suspected murderer to escape arrest!’
‘Nicole is no more a murderer than you or me. By the time this whole affair is over, you’ll be regarded as a national hero in France, believe me.’
Maurice gave Durand a look of incredulity and rolled his eyes up to heaven.
Durand, with a faint scowl on his face, stared straight at Maurice. ‘You owe me big time fella, remember?’
‘There’s a loud-hailer in the panel opposite the door,’ shouted Maurice, reluctantly continuing with the task in-hand.
Parker opened the panel door and found it.
‘Now! We’re ready to open the main door. Before I do, there’s a body harness stored on the left-hand side of the door,’ shouted Maurice. ‘Decide who’s going down,’
Parker without a second thought moved towards the door. ‘I’ll go down.’ He handed the loud hailer to Durand and stepped into the body harness, pulled the straps tight around his waist and shoulders and snapped the buckle closed. Maurice, concentrating on keeping the chopper hovering at a level attitude about fifty feet over the balcony, looked around quickly over his shoulder and shouted, ‘Now clip onto the winch arm.’
Nicole, standing in her room hearing the noise of the helicopter engines getting louder, rushed out onto the balcony to see what was going on. Looking upwards towards the hovering aircraft, she sensed something was wrong. She saw the large door on the side of the aircraft gradually sliding open and Parker emerging from inside.
Durand leaned out beside him and shouted down to Nicole using the loud hailer.
‘THE POLICE ARE IN THE GROUNDS. WE’RE GETTING YOU OUT OF HERE. ‘
Nicole felt a sinking sensation in her stomach and started to tremble from head to toe. She was afraid of being arrested by the police, but equally afraid of being hoisted up and dangling in mid-air by a thin wire.
Parker descended slowly from the helicopter while Maurice skillfully maneuvered the aircraft. He had a second rescue harness clipped-on to his belt as he descended towards the balcony.
Meanwhile, two police cars containing four policemen raced down the drive way to the front of the château. They jumped out of the vehicle and ran to the front of the building. They pressed the bell and frantically started banging on the large oak door. The third police car drove around the west side of the château and stopped directly under the helicopter. Two unarmed policemen leaped from their vehicle and looked up towards the hovering aircraft. They were not able to do very much other than stand there shouting and waving their arms about while Parker landed on Nicole’s first floor balcony above their heads.
When Michel finally and slowly opened the front door, the four policemen rushed past him. Two of them immediately sprinted upstairs towards Nicole’s room while the other two secured the ground floor.
The police burst open a door on the first-floor landing but found it was a linen cupboard. They instantly ran to the next door, which they found was locked. One of them stood aside while the second rushed forward and kicked open the door with his size eleven boot. There in front of them, out on the balcony stood Nicole Lehman, the most wanted woman in all Europe. Close beside her stood a man with his arms wrapped around her.
Parker quickly snapped the buckle closed on Nicole’s harness. ‘Up!’ he yelled.
The first policeman sprinted towards the fleeing couple framed in the open door to the balcony. As he made a horizontal dive towards the Doctor’s legs, the pair were abruptly jolted upwards at the
last second and dangled briefly above the balcony, before being whisked away by the chopper, escaping the law enforcer’s clutches by half a second. Maurice had switched the winch controls to maximum lifting speed while forcing the craft into a rapid ascent. Nicole clung to Parker for dear life while the helicopter soared above Château du Zeton and quickly climbed to three hundred feet. Parker with both arms wrapped around Nicole, hugged her tightly while they dangled precariously together in mid-air. As soon as they reached the top of the winch-arm, Durand pulled both inside into the cabin and slid the cargo door shut. The pair, still clipped together, lay on their backs on the floor exhausted but relieved they had escaped arrest.
Durand knelt, grabbed Nicole and gave her a reassuring hug.
The helicopter turned right and accelerated eastward towards Zurich, Switzerland.
The police on the ground radioed back to Headquarters that they had uncovered Nicole Lehman’s hideout at the prestigious Château du Zeton, but they had been unsuccessful in securing her arrest.
Meyer was furious with French police when he heard the news and instructed his contacts to ensure that police at the scene quiz every staff member and family member at the château. He insisted on a full lockdown of the site and nobody was to be allowed enter or leave until everybody had been interviewed.
The flying time to Switzerland was one and a half hours. It would be well after dark before Nicole and her associates arrived at their destination.
A million questions were troubling Nicole as they flew east. She felt bad about the staff at the château, believing they could all be in trouble with the law. She had no clothes to change into, being unexpectedly whisked away off a balcony without being able to pack as much as a toothbrush.
‘Well at least I’m getting home for a night.’
Parker smiled reassuringly at her. ‘Indeed, and let’s hope we find Karl’s CDs.’
26
It was dark when they flew over Zurich. Maurice inserted the GPS co-ordinates of the landing site into the chopper’s navigation system. Within ten minutes of passing over the city, the pilot announced their imminent landing. The helicopter hovered over the site before slowly descending and setting down in the middle of a field. Maurice cut the engine, un-strapped himself from his seat and joined the others in the rear hold. The three passengers were studying a sketch of the area Nicole had scribbled on a piece of paper during the flight.
The Karl Lehman Affair Page 8