“You’re my contact?” Richard asked. “I was told that you would meet me on the platform at Dhamtari. This isn’t following protocol.”
The man wagged his index finger. “One thing you’ll quickly learn about me is that I’m not a fan of the rules. I consider them mere guidelines, especially where it concerns areas that demand a more creative type of action.”
“I think we’ll get along famously,” Richard said.
“David Wilson,” the man said, extending his hand. “U.S. Army Intelligence.”
Richard shook it and asked to see some credentials. David obliged and held out a badge along with the corresponding passport.
“Hank Foster told me you’d be cautious and not to deviate from the plan,” David said.
“Yet here you are.”
“Well, it’s not by some small chance either. There is a greater force in the universe that still wants me alive.”
Richard furrowed his brow. “Did you survive a harrowing near-death experience?”
“A harrowing experience? As in only one?”
Richard nodded.
“More like dozens,” David said, “but this latest one was the most danger I’ve ever been in. I was certain I was going to die, but I guess it’s not my time.”
“What happened?”
David winced. “I’m not really at liberty to say, but just know that my partner at the time didn’t make it.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.”
“Don’t be,” David said. “He was a pompous blowhard, full of himself and stuck on living in the glory of his past accomplishments instead of working hard to secure the future. It was his own arrogance that led to his death—and nearly killed me.”
“On that note, do you have any idea what this assignment entails?” Richard asked.
“We’re going to receive further details at the next stop on our journey, but all I know for now is that it involves a secret Reichswehr unit that you are allegedly quite familiar with.”
Richard nodded. “From what I’ve gathered, they’re hunting treasures all across the world as a way to build up their war chest outside the auspices of the Treaty of Versailles. And we must stop them.”
“Sounds simple enough.”
“Hardly,” Richard said. “They’re an elite group of men trained for battle and equipped to handle anything thrown in their direction. Whatever they’re up to India, I can assure you that nothing about it will be simple.”
“I heard you handled them on your own in Egypt. Couldn’t be that hard, right?”
“Beginner’s luck,” Richard said. “They had their chance to kill me before—and I doubt they’ll pass up an opportunity like that again. If they can, they will eliminate me.”
David chuckled. “How does a travel writer get involved in espionage without any formal training?”
“Hank Foster offered me two things that I struggle to turn down: money and adventure. But to be honest, it was more about the money, though I’m slowly learning to enjoy the adventure. For example, I have no idea where we’re going, and the thought of that is exhilarating.”
“No wonder Foster pursued you,” David said. “You sound far crazier than you look, though it’s quite apparent just how insane you truly are.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment. However, I’m curious. Where are we going?”
“Ever heard of Simla?”
Richard shook his head as David stood and opened the door to their compartment. “Is it just me, or is it kind of stuffy in here?”
Richard loosened his tie. “I’ve been here long enough to know that I constantly feel hot and stuffy.”
A man with a monkey in tow stopped near the entryway. Squawking and hand extended, the animal swaggered up to Richard. He hunched down and looked the animal in the eye before making some clicking noises. The monkey reciprocated before turning and snatching David’s hat off his head and giving it to Richard.
The monkey’s owner laughed. “Well done.”
“How did you do that?” David asked, his mouth agape.
“I learned a few tricks when I was in Gibraltar,” Richard said. “Never know when you might need to entertain someone on the spot.”
* * *
WHEN THE TRAIN arrived in Simla, a porter met David and Richard on the platform and helped hustle them to a carriage waiting outside. They posed as businessmen traveling to India to discuss a potential tea import opportunity to the United States.
After twenty minutes of bumping along the rough road, they arrived at the large estate of Mr. Harvey Carrington and were ushered inside along with all their baggage. A butler greeted them with a silver platter containing freshly brewed tea and pastries. He informed Richard and David that Mr. Carrington would be down momentarily and join them in the library.
While David took a seat on the couch, Richard stared at the floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, each spot filled. He sauntered over to the far wall and ran his fingers along the fine mahogany shelves, studying the titles to determine what kind of stories Mr. Carrington liked to read.
“Find something that suits your fancy?” a man asked.
Richard spun around to see a tall man sporting a gray suit with a vest adorned by a gold pocket watch. He used his thumb and forefinger to smooth out his mustache, which was sufficiently oiled and pressed flat against his face.
“I notice you’re fond of Nathaniel Hawthorne,” Richard said.
“Fond is not nearly a strong enough word to convey my true affections for the man’s writing.”
The man strode over toward Richard and offered his hand. “Harvey Carrington. And I presume you must be Richard Halliburton.”
Richard nodded. “Yes, sir, though I’m not sure if I should be concerned or impressed that you know who I am.”
“Neither,” Harvey said with a wink. “I’ve met with David before. You were the only new acquaintance scheduled to darken my door today.”
“Well, I’m anxious to hear about what we’re doing here,” Richard said.
Harvey gestured toward the couch. “Please, have a seat. We have plenty to discuss.”
Richard eased onto the vacant half of the couch next to David and leaned forward. “What are the Germans up to now?”
“As you know so well, the Germans are on a hunt to uncover every major treasure they can get their hands on in this part of the world. The most difficult part is tracking them, though we have several agents who’ve been able to intercept messages and figure out where the Reichswehr unit is headed. This time, the only information we were able to obtain was the country.”
David sighed and shook his head. “India is a vast place. Finding Wilhelm is going to be like looking for a needle in a haystack.”
“I once helped find a dime in a haystack for my little brother when the coin fell out of his pocket while playing King of the Mountain,” Richard said.
“Then maybe Foster knows what he’s doing pairing us together,” David said. “But I’m thinking this will actually be far more difficult.”
Harvey picked up his teacup sitting on the silver tray and poured in a splash of milk before taking a sip.
“Do we know anything yet?” Richard asked.
“The Reichswehr troop has been seen in southern India, though we have reason to believe it’s not their final destination,” Harvey said. “According to our intelligence, the Reichswehr has indicated that their primary objective is to amass a fortune, one large enough to get them back on the world stage as a military power. And with the Treaty of Versailles being what it is, it’s going to be a challenge to build up a cache of wealth. And extrapolating out what we know, it’s likely they aren’t going to waste their time hunting treasures in the south. All the substantial jewels and gold are in the central and northern section of the country.”
“That doesn’t exactly narrow it down,” David said.
“And that’s why you need to follow them,” Harvey said. “On this assignment, the two of you will tail the Germans until you can
determine where they’re going and what they’re doing. Once you do, you’ll contact us and we’ll send in an elite group of U.S. Army soldiers to secure the Reichswehr and hopefully learn more about what their country is doing, particularly Karl Wilhelm.”
“Where are they now?” Richard asked.
“They were last seen in the Papikonda Hills,” Harvey said. “But that was several days ago. Until we hear more, you need to sit and wait—and be ready to pursue them on a moment’s notice.”
Chapter 7
THE NEXT MORNING, Richard and David were finishing breakfast when a loud rapping on the front door startled both men. Harvey, who was sipping his tea and reading the paper, folded it up and slammed it on the table. He stood and huffed.
“People here just don’t understand that you don’t need to beat the door down in order to get someone to answer it,” Harvey said before stomping to his office just off the entryway.
Richard followed Harvey, stopping short as a young Indian boy talked excitedly.
“Slow down, Adi,” Harvey said. “I can barely understand what you’re saying.”
“I have a telegram, and it’s urgent,” Adi said, slowing down as he handed a piece of paper to Harvey.
Harvey scanned the note and then tousled Adi’s hair. “Excellent work. Here’s a little extra for your troubles.”
Harvey depressed a silver coin into Adi’s hand. He looked up and smiled before darting out the door and down the steps.
“Good news?” Richard asked as David joined him in the hallway.
“Gentlemen, you don’t have a second to lose,” Harvey said. “You need to pack your bags. One of our sources reported that the German contingent was in a port city on the east coast, asking about a certain British magistrate in Maredumilli.”
“And where is that?” David asked.
“In the middle of the jungle.”
“What would Reichswehr be doing there?” Richard asked.
Harvey grinned. “That’s what you’re going to find out.”
* * *
WHEN THE TWO MEN arrived in Maredumilli two days later, Richard was even more bewildered than before as to the purpose of the Germans’ visit to the village. With little commerce to speak of, there seemed to be no obvious reason to go so far out of the way. But Richard had learned by now that the Reichswehr unit worked to mask its intentions.
David insisted the trip be short since he speculated that the Germans wouldn’t still be there.
“Maybe there’s more to this village than we know,” Richard said.
David shook his head. “If there’s a rumor about a treasure in this part of India, I would’ve heard about it by now. Those stories are shared freely and often. It’s an Indian pastime. And everyone knows the legends about where the supposed troves of jewels and gold are hidden. As someone who is well-versed in these tales, I can assure you this small village isn’t on the list.”
“Perhaps the British magistrate will tell us why the Germans came here.”
David huffed a soft laugh through his nose. “We have no authority to compel him to tell us anything. I doubt he’ll talk.”
“Sometimes people say plenty without saying a word.”
“Well, I’ll await your translation then when we see this official.”
Richard and David asked around before they found a man who spoke English and agreed to take them to the magistrate’s office. After they were on the steps to the building, David flipped the man a coin and trudged upward as Richard knocked on the door.
Moments later, a woman opened it and ushered them inside.
“We were hoping to speak to the magistrate,” David said.
The brunette eyed him carefully. “And you’re assuming that I’m not the magistrate because I’m a woman.”
David blushed. “No, it’s just that—”
She laughed and waved dismissively. “I’m just giving you some grief. I’ll let the magistrate know you’re here.”
She strode across the room and knocked on a door. A man wearing a gray suit answered and stepped into the hallway at the woman’s request. He furrowed his brow as he walked across the room, intently studying his two visitors.
“Is there something I can help you gentlemen with?” he asked.
“Indeed there is, Mr. . . .” Richard said.
“Fullerton. Alex Fullerton,” the man said as he studied his two guests.
“We’re searching for a group of about a dozen Germans,” David said. “They’re members of the Reichswehr and rumored to be conducting operations which fall outside the guidelines of the Treaty of Versailles. You wouldn’t have happened to have seen these gentlemen?”
Fullerton sighed and looked skyward. “We don’t get many visitors here, so I’m sure I would’ve seen or heard about them if they were here, but I don’t recall seeing any group of people that would fit that description.”
“Perhaps they presented themselves as something other than soldiers,” Richard suggested. “Or maybe they didn’t even consider themselves German. Have you had any large group come through here in the past week or so?”
Fullerton shook his head. “I’m not sure we’ve ever had a group that large come through here since I’ve held this position—unless it was a family visiting relatives or for a funeral.”
“In that case, do you mind if we inquire with others?” David asked.
“Be my guest,” Fullerton said. “You can leave your bags here and I’ll be happy to introduce you to some of the village’s more influential people who would know if a group like that came through.”
Richard and David stacked their bags on a chair in Fullerton’s office and then followed him outside. Villagers smiled and waved at the trio as they walked along the dusty roads. While the area wasn’t well developed, Richard noticed the British influence right away with a postal station and the thatched roofs atop newer structures.
“I know this place may seem primitive to you,” Fullerton said as he strolled along, “but I can assure you that there’s more than meets the eye with these people. They’re extremely diligent workers and seem hungry to join the 20thCentury and all she has to offer.”
After they walked along for a couple minutes, Fullerton called out to a gentleman standing outside a blacksmith shop.
“Kabir,” Fullerton said, “I have some people here who have a question for you.”
Kabir wiped his hands with a rag before dabbing his forehead, which was covered in a mixture of sweat and black soot. He smiled and nodded at Richard and David.
“We were wondering if you’ve seen a group of about a dozen Germans come through here recently?” David asked. “They would’ve been difficult to miss.”
Kabir cut his eyes over at Fullerton before refocusing on David. “You’re right. I would have noticed a large number of people like that, but I don’t remember seeing them. And even if I didn’t see it, people would’ve been talking about it. As you can tell, that would be quite the topic of conversation here.”
Richard forced a smile and nodded, watching intently as Kabir glanced back at Fullerton.
“Thank you, Kabir,” Fullerton said. “We don’t want to take up any more of your time.”
Fullerton repeated the process three more times with other villagers he deemed as prominent and influential. All of them seemed to look to Fullerton for a signal on how to answer. And all of them denied seeing the Germans.
“I’m afraid this is going to be an exercise in futility,” Fullerton said. “This community is small, and it’s not likely that a team of Germans could move through this town without attracting at least some attention. If no one we’ve spoken with by now saw them, I can all but guarantee you that they weren’t here.”
“Well, that is truly bewildering,” David said. “We have reliable sources who say they were here.”
“Is it possible that your source made a mistake?” Fullerton asked.
“Anything’s possible, I guess,” David said, “including a group of German sol
diers slipping into your village right beneath your nose.”
Fullerton stroked his chin. “I think we know which of those two scenarios is more likely. Now, if you’ll please excuse me, I have a lot of work to get to.”
David and Richard collected their bags and headed out the door. Once they reached the bottom of the steps, Fullerton called to them.
“Just what do you think you’re doing?” he asked.
Richard spun around to see Fullerton hustling toward them.
“I’m sorry,” Richard said. “Are you talking to us?”
“Does it look like I’m speaking to anyone else?” Fullerton asked. “I knew something wasn’t right about you two.”
“What on Earth are you going on about?” David asked.
Fullerton whistled and waved for a constable to come over. The officer darted across the street and asked Fullerton what was going on.
“I think these men stole a valuable article out of my office,” Fullerton said. “Please search their bags.”
“This is ridiculous,” David said as he opened his pack for the officer to peer into.
After finding nothing, he turned toward Richard. “Let me see your bag, sir.”
Richard shrugged and handed over his sack. “I hate to disappoint you, but you’re not going to find anything in there.”
“Is that so?” the constable said.
“Yes, sir.”
“Then what’s this?” the officer asked as he pulled out a small golden idol.
“You thief,” Fullerton shouted. “I paid more than fifty pounds for that item. And you just swiped it off my shelves. I should’ve trusted my instincts about the two of you.”
“What should I do with them? Escort them out of the city?” the constable asked.
“No, let’s make an example out of them,” Fullerton said. “This type of mischief shouldn’t be tolerated in any Indian village, no matter how small. Put them in the prison.”
Richard’s eyes widened. “I did not put that in my bag, and you know it. Be a reasonable man. I was with you every second since I stepped foot inside the magistrate building.”
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