The Secret Crown paj-6

by Chris Kuzneski

  In the water, at least he had a chance.

  Three days earlier, Payne had been swimming on the bottom of the Ohio River, blindly looking for a lost bottle opener. Now he was searching for prey in a man-made lake.

  In his mind, this would be far easier.

  With a knife in his hand and his lungs full of air, Payne glided underwater towards the panic-stricken Faust. The lake was deep enough and dark enough to conceal Payne’s approach, so he wasted no time once he spotted the thrashing legs of his target. Attacking from behind, Payne grabbed the back of Faust’s collar and yanked him under the surface of the water. Faust bucked and flailed, trying to break free, but Payne ended the battle with a quick slash of his blade. Blood gushed from Faust’s neck as he dropped his gun and tried, in vain, to hold the fluid inside his body. But it wasn’t to be. Within seconds, the life had drained out of him.

  Payne held on until the struggling stopped, then he pushed the corpse aside and swam hard towards the shore. He sprang from the water and landed on the narrow path, not far from the second dead goon. Normally, Payne would have been reluctant to use someone else’s weapon unless his own gun was damaged or out of ammo, but in this case, it made sense strategically. The goon’s Beretta was equipped with a sound suppressor, which would be useful outside the grotto – especially if more men were positioned around the Linderhof grounds. The last thing Payne wanted was to make them aware of his presence. With that in mind, he picked up the Beretta, fired a test shot into the water, then headed towards the fake boulder.

  While kneeling on the hard ground, Jones could hear the music seeping from the opening behind him. Although he wasn’t familiar with this particular opera, he found himself humming along – partially to calm his nerves and partially because he was bored.

  Based on Schultz’s tactics, it was fairly obvious that he had been ordered to follow the beacon and question the chopper’s occupants before anyone was eliminated. Otherwise, Jones and Baptiste would already be dead, and Schultz would be inside the grotto looking for Payne, Heidi and Ulster. Once Jones thought this out, his attitude changed. If given the opportunity, Jones would still make a move on Schultz, but he wasn’t about to do anything desperate. At least not until Payne had a chance to wipe out the rest of his crew. In the meantime, he would do everything he could to keep his captor distracted.

  Jones stared at Schultz, who was fifteen feet away. ‘What time is it?’

  ‘Time to shut up.’

  He acted offended. ‘Damn! Why are you so mean? Have you always been like this? If so, you got in the right line of work. Lots of angry men in the goon business.’

  ‘I’m not a goon.’

  ‘Really? What are you then?’

  ‘I’m a soldier.’

  ‘Me, too. How long have you worked for Mueller?’

  Schultz glanced around. He wasn’t used to chatty prisoners. Normally they were quivering with fear, not trying to make conversation. ‘Two years.’

  ‘Good employer?’

  ‘Not bad.’

  ‘Benefits?’

  Schultz caught himself before he answered. ‘That’s it! No more talking. I know what you’re trying to do.’

  ‘Really? What’s that?’

  ‘You’re trying to distract me.’

  ‘Is it working?’

  ‘Not a chance.’

  During the past few seconds, Jones had noticed the music getting softer. Either someone had turned down the volume, or someone was standing near the fissure blocking the sound as it tried to escape the grotto. If he had to guess, it was probably the latter.

  ‘One last question, then I promise I’ll shut up.’

  Schultz glared at him. ‘What is it?’

  ‘Do you know why we’re here?’

  He sneered. ‘I’ll find out soon enough.’

  Jones smiled, confident Payne was behind him. ‘No, you won’t.’

  A moment later, Payne squeezed the trigger and ended the conversation.

  Jones didn’t even turn around. ‘Took you long enough.’

  ‘Screw you,’ Payne snapped. ‘It was one against three.’

  Jones stood and brushed off his knees. ‘Actually, it was three against three. Or don’t Heidi and Ulster count?’

  ‘In this case, they don’t. I sent them to safety.’

  ‘Then you better go and get them. We need to lift off, asap.’

  ‘Me? What about you? What are you going to do?’

  Jones pointed at the golf cart. ‘I need to check on Baptiste. If he can’t fly, I’m the pilot.’

  ‘Fine! We’ll meet you here in five.’

  Jones suddenly turned serious. ‘By the way, thanks.’

  Payne nodded, then disappeared into the darkness of the grotto.

  69

  Munich, Germany

  Oktoberfest is the world’s largest fair. Held annually in Munich, the sixteen-day festival attracts more than six million visitors a year. The original Oktoberfest took place in 1810 and commemorated the marriage of Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen and Crown Prince Ludwig, who later became King Ludwig I. (He was the namesake of Ludwig the Second and his paternal grandfather.) The event is held in the Theresienwiese – which translates to Therese’s meadow – an open space of four and a half million square feet that is south-west of the centre of the city. The festival is so important to Munich’s economy that the massive field has its own subway station. During the event, the U-Bahn station handles roughly 20,000 people per hour in each direction.

  Because of security concerns, Payne was thrilled that Hauser amp; Sons was located on the opposite side of the city, far away from the madness. Baptiste landed the chopper on a corporate helipad six blocks from the store, then took off as soon as his passengers had hustled to safety. Although Jones was convinced that Raskin had handled the beacon problem, Baptiste was instructed to fly around the city to confuse would-be pursuers.

  As a former resident of Munich, Heidi led the way to the store while Payne followed closely behind. Unlike the crowds of foreigners that filled the sidewalks, she knew exactly where she was headed. Energized by the palpable buzz in the city, her pace was so quick at times that Ulster struggled to keep up. Eventually, Payne grabbed her elbow and urged her to slow down – not only for Ulster’s sake, but also for the group’s safety. The further they were spread apart, the tougher it was to keep an eye on everybody.

  Ironically, Heidi wasn’t the least bit excited about their trip to the store. She thought it might result in a small titbit about Ludwig but didn’t think it was worth their time and effort, not at this stage of their search. In fact, the only one who truly believed in the significance of the receipt was Jones. For some reason, he just sensed it was critical and wouldn’t let it rest. In the end, Payne and Ulster were willing to play along in order to shut Jones up.

  Located in a brown brick building on a commercial street, Hauser amp; Sons had the glossy look of a high-end store. Its name was written in gold calligraphy on an elegant sign above the tinted glass doorway. Display cases, filled with a wide assortment of jewellery, sat behind the shatterproof windows. Lit by overhead lights discreetly hidden from public view, the jewels sparkled like stars in the desert night.

  Heidi wanted to stop for a longer look, but Payne dragged her away from the window and towards the door. For the next few minutes, he needed her to focus on the receipt, not the diamond necklace she had been admiring. Heidi nodded and promised she would be on her best behaviour, but the moment they entered the store, she was distracted by a pair of earrings. Then a tennis bracelet. Then a gold ring. Before he knew it, she was in shopping mode.

  Dressed in a designer suit, Friedrich Hauser watched the action unfold from his desk near the back of the store. Over the decades, he had witnessed a similar scene play out more times than he could possibly remember. The truth was he made his living on the type of excitement that she was displaying. He only hoped the woman (or one of her friends) had the bank account to match her expensive ta
ste. If so, it would be a great afternoon.

  ‘Guten tag!‘ he said as he strolled forward.

  Payne waved and said, ‘Hello.’

  Hauser, a man in his mid-sixties, smiled warmly. ‘Ah, you are visiting our city. I should have known. Everyone is a visitor during Oktoberfest. Where are you from?’

  ‘America.’

  ‘That is a long way to come for jewellery. I guess our reputation is growing.’

  Payne laughed and shook his hand. ‘From the looks of things, your reputation is well deserved. You have a beautiful store.’

  Hauser beamed. ‘I thank you – and so do my ancestors.’

  The comment caught everyone’s attention, including Heidi’s. She turned away from the main display case and joined the others.

  ‘You’re the owner?’ Payne asked.

  ‘One of them. My name is Friedrich Hauser.’

  Payne introduced his group. ‘I’m Jon. This is David, Petr and Heidi.’

  Hauser nodded. ‘Nice to meet you. How may I be of service?’

  Payne took a step back. ‘DJ, the floor is yours.’

  Hauser smiled and waited for an explanation.

  Jones took over. ‘We found something from your store, and we were hoping you could give us some additional information about its owner.’

  Hauser arched his eyebrow. ‘Let me guess: you found a ring! People lose them all the time. Thankfully, we keep wonderful records. Can you describe the piece?’

  Jones shook his head. ‘No, not a ring. We found a document.’

  ‘A document? I don’t understand.’

  Ulster pointed at one of the display cases. ‘May we show you?’

  Hauser nodded and walked to the opposite side of the case while Jones placed the receipt on the freshly cleaned glass. Over the next several seconds, the group watched in silence as Hauser inspected the antique document. Strangely, he seemed to go through a wide range of emotions in a short period of time – confusion, followed by excitement and finally trepidation. Meanwhile, his body went on a similar journey. Gone was the relaxed posture of a moment before, replaced by the rigid stance of a prison guard.

  His eyes narrowed to slits. ‘Where did you get this?’

  Jones answered. ‘We found it in a desk.’

  ‘Whose desk?’

  ‘For the time being, I’d rather not say.’

  Hauser grimaced and returned his attention to the document. It was painfully obvious that he knew what he was looking at, yet something prevented him from admitting it. Payne was tempted to go on the offensive and question him, but before he had a chance, Hauser looked at him directly. ‘May I take this into the back? I’d like to show it to my father.’

  Payne shook his head. ‘Actually, we’d prefer if he came out here and talked to us in person. We’d love to meet him.’

  ‘That will be difficult. He doesn’t move around very well.’

  ‘I’m sorry to hear that, but we go where the receipt goes. If you’d like, we’re more than willing to visit him. Just lead the way.’

  Hauser stared at the document and sighed, the weight of the world on his shoulders. He looked like a man who truly didn’t know what he was supposed to do. ‘Wait right here. I’ll see which my father would prefer. In the meantime, can one of you lock the main door?’

  ‘Why?’ Heidi asked.

  ‘Whichever he decides, this matter should be handled in private.’

  Payne nodded. ‘You talk to your father; we’ll get the lock.’

  Hauser went into the back while Heidi took care of the door. Meanwhile, Payne, Jones and Ulster tried to figure out what was going on.

  Jones whispered. ‘Did you see Hauser’s face? The guy was scared – almost as though I’d handed him a ransom note. If this receipt says “give me your money” in Bavarian, we’re fucked.’

  Payne shook his head. ‘That wasn’t fear. That was anxiety. He’s nervous about something. For the time being, I think it would be best if we spread out in the store.’

  ‘Why’s that?’ Ulster wondered.

  ‘If he comes back with a shotgun, I don’t want to be an easy target.’

  ‘Are you serious?’

  Payne shrugged half-heartedly. ‘Kind of, but not really. It’s obvious we’ve stumbled onto something important. Until we know what that is, I think it’s best if we take precautions.’

  ‘Like what?’ Heidi asked.

  ‘Like spreading out in the store.’

  Jones moved first, grabbing a defensive position near the front door, while Heidi and Ulster went to opposite corners. Meanwhile, Payne stood off to the right where he had a clear view of the entire room. From there, he could see everything and control the action.

  Five minutes later, Hauser emerged from the back. Although his hands were weapon-free, he was armed with a question – one that would determine what happened next. He spotted Payne off to the side and walked in his direction, sensing he was the leader of this group. Hauser stopped a few feet in front of him and lowered his voice to a whisper.

  ‘My father,’ he said, ‘is nearly a hundred years old. During his lifetime, he has suffered through two world wars and the death of his entire generation. In the last decade, he has buried the love of his life and two of my sisters, so the man has endured far more than most. Because of that, I’m willing to respect his wishes – even in situations that I don’t fully understand.’

  Payne stared at Hauser, trying to figure out where this was going. ‘What does any of that have to do with us?’

  ‘I spoke to my father about the receipt, and, well, to be perfectly honest, he got upset.’

  ‘Upset?’

  Hauser nodded. ‘He said he didn’t have the strength to talk to you. Unless …’

  ‘Unless, what?’

  ‘Unless you can answer a question.’

  Intrigued by the whispering, Ulster crept closer. ‘What’s the question?’

  Hauser sighed. ‘That’s the thing. It isn’t even a question. It’s more like a statement that you’re supposed to finish. If you finish it correctly, my father will speak to you. If not, I’m supposed to escort you from the store.’

  Ulster welcomed the challenge. ‘Such fun! What’s the statement?’

  ‘Yeah,’ Heidi said as she approached, ‘what’s the statement?’

  Hauser took a deep breath, then whispered the words his father had told him to say. ‘He who holds the key …’

  The group answered in unison. ‘Gets to wear the crown.’

  Hauser blinked a few times, stunned. ‘That’s correct. How did you … ?’ His voice trailed off as he thought about the past few years with his father. They had been more than difficult. ‘Do you know what? It doesn’t even matter. I’m just glad someone knew what he was talking about. He’s been babbling about your receipt for ever. Until today, I thought maybe it was a figment of his imagination. I’m thrilled to know it wasn’t.’

  Payne cut to the chase. ‘Does this mean we can talk to him?’

  Hauser answered cryptically. ‘Not only that, it means you get to open the case.’

  ‘What case?’ Jones demanded.

  Hauser smiled. ‘You’ll find out soon enough.’

  70

  Hauser led the group into the stockroom at the rear of the store. To their right was a walk-in vault that protected the most valuable merchandise at Hauser amp; Sons and any currency that had been collected during the course of the week. To their left was a small office filled with a desk, chair, computer, printer and three filing cabinets. Everything was simple and clean.

  ‘Where’s your father?’ Payne asked as his eyes darted from side to side, looking for danger. While he walked, he kept his hand near his gun. ‘I thought he was back here.’

  Hauser glanced over his shoulder. ‘He’s in his workshop, which is in the rear corner of the building. We put it back there so the noise wouldn’t disturb the customers.’

  Jones whispered. ‘If he’s chained up and making sneakers, we’re going to set
him free.’

  Hauser didn’t hear the joke. ‘I wanted him to retire years ago, but he says work is the only thing keeping him going. If that’s the case, he can stay here as long as he wants.’

  Heidi asked, ‘What kind of work?’

  ‘Jewellery design and repair. Despite his age, he still has the hands of a surgeon. Unfortunately, his eyes are a different story.’

  They walked down a hallway and came upon a well-lit repair shop where an old man was sitting on a metal stool, hunched over a counter. Dressed in a long-sleeved shirt and a pair of dark pants held up by braces, he stared through a high-powered magnification lamp that allowed him to see the necklace clasp he was working on. He was also wearing a thick pair of glasses attached to a black cord hanging round his neck.

  Without turning his head, he sensed the group’s approach and calmly laid down his tools. After all this time, someone had finally come to claim the item. It was a moment his family had been waiting for since 1886. Although his role had been small over the years, he was honoured to be a part of the conclusion and thrilled to share the moment with his son. With a great effort, he swivelled on his seat until he faced the doorway. He wanted to get a good look at the group that had found the receipt and answered his question correctly.

  ‘Please come in,’ he said with a thick Bavarian accent. ‘I apologize for not coming to greet you, but as my son surely mentioned, my mobility is poor.’

  Payne smiled warmly. ‘If anything, we’re the ones who should apologize for showing up unannounced. I’m sorry if we’ve inconvenienced you in any way.’

  Appreciative of the sentiment, the old man stuck out his hand and formally introduced himself. ‘My name is Alexander. It is a pleasure to meet you.’

  ‘The pleasure is ours,’ Payne said as they shook hands. ‘My name is Jon.’

  Jones followed his lead. ‘I’m David.’

  ‘I’m Heidi.’

  Ulster went last. ‘And I’m Petr.’

  Strangely, Ulster’s handshake lasted longer than all the others combined. After a few uncomfortable seconds, Ulster tried to release his hand from the old man’s grip, but Hauser held tight, his yellow fingernails digging into Ulster’s skin. Everyone, including Hauser’s son, was confused by the development. The old man finally blinked and released his grasp.