"Good night, Major."
Relieved, Fitzpatrick hung up the phone. He
looked over at the couch, thinking briefly of going
back to the dossiers but decided against it. He felt
hollow all over, hollow legs, hollow chest, a hollow
ache in his head. He needed sleep badly.
He gathered up the papers and took them into
Converse's room. He placed them in the attache
case, locked it and turned the combination tumblers.
Carrying the case, he went back into the sitting
room, checked the door, turned off the lights and
headed for his own bedroom. He threw the case
294 ROBERT LUDLUM
on the bed and removed his shoes, then his trousers,
but that was as far as he got. He collapsed on the
pillows, somehow managing to wrap part of the
bedspread around him. The darkness was welcome.
"That was hardly necessary," said Erich Leifhelm
to the Englishman, as the latter replaced the phone.
"'Pansy cooking' is not the way I would describe my
table."
"He undoubtedly would," said the man who had
called himself Philip Dunstone. "Let's check the
patient."
The two walked out of the library and down the
hall to a bedroom. Inside were the three other men
of Aquitaine along with a fourth, his black bag and
the exposed hypodermic needles denoting a
physician. On the bed was Joel Converse, his eyes
wide and grasslike, saliva oozing from the sides of
his mouth, his head moving back and forth as if in
a trance, unintelligible sounds emerging from his
lips.
The doctor glanced up and spoke. "There's
nothing more he can give us because there is more,"
said the physician. "The chemicals don't lie. Quite
simply, he's a blind sent out by men in Washington,
but he has no idea who they are. He didn't even
know they existed until this naval officer convinced
him they had to exist. His only referrals were
Anstett and Beale."
"Both dead," interrupted Van Headmer. "Anstett
is public, and I can vouch for Beale. My employee
on Santorini flew into Mykonos and confirmed the
kill. There can be no trace incidentally. The Greek
is back on the chalk cliffs selling laces and inflated
whisky in his taverna."
"Prepare him for his odyssey," said Chaim
Abrahms, looking down at Converse. "As our
specialist in the Mossad put it so clearly, distance is
now the necessary requirement. A vast separation
between this American and those who would send
him out."
Fitzpatrick stirred as the bright morning sunlight
from the windows pierced the darkness and
expanding shades of white forced his eyelids open.
He stretched, his shoulder digging into a hard
corner of the attache case, the rest of him
constricted by the bedspread, which was tangled
about his legs. He kicked it off and Hung his arms
on both sides of the bed, breathing deeply, feeling
the relaxed swelling of his chest. He swung his left
hand above his head, twisted his wrist
THE AQUITAINE PROGRESSION 295
and looked at his watch. It was nine-twenty; he had
slept for seven and a half hours, but the
uninterrupted sleep seemed much longer. He got out
of bed and took several steps; his balance was steady,
his mind clearing. He looked at his watch again,
remembering. The major named Dunstone had said
breakfast at Leifhelm's estate was served from
nine-thirty on and if the conference had moved to a
boat on the river at 2:00 A.M. Converse probably
would not call before ten o'clock.
Connal walked into the bathroom; there was a
phone on the wall by the toilet if he was wrong
about the call. A shave followed by a hot and cold
shower and he would be fully himself again.
Eighteen minutes later Fitzpatrick walked back
into the bedroom, a towel around his waist, his skin
still smarting from the harsh sprays of water. He
crossed to his open suitcase on a luggage rack and
took out his miniaturised radio, placed it on the
bureau and, deciding against the Armed Forces
band, dialed in what was left of a German newscast.
There were the usual threats of strikes in the
industrial south, as well as charges and
countercharges hurled around the Bundestag, but
nothing earthshaking. He selected comfortable
clothes lightweight slacks, a blue oxford shirt and
his cord jacket. He got dressed and walked out into
the sitting room toward the phone, he would call
room service for a small breakfast and a great deal
of coffee.
He stopped. Something was wrong. What was it?
The pillows on the couch were still rumpled, a glass
half filled with stale whisky still on the coffee table,
as were pencils and a blank telephone message pad.
The balcony doors were closed, the curtains drawn,
and across the room the silver ice bucket remained
in the canter of the silver tray on the antique hunt
table. Everything was as he had last seen it, yet there
was something.... The door! The door to Converse's
bedroom was shut. Had he closed it? No, he had not!
He walked rapidly over and opened the door. He
studied the room, conscious of the fact that he had
stopped breathing. It was immaculate cleaned and
smoothed to a fare-thee-well. The suitcase was gone;
the few articles Converse had left on the bureau
were no longer there. Connal rushed to the closet
and yanked it open. It was empty. He went into the
bathroom; it was spotless, new soap in the re-
ceptacles, the glasses wrapped in clinging paper
ready for incoming guests. He walked out of the
bathroom stunned.
296 ROBERT IUDLUM
There was not the slightest sign that anyone except
a maid had been in that bedroom for days.
He ran out to the sitting room and the
telephone. Seconds later the manager was on the
line; it was the same man Connal had spoken with
yesterday. "Yes, indeed, your businessman was even
more eccentric than you described, Commander. He
checked out at three-thirty this morning, paying all
the bills, incidentally."
"He was here?"
Of course."
You saw him?"
Not personally. I don't come on duty until eight
o'clock. He spoke with the night manager and
settled your account before going up to pack."
"How could your man know it was him? He
never saw him before!"
Really, Commander, he identified himself as
your associate and paid the bill. He also had his
key; he left it at the desk."
Fitzpatrick paused, astonished, then spoke
harshly. The room was cleaned! Was that also
done at three-thirty this morning? '
No, main Herr, at seven o'clock. By the first
housekeeping shift."
But not the outer room?"
The commotion might have disturbed you.
Frankly Commander, that suite must be prepared
for an early-afternoon arrival. I'm sure the staff felt
it would not bother you if they got a head start on
the task. Obviously, it
Early afternoons I'm here!"
And welcome to stay until twelve noon, the bill
has been paid. Your friend has departed and the
suite has been reserved."
And I don't suppose you have another room."
'I'm afraid there's nothing available, Commander."
Connal slammed down the phone. Really,
Commander . . . Those same words had been spoken
by another over the same telephone at two o'clock
in the morning. There were three directories in a
wicker rack by the table, he pulled out the one for
Bonn and found the number
"Guten Morgen. Hier bei General Leifhelm. "
"Herrn Major Dunstone, bitts. "
THE AQUITAINE
PROGRESSION 297
"Wer2"
"Dunstone,~' he said, then continued in German,
"He's a guest. Philip Dunstone. He's the senior aide
to to a General Berkeley-Greene. They're English."
"English? There are no Englishmen here, sir.
There's no one here that is to say, there are no
guests."
"He was there last night! They both were. I spoke
with Major Dunstone."
"The general had a small dinner party for a few
friends but no English people, sir."
"Look, I'm trying to reach a man named Converse."
"Oh, yes, Mr. Converse. He was here, sir."
"Was?"
"I believe he left."
"Where's Leifhelm?" shouted Connal.
There was a pause before the German replied
coldly "Who should I say is calling General
Leifhelm?"
"Fitzpatrick. Lieutenant Commander Fitzpatricki"
"I believe he's in the dining room. If you'll stay
on the telephone." The line was put on hold; the
suspended silence was unnerving.
finally there was a click and Leifhelm's voice
reverberated over the phone. "Good morning,
Commander. Bonn has provided a lovely day, no?
The Seven Mountains are as clear as in a picture
postcard. I believe you can see them "
"Where's Converse?" interrupted the Navy lawyer.
"I would assume at Das Rektorat."
"He was supposed to be staying at your place."
"No such arrangements were made. They were
neither requested nor offered. He left rather late,
but he did leave Commander. My car drove him
back."
"That's not what I was toldl A Major Dunstone
called me around two this morning "
"I believe Mr. Converse left shortly before then....
Who did you say called?"
"Dunstone. A Major Philip Dunstone. He's
English. He said he was the senior aide to General
Berkeley-Greene."
"I don't know this Major Dunstone, there was no
such person here. However, I'm familiar with just
about every general officer in the British Army and
I've never heard of anyone named Berkeley-Greene."
"Stow it, Leifhelml"
"I beg your pardon."
298 ROBERT LUDLUM
"I spoke to Dunstone! He he said the right
words. He said Converse was staying at your
place with the others!"
"I think you should have spoken directly with
Herr Converse, because there was no Major
Dunstone or General Berkeley-Greene at my home
last night. Perhaps you should check with the
British embassy; certainly they d know if these
people were in Bonn. Perhaps you heard the words
incorrectly; perhaps they met later at a cafe."
"I couldn't speak to him! Dunstone said you
were out on the river in a boat." Fitzpatrick's breath
was now coming in short gasps.
"Now, that's ridiculous, Commander. It's true I
keep a small launch for guests, but it's a well-known
fact that I am not partial to the water." The general
paused, adding with a short laugh. "The great field
marshal gets seasick in a llatboat six feet from
shore."
"You re Iying!"
"I resent that, sir. Especially about the water. I
never feared the Russian front, only the Black Sea.
And if we had invaded England, I assure you I
would have crossed the Channel in a plane." The
Cerman was toying with him; he was enjoying
himself.
"You know exactly what I mean!" Connal
shouted again. "They said Converse checked out of
here at three-thirty this morning! I say he never
came back!"
"And I say this conversation is pointless. If you
are truly alarmed, call me back when you can be
civil. I have friends in the Staatspolizei." Again a
click; the German had hung up.
As Fitzpatrick replaced the phone another
thought suddenly struck him. Frightened, he walked
quickly into the bedroom, his eyes instantly zeroing
in on the attache case. It was partly under the
pillow; oh Cod, he had been in such a sound sleep!
He yanked the case out and examined it. Breathing
again, he saw that it was the same case, the
combination locks secure; no amount of pressure on
the small brass buttons would release the plates. He
lifted the case and shook it; the weight and the
sounds were proof that the papers were inside and
intact, proof also that Converse had not returned to
the inn and checked out. All other considerations
aside and regardless of whatever emergencies that
might have arisen, he would never have left without
the dossiers and the list of names.
Connal carried the case back into the sitting room
trying
THE AQUITAINE PROGRESSION 299
to collect his thoughts, putting them in alphabetical
sequence so as to impose some kind of order. A: He
had to assume that the flag on Joel's service record
had been lifted or the damaging information
unearthed in some other way and that Converse was
now being held by LeifLelm and the contingent from
Aquitaine that had flown in from Paris, Tel Aviv and
Johannesburg. B:They would not kill him until they
had used every means possible to find out what he
knew which was far less than they imagined and
could take several days. C: The LeifLelm estate,
according to his dossier, was a fortress; thus the
chances of going in and bringing Converse out were
nil. D: Fitzpatrick knew he could not appeal to the
American embassy. To begin with, Walter Peregrine
would place him under territory arrest and those
doing the arresting might put a bullet in his head.
One had tried. E: He could not risk seeking help
from Hickman in San Diego, which under different
circumstances might be a logical course of action.
Everything in the admiral's makeup ruled out any
connection with Aquitaine; he was a fiercely
independent officer whose conversations were laced
with barbed remarks about the
Pentagon's policies
and mentality. But if that flag had been officially re-
leased whether with his consent or over his objec-
tions Hickman would have no choice but to call
him back to the base for a full inquiry. Any contact
at all could result in the immediate cancellation of
his leave, but if there was no contact and no way to
reach him, the order, obviously, could not be given.
Connal sat down on the couch, the attache case
at his feet, and picked up a pencil; he wrote out two
words on the telephone message pad: Call Meagen.
He would tell his sister to say that after Press's
funeral he had left for parts unknown without
explanation. It was consistent with what he had said
to the admiral, that he was taking his information to
"the authoribes" investigating Preston Halliday's
death.
F: He could go to the Bonn police and tell them
the truth. He had every reason to believe that an
American colleague was being held against his will
inside the gates of General Erich Leifhelm's estate.
Then, of course, the inevitable question would arise:
Why didn't the Lieutenant Commander contact the
American embassy? The unspoken would be just
below the surface: General Leifhelm was a
prominent figure, and such a serious charge should
have diplomatic support. The embassy again. Strike
out. Then again, if Leifhelm said
300 ROBERT LUDLUM
he had "friends" in the Staatspolizei, he probably
owned key men in the Bonn Police. If he was
alarmed, Converse could be moved. Or killed. G:. .
Robert Ludlum - Aquatain Progression.txt Page 46